Free-For-All Forum: Georgia high school football first round playoff scores, updates, photos and chat – LIVE!

BIG J!!!

Are you kidding me? You are critical of me for suggesting that Northside beats dancing band programs. I hope you are aware that in the state of Georgia bands outside of metro Atlanta (DeKalb County, Clayton County, and south Fulton County) dance at halftime. I have my own opinions about these high school bands mimicking college bands, especially the little girls dancing like strippers. That, of course, is are my opinions.

It is not an opinion statement to say that Northside usually destorys these types of programs. This has happened for years. Truth be told, your own deep seeded beliefs have already exposed themselves. You said that you just want people to say that Union Grove is a good team, win or lose. You might as well say, I do not believe in UG. Neither do I.

You should come down to Warner Robins. A program like Union Grove does not regularly get an opportunity to play in a stadium with such rich history. State Championships have been won on that field. National Championships have been won on that field. Future NFL players have played on that field. Future Hall of Fame coaches have coached great teams on that field. Big J, you should bring you entire family to McConnell-Talbert. Take pictures. Write a journal of your thoughts and emotions. It is Northside High School in Warner Robins, GA. It is the MAC. It is special.

We destroy dancing bands. Those little girls are going to shake themselves into the turf at halftime. Our Eagles will shake the UG football team into the turf before and after the half.

• Link
• Report this comment

Im really getting tired of this dancing band thing. Its really irritating me. ENR,would you like to explain to me exactly what that has to do with the football team? Thats just how certain schools cheer their teams on. We have a good time at the games. Maybe if you werent so worried about everybody else’s bands, then you would still be undefeated. Yes our season is over but it has nothing to do with the fact that we have a dancing band. Stephenson probably has one of the best “dancing bands” in the state and their undefeated. whats your theory on that?

• Link
• Report this comment

Big J: Which one of the Union Grove football players are going to go out and help Coach Russ Atkins win soe basketball games? The Wolverines of Union Grove only won 5 games last basketball season and only 3 the year before that. Come on, Big J. You guys need to send some of the guys over and help make the UG basketball team competitive.

What happens over there? Do the guys from the football team just not want to help the basketball team or they do join the band after football season? What is really going on over there Big J?

• Link
• Report this comment

Our band does anything but dance, ENR you obviously don’t know anything about us. Our band is EXTREMELY conservative. I have to tell you that I really enjoyed Redan’s band when we played them. ENR, NSWR may beat us but they will line up 11 kids against our 11 kids. Win or lose I will enjoy this week. Let me tell you my friend, if GOD reaches down from the heavens and helps us win this game I won’t be on this post knocking your team.
UG is not a State championship team but we are a good team. Furthermore, after losing so many students to Woodland I think we have done pretty well and that is with injuries this year. Aren’t you supposed to get a new school? Will see how that affects NSWR. You take this S%$# way too far. This is high school football played by kids for the enjoyment of all. I think we have way more to worry about with our Country and economy. We should all be proud that Georgia as a whole produces some of the finest football players in the Nation. Win or lose Friday night we will walk out of your hallowed stadium with our heads up.

• Link
• Report this comment

MHSRaider: Why are you guys so sensitive about your dancing bands? Does not Union Grove have a dancing band? Aren’t the girls in those bands dressed similar to a stripper? Did I say something that was not true? I have not requested that schools that choose to dress 14 year old girls like strippers to change what they do. Explain to me why you are irritated and sensitive?

Do me a favor. Name a school who has a dancing band that has beat Northside in the past decade…you can go back two decades. Name just one, MHSRaider. It is a matter of FACT that Northside usually beats programs that have dancing bands. Union Grove is similar to other dancing band programs in the manner that they are going to get hammered at McConnell-Talbert by Northside.

Heck MHSRaider, it does not matter if it is Mays, Tucker, Southwest-Macon, Beach-Savannah, or Union Grove. The link between these programs is a band that takes up the entire 20 minute halftime…will not get off of the field… and keeps dancing as their program is getting destroyed. There is another link. They never beat Northside.

By the way, MHSRaider, we have a very good time at our games too. Northside is 118-13 since the turn of the century. Don’t take it personally. I did not believe Lowndes County would beat our young Eagles at the MAC and I am certain that Union Grove will not beat us either. Our program has won 10 or more games for twelve straight years. We have more wins than any large school in the state of Georgia (AAA, AAAA, or AAAAA). We have more playoff wins than any program in the entire state of Georgia, not named Valdosta. Trust me. We have lots of fun at our games.

It is not personal. We are going to crack Union Grove. Then, we are going to rip those silver spoons out of the mouths of those trust fund babies posing as a football team at Peachtree Ridge. Maybe Mays HS can get a scrimmage with our JV team. It may be competitive. Bring your band. Just dress those little girls for us. Please.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ok VikingGirl and EagleNationRising first of all NSW beat Lownes by 1 point and Valdosta by 2 so you do the math on that and Lownes want be all of that when they gave up 17 points to Valdosta LET’S GO COUGARS

• Link
• Report this comment

ENR , I am an Eagle fan and I am with you as far as Northside …….But you really need to cool it with the dancing band BS……..The Directors, kids and parents put a lot of effort in what they are doing rather you appreciate their efforts or not……….”Dancing bands” as you call them are part of the African American culture across the country in predominately African American Middle Schools ,High Schools and University’s and in some cases the Patrons pay not to see the Football game ,instead the Half time show…….You are from the Warner Robins area , Bands from Fort Valley , Albany State , High schools North Clayton and Central Macon have all performed in this area or at the Mac to standing ovations…….

• Link
• Report this comment

Cal509 get back with us when you know the facts. Northside score was 10-7 against Lowndes. Valdosta score was like 16-13 against Northside. The Lowndes-Valdosta game was a blow out! We played 2nd Squad after 3rd quarter! Newnan didn’t do anything spectacular by beating Valdosta. Lowndes beat Valdosta 57-15. So, what your point here?

• Link
• Report this comment

I know I’m a little late jumping into the conversation, but I want to address a question that was asked and answered way back around 6:00 pm on Thursday.

rwdekalbfan asked: “What is the problem at Brookwood and Parkview. Why have these programs fallen off so much?”

and

BROOKWOOD MOM answered: rwdekalbfan: “Cause we are in the “rebuilding stage” Give us two more year and we will be back on top!”

I hate to say it, but I think BROOKWOOD MOM is wrong on this one. Brookwood and Parkview have fallen off in the last few years and I don’t think either school will ever come back to the level they once were. Both schools will probably continue to win more than they lose as long as the current coaching staffs remain in place, and both may pop back up in the Top 10 from time to time, but neither will be able match the success they had over the past 15 – 20 years.

The main reason for the drop off is demographics. The growth in Gwinnett County started moving north and east several years ago (back when there was such thing as growth), starting with Collins Hill and Grayson and moving on to Peachtree Ridge, Mill Creek, etc. All of those schools started out using the same blueprint for building a program and high expectations that Brookwood established in the late 1980’s and Parkview adopted in the early 1990’s.

The population growth and relative affluence in those areas, combined with the example set by Brookwood and Parkview, helped these programs bypass the usual slow building phase and quickly jump into the mix with other top programs in the state. Almost from the beginning, they had money, top quality facilities, large populations, high expectations, plenty of enthusiasm, and athletes who had grown up competing with players from Brookwood, Parkview, etc. in local youth leagues. A few of the older schools like North Gwinnett experienced similar population surges, and when they put quality coaches in place they were able to compete at a higher level than ever before.

While all the growth was happening in other parts of the county, the growth around Brookwood and Parkview started to slow down. There’s not a whole lot of room left to build new subdivisions in either of those school districts and most of the new subdivisions that were built in the last few years before the housing market bust contained smaller houses that were crammed into the little remaining spaces that were left. Even though those houses were still expensive by logical standards, many of the new buyers were a little less affluent than many who had moved to the area over the previous 10 – 15 years. Some residents from the area continued the pattern that previously brought them to Brookwood and Parkview, and followed the growth to new houses in the northern and eastern parts of the county. The end result was a small decline in the relative affluence in the area and an end of the rapid growth that had helped the schools rise to the top.

In addition to the changing demographics in the area, a change in attitude and expectations has been a factor in Brookwood and Parkview’s fall from the elite. The level of excitement in the general community isn’t the same as it was when both schools were on their way to the top. Where once it seemed that everyone was asking, “How can we make it bigger and better?” the question started to become, “What’s in it for me?” Realistically speaking, there wasn’t much left to do to make things bigger and better. Both schools reached a point where they had almost everything they could ever want. As the old people who had contributed to the growth of the programs moved on, many of the people who entered the programs for the first time had no idea of what it took for the schools to reach the levels they had attained. Some just thought everything should be handed to them. Others just didn’t see the need to do as much since both schools seemed to have so much. (By the way, I know there are plenty of people at both schools working just as hard as anyone ever has to keep things going. I’m talking in general terms here and I’m not trying to question the commitment level of everyone involved.)

Like the changing enthusiasm level for the Atlanta Braves, from fanatical excitement in 1991 to apathy near the end of their 14 year run of division titles, the enthusiasm level in the communities surrounding Brookwood and Parkview started to decline as people began to take success for granted. In the middle of the 1990’s it was hard to even find a seat at a home game for either school. In the last several years, I could have found enough room to park my car in the bleachers for most games. Sometimes I there was enough empty space that I could have brought my whole house along without crowding anybody. Where once it seemed that everyone in the county wanted to watch Brookwood beat Duluth, or Parkview defeat Meadowcreek, the long run of success has spoiled people. Everyone figures they’ll just wait and show up in the playoffs to see Brookwood vs. Valdosta or Parkview vs. Lowndes. Unfortunately, those matchups aren’t happening as often anymore and will probably become more infrequent in the future.

I’m sure that’s more analysis and opinion than anyone is interested in, but there you have it. Now, back to football:

Congratulations Broncos on an important win over McEachern! Now it’s time to show the youngsters at P’tree Ridge that the King hasn’t left the building quite yet.

• Link
• Report this comment

Reeze: I do not need a dissertation about African American culture. I am a little lost about what part of the African American culture encourages 14, 15, & 16 year old girls to dress like strippers as a part of a school sponsored actvity like band. Can someone explain what part of African-American culture includes the sexual exploitation of teenage girls in the name of a halftime show. It is a borderline joke that people hide behind “African-American culture” in the name of doing something that is flat out wrong and distasteful.

Selling sex is not a part of African-American culture. People alow high school kids to imitate rap videos and wonder why our schools start looking like the people in those videos. I will NEVER forget the way that those little girls were on the Georgia Dome ground from Tucker High School a couple of years ago. I did not know if I was at a GHSA activity or at Magic City. Reeze, name one dancing band high school that has beat Northside HS in the past decade. It just does not happen. Period!

I am not afraid to say that I thoroughly enjoy college bands like Florida A&M, Jackson State, Southern, etc. I also know that the girls that make up those dance teams are adult women. On the other hand, high school girls should NEVER behave in that manner in a school function. That is my opinion. I find it shocking to believe that any person can say that what happens with adults should happen with teenage high school girls in the name of African-American culture.

African-American culture does not and should not celebrate the sexual exploitation of teenage girls under any circumstances. Many of the bands in our state do just that. It is nothing short of sexual exploitation (only girls, very attractive ones). I have even seen people with binoculars looking onto the field. It is sickening!!! For a matter of fact, many schools do not even allow songs with any profanity to be played…let alone teenage girls dressed like strippers and dancing on a field to them. It is sad that people promote it.

What happens at halftime of many schools in Georgia and other places is far from African American history, Reeze. African-American history is not little girls dressed like strippers. Period.

• Link
• Report this comment

OK, Go UG! I am sorry that I hurt your feelings. I am certainly sorry if you were not the UG poster talking about beating MLK & Stephenson. You know which one it was. Go UG! it would be helpful for good athletes on the football team go out to purchase some basketball shoes and join Coach Russ Atkins & the Wolverine basketball program. It is officially basketball season in seven days. It has nothing to do with this trash talking blog. It is what happens at the MAC against Northside. You already know and I know you do.

I believe that Stephenson and maybe MLK is going to shock some people this season. Stephenson is scary athletic and they get no respect. I am happy they are not in the same bracket as Northside. It is ironic that so many people came down on Stephenson for losing to Coffee last season. Valdosta led Newnan before falling to the Cougars and Region 1-AAAAA came away 3-1. Last season, Region 1-AAAAA went 4-0 in the 1st Round. Posters here and the AJC painted the Stephenson/MLK region as the worst in AAAAA. Let’s see how people evaluate Region 4-AAAAA after last night or Region 5-AAAAA. My guess is the evaluation will be somewhat different.

Last season Stephenson’s

• Link
• Report this comment

Cal509 Make those numbers say whatever “you need” that will help you feel good about the situation.

• Link
• Report this comment

Come on guys this is getting out of hand. We all can support our teams and have a little fun braggin on our wins but let’s keep it clean and respectful. All we do is blog but our boys get the hard part of going out and actually playing the game. And so does the band. Our band works just as hard as our football boys does and I’m sure the other bands do too so we don’t need to be putting others down. We all have some great programs. We all should be proud to be in the playoffs with an opportunity to win it all. Nobody knows who’s gonna win so let’s just appreciate being here. Many teams are at home right now. We aren’t. So why are we blasting each other so hard? I apologize to the Newnan bloggers. We all should be proud of our Vikings, Cougars, Eagles, Broncos, Bulldogs,Rams, etc. Y’all get my point!

• Link
• Report this comment

ENR.
We will soon enough be to the third round and then Northside Warner Robins will get the chance to prove themselves against good teams from North GA. I don’t believe NSWR can beat Newnan but i hope i don’t get the chance to find out because that would mean Grayson is out.

I’m picking a Peachtree Ridge upset of NSWR in round 3

• Link
• Report this comment

EagleNationRising,

Although you appear to yourself as being the wizard of football analysis. You should stick to that. You are now beginning to cross a line that you should not do. Stay within your parameters and talk football. Let well enough alone.

• Link
• Report this comment

Grayram: Why are you jumping on the Peachtree Ridge bandwagon all of a sudden. Oh…I see. If Northside advances to the semifinals, that means that Grayson will have to face our young Eagles. Of course, Grayson has nothing to worry about. Northside is the youngest team still standing in AAAAA football. Surely, Grayson is not going to lose to a young team like Northside.

Boy, I guess I would become a Union Grove/Brookwood/Peachtree Ridge fan if I were from Grayson too. Poor Grayson. I anca see it now. Grayson traveling to McConnell-Talbert Stadium in Warner Robins, GA. That, my friend, is a trip that no program welcomes.

Let me help you out Grayram. Peachtree Ridge is very different than Grayson. The kids at P-Ridge are soft. They will not get on a bus and travel three hours and beat anyone south of the Gnat line that is good. Those kids are used to flying in private jets and helicopters. Forget about joining Todd Holcomb and sporting those Peachtree Ridge pom-poms.

While you are worrying about you Northside hosts in the quarterfinals, you may find yourself on the road at Newnan. A coin toss will determine whether the game is at Newnan or Grayson. I will tell you. It is far from easy to win at Newnan. Good luck. I am not a badnwagon fan, like you.

• Link
• Report this comment

Topper: Lowndes County at Camden County is clearly a real candidate for the Game of the Year in the GHSA. I hope the AJC highlights this game for the clash of titans that it really is. I have great respect for Camden County. They are the defending State Champions and deserve our respect.

However, we all know that the Wildcats are rebuilding. Lowndes County is loaded with talent. I believe that Lowndes County is going to win big…real big. The Wildcats may get Peachtree Ridged (or Valdosted or Colquitt Countied or you pick the team that the Vikings ran the score up on) by Lowndes County.

• Link
• Report this comment

Enr, just curious you talk about bein so young what is the breakdown of players starting seniors,juniors,etc

• Link
• Report this comment

watch out fitzgerald here comes thomasville bulldogs

• Link
• Report this comment

ENR: Please give it a rest. BROOKWOOD MOM is definitly NOT a clown. She is a classy lady & I have had the privilege of meeting her. And get off of SportsFan31313 as well. He is a VETERAN who fought for this country & allows people like you & others the freedom to express our views. What a lot of people are tired of is your constant beating over the head about NSWR & how they are God’s gift to Georgia High Schools. There is no doubt NSWR is a fine school & a fine program, you don’t need to remind us ad nauseam about it. Even your fellow NSWR alumni take you to task as well. BTW: Don’t you have a UGA game to get ready for?

• Link
• Report this comment

I seen NG at west ga the ol aveg 300 pluse should be a good game Woodstock keep humble been there done that or it will be a long night

• Link
• Report this comment

Topper I know Viking Nation will be headed to Kingsland. This should make for a great game.

• Link
• Report this comment

North Gwinnett is quietly lurking in the wings.

Talk to coaches who have played us. We are better then most give us credit for.

See you in Suwanee. We like to settle things on the field. Talk is cheap.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is there any thing to do in south GA.ENR you know every stat about a high school team.Do you wear a members only jacket have a comb over and wear your state championship ring to waffle house.You know way to much about high school kids.Now talk about FOOTBALL and shut up about all that other crapppppppppppppppppppppp.

• Link
• Report this comment

ENR–Not sure which topic you like to discuss more, your YOUNG football squad…or someone’s YOUNG dancing band girls….You sound like your YOUNG lads COULD beat the GRAYSON GRANDPAS…I hope the OLE BOYS take their naps before we play your YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPERS…IF IT HAPPENS! LOL

• Link
• Report this comment