The Difficulties of Playing Batesville.....at Batesville

[Grond]

With my limited experience at Fearless Friday, I have noticed that every once in a while, someone will 'go off' on Batesville. As my dear old mother would say, "crazy as a road lizard".

To understand this, you need to have some feel for the EXPERIENCE of attending a high school football game AT Batesville. It is sort of like a mini-Razorback game, for an LSU fan.

Batesville is a nice town with good people and a great high school football team. But being the opposing team on a Friday night just sucks.

GETTING THERE (Batesville)
'You can't get there from here." Stuck on the west side of the 5A East, there is no easy way to find Batesville. You feel that, if you miss a turn on the various two-lane roads, you will end up in Oklahoma 3 days later.

Batesville has a good rock-&-roll station, but all you hear is pregame interviews (they broadcast the games).

And then you have to FIND the stadium. You miss the turn sign, you are screwed...

[Grond]

PARKING THERE
Once you get to the stadium, you have to hike in. There isn't really a parking problem; more a simple issue of cars vs. quantity.

AT THE STADIUM
So, once you arrive at the field, you are greeted by a two-story tall inflatable Pioneer run-through, and a VIDEO SCREEN showing interviews with Batesville coaches, players, and film highlights. Too bad I left my rocket-launcher at home.

However, the concession stand is pretty good. 

[tmycjy]

I have no problem with batesville I have a with location of the stadium it like a maze to get to the stadium now if I live there and know my way around it my not be that bad the other thing I don't like is parking u have to walk long way to get to the stadium my other problem is they have paid parking for the season so if your a visiter don't know where to park u might park in there spot and they get upset because u park in there spot that the reason I don't think u need paid parking at high school stadium unless u had two parking lots

[The_Pioneer]

There are two parking lots.

[tmycjy]

There are two parking lots.

U are kinda right it's kinda one lot it's kinda like wynne stadium we have two parking lot but it's kinda one

[The_Pioneer]

Let me tell ya, you can never go wrong with saying this to me, "you're right". 

[Grond]

Parking is a function of the number of people that go to the game. Batesville supports the Batesville High School Pioneers, so even if you build a parking deck between the stadium and the river, you are going to have to 'hike in' to the game. 

GAME TIME
The most frustrating fact of driving all the way to Batesville is the fact that you are probably going to LOSE.

Batesville is not a "hot bed" of talent. Their success is based on the talent they MAKE. Yes, it's great to have a D1 prospect. But those "D1" young men are rare.

If you want to win consistently, you have to turn that AVERAGE player into a GOOD player. And the POOR player into an AVERAGE player. And when you do this, not only do you make a better player - you make a better man. 

My frustration with Batesville has nothing to do with Batesville.  It has everything to do with the inadequacies of the program I am associated with.

[The_Pioneer]

Believe me, we've been there.

[Uncle Ivan]

Believe me, we've been there.

He's not talking about erectile dysfunction.

[The_Pioneer]

But you are.

[Intelligentsia]

When planning your next trip to Pioneer Stadium, message me and I will pick you up and give you a ride to the gate.  I pay fop dollar for my two parking spaces:). We do work to entertain our guests on Friday night with all the usual, half time performances, traditional concession fare, and nice field for the players.  In addition, we have the scoreboard video, our great announcer, and we even throw in fireworks - granted, only when we score, but hey, they're pretty good fireworks:).

[GuvHog]

 

Parking is a function of the number of people that go to the game. Batesville supports the Batesville High School Pioneers, so even if you build a parking deck between the stadium and the river, you are going to have to 'hike in' to the game. 

GAME TIME
The most frustrating fact of driving all the way to Batesville is the fact that you are probably going to LOSE.

Batesville is not a "hot bed" of talent. Their success is based on the talent they MAKE. Yes, it's great to have a D1 prospect. But those "D1" young mean are rare.

If you want to win consistently, you have to turn that AVERAGE player into a GOOD player. And the POOR player into an AVERAGE player. And when you do this, not only do you make a better player - you make a better man. 

My frustration with Batesville has nothing to do with Batesville.  It has everything to do with the inadequacies of the program I am associated with.

The program you are associated with sounds a lot like my Alma mater (GCT). If they could aquire some speed to go with their size, they might at least be competitive for a playoff spot. 

[SouthernerPride]

Batesville has its moments.. If you can get over all the buzzard droppings on the visitor bleachers, the constant smell of chicken crap, and those annoying fireworks they pop off seemingly a few hundred times a night, you MIGHT enjoy your night..

Your best bet is to buy a Frito pie or two, blow up the bathroom, and get the heck outta town before the 3rd quarter is over because you're probably gonna lose the game anyway and you'll want to avoid running into a few drunk tailgaters on your 5 mile hike back to your car.

Once you hit the stop light on top of Ramsey Mountain going into town, it's pretty much downhill from there. Both literally and figuratively.

Go Southerners

[The_Pioneer]

Smack from a Southerner.  That's cute.  How's that 1-19 record the last 2 seasons feeling these days?

[MDXPHD]

Smack from a Southerner.  That's cute.  How's that 1-19 record the last 2 seasons feeling these days?

They're on the rise, Pioneer. lol. Now that they are their own town (and they can use all of our rec league facilities, parks, community centers at the same price without paying taxes for them), they will get better, right?

[SouthernerPride]

Smack from a Southerner.  That's cute.  How's that 1-19 record the last 2 seasons feeling these days?

They're on the rise, Pioneer. lol. Now that they are their own town (and they can use all of our rec league facilities, parks, community centers at the same price without paying taxes for them), they will get better, right?

Smack from a Southerner.  That's cute.  How's that 1-19 record the last 2 seasons feeling these days?

Get off your high horses you two! I admit, I love to mess with you guys because you always get your undies in a wad and I've not seen anyone who can rustle your coon hats as much as I do. Nonetheless, we both come from the same place, we live among each other, and I sincerely want to see both Batesville and Southside succeed.

I love being a Southerner..  I'd never want to be anything else.. but at the rate we're rising I'd rather watch the grass in my back yard grow. After this last season I became a firm believer that our football program should be wiped clean and started over fresh with new coaches, and a new mindset, because what we have now is just a mixed and remixed staff of some good new coaches and others who have been in the program since it started in 06 while still seeing little to no success. What we've got going now just isn't working and it's easy to see that. I'm not sure if our school board is money drunk or what exactly the problem is.. because we have OUTSTANDING community and family support for our football program. We have a brand new high school, and some of the nicest facilities in the 4A classification. I must say tho, as a fan and financial supporter of our school and football program, its not fun to cheer hoorah loss after loss or travel to away games when there are kids telling you "don't bother wasting the gas because we're going to lose anyway." We're not a hot-bed of talent and we unfortunately play in one of the toughest conferences in the state but we are not as bad as what our record indicates. Our test scores and all the blood, sweat, and tears these kids continue to sacrifice will tell you that. They WANT to win. We just haven't found the right ingredients yet..

There is a negative attitude and false perception that "we are southside and we're supposed to suck" that has stained the halls and younger generation of Southside School District. Until someone can come in and change that attitude and mindset in our school and community, you will continue to see 0-10 and 1-9 seasons like we've had the past two years.

[The_Pioneer]

SS has a couple of major problems.  Firstly, a losing mentality.  But the other hidden problem is that all of your best athletes play everything.  Heck, some are on the bowling and tennis teams.  So, if a kid plays some team sport at all times, when are they in the weight room?  Lots of small schools deal with this and SS seems to have it worse than most.  There's gotta be some offseason time.  Also, the coaching staff is lousy, but that's no secret.

[Grond]

A successful sports program must have 3 things: Talent, Tactics, and Work.

TALENT - Too many teams view "talent" as some college prospect that just shows up. They do not think of talent as SOMETHING YOU DEVELOP. Having opposed Batesville, I have been very impressed with their 'group speed': how fast they react and move together to stop a play.

[Grond]

TACTICS - Batesville uses every tactic available: Changing the snap count; keying on specific players; taking whatever pass plays the defense gives. Even though coaches have a game plan, they must be ready to adjust to opportunities, and failures.

[Grond]

WORK - Work to get better. More importantly, work EVERYONE to get better.

If a coach can make the below-average player into an AVERAGE player, it helps the team. The Average Player might make the scout team better, which makes the Starters better. Also, the Average Player might see some game time, to help the Starter be less worn down by the fourth quarter. In football, it is much more important to be the best team in the 4th quarter, than the 1st quarter.

[Intelligentsia]

Unlikely to build a 5-A  a consistently competitive football program (or nearly any other sports) without a JV program.  Concerning multi-sport football players - no problem with "skill" players, but you lineman (especially o-line) a hard pressed to play other sports, except maybe competitive weight lifting.  There is simply not enough time for them to bulk up properly and play another sport, maybe with exception of the tight-end.

[C-Mac 73]

Interesting posts on this thread so I'll add my thoughts on a couple things.

First off, in regards to Batesville's success, it's all about the coaches. As one of my favorite radio hosts Bill King once said, "When you get the hire right, everything else falls into place." Batesville got its hire right in the mid-90's and the continuity among the staff since then has been impressive. Make no mistake, Coach King and Coach Smith are as good as it gets. The whole staff, really, is impressive. They are teachers and developers, and they understand their players. They know which skill sets need to go where. It is not uncommon for Smith to turn a lanky basketball player type into an all-state defensive end. Sure, their X's and O's are important, but they are more than that. Use the term "player's coach" if you want. They care and they put the investment in. That resonates with players. King used to make me walk a mile with him every day after regular workouts. I hated doing it at the time, but now I can appreciate how much extra effort he put in to help me. That's why I can't stand hearing some people around Batesville complaining about the program. If you want to question a play call every now and then, fine. That's part of being a fan. But a lot of Pioneer fans really don't know how good they have it when it comes to coaching. Tell me about the facilities all you want. That's entirely irrelevant in high school football. There have been many dominant teams that played on cow pastures. This is not an arms race like it is in college football. Player development? Certainly, that is a factor. Batesville gets the most out of it's players, sure. Batesville also works hard and invests more hours into its development than most schools. Yeah, I know everybody works hard and everybody wants to win, but wanting to win and expecting to win are two different things. Batesville plans to win. The players are extremely confident, because they trust the plans laid out by their coaches. They know that if they execute, they will win 99% of the time - because rarely does Batesville get out-coached or out-played. And while development starts in 10th grade at many schools, Batesville's starts in 7th grade. Find me two junior high coaches more influential than Walls or Stave. Go ahead, try. The Pioneers have the formula figured out and it all trickles down from the leadership at the top. They have depth with 85 players on the roster every year because the kids in school want to be a part of it. They grow up with it and see that they can be involved with something special. I'm not saying Batesville is the best program in Arkansas or anything. I'm sure Greenwood could make an argument, but I know what it's like on the banks of the White River and I couldn't imagine having played anywhere else. When all these coaches leave, who knows which direction the program will go. The staff can't stay the same forever, but King and Smith have set standards. There is a contingency plan and some pretty good young coaches on the staff. It will be in good hands for awhile. Now, to touch on Southside. I'm not a Southerner hater. But I, like many others, do get tired of the unwarranted mouthing from across the river. Southside is like that younger sibling always begging you to play with them, and when they don't get their way, they cry. They will never have a relevant football program until the mindset changes... guess where... at the head coaching position. They do have reasonable fan support and a nice place to play, but none of that matters if you don't have any kids that want to play. It is all about the right coach. If they ever find the right fit, a guy who can inspire the school, Southside has the ingredients to become relevant. And I honestly hope they do. I'm all for seeing Southside grow as a community. I want Southside to grow up from being little brother and become its own man. I want them to bring in a coach who can build a program. And I want to see the school grow so they can join the 5A East. I want to see them edge out Nettleton, then shut out GCT, then upset Wynne in the delta and ride their high horse into night singing happy songs. So that finally, they can cross the river and get what they have been asking for since they started their program: A thorough beating from big brother. Because we will destroy you, just like we have everyone else in the 5A at one time or another. You will be but another victim to fall at the hands of the mighty Neer. Yeah, that's what I want.

[SouthernerPride]

Interesting posts on this thread so I'll add my thoughts on a couple things.

First off, in regards to Batesville's success, it's all about the coaches. As one of my favorite radio hosts Bill King once said, "When you get the hire right, everything else falls into place." Batesville got its hire right in the mid-90's and the continuity among the staff since then has been impressive. Make no mistake, Coach King and Coach Smith are as good as it gets. The whole staff, really, is impressive. They are teachers and developers, and they understand their players. They know which skill sets need to go where. It is not uncommon for Smith to turn a lanky basketball player type into an all-state defensive end. Sure, their X's and O's are important, but they are more than that. Use the term "player's coach" if you want. They care and they put the investment in. That resonates with players. King used to make me walk a mile with him every day after regular workouts. I hated doing it at the time, but now I can appreciate how much extra effort he put in to help me. That's why I can't stand hearing some people around Batesville complaining about the program. If you want to question a play call every now and then, fine. That's part of being a fan. But a lot of Pioneer fans really don't know how good they have it when it comes to coaching. Tell me about the facilities all you want. That's entirely irrelevant in high school football. There have been many dominant teams that played on cow pastures. This is not an arms race like it is in college football. Player development? Certainly, that is a factor. Batesville gets the most out of it's players, sure. Batesville also works hard and invests more hours into its development than most schools. Yeah, I know everybody works hard and everybody wants to win, but wanting to win and expecting to win are two different things. Batesville plans to win. The players are extremely confident, because they trust the plans laid out by their coaches. They know that if they execute, they will win 99% of the time - because rarely does Batesville get out-coached or out-played. And while development starts in 10th grade at many schools, Batesville's starts in 7th grade. Find me two junior high coaches more influential than Walls or Stave. Go ahead, try. The Pioneers have the formula figured out and it all trickles down from the leadership at the top. They have depth with 85 players on the roster every year because the kids in school want to be a part of it. They grow up with it and see that they can be involved with something special. I'm not saying Batesville is the best program in Arkansas or anything. I'm sure Greenwood could make an argument, but I know what it's like on the banks of the White River and I couldn't imagine having played anywhere else. When all these coaches leave, who knows which direction the program will go. The staff can't stay the same forever, but King and Smith have set standards. There is a contingency plan and some pretty good young coaches on the staff. It will be in good hands for awhile. Now, to touch on Southside. I'm not a Southerner hater. But I, like many others, do get tired of the unwarranted mouthing from across the river. Southside is like that younger sibling always begging you to play with them, and when they don't get their way, they cry. They will never have a relevant football program until the mindset changes... guess where... at the head coaching position. They do have reasonable fan support and a nice place to play, but none of that matters if you don't have any kids that want to play. It is all about the right coach. If they ever find the right fit, a guy who can inspire the school, Southside has the ingredients to become relevant. And I honestly hope they do. I'm all for seeing Southside grow as a community. I want Southside to grow up from being little brother and become its own man. I want them to bring in a coach who can build a program. And I want to see the school grow so they can join the 5A East. I want to see them edge out Nettleton, then shut out GCT, then upset Wynne in the delta and ride their high horse into night singing happy songs. So that finally, they can cross the river and get what they have been asking for since they started their program: A thorough beating from big brother. Because we will destroy you, just like we have everyone else in the 5A at one time or another. You will be but another victim to fall at the hands of the mighty Neer. Yeah, that's what I want.

*stands to applaud*


*throws up everywhere*


*sits back down*


I only venture to the 5A board to pick on you, Cody. I too hope that one day we will be able to sit in the stands together and watch 'big' and 'little' brother beat up on each other.. But until then.. Go Southerners

[The_Pioneer]

I would very much enjoy watching Pioneer Nation invade Southerner Stadium.  Where would the Southerner fans sit?

[ricepig]

Interesting posts on this thread so I'll add my thoughts on a couple things.

First off, in regards to Batesville's success, it's all about the coaches. As one of my favorite radio hosts Bill King once said, "When you get the hire right, everything else falls into place." Batesville got its hire right in the mid-90's and the continuity among the staff since then has been impressive. Make no mistake, Coach King and Coach Smith are as good as it gets. The whole staff, really, is impressive. They are teachers and developers, and they understand their players. They know which skill sets need to go where. It is not uncommon for Smith to turn a lanky basketball player type into an all-state defensive end. Sure, their X's and O's are important, but they are more than that. Use the term "player's coach" if you want. They care and they put the investment in. That resonates with players. King used to make me walk a mile with him every day after regular workouts. I hated doing it at the time, but now I can appreciate how much extra effort he put in to help me. That's why I can't stand hearing some people around Batesville complaining about the program. If you want to question a play call every now and then, fine. That's part of being a fan. But a lot of Pioneer fans really don't know how good they have it when it comes to coaching. Tell me about the facilities all you want. That's entirely irrelevant in high school football. There have been many dominant teams that played on cow pastures. This is not an arms race like it is in college football. Player development? Certainly, that is a factor. Batesville gets the most out of it's players, sure. Batesville also works hard and invests more hours into its development than most schools. Yeah, I know everybody works hard and everybody wants to win, but wanting to win and expecting to win are two different things. Batesville plans to win. The players are extremely confident, because they trust the plans laid out by their coaches. They know that if they execute, they will win 99% of the time - because rarely does Batesville get out-coached or out-played. And while development starts in 10th grade at many schools, Batesville's starts in 7th grade. Find me two junior high coaches more influential than Walls or Stave. Go ahead, try. The Pioneers have the formula figured out and it all trickles down from the leadership at the top. They have depth with 85 players on the roster every year because the kids in school want to be a part of it. They grow up with it and see that they can be involved with something special. I'm not saying Batesville is the best program in Arkansas or anything. I'm sure Greenwood could make an argument, but I know what it's like on the banks of the White River and I couldn't imagine having played anywhere else. When all these coaches leave, who knows which direction the program will go. The staff can't stay the same forever, but King and Smith have set standards. There is a contingency plan and some pretty good young coaches on the staff. It will be in good hands for awhile. Now, to touch on Southside. I'm not a Southerner hater. But I, like many others, do get tired of the unwarranted mouthing from across the river. Southside is like that younger sibling always begging you to play with them, and when they don't get their way, they cry. They will never have a relevant football program until the mindset changes... guess where... at the head coaching position. They do have reasonable fan support and a nice place to play, but none of that matters if you don't have any kids that want to play. It is all about the right coach. If they ever find the right fit, a guy who can inspire the school, Southside has the ingredients to become relevant. And I honestly hope they do. I'm all for seeing Southside grow as a community. I want Southside to grow up from being little brother and become its own man. I want them to bring in a coach who can build a program. And I want to see the school grow so they can join the 5A East. I want to see them edge out Nettleton, then shut out GCT, then upset Wynne in the delta and ride their high horse into night singing happy songs. So that finally, they can cross the river and get what they have been asking for since they started their program: A thorough beating from big brother. Because we will destroy you, just like we have everyone else in the 5A at one time or another. You will be but another victim to fall at the hands of the mighty Neer. Yeah, that's what I want.

C-Mac, paragraphs young man, paragraphs, but your devotion is admirable.

[Intelligentsia]

Well said Cody.  Strong programs are led by strong coaches and are maintained by a winning tradition.  Wynne is a good example of tradition holding on through a transition from Coach Campbell to their current coach.  They struggled in between a bit, but the tradition saw them through.  I trust that Coach King has built a tradition that will see us through when he eventually leaves -/though I hope he continues until he is at least 65!!

[Hoghead2]

You roll into Batesville on a fall Friday coming off the top of Ramsey Mountain like a Banshee. Youre hyped up ! Cross the White River and hold your nose as you drive past the Butterball Turkey Plant. Hang a right and wind your back to BHS & Pioneer Stadium.

Once you enter this Black & Orange maze of checker board end zones & painted faces you grab your seats. The crooked 35 yard line trinket visitors side bleachers have you watching the game cockeyed most of the night. Across the field the comfortable orange chairback seats have you envious ! The Batesville gets noisy as the home team squeeze through a Air Balloned Pioneer which the players look larger than.

The game starts and the Pioneers comence to running the ball down your throat ! Its 35-0 at the half. The BHS passing stats are flawless. He hasn't thrown a pass since last September !
The Pioneer faithful are sucking down cokes & chili dogs as they await the second half floggings to begin . Coack King empties the bench as the score reaches 49-0 !

The game is over and the post game handshakes are being given out. Pioneer players smile and say good game. Deep inside you know they just kicked you to sleep and they're really laughing at you ! Its cold and the wind off of the White River runs you out of the Orange Palace !
You get into your car, tune your radio to 103.7 and find out Wynne, Camden Fairview, Sylvan Hills and Morrilton all lost ! You smile and drive home.......

[Intelligentsia]

That's my kind of Friday night, Hoghead2:). Couple of corrections, however.  The visitors bleachers have been centered and the limited number of chair back seats come at a premium - one of the Friends of the Pioneers main fundraising tools, that and the reserved parking spots.  Next time you come for a game, come a little earlier and spend a little $$:)

[The_Pioneer]

Also, that cool breeze probably ain't blowin in off the "White River"....

[Rocko1493]

Rowdy fans.  They normally fill the seats.  Having to get there early or expect to walk.  Concession  stand is good.  Must try fritz pie

[Youngsta71701]

The Difficulties of Playing Batesville.....at Batesville?

THE REFS!!...

[Leather Head]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

[MDXPHD]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

From what I have heard, I think so too. Batesville will win the East and make a deep run in the playoffs.

[PA Dad]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

From what I have heard, I think so too. Batesville will win the East and make a deep run in the playoffs.

I like your confidence!
Other than Wynne and Jonesboro, do you see any tough games for Batesville this year?

[Intelligentsia]

Watson Chapel is an athletic bunch, picked by Hootens to win the South. Those who attended the game at WC last year will tell you that without some serious WC miscues, it would have been much closer.  I'll predict a win by 14, but it will be a game. IMO

[Grond]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

Batesville's weakness last year was the line of scrimmage. The coaching staff was smart enough to deal with it. But give Batesville the line as an ASSET, then look out.

[PA Dad]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

Batesville's weakness last year was the line of scrimmage. The coaching staff was smart enough to deal with it. But give Batesville the line as an ASSET, then look out.

By the way, in the Paragould/Batesville game last year (where Paragould actually came reasonably close to winning), the Paragould head coach described the o-line as "possibly the best we [Paragould] have ever had". After that game, we lost TWO starting o-linemen.  Another lineman, who made it through uninjured, is playing D2 ball.

I just read Hooten's analysis of Batesville this year.  It sounds like Batesville ought to be ranked No. 1 in 5A.  You guys are loaded this year.

[Intelligentsia]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

Batesville's weakness last year was the line of scrimmage. The coaching staff was smart enough to deal with it. But give Batesville the line as an ASSET, then look out.

By the way, in the Paragould/Batesville game last year (where Paragould actually came reasonably close to winning), the Paragould head coach described the o-line as "possibly the best we [Paragould] have ever had". After that game, we lost TWO starting o-linemen.  Another lineman, who made it through uninjured, is playing D2 ball.

The Ram O-Line did a great job in that game, providing the very athletic QB and a quick RB to give our defense fits.  The Pioneer offense was also not clicking very well, making for a very interesting game!

[Uncle Ivan]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

Batesville's weakness last year was the line of scrimmage. The coaching staff was smart enough to deal with it. But give Batesville the line as an ASSET, then look out.

By the way, in the Paragould/Batesville game last year (where Paragould actually came reasonably close to winning), the Paragould head coach described the o-line as "possibly the best we [Paragould] have ever had". After that game, we lost TWO starting o-linemen.  Another lineman, who made it through uninjured, is playing D2 ball.

I just read Hooten's analysis of Batesville this year.  It sounds like Batesville ought to be ranked No. 1 in 5A.  You guys are loaded this year.

Hootens' analysises (analysi?) of Batesville tend to be skewed.

After all, Batesville always has a lot of ad buys.

[Intelligentsia]

Ad buys do seem to influence Hootens:). The Pioneers, however, do appear to have a very good bunch this year.  Passing defense is always a concern for me; if that part of the Pioneer team is good, they should make a deep run into the playoffs.  My other concern is the kicking game.  We lost a great punter in Crawford and an except field goal kicker, in Oz. 

[Rocko1493]

I really hate that they lost oz.  He was possibly one of the best kickers Batesville ever had.

[MDXPHD]

I really hate that they lost oz. He was the best kicker Batesville has ever had.

Fixed it for you.

[GuvHog]

As for this year, there are going to be a few more problems that you will face playing in Batesville. The pioneers took the filed with about 80 players and the coaches have a big smile on their faces. Looks like we might have the best O-Line and D-line we have had ever, I am thinking this could be a really good year.

Batesville's weakness last year was the line of scrimmage. The coaching staff was smart enough to deal with it. But give Batesville the line as an ASSET, then look out.

By the way, in the Paragould/Batesville game last year (where Paragould actually came reasonably close to winning), the Paragould head coach described the o-line as "possibly the best we [Paragould] have ever had". After that game, we lost TWO starting o-linemen.  Another lineman, who made it through uninjured, is playing D2 ball.

I just read Hooten's analysis of Batesville this year.  It sounds like Batesville ought to be ranked No. 1 in 5A.  You guys are loaded this year.

Hootens' analysises (analysi?) of Batesville tend to be skewed.

After all, Batesville always has a lot of ad buys.

I'm amazed at the difference between Hootens' overall 5A poll and the coaches prediction for each individual conference. For example: the 5A South Coaches picked Watson Chapel to win that conference yet Hootens has two 5A South teams above them in their overall poll.

[Lions84]

I went to a game there in the mid 1980's and it was a long walk and a Hole compared to Newport or Wynne.

[The_Pioneer]

So 30 years ago.  I bet it was back then. 

[photographer]

I really hate that they lost oz.  He was possibly one of the best kickers Batesville ever had.

Oz was the best kicker Batesville ever had.  He holds the record for most points scored as a Pioneer.  That record includes all players (rb, wr and qb)

[photographer]

Interesting posts on this thread so I'll add my thoughts on a couple things.

First off, in regards to Batesville's success, it's all about the coaches. As one of my favorite radio hosts Bill King once said, "When you get the hire right, everything else falls into place." Batesville got its hire right in the mid-90's and the continuity among the staff since then has been impressive. Make no mistake, Coach King and Coach Smith are as good as it gets. The whole staff, really, is impressive. They are teachers and developers, and they understand their players. They know which skill sets need to go where. It is not uncommon for Smith to turn a lanky basketball player type into an all-state defensive end. Sure, their X's and O's are important, but they are more than that. Use the term "player's coach" if you want. They care and they put the investment in. That resonates with players. King used to make me walk a mile with him every day after regular workouts. I hated doing it at the time, but now I can appreciate how much extra effort he put in to help me. That's why I can't stand hearing some people around Batesville complaining about the program. If you want to question a play call every now and then, fine. That's part of being a fan. But a lot of Pioneer fans really don't know how good they have it when it comes to coaching. Tell me about the facilities all you want. That's entirely irrelevant in high school football. There have been many dominant teams that played on cow pastures. This is not an arms race like it is in college football. Player development? Certainly, that is a factor. Batesville gets the most out of it's players, sure. Batesville also works hard and invests more hours into its development than most schools. Yeah, I know everybody works hard and everybody wants to win, but wanting to win and expecting to win are two different things. Batesville plans to win. The players are extremely confident, because they trust the plans laid out by their coaches. They know that if they execute, they will win 99% of the time - because rarely does Batesville get out-coached or out-played. And while development starts in 10th grade at many schools, Batesville's starts in 7th grade. Find me two junior high coaches more influential than Walls or Stave. Go ahead, try. The Pioneers have the formula figured out and it all trickles down from the leadership at the top. They have depth with 85 players on the roster every year because the kids in school want to be a part of it. They grow up with it and see that they can be involved with something special. I'm not saying Batesville is the best program in Arkansas or anything. I'm sure Greenwood could make an argument, but I know what it's like on the banks of the White River and I couldn't imagine having played anywhere else. When all these coaches leave, who knows which direction the program will go. The staff can't stay the same forever, but King and Smith have set standards. There is a contingency plan and some pretty good young coaches on the staff. It will be in good hands for awhile. Now, to touch on Southside. I'm not a Southerner hater. But I, like many others, do get tired of the unwarranted mouthing from across the river. Southside is like that younger sibling always begging you to play with them, and when they don't get their way, they cry. They will never have a relevant football program until the mindset changes... guess where... at the head coaching position. They do have reasonable fan support and a nice place to play, but none of that matters if you don't have any kids that want to play. It is all about the right coach. If they ever find the right fit, a guy who can inspire the school, Southside has the ingredients to become relevant. And I honestly hope they do. I'm all for seeing Southside grow as a community. I want Southside to grow up from being little brother and become its own man. I want them to bring in a coach who can build a program. And I want to see the school grow so they can join the 5A East. I want to see them edge out Nettleton, then shut out GCT, then upset Wynne in the delta and ride their high horse into night singing happy songs. So that finally, they can cross the river and get what they have been asking for since they started their program: A thorough beating from big brother. Because we will destroy you, just like we have everyone else in the 5A at one time or another. You will be but another victim to fall at the hands of the mighty Neer. Yeah, that's what I want.

So, I am just now back on the board and proud to say that I was this boy's teacher!!!  Great post. 

[InYoGrill]

Interesting posts on this thread so I'll add my thoughts on a couple things.

First off, in regards to Batesville's success, it's all about the coaches. As one of my favorite radio hosts Bill King once said, "When you get the hire right, everything else falls into place." Batesville got its hire right in the mid-90's and the continuity among the staff since then has been impressive. Make no mistake, Coach King and Coach Smith are as good as it gets. The whole staff, really, is impressive. They are teachers and developers, and they understand their players. They know which skill sets need to go where. It is not uncommon for Smith to turn a lanky basketball player type into an all-state defensive end. Sure, their X's and O's are important, but they are more than that. Use the term "player's coach" if you want. They care and they put the investment in. That resonates with players. King used to make me walk a mile with him every day after regular workouts. I hated doing it at the time, but now I can appreciate how much extra effort he put in to help me. That's why I can't stand hearing some people around Batesville complaining about the program. If you want to question a play call every now and then, fine. That's part of being a fan. But a lot of Pioneer fans really don't know how good they have it when it comes to coaching. Tell me about the facilities all you want. That's entirely irrelevant in high school football. There have been many dominant teams that played on cow pastures. This is not an arms race like it is in college football. Player development? Certainly, that is a factor. Batesville gets the most out of it's players, sure. Batesville also works hard and invests more hours into its development than most schools. Yeah, I know everybody works hard and everybody wants to win, but wanting to win and expecting to win are two different things. Batesville plans to win. The players are extremely confident, because they trust the plans laid out by their coaches. They know that if they execute, they will win 99% of the time - because rarely does Batesville get out-coached or out-played. And while development starts in 10th grade at many schools, Batesville's starts in 7th grade. Find me two junior high coaches more influential than Walls or Stave. Go ahead, try. The Pioneers have the formula figured out and it all trickles down from the leadership at the top. They have depth with 85 players on the roster every year because the kids in school want to be a part of it. They grow up with it and see that they can be involved with something special. I'm not saying Batesville is the best program in Arkansas or anything. I'm sure Greenwood could make an argument, but I know what it's like on the banks of the White River and I couldn't imagine having played anywhere else. When all these coaches leave, who knows which direction the program will go. The staff can't stay the same forever, but King and Smith have set standards. There is a contingency plan and some pretty good young coaches on the staff. It will be in good hands for awhile. Now, to touch on Southside. I'm not a Southerner hater. But I, like many others, do get tired of the unwarranted mouthing from across the river. Southside is like that younger sibling always begging you to play with them, and when they don't get their way, they cry. They will never have a relevant football program until the mindset changes... guess where... at the head coaching position. They do have reasonable fan support and a nice place to play, but none of that matters if you don't have any kids that want to play. It is all about the right coach. If they ever find the right fit, a guy who can inspire the school, Southside has the ingredients to become relevant. And I honestly hope they do. I'm all for seeing Southside grow as a community. I want Southside to grow up from being little brother and become its own man. I want them to bring in a coach who can build a program. And I want to see the school grow so they can join the 5A East. I want to see them edge out Nettleton, then shut out GCT, then upset Wynne in the delta and ride their high horse into night singing happy songs. So that finally, they can cross the river and get what they have been asking for since they started their program: A thorough beating from big brother. Because we will destroy you, just like we have everyone else in the 5A at one time or another. You will be but another victim to fall at the hands of the mighty Neer. Yeah, that's what I want.

So, I am just now back on the board and proud to say that I was this boy's teacher!!!  Great post.

Nice dig teacher! Boy that Cmac can sure scribe well.