Predicitons from the Dope Bucket

DOPE Bucket: The Bucket smashed in mouth Friday night
MICHAEL N. TATE > Sports Writer


Just when I thought I had figured a few things out "? Pow, right in the kisser! The Dope is sure feeling like one this weekend, not missing one or two, but three Friday football forecasts. Ouch! The Bucket busting is just too ordinary.

The Peerless Picker was thinking there were several close calls to be made this weekend. The Dope thought he had turned the corner, but nope. The Dope is just a picking fool. Forty-one of 57. Ugly. That is what the numbers spell "? simply awful for the usually trusty chooser of football fortunes.

From worst to first are those Ervinton Rebels. The Dope picked them to finish in the basement of the Cumberland, but now them Nora boys are ruining more that just the Bucket. The Rebels and the Devils are now tied for the top spot in the Cumberland. Rebel pride is alive and well in Dickenson County.

It was cool Friday night, but it was hot at Cummins Stadium where the Greenwave gave the Devils a going away present they soon won't forget. Clintwood shocked the Dope as well as Gate City with an overtime thriller. This time, the boys from Scott County were on the short end of the stick.

Haysi was shocked by Lee, making miss number three for the numb-skulled one. The Bucket is still passing, but 72 percent is not the number of a peerless picker.

Thanks Appalachia, Pound, St. Paul and Powell Valley for making the Bucket feel like I have a little football prowess left in my bones.

The Dope Bucket may not be looking so fine, but week nine sure is. A great collection of conference colliders are on tap with several being sure-fired postseason posturing repercussions:

# Thomas Walker at Appalachia "? The Dawgs are still flying along toward yet another playoff appearance. There won't be any new trails blazed this Friday by the Pioneers. Thomas Walker gets tracked, stalked and tackled. Dawgs 40, TW 18.

# Pound at J.I. Burton "? The Cats and the Raiders have had some pretty good battles the past couple of the seasons. This year, a focused crew of Burton Boys are waiting for the Cats. If not, Burton could be shocked. I don't think it will happen in Lawson-Fitchko Friday. Raiders 36, Cats 16.

# Clintwood at J.J. Kelly "? The Indians are ready for this invasion, but it could be more like a flood from the rains that have hammered the area early this week. The Wave has come to form in October. B.I.'s Bunch will make it interesting in the opening half. Clintwood floats away in the second half. Greenwave 34, Indians 12.

# Coeburn at St. Paul "? When the Blue Knights play in the Cumberland next season, they will have plenty of knowledge about their new league mates. The Deacons would like to send a message early. The Knights will make the point in the final frame. Coeburn 20, St. Paul 18.

# Hurley at Haysi "? It will be a long drive back to Hurley Friday night. Haysi was handled by the Generals last week and Colley's Cats will be out to prove something. Look out, Rebels. Upset Tigers don't get shocked. Haysi 48, Rebels 20.

# Rye Cove at Ervinton "? OK, it's time. You have heard this twice in the last two decades. An Ervinton win will give them a share of the Cumberland District crown. Of course, the Rebels must get past a pack of Eagles from Rye Cove. The Game in Nora will be a wild one and that's just when Rye Cove gets off the bus. You can bet a pack of Rebels backers will be there hooting and a hollering for the home team. The Noise in Nora will echo in the hills and hollers all weekend long. Rebels 28, Rye Cove 20.

I told you week nine was going to be fine, and I'm saving the best for last in one of the best football rivalries in the region "? if not the state. It's always great and has a lot to do with state!

GAME OF THE WEEK
Powell Valley at Gate City "? Our own version of the Falls Classic, Division 2 powers will always put on an impressive show no matter what the records are. There will be a shootout at Legion Field. The Devils are smarting after a very tough loss to the Greenwave, while the Vikings too are smarting with more losses than normal. It will be hard hitting and will feature a few touchdowns. But the club who does not have a turnover will win it. I'm thinking the Vikings will get their third straight regular season victory over the Devils. Vikings 24, Devils 21, Overtime?

UVA-WISE
They are back on track in Cavalier Country and just in time. A huge ball game with the Bears is set for this weekend in Pikeville. The Cavs have got a few things going on defense so the Dope Bucket is hoping the karma is correct for the UVa-Wisers as they head into the Bluegrass State to tackle and topple Pikeville this Saturday night after a 6 p.m. kickoff. It should be a real hum-dinger.

Go get "?em Cavs.

See you at the games!

anyone else hate reading his predictions other than me?

I think he should be fired and replaced by PVRulzLPD.

I just wish Wise had more wins. Clintwood needs the power points. I hope the Injuns are more competitive the next couple of years. Sad situation on the Kelly gridiron. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Wise will get it turned around-just going to take some time. No one expected instant results. As for power points, beat Norton and you'll get a few [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/007.gif[/img]

Good one!

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As for power points, beat Norton and you'll get a few [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/007.gif[/img]

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Wise will be back up. Just like they were after last time they weren't doing so well. 8-3 records for both 2000 and 2001. I think in 1999 was 5-5 or 6-4 with one of those wins being an upset of the unbeaten Vikings.

They'll be back up soon.

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I think he should be fired and replaced by PVRulzLPD.



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I'll second that. Im writing the Coalfield as we speak!

PVRulz is stupid, but funny. With his nicknames (i.e. Not So Great City, Coeburnt, Da Raidahs, Honker, Hayseed, Deadwood, etc.).

So I'll third that.

Yeah. i remember when they upset the Vikings. My brother played for the Indians then!!
[img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/getsmile.tmp007816300.gif[/img]

I remember that game. My sister cheered for PV then and I remember that week everyone was saying "we're gonna kill Wise this week". And I remember my sister saying "People need to watch what they say. Wise can beat us." Who was to know that they actually would? LOL.

But if both PV and Clintwood win then as of tonight GC's out.

No Right now Haysi is the only team that is playoff bound for sure baring a colapse the like we on this board have never seen.

Honaker, Clintwood, PV, and GC are all still very much alive and kicking and 1 lose will not knock any of them out for sure While GC has the toughest row to hoe they also are looking at big power points if they get a win over anyone left on there schedule

What if Gate City and Clintwood were both to end the season 5-5, who would take the 4th spot? Would it come down to power points?

Most likely.

why wouldnt it be CW since they beat them head to head?

Becouse head to head does not matter and neather do the teams records it is all by powerpoints (Unless you win your district)

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I remember that game. My sister cheered for PV then and I remember that week everyone was saying "we're gonna kill Wise this week". And I remember my sister saying "People need to watch what they say. Wise can beat us." Who was to know that they actually would? LOL.

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Yeah. Nobody thought Wise stood a chance.
They sure showed them!!

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h. Nobody thought Wise stood a chance.

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You are wrong there I picked Wise to win that game on this very board (Well the green and black version of it anyway LOL)

If I remember correctly Wise give Clintwood all they wanted in their game that decided who would get a share of the district title that year.

No you remember wrong

Clintwood beat Wise 30(something) to 0 It was a case of Wise being way to happy with beating PV the week before

I thought Wise played to within a touchdown of us in 99 becuase they played us if Im not mistaken the week right after they played PV. I could be thinking of the Pound game though.

Pound played us super tight (Pound was State runner up that year)

Wise lost to Clintwood 35-7 that year-had the big head after beating the Vikes and Hamilton ran all over us.

I must have those games confused. My bad. We played them both at home though right?

I can't forget about giving my buddies from PV a hard time that year at E&H. When JJK beat JIB, they had to face RC the next week and all I heard was how JJK was going to whoop RC. It turned out to be a great game with RC winning in OT. So there for they really caught some heck when JJK beat PV.

Wise had it turned around well getting there. Shame they ran off their coach. How many successful coaches has Wise ran off? Three that I know of, two for Football and one for Baseball. I think if they would've left Saunders there they would've won a playoff game within the next couple years. The teams they had from 99-01 would compete for the LPD Title now.

The teams they had from 99-01 would run AWAY with the LPD right now. No team in the LPD could have competed with any of the top LPD teams during those years.

I agree, I mean even the teams Coeburn had back then would have a shot to make the playoffs now. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

PV's 98 team would put 45+ points on the board with most of these teams.

You might want to double that trumpet. They put 45+ on most of the teams then that are generally better than todays teams around here.

yea that was an understatement. Heck PV and GC`s 04 teams would beat this years teams by 45+... The region is down big time for Div 2 teams

I actually think overall the skill players are better now. Throw out Appy/PV from the 90's and take the rest of the LPD's skill players and todays players are better there. The line is where the drop off is, today's LPD lineman wouldn't touch the field 3 years ago little lone 10 years ago. It seems to me that since 98 we've been on a downward spiral barring the 03 GC Team and the 04 PV team. Honestly I have no clue about Norton, they are by far the best team this year in the LPD but they get rocked every year up at JMU and as of today have yet to win an outright LPD title since GC returned.

I agree with you at the moment to a degree PVFAN. The 01-02 Appy teams were pretty good, as well as GC and PV for the most part from 01-04. But as a whole, it is way down IMO.

You are definitely correct about the lineman. There is some size in there, but not as much, and no where near as quick off the ball.

Whoa man-do a little research before you say we ran off a baseball coach.

Far from that. The coach had problems with the school board, not JJK. Mack Shupe made the decision to leave JJK because the school board was not going to let him have things his way [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/007.gif[/img]

Saunders was not ran off by JJK either. He "crossed the boss"-in particular WCSB's "Dirty" David Dowdy. JJK actually showed Saunders much more patience than alot of schools wuld have with the language and so forth.

That game was a lesson for all. JJK rolled into Clinchport with the attitude "It's Rye Cove". Rye Cove made them pay for it. That was a tough one to swallow-still is. I heard some folks from RC say as they were leaving the game this year "No way in hell we should have lost this one". I had to smile and say "Now you all know how we felt a few years ago"-very similar games. High-scoring, one got up and the other wouldn't give in.

I might agree. I didn't see this years, but I was there in 99 as I had came in for the night from E&H and went back late that night. JJK was up pretty nicely at the half but RC made a nice comeback, and when JJK didnt convert the 2 pt conversion in the first OT, I had a good feeling since RC had moved the ball well the whole second half.

We couldn't stop Mullins (think that was his name-Brad maybe?)-killed us. Much like Gilliam did you guys this year.

Brent. His brother Craig was also a halfback that they gave the ball 2 on the 2pt conversion with Brent lead blocking. Brent was a good DE also. He was better coming off the edge than at MLB where he played part of the junior and senior years.

Both great ballgames (2 of the best I have ever seen). Hated to see either team lose either one.

Hey Counts, if you recall, we both picked Wise and were laughed out of the forum almost.