Week 6 is over - Nelsonville-York 1st; Athens in 2nd

[93Bulldog]

You will see the all the area standings in the messenger sat. morning.
Hard to believe 4 weeks ago that Athens would be in 2nd place in the TVC-Ohio.

I was in Belpre Friday and the Buckeyes are just a bulldozing freight train. ARONLD is terrific, he runs past defenders, over them, through them and sometimes all three in one carry. He racked up 246 yrds on only 19 carries and 3 TD's. And that was against Belpre, on the Golden Eagles home turf and they still had Ashton Packard, the 2007 defensive player of the year in the league.

The Buckeyes will line up against you, roll you off the line of scrimmage with tough, solid blocking - then Arnold is such a good, patient back that has excellent vision with speed. They work so well together its almost like they move as one sometimes. Through 6 six games he's somewhere around 925 yrds and 10 TD's running, 2 on special teams and 1 TD reception.

BUT - I LOVE MY 'DOGS AND WHAT A VICTORY Vs. Alex! Did they just go ahead and vote Tope homecoming king on the Spartans homecoming night or what?

QB Trey Harris has vaunted Athens into a different animal to handle. They've been playing good sollid D all year, once Tope got back (Which didn't play Vs Fed Hock and only 1/2 Vs. Gallia) Athens has been able to move the ball on ANY team they face once their senior co-captain returned.

Can they beat NY? Wow, big, big challenge. But how freakin cool is if the Bulldogs & Buckeyes played with Athens having a chance to win a share of the TVC-Ohio if they were able to beat the Bucks.

Too many 'ifs' with other games still having to be played until the meeting; but ive always been acustomed to playing NY in week one, playing late in the year wit league title implications on the line ... THAT'S SWEET!

[noreply66]

Go Buckeyes

[4 HORSEMEN]

Congrats to the Bulldogs on beating the Spartans, and now it is the Buckeyes turn to see if they can do the same thing this week.

Obviously it is a big deal to see what happens in the Nelsonville-York vs Athens game, but do not look past Wellston.................... They are pretty darn good, and getting more confidence each week. Athens, Wellston, and Meigs are all sitting with just 1 league loss................... That could make for a pretty interesting second half of the season

[93Bulldog]

I couldn't agree more 4-H ... By no means was I implying that both NY & Athens will still be 1st or 2nd when they play.

I was down down at Wellston for the NY game and the Rockets gave the Bucks everything NY could handle and then some. When I got back to Athens, the first thing I said to a couple of fellow, southeastern Ohio sports inthusiest when I finally sat down & busted out the paper work for the double OT game - Was how impressed I was with Wellston. One of the guys in the office had seen the Rockets in week 1, I believe, and was not impressed at all by them; but as seasons continue on, teams, players and coaches either improve or regress ... Some get stronger, some change key personel and starting positions so a week 1 team may look and play completely different by week 6 or 7 and so on.

I have a real bad feeling about the Athens - Wellston game next Friday. The Rockets have a real 'bulldozing' but fast RB in Lockard and the huge freshmen FB causes some match-up problems with his size and agility. There aren't to many 6'3 220 LB fullbacks in the area. If that wasn't hard enough to deal with, Wellston has a fairly good QB and another skill player, #24 I believe that catches the ball very well.

It is definitly gonna be a GIGANTIC test for Athens to win at home on homecoming night Vs. the Rockets. The Bulldogs are a very solid football team, they are very well coached and play with some pop on defense. Tope I would say is either the 3rd best RB in the league or maybe even 2B with Lockard being 2A. But they will have to be ready to face a team in Wellston that is bigger than Alex and Vinton, their RB, FB are definitly bigger, stronger, faster than Alex & Vinton.

If Coach Adams can design a game plan to off-set Wellston's overall size advantage and somehow keep Lockard in check as best as it can possibly be done - the the 'Dogs have a chance of pulling one out.

[NYBuckeye96]

Can they beat NY? Wow, big, big challenge. But how freakin cool is if the Bulldogs & Buckeyes played with Athens having a chance to win a share of the TVC-Ohio if they were able to beat the Bucks.

Too many 'ifs' with other games still having to be played until the meeting; but ive always been acustomed to playing NY in week one, playing late in the year wit league title implications on the line ... THAT'S SWEET!

Since Athens first voted to join the TVC, I have always said that the Buckeyes/Bulldogs game could become the biggest rivalry game in the league when the Bulldogs have turned their program around. The first time they meet with the league title on the line - an intense rivalry that dates back to the beginning of high school sports will be reborn!

[4 HORSEMEN]

93Bulldog-

I think your assessment of Wellston is right on the money They have definately improved as the season has progressed.

They didn't play well in their opener with Jackson, but continued to improve in some tough losses to teams like Minford and NY. Now they are winning, and I think their confidence is up.

You also bring up a great point about all of their skill players. Typically teams in the area have 1 and if they are lucky 2 skill players that can REALLY hurt you. Wellston has an outstanding tailback, a great young freshman fullback, a really nice QB, and a solid receiver. I think they create a lot of matchup problems because there is so much that you MUST defend.

As for your Bulldogs, they really played Meigs well, therefore they will have full confidence that they can do the same thing against Wellston. This should be a great game with Tope and the Bulldogs locking horns with Lockard and the Rockets....................... This is a game that I would like to watch

Good luck and we will see you next week

[93Bulldog]

Bucks 96 ... I definitly agree with that assesment. Right now, the Alex game seemed big and has been. But, that is because they were the worst teams in athens county doing battle over the past 15 years (minus 2002, 2003).

If Ryan Adams can possibly turn the program around as much as it possibly can, (Hard to build a football program with 19 varisty sports ... Or when you can let your 5 year old kid play soccer but not football till at least 4th or 5th grade ... and Athens has to rid itself of a complex perception and problem that dwells in the minds of some administrators, some families in the area, etc...etc...) the if ALL those things come to frutition, then, maybe, the NY-Athens game can get back to what it use to be in the late 80's and early 90's - But for league titles, which makes a huge difference.

ATHENS - The state of its football program is doing great on the inside. With Adams, an excellent coaching staff, the mentality inside the locker room, etc...etc...

After that, it is gonna take a long, long time to build a different and successful football program. (1) The boys in nelsonville who may not have much money, or parents are not world class citizens or maybe they even get in troube or can't make practices all the time as youngsters (Pee-wee football, middle school, etc..) Those boys, if they are TOUGH, maybe fairly big or strong and have athletic ability are 'nutured' to an extent by the NY program. They are E.N.C.O.U.R.A.G.E.D to keep playing and kept after to stick with it by the right people. By the time they hit high school and if they are good players by then; it doesn't matter if their dad is a coal miner, unemployed or some deadbeat dad who might even be in jail ... No matter what the situation is - the kid on the field, who has probably become a descent human being by the time he goes through the Buckeye football ranks, is treated almost like a hero in Nelsonville. "Oh, your dad is so-in-so, that guy that sits down at the mine all day ... Well boy, you played one helluva a game, your really playing tough out their for the Bucks, keep it up and if you ever need anything, let us know."

THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD A PROGRAM! or at least it's one small sample of how complex the Athens problem can be or is.

At Athens, the same kid is crucified in elementary school, never given the chance to play in middle school, then doesn't even play by the 9th grade. The toughest kids in Athens city school district live within a 6-10 mile radius of the high school in Chauncey, the Plains, Millfield, Rt. 550 .... But never do we see the results of these kids 'GROW' as football players.

We have parents in the stands complaining about how the coach cussed at practice! Are you freakin kidding me lady! Had I not been working for Nelsonville TV cable that year and was being recorded, I would have layed into that women and told her that's exactly what is wrong with us and that is why we can't compete with NY, Logan. Gallia, etc... 'A coach cussing', what the heck, football is a mean, tough sport that requires toughness, heart and drive ... If the 'Dogs were to continue fielding a bunch of 'mamma raised pansies', then we will never win!

It's time to toughen up, we're from SOUTHEASTERN OHIO, we're supposed to be 'Blue collar families with tough dads that work hard and our kids should be raised the same way' ... Athens is not OHIO UNIVERSITY CITY, nor do all our athletes need to be doctors sons, or lawers sons (If their good, then its fine) - But find the real 'meat & potatoes' type of kids in the school district and find em when their about 7 or 8 and start them out on the FOOTBALL FIELD in pads, and if your fortunate enough, have a pretty good teacher/coach to lead them.

[93Bulldog]

4 Horse - Your right, the Rockets are tough - they told me I was nuts when I made that comment, especially the fellar that seen em week 1 - but he's kinda of bias anyway ...lol

Hoefully, I get to do the Athens-Wellston game Friday ... I tired of driving to Wellston, Fed Hock, Belpre, Fed Hock, Trimble ... I wanna walk out my back door and hear ol Gibby over the sound system and watch the band march down from the high school - I use to love that for some reason, as a kid and as a player; we use to follow them down the for big games ... Darn it, ive got gooose bumps from head to toe now!

If my above post seemed harsh to anyone - SO WHAT! TOUGHEN UP, don't whine and tell your friend next door or at work the same darn thing.

Athens fans should be tired of these comments that have been heard by me, my old partner on Nelsonville cable, former players and dads of players in 2002, 2003 ... Comments like this:

1) "Oh my god, the coach cussed at practice and yelled, I think to way to harshly at the boys."

2) "He practices the kids way to long and my son came home the other day and said all they done was hit each other, all day ... Just hit and tackled ... can the coach do that? That sounds to rough I think."

3) "I want my kid to play soccer so he won't get hurt." .... ARRRGHHHHH!
- HEARD THAT ONE LIKE 20 TIMES IN MY LIFE, OR SINCE I CARED ABOUT FOOTBALL WHICH WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD - SO, 23 YEARS, 20 ridiculus comments like that. OMG

4) "I don't want to play football, it's to hard"

5) "Why do I want to play football, they just always lose anyway."

6) "Why is he playing that kid, isn't he a trouble maker?" ARRGGGHHHHH!!!!
- The ol rumor mill. Im sure its every where and every school; but darn, the people in Athens who think they are 'somebody' actually use that influence against coaches and those 'tough' kids I mentioned in the last post are usually the victom.


** Thank god we now have Adams as coach. How do you tell arguably the best Bulldog football player in the history of the school who and who not to play. He's always been a 'stand-up' guy since Ive known him in high school - he was older but well respected by everyone and hopefully still is and I hope he NEVER gives in to any sorts of politics ... If he does, we go back to square one again.

[questionmark]

93-
I agree with you 110%...

I have played for Coach Adams, and I have Coached beside him. He is what the program was lacking the past 3 years. He is putting the bite back in the Bulldogs and making MEN outta these BOYS...

[93Bulldog]

To be winners, and to win consistently on a year-in-and-year-out basis - Ryan will need more boys though QUESTIONMARK. More boys that want to play football, more boys Ryan and the staff can mold into good, tough young men by the time they leave the program.

Since their are 19 varsity sports and the disadvantage of losing young kids to soccer when their in grade school; Everyone (who loves football and athens football especially) might need to re-think the stratedgy & ideology about the importance of getting the youth's in Athens, Chauncey & The plains to play football.

If we are a Division III school now, we just don't have the numbers to sit back and wait and see who is going to play football for the 'Dogs in 4, 8 or 12 years. I mean, their are always gonna be a classes that come up that have loads of talent; i.e. Hewitt's Class, Ryan Adams class, Uhh....? That might be it. THAT IS 15 YEARS APART! Waaaayyy to long. To start building a program that can at least sustain some consistency and stay competitive at Athens - We, fans, coaches, basically anyone that cares and wants to see the program & team to good NEEDS TO START HELPING, ANY WAY THEY CAN, ANY WAY POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

II. If the football team has to compete for players since we have to many sports at Athens, then so be it. Instead of being 'reactive' to the young kids and wait for them to decide if they wanna play a sport, we need to be 'proactive.' It's almost like we need to compete against ourselves in terms of 'our' school. Get players to the elementary schools in their jerseys and have em talk to 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes for a few minutes, present the perception that it's really 'cool' to be a football player to these young boys in the area .... Let boys who wear youth league jerseys to the home games get in free .... Do something for em at halftime at a game or something ... Have varsity players or even coaches (if they have time) go watch some of the youth football games so the kids see and get to know them .... Whatever they can possibly do to make Athens Football Players seem like being one is the best thing in the world.

III. Ryan I believe has started to hit on some of the 'steps in building' a program by giving the lower levels a simplified version of his playbook and stuff like that. But the Athens program is gonna need something a little extra than the normal stuff that has been done in the past and at other schools. We need to think 'outside-the-box' and any new idea, is a good one ... and any time is a good time!

[ATownWarrior]

i start reading the post and then i easily get bored with the longgggg boringggg post. i didnt come on this site in between my classes to read 5 paragraphs in the same post. lol anyway congrats to both teams, there is no way i would have considered athens having the chance for the title or even a share of the title.

GO SPARTANS!!!

[JoeGatto]

93bulldog....my nephew has been playing youth football in Athens for 3 years and he's just a 4th grader. There's a lot of talent coming up through Athens youth football. I've had the opportunity to watch them play quite a bit and both the 3rd & 4th grade team and the 5th & 6th grade team are pretty good.
They also have a pretty good thing going with their youth basketball league and the sandlot baseball league. The most important thing that's happening with youth sports in Athens is that they are getting top quality coaching and instruction.
If these kids stick with it I really believe you're going to see Athens at or near the top of every sport within the next 4 to 5 years (maybe even earlier).

[91Buckeye]

FrozenRope9, I'll add one crucial point to your post. Athens has always had talented athletes in the lower levels of football. I think that two things have killed them over the years. First is low interest in the sport at the high school level and second is the coaching turnover. The point I am trying to make is they have a coach now that can get the program back to where it needs to be, provided the outside influences stay out of it and allow him to do things his way.

[Tyler_Durden]

To be winners, and to win consistently on a year-in-and-year-out basis - Ryan will need more boys though QUESTIONMARK. More boys that want to play football, more boys Ryan and the staff can mold into good, tough young men by the time they leave the program.

Since their are 19 varsity sports and the disadvantage of losing young kids to soccer when their in grade school; Everyone (who loves football and athens football especially) might need to re-think the stratedgy & ideology about the importance of getting the youth's in Athens, Chauncey & The plains to play football.

If we are a Division III school now, we just don't have the numbers to sit back and wait and see who is going to play football for the 'Dogs in 4, 8 or 12 years. I mean, their are always gonna be a classes that come up that have loads of talent; i.e. Hewitt's Class, Ryan Adams class, Uhh....? That might be it. THAT IS 15 YEARS APART! Waaaayyy to long. To start building a program that can at least sustain some consistency and stay competitive at Athens - We, fans, coaches, basically anyone that cares and wants to see the program & team to good NEEDS TO START HELPING, ANY WAY THEY CAN, ANY WAY POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

II. If the football team has to compete for players since we have to many sports at Athens, then so be it. Instead of being 'reactive' to the young kids and wait for them to decide if they wanna play a sport, we need to be 'proactive.' It's almost like we need to compete against ourselves in terms of 'our' school. Get players to the elementary schools in their jerseys and have em talk to 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes for a few minutes, present the perception that it's really 'cool' to be a football player to these young boys in the area .... Let boys who wear youth league jerseys to the home games get in free .... Do something for em at halftime at a game or something ... Have varsity players or even coaches (if they have time) go watch some of the youth football games so the kids see and get to know them .... Whatever they can possibly do to make Athens Football Players seem like being one is the best thing in the world.

III. Ryan I believe has started to hit on some of the 'steps in building' a program by giving the lower levels a simplified version of his playbook and stuff like that. But the Athens program is gonna need something a little extra than the normal stuff that has been done in the past and at other schools. We need to think 'outside-the-box' and any new idea, is a good one ... and any time is a good time!

i can also attest to the fact that athens problems are not at the lower levels (i.e. elementary age players and youth football teams). their youth football teams have been strong for years. and the numbers have been outstanding (have you seen their 5th and 6th grade team??? something like 50+ players).

it looks to me like the coaches at those levels are being proactive and the kids at those levels do love football. the key seems to be keeping them.

i, too, really like coach adams and i think he is good for the athens program, but your 3rd point has been going on longer than he has been there. the key is to STAY there. varsity coaches definately need to show their interest in the lower levels if they hope to build longevity and tradition.

[93Bulldog]

91Buckeye - Probably nailed it on the head. Maybe the youth football program is doing well, that's awesome; But keeping them interested, getting them to the 9-12th grades without any politics or other outside influences will be, and has been, the problem.

But you can always look at the bright side ... Classes of 1993, 1992, 1994, 1995 - WE HAD TO PLAY FLAG FOOTBALL because some genious in the rec department tought real football was too hard and the boys could get hurt!

It totally destroyed the football program at Athens and at the same time, the early 90's started to produce soccer teams that were ranked in the state and winning the SEOAL every year. Mission accomplished by some dumb*** who thought he knew it all ... With all it's complex problems and attrition, we definitly don't want to make that mistake again.

[Hugh Jase]

Success will bring the kids back. Weather they like it or not they are in the TVC now and will have some success. When you can realisticly look at a season and know you may win your league, its good for your program. Its a small school league but each year at the seasons start every team has a shot at the title. I think it was a good move for Athens to join the TVC. I think if they stick with this coaching staff and not listen to the uptown coaches they will be fine.