Harsh Stone Bridge Bulldog Criticism

[Kenneth Harris]

Is criticism allowed on VirginiaPreps? People are so easily offended by anyone and anything that does not fall in line with group/influencer hive mind-like agreement. Here are my thoughts from my own mind. Following the Hail Mary that gave Stone Bridge a 27-21 walk off state title over Maury in 2021 one commentator stated that Coach Mickey Thompson had exorcised his East Region demons. Well, no he has not. Between 2005-2023 the Bulldogs have faced the Hampton Crabbers, Phoebus Phantoms, Lake Taylor Titans and Maury Commodores. Their record? 2-7, which includes a 2007 38-24 home playoff win over the Phantoms that required a 2nd half surge brought on by numerous Phoebus miscues. 2-7 is the definition of failure. Why does Stone Bridge keep making it through to the finals only to lose? In 2006 and 2011 they lost to the Edison Eagles and South County Stallions who would both go on to lose in the finals to…The Phoebus Phantoms. There are those that say Mickey Thompson is the best head coach in Virginia. No he is not. Mike Smith of the Hampton Crabbers, who no longer coaches, sits on top of the Virginia high school football mountain alone and no one will ever sit next to him. Behind him? The late Bill Dee who started building Phoebus up in the mid-1980s when previously they had been nothing more than a perennial homecoming opponent. I think Coach Thompson should consider passing the baton. Nothing is going to change for the better at Stone Bridge until changes are made. 9-5 and giving up 45 points in the finals is not better. Right now they are 2-7 in 18 years against the east region. Factor in Highland Springs if you would like to. They lose these games against the east by an average score of 26-19. That is not successful. I hope that whoever you are that you hate reading this and that you hate me more for writing it.

 

[SBOEDog]

@Kenneth Harris, no hate from me in reading this and certainly no hate towards you at all in writing it. That would be very unfair of me. Opinions and perspectives are crucial and necessary in our world. I’ll try and offer my own opinion on Coach Thompson and the Bulldogs.

I moved here from Ohio in the late 70’s and settled with my family (after several short stints in Fairfax) in Ashburn. When Stone Bridge opened in 2000, like all new schools they were building from the ground up and I felt fortunate to be able to watch that process and take in a few games. Coach Thompson quickly turned them into a playoff team by Year 3. Before you knew it, they were contending for regional titles and state championships. Coach Thompson has guided the Bulldogs to 16 regional titles in 24 years and 12 state title game appearances in that same span. Three hard fought championships have come his way during that time.

Now certainly, I think Coach Thompson would be the first to tell you he is disappointed that he has not won more, given the numerous opportunities. My perspective, for what it is worth, is that the teams he faced were simply better in those games. That would include the Maury championship team from this past Saturday. Only 50% of the teams in a championship game, in any sport, walk out accomplishing what their final goal was. Sometimes in sports, the other team is simply better, particularly in a 1-game series. I see it more as a credit to Hampton, Phoebus, Lake Taylor, Highland Springs and Maury, rather than an indictment on Stone Bridge.

I fully agree with you on Mike Smith and a standard by which every other Virginia High School coach will forever be measured. Guys like Bill Dee and Willis White (Salem) and a host of others can be mentioned shortly after Mike Smith.

With an 83% all time winning percentage and a record of 265-54, I hope Coach Thompson continues to coach as long as he wants. I know he enjoys having his sons coach alongside him and having that ability to share with his family something he truly loves and is fairly darn good at.

Again, your opinion and perspective is totally fine (and I mean that very sincerely). I may be in the minority on this, but I would simply change the word “failure” to the word “success”. My family and I are grateful for what Coach Thompson has meant to us, the community, and the great football we’ve been able to enjoy these 24 years. Here’s to hoping for 24 more….

 

[Bcope83]

Is criticism allowed on VirginiaPreps? People are so easily offended by anyone and anything that does not fall in line with group/influencer hive mind-like agreement. Here are my thoughts from my own mind. Following the Hail Mary that gave Stone Bridge a 27-21 walk off state title over Maury in 2021 one commentator stated that Coach Mickey Thompson had exorcised his East Region demons. Well, no he has not. Between 2005-2023 the Bulldogs have faced the Hampton Crabbers, Phoebus Phantoms, Lake Taylor Titans and Maury Commodores. Their record? 2-7, which includes a 2007 38-24 home playoff win over the Phantoms that required a 2nd half surge brought on by numerous Phoebus miscues. 2-7 is the definition of failure. Why does Stone Bridge keep making it through to the finals only to lose? In 2006 and 2011 they lost to the Edison Eagles and South County Stallions who would both go on to lose in the finals to…The Phoebus Phantoms. There are those that say Mickey Thompson is the best head coach in Virginia. No he is not. Mike Smith of the Hampton Crabbers, who no longer coaches, sits on top of the Virginia high school football mountain alone and no one will ever sit next to him. Behind him? The late Bill Dee who started building Phoebus up in the mid-1980s when previously they had been nothing more than a perennial homecoming opponent. I think Coach Thompson should consider passing the baton. Nothing is going to change for the better at Stone Bridge until changes are made. 9-5 and giving up 45 points in the finals is not better. Right now they are 2-7 in 18 years against the east region. Factor in Highland Springs if you would like to. They lose these games against the east by an average score of 26-19. That is not successful. I hope that whoever you are that you hate reading this and that you hate me more for writing it.

Everytime Phoebus loses or plays a tough game you write it up as “Phoebus miscues”

 

[WP02alum]

I’m amazed at folks who lack the perspective to see that a coach taking his team to NINE state title games can’t possibly be a “failure”. Y’all weird.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

I’m amazed at folks who lack the perspective to see that a coach taking his team to NINE state title games can’t possibly be a “failure”. Y’all weird.

This is a wild thread. Telling a coach who hasn’t ever gotten blown out in any of those losses on the state’s biggest stage to “pass the baton” is insane.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Everytime Phoebus loses or plays a tough game you write it up as “Phoebus miscues”

I will never agree with you on anything. You want ketchup? Well give me mustard.

 

[OldIndian81]

Coach Thompson - please resign at Stone Bridge and come to my alma-mater for the next ten years or so and coach my two sons!

 

[K7w5]

Agreed that you can’t fault someone for losing a lot of title games without crediting them for getting there. Also hard to hold SB’s record this year against them, I don’t think anybody in VA would’ve gone unscathed against their schedule. And you can probably count on one hand the teams that would’ve faired better than 2-2 against Madison, @ Martinsburg, @ QO, and @ GC. And they had a good showing against Maury all in all. Could’ve easily folded up in the 1st half, but they kept playing and made it somewhat interesting against a much, much more talented team.

I haven’t followed SB that closely over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever watched them lose a game and came away thinking they had the better roster. That’s a credit to program building and coaching. Thompson may not be the best, but he is one of them.

 

[bceagle47]

So if Thompson switched squads at the beginning of the year with McCain who would win?

 

[K7w5]

Might be hard to get that single wing installed in camp

 

[bceagle47]

I'm sure both coaches are good enough to install any offense they wanted to. I think if the squads were flipped, Thompson would have finished with a ring too.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

This is a wild thread. Telling a coach who hasn’t ever gotten blown out in any of those losses on the state’s biggest stage to “pass the baton” is insane.

1. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.
2. Bill wanted to get rid of Tom Brady
3. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.
4.Jerry Jones fired a head coach that won the Super Bowl because waaaahhh!
5. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.

Insane is that there are multiple organizations that are guilty of sexual assaults or covering up the assaults on children that also control multiple football teams in America and modern men, like you, are only offended that someone thinks a high school coach should just move on when we live in a world where Joe Montana was traded and Jimmy Johnson was fired after winning the freaking SUPER BOWL!!! You should go look in a mirror and ask the reflection this question from Jerry Maguire: "What do you stand for?"

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Agreed that you can’t fault someone for losing a lot of title games without crediting them for getting there. Also hard to hold SB’s record this year against them, I don’t think anybody in VA would’ve gone unscathed against their schedule. And you can probably count on one hand the teams that would’ve faired better than 2-2 against Madison, @ Martinsburg, @ QO, and @ GC. And they had a good showing against Maury all in all. Could’ve easily folded up in the 1st half, but they kept playing and made it somewhat interesting against a much, much more talented team.

I haven’t followed SB that closely over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever watched them lose a game and came away thinking they had the better roster. That’s a credit to program building and coaching. Thompson may not be the best, but he is one of them.

There is no high school head coach that is gonna win a Super Bowl during the high school football season. Jerry Jones set a brand new low standard that if a Super Bowl winning coach can get fired the rest are dog meat. I think it is time for Stone Bridge to ditch the single wing and run the no huddle spread offense/run and gun with a brand new hot, young stud of a head coach at the helm. Maybe a 24-26ish something. I think making it to the finals is great but losing much more than you win? Not so great. And I like the opposite side of the debate anyone else takes. He would leave a wonderful legacy and they can have a going away party as he leaves through the closest open door. Everybody retires. Everybody is fired and the San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana without a thank you card.

 

[fattyhawk2013]

Is criticism allowed on VirginiaPreps? People are so easily offended by anyone and anything that does not fall in line with group/influencer hive mind-like agreement. Here are my thoughts from my own mind. Following the Hail Mary that gave Stone Bridge a 27-21 walk off state title over Maury in 2021 one commentator stated that Coach Mickey Thompson had exorcised his East Region demons. Well, no he has not. Between 2005-2023 the Bulldogs have faced the Hampton Crabbers, Phoebus Phantoms, Lake Taylor Titans and Maury Commodores. Their record? 2-7, which includes a 2007 38-24 home playoff win over the Phantoms that required a 2nd half surge brought on by numerous Phoebus miscues. 2-7 is the definition of failure. Why does Stone Bridge keep making it through to the finals only to lose? In 2006 and 2011 they lost to the Edison Eagles and South County Stallions who would both go on to lose in the finals to…The Phoebus Phantoms. There are those that say Mickey Thompson is the best head coach in Virginia. No he is not. Mike Smith of the Hampton Crabbers, who no longer coaches, sits on top of the Virginia high school football mountain alone and no one will ever sit next to him. Behind him? The late Bill Dee who started building Phoebus up in the mid-1980s when previously they had been nothing more than a perennial homecoming opponent. I think Coach Thompson should consider passing the baton. Nothing is going to change for the better at Stone Bridge until changes are made. 9-5 and giving up 45 points in the finals is not better. Right now they are 2-7 in 18 years against the east region. Factor in Highland Springs if you would like to. They lose these games against the east by an average score of 26-19. That is not successful. I hope that whoever you are that you hate reading this and that you hate me more for writing it.

Im a Phoebus fan through and through but Coach Mickey Thompson should not hang it up. He is a great coach and has accomplished alot and has built up the program at StoneBridge. People can have strong feelings against Coach Thompson but he dont need to pass the baton because he can still get it done. There are alot of teams that would have gave up 45 to Maury but Its what Stonebridge did with thier starting qb and back up going down early in the game. They fought back and found ways to get back into the game. That is a huge credit to coach Thompson. Mike Smith gets my vote as argueably the best coach in Va but Thompson has his own legacy and have reached the title game just as much as any team from 2005 to present. Love him or hate...i get it but you gotta put some respect on his name.

 

[WP02alum]

1. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.
2. Bill wanted to get rid of Tom Brady
3. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.
4.Jerry Jones fired a head coach that won the Super Bowl because waaaahhh!
5. The San Francisco 49ers traded Joe Montana.

Insane is that there are multiple organizations that are guilty of sexual assaults or covering up the assaults on children that also control multiple football teams in America and modern men, like you, are only offended that someone thinks a high school coach should just move on when we live in a world where Joe Montana was traded and Jimmy Johnson was fired after winning the freaking SUPER BOWL!!! You should go look in a mirror and ask the reflection this question from Jerry Maguire: "What do you stand for?"

Can’t be offended by two things at once. This logic is infallible.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Can’t be offended by two things at once. This logic is infallible.

Bro said f it, I'm going to wake up and post some foolishness.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

So Thompson is the LeBron James of high school football coaching ....that is not really a bad thing. Mike Smith is Michael Jordan lol

 

[Phoebus Fan]

Nothing but respect for Coach Thompson and SB. Even though i don’t like how he acted towards Maury i would never co sign this thread. Coach Thompson is definitely successful.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Can’t be offended by two things at once. This logic is infallible.

Stan Sexton might be the first head coach to win 3 straight championships after taking over the helm of team AND be fired! Not go 3-12 or whatever. 3 straight titles and be fired! And the San Francisco 49ers still traded Joe Montana. Ya know, when Joe Montana was traded my love affair with the NFL died and I was a Dallas Cowboy fan. Joe Montana being traded snapped me out of it. If Jimmy and Joe can be done away with and a head coach with3 straight titles can be dumped why can’t Coach Thompson just walk away?

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Nothing but respect for Coach Thompson and SB. Even though i don’t like how he acted towards Maury i would never co sign this thread. Coach Thompson is definitely successful.

Brother Phantom, I am not asking for anyone to agree with me. I do not want or need affirmations. Your opinion is greatly appreciated. I have nothing but respect for Coach Thompson and I think he should leave Stone Bridge IMMEDIATELY! Like, right now.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

So Thompson is the LeBron James of high school football coaching ....that is not really a bad thing. Mike Smith is Michael Jordan lol

I don’t think we all are supposed to see things the same way. I will give you this true story. I am an American army vet but I was not born in America. I was born in a country that judges you upon your birth based on the origin of the blood that flows through your veins and who your parents are. Now if your blood is wrong then you are deemed to have originated in the country of your father and if you want to be a citizen of said judgmental country then you must publicly denounce the citizenship of your father’s country. This is the real world that we live but people like Disney fairy tales. Coach Thompson is a proven finals failure and it is time to move on. He is actually the Minnesota Vikings Bud Grant of Virginia high school football. Pass the baton please and I will never denounce my American citizenship or allow anyone to control my thoughts.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Im a Phoebus fan through and through but Coach Mickey Thompson should not hang it up. He is a great coach and has accomplished alot and has built up the program at StoneBridge. People can have strong feelings against Coach Thompson but he dont need to pass the baton because he can still get it done. There are alot of teams that would have gave up 45 to Maury but Its what Stonebridge did with thier starting qb and back up going down early in the game. They fought back and found ways to get back into the game. That is a huge credit to coach Thompson. Mike Smith gets my vote as argueably the best coach in Va but Thompson has his own legacy and have reached the title game just as much as any team from 2005 to present. Love him or hate...i get it but you gotta put some respect on his name.

President Franklin D Roosevelt refused to meet with Jesse Owens after the gold medal winning Olympian return from Germany, who hosted the 1936 Olympics. Imagine that. President Roosevelt was an absolute and complete horrible example of a leader and human being. I knew this as a young child because I lived in West Germany 27 years after World War II ended. I met with Jesse in Newport News, Virginia for a brief moment, just before he died. I purposely went to him and asked him to sit with me and watch my brother run a race for the Kecoughtan Warriors. He looked me in the eyes and said yes. I took him by his hand and guided him to a seat. We sat, talked and watched my brother win. There comes a time when things need changing. That doesn’t mean anyone gets disrespected.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

I don’t think we all are supposed to see things the same way. I will give you this true story. I am an American army vet but I was not born in America. I was born in a country that judges you upon your birth based on the origin of the blood that flows through your veins and who your parents are. Now if your blood is wrong then you are deemed to have originated in the country of your father and if you want to be a citizen of said judgmental country then you must publicly denounce the citizenship of your father’s country. This is the real world that we live but people like Disney fairy tales. Coach Thompson is a proven finals failure and it is time to move on. He is actually the Minnesota Vikings Bud Grant of Virginia high school football. Pass the baton please and I will never denounce my American citizenship or allow anyone to control my thoughts.

Bud Grant never won a Super Bowl. His teams were actually dominated every time. Coach Thompson IS the LeBron James of Virginia high school football. Winning 3 rings and continuing to be relevant is not a bad thing.

 

[Bcope83]

This is a wild thread. Telling a coach who hasn’t ever gotten blown out in any of those losses on the state’s biggest stage to “pass the baton” is insane.

He doesn’t even mean it. Just a way to hype up those schools he mentioned.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

“If they don’t win this game it will be a failure.” - Larry Rubama, Virginia Pilot when discussing the Maury Commodores goals prior to facing Stone Bridge in the 2023 D5 Championship on the Kirk and Byrd Show. Change is good. Change is inevitable. Stone Bridge can grow and become better with change. Coach Thompson has built a firm, strong foundation and it is time for someone else to take over. I love the Bulldogs. I was at the Hampton/Stone Bridge game in ‘05. I don’t think I was ever more impressed by any Crabber finals opponent and that includes watching the Gar-field Indians and Culpeper Blue Devils games live. That ’05 Bulldogs team has not been built upon it might be the best they ever were including the ‘07 Bulldogs. The program has remained stagnant while their opponents; Phoebus and Maury have evolved to become a force in the face of Stone Bridge that they were ill-prepared for. Their record against both proves it. They need new leadership. Beating Matoaca who lost to the Warhill Lions is not; well, it is meaningless.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

“If they don’t win this game it will be a failure.” - Larry Rubama, Virginia Pilot when discussing the Maury Commodores goals prior to facing Stone Bridge in the 2023 D5 Championship on the Kirk and Byrd Show. Change is good. Change is inevitable. Stone Bridge can grow and become better with change. Coach Thompson has built a firm, strong foundation and it is time for someone else to take over. I love the Bulldogs. I was at the Hampton/Stone Bridge game in ‘05. I don’t think I was ever more impressed by any Crabber finals opponent and that includes watching the Gar-field Indians and Culpeper Blue Devils games live. That ’05 Bulldogs team has not been built upon it might be the best they ever were including the ‘07 Bulldogs. The program has remained stagnant while their opponents; Phoebus and Maury have evolved to become a force in the face of Stone Bridge that they were ill-prepared for. Their record against both proves it. They need new leadership. Beating Matoaca who lost to the Warhill Lions is not; well, it is meaningless.

Stone Bridge literally won back to back titles beating Highland Springs and Maury a couple a years ago. I think you are just trolling now. I will say this. Going back to old system would cut down on everyone's championship totals. Freedom,Phoebus, Maury and Springers being in same division would having everyone having to change. Also of the teams mentioned why hasn't Phoebus stepped out of the state to play a out of state power. Springers,Freedom,Stone Bridge,Oscar Smith all have. I would love to see Mater Dei at darling stadium.

 

[General172011]

Freedom Smith HS would be in the same division in that case. Maury Phoebus would be in D5. I wish they would go back to that because that when things were special. Wins and losses meant more when only 4 teams were allow to the dance I miss those days

 

[K7w5]

Mater Dei is a college team. No public school has any business playing them. Phoebus should try to step out and play some top end NC program like HS did with Chambers. Would love to see a Martinsburg-Phoebus series, but that’s a serious trip for a team like Phoebus that can fill up their schedule without it.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

Mater Dei is a college team. No public school has any business playing them. Phoebus should try to step out and play some top end NC program like HS did with Chambers. Would love to see a Martinsburg-Phoebus series, but that’s a serious trip for a team like Phoebus that can fill up their schedule without it.

My Mater Dei comment was trolling lol

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

Freedom Smith HS would be in the same division in that case. Maury Phoebus would be in D5. I wish they would go back to that because that when things were special. Wins and losses meant more when only 4 teams were allow to the dance I miss those days

I meant the old AAA,AA and A format. 3 public school champs.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Stone Bridge literally won back to back titles beating Highland Springs and Maury a couple a years ago. I think you are just trolling now. I will say this. Going back to old system would cut down on everyone's championship totals. Freedom,Phoebus, Maury and Springers being in same division would having everyone having to change. Also of the teams mentioned why hasn't Phoebus stepped out of the state to play a out of state power. Springers,Freedom,Stone Bridge,Oscar Smith all have. I would love to see Mater Dei at darling stadium.

You're right, I don't want Coach Thompson to walk away. You got me! Changing the topic to Phoebus playing out of state games does not improve Stone Bridge's performance against their finals opponents inside Virginia. Plus, there are too many small colleges disguised as high schools traveling the country destroying public high schools like Oscar Smith D6 champion. I first brought up the topic that high school sports was a business over 20 years ago. The person I was talking to wanted to have me committed. At the time digitized marketing had reared its head and not many were paying attention. Today, I believe it is very creepy that men sit around rubbing each others lower back agreeing with everything they hear from other men. Why anyone believes Mickey Thompson is so high on the totem pole that the topic of him moving on cannot be brought up is a sign that corporate/government brainwashing techniques work. High school football coaches should be and are replaceable. The coaches at the top of the profession, with most success, read the lyrics of Janet Jackson's What Have You Done For Me Lately while polishing multiple Super Bowl trophies. Coach Thompson should move on. Let a young guy take over. Or a woman. Whatever.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

Stone Bridge literally won back to back titles beating Highland Springs and Maury a couple a years ago. I think you are just trolling now. I will say this. Going back to old system would cut down on everyone's championship totals. Freedom,Phoebus, Maury and Springers being in same division would having everyone having to change. Also of the teams mentioned why hasn't Phoebus stepped out of the state to play a out of state power. Springers,Freedom,Stone Bridge,Oscar Smith all have. I would love to see Mater Dei at darling stadium.

To address out of state match ups. I love it when new news is brought up with seemingly no knowledge of old news. What makes you believe the Bethel Bruins have not already traveled to Ohio for a football game decades, decades ago? Why do think the Phantoms have not already traveled to North Carolina for a football game? There is no value in playing out of state games. Phoebus started the 2023 season playing a scrimmage against the 2023 D5 champion. Other years they started or ended the year playing the D6 champion. Do not get me started on 2005-2006 when Hampton and Phoebus had to go against each other while both won state titles. When Dabo Swinney was rebuilding Clemson where did he go? Maury? Freedom? Oscar Smith? Stone Bridge? Highland Springs? Dinwiddie? Salem? NOPE! He recruited quarterback Boyd of the Phoebus Phantoms to lead the Tigers back to national prominence! Phoebus High School. 100 Ireland, Hampton, Virginia. And Coach Thompson of Stone Bridge should quit.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

To address out of state match ups. I love it when new news is brought up with seemingly no knowledge of old news. What makes you believe the Bethel Bruins have not already traveled to Ohio for a football game decades, decades ago? Why do think the Phantoms have not already traveled to North Carolina for a football game? There is no value in playing out of state games. Phoebus started the 2023 season playing a scrimmage against the 2023 D5 champion. Other years they started or ended the year playing the D6 champion. Do not get me started on 2005-2006 when Hampton and Phoebus had to go against each other while both won state titles. When Dabo Swinney was rebuilding Clemson where did he go? Maury? Freedom? Oscar Smith? Stone Bridge? Highland Springs? Dinwiddie? Salem? NOPE! He recruited quarterback Boyd of the Phoebus Phantoms to lead the Tigers back to national prominence! Phoebus High School. 100 Ireland, Hampton, Virginia. And Coach Thompson of Stone Bridge should quit.

He didn't win a championship until Watson and then Lawrence. By your thinking Swinney needs to quit. Thompsons last championship was more recent than Swinney. Much respect to Phoebus and Hampton but a lot of teams play tough schedules in the state in district. Springers play Varina every year. Scrimmage games are not real games so don't bring those up. Coach Johnson and Coach Overton better keep winning chips even though they in same division or you gonna start calling for their jobs. Lol

 

[WP02alum]

List of coaches who should quit:
Bill Belichick
Andy Reid
Kirby Smart
Dabo Swinney
Mike Tomlin
Tom Landry
Knute Rockne

No one can tell me otherwise.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

List of coaches who should quit:
Bill Belichick
Andy Reid
Kirby Smart
Dabo Swinney
Mike Tomlin
Tom Landry
Knute Rockne

No one can tell me otherwise.

I love you. Really. I do. I. Love. You. Forever.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

He didn't win a championship until Watson and then Lawrence. By your thinking Swinney needs to quit. Thompsons last championship was more recent than Swinney. Much respect to Phoebus and Hampton but a lot of teams play tough schedules in the state in district. Springers play Varina every year. Scrimmage games are not real games so don't bring those up. Coach Johnson and Coach Overton better keep winning chips even though they in same division or you gonna start calling for their jobs. Lol

During the 1980 JV season I suffered a blackout concussion while playing for Phoebus against the Bethel Bruins. A terribly painful concussion. I made it back to end the season but I was very tentative after the head injury. In 1980 there was no medical treatment for concussions and I was 16 years old. On my last play in a Phoebus uniform I was going for an interception against Lafayette. The ball was coming right to me. But. As I was positioning myself to catch the ball I saw our strong safety out the corner of my eye. I was the free safety. The strong safety was also our quarterback. I repositioned myself to protect him and start blocking. Paul Jackson intercepted the ball and I protected him by blocking, the clock ran out on the Rams and we won. The quarterback coach that coached Freshman M. Banks in Saturday’s D4 championship game was my quarterback that threw passes to me on the 1980 Phoebus JV team because I was also the only starting wide receiver. I quit playing football after my freshman year because I knew I was in danger of a more serious head injury if I continued to play. Today I am still rooting for my quarterback. Paul Jackson is still my quarterback. The headaches and blurry vision have stopped somewhat. Quitting is not always a bad thing.

 

[Kenneth Harris]

He didn't win a championship until Watson and then Lawrence. By your thinking Swinney needs to quit. Thompsons last championship was more recent than Swinney. Much respect to Phoebus and Hampton but a lot of teams play tough schedules in the state in district. Springers play Varina every year. Scrimmage games are not real games so don't bring those up. Coach Johnson and Coach Overton better keep winning chips even though they in same division or you gonna start calling for their jobs. Lol

You missed the keyword due to selective reading. REBUILDING. Tahj Boyd led them back respectability while setting passing records and then they went on to win the titles. (insert face palm here) Chronological order matters.

 

[CountryClubJoesSecretAlias]

To address out of state match ups. I love it when new news is brought up with seemingly no knowledge of old news. What makes you believe the Bethel Bruins have not already traveled to Ohio for a football game decades, decades ago? Why do think the Phantoms have not already traveled to North Carolina for a football game? There is no value in playing out of state games. Phoebus started the 2023 season playing a scrimmage against the 2023 D5 champion. Other years they started or ended the year playing the D6 champion. Do not get me started on 2005-2006 when Hampton and Phoebus had to go against each other while both won state titles. When Dabo Swinney was rebuilding Clemson where did he go? Maury? Freedom? Oscar Smith? Stone Bridge? Highland Springs? Dinwiddie? Salem? NOPE! He recruited quarterback Boyd of the Phoebus Phantoms to lead the Tigers back to national prominence! Phoebus High School. 100 Ireland, Hampton, Virginia. And Coach Thompson of Stone Bridge should quit.

I have to disagree with this. If your goal is to just win a state championship, then yeah you can maybe game your schedule for power points. That's on the VHSL for allowing it.

You're not gaining as much, though, beating the snot outta local teams. Then, too, it's not coach's job to get a kid a scholarship, but coach should promote his guys, and a way to do that is looking up better competition, even if you go OOS, there's def value there.

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

You missed the keyword due to selective reading. REBUILDING. Tahj Boyd led them back respectability while setting passing records and then they went on to win the titles. (insert face palm here) Chronological order matters.

But Boyd didn't win a National Championship. Swinney hasn't won one in a few years now. Why should Coach Thompson retire? He is still producing. Not every school can win at the same rate as Phoebus. If they they could it wouldn't make what Phoebus has done special. Coach Thompson has 3 championship wins with 2 being a back to back. I am a Phoebus fan and admire their program but I cannot hate on a Coach that is producing like Coach Thompson. Stone Bridge has literally had to contend with 2 dynasty's(Springers/Phantoms) and one up and coming one(Maury). Winning 3 during that is actually kind of great.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

To address out of state match ups. I love it when new news is brought up with seemingly no knowledge of old news. What makes you believe the Bethel Bruins have not already traveled to Ohio for a football game decades, decades ago? Why do think the Phantoms have not already traveled to North Carolina for a football game? There is no value in playing out of state games. Phoebus started the 2023 season playing a scrimmage against the 2023 D5 champion. Other years they started or ended the year playing the D6 champion. Do not get me started on 2005-2006 when Hampton and Phoebus had to go against each other while both won state titles. When Dabo Swinney was rebuilding Clemson where did he go? Maury? Freedom? Oscar Smith? Stone Bridge? Highland Springs? Dinwiddie? Salem? NOPE! He recruited quarterback Boyd of the Phoebus Phantoms to lead the Tigers back to national prominence! Phoebus High School. 100 Ireland, Hampton, Virginia. And Coach Thompson of Stone Bridge should quit.

Speaking of playing out of state. Hey Kenneth, you are a student of the game. Do you know what Virginia High School team is credited with playing in a game that was to become the Gator Bowl?