Hard to Believe

**beamer_ball** · January 28th, 2010, 07:31 PM

Article on Robbins and the situation with coaching at PV. Doesn't say much other than his future there is uncertain.

**centennialdawg** · January 28th, 2010, 08:19 PM

Where is the article and can you post it please?

**beamer_ball** · January 28th, 2010, 08:22 PM

Oh, sorry, lol, it was in today's Kingsport paper. Didn't see it posted on their website though.

Sportsman* · January 28th, 2010, 09:15 PM

Lee's coach has not formally resigned yet, has he?

**Milk3** · January 29th, 2010, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by UKCATS

Wise County is in a lot of trouble with the budget cuts for the next school year. I have no clue if they told Phil his so called job was over but it would save the county some money if true. He is a drivers ed teacher and the AD and gets paid a ton. Its hard for me to think that he would leave a county that he practical runs. He tells them what he wants to do and how much they need to pay him to do it. He has the town of BSG paying him to mow the football filed with their equipment and gas. He has it made in Wise County no reason to leave, he will be there until he dies. I was once told he was also getting the head cooks pay at PVHS and the only thing he did was turn the lights on in the cafeteria each morning.

**red66** · January 29th, 2010, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by centennialdawg

Where is the article and can you post it please?

Robbins? future as Powell Valley coach remains uncertain
By GEORGE THWAITES
[email protected]

Phil Robbins doesn?t know if he?ll be returning as football coach at Powell Valley this fall. But the VHSL Hall-of-Famer hopes to be coaching somewhere.
?I?m of a certain age that, under normal circumstances, you might think I ought to retire,? said Robbins (302-145-4), who is Virginia?s second winningest active coach and fourth winningest of all time. ?But I?ve got too much energy. I?ve got too much to offer right now.?
Robbins has led the Vikings to seven of the school?s eight Group A state football championships ? 1985, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998. He has taken Powell Valley to the playoffs 18 consecutive times, including last season. The Vikings? last state finals appearance was in 2004 and last state semifinal showing was in 2006.
The present uncertainty regarding his future with the Big Stone Gap gridiron powerhouse has little to do with football and much to do with crunching numbers. Currently, the Wise County schools are looking to slash $4.5 million from the county-wide budget.
Robbins, who retired from teaching after the 2008-09 school year, was employed by Powell Valley solely as a coach last season. The exception to the norm enabled Robbins to collect his 300th career win at the school.
Powell Valley principal David Lee, who intends to retire after this spring, said a great deal must be sorted out between now and contract time. But he admitted a non-teaching coach may very well prove a luxury the county schools can no longer afford. Not even for an iconic coach like Robbins.
Consolidation is probably at least a year off and Robbins has said he?d like to be the last football coach at Powell Valley before the program is merged into a new entity. But the Vikings skipper said he isn?t upset about the limbo in which his coaching position has been placed.
?I don?t think I?ve been misled,? Robbins said. ?They allowed me to coach this year in search of my 300th win, which I got. I haven?t had anyone say, ?You?re through.? I haven?t gone searching for any answers to anything.
?There may be a situation where they want to move in another direction. I?m sure that at the appropriate time, I?ll be informed of their decision.?
If the Powell Valley job is no longer his, Robbins said he?ll simply pursue coaching opportunities elsewhere.
For years, Robbins has been rumored as a candidate to coach in either Kentucky or Tennessee after retiring in Virginia. But Robbins said he?d rather continue coaching football in Virginia.
Robbins emphasized that whatever Wise County?s decision regarding the Powell Valley coaching post, he remains on amicable terms with the system and the community.
?I?m not trying to hold them up. I want to continue to coach. If they choose to go in another direction, so be it. I?ll go some place else,? Robbins said. ?This is not about mining for gold.
?I don?t want it to be construed that I?m upset about anything. If they wrote the history of Wise County, I?d be one sentence in 100 years of history. If I wrote my autobiography, just about every chapter would be about my time over here.
?I don?t care what happens. I don?t care what they say. I would never say anything negative about my time in this county. It?s been a very positive experience.?

**Biggin** · January 29th, 2010, 02:57 PM

say what you want about phil, he is a winner.

**Milk3** · January 29th, 2010, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Biggin

say what you want about phil, he is a winner.

And he really is a good person. In the 4 years I spent at PVHS and having him as a math teacher twice he's was never anything but good and helpful to me.

**Generalfan2** · January 29th, 2010, 03:27 PM

Lee High's coach did not resign but was told that his contract would not be renewed. Phil Robbins has talked with Lee High but the offer that he wants is that he can bring 1 assistant with him that being his son. The problem is that Lee High is also suffering budget cuts and will have a hard time creating a teaching position for his son when they are crunching numbers as it is. Wise county does not want to lose Turner because they feel that they need them when they do combine Appalachia and PV. What will happen is anyones guess but as a General fan I would love to see Phil Robbins at Lee and hope that they can work something out.

**centennialdawg** · January 29th, 2010, 04:11 PM

Well, I will tell you this, if he goes to Lee High, they had better get ready for a totally new brand of football and they(potential players) had better get ready to be a lot more dedicated than they have been in the past. Hope he doesn't go, but if he does, I wish him all the best.