Kermit knew it all along. And apparently, it's even harder bein' purple.
Forget gun control, racism, and all that lightweight stuff. It's time to take a look at the hottest of hot-button issues - school colors! Specifically, how those colors relate to winning state championships.
Since the playoff era began in 1970, only one team wearing green as one of its colors has claimed the state football title in AA, AA Division 4, or 4A. That was the Tazewell Bulldogs, way back in 1986. That's one out of forty-six! And no team clad in purple - the most regal of hues - has ever accomplished the task.
So, what's behind this phenomenon? I suppose an obvious answer could be that very few schools have green or purple as a color. Red, blue, and maroon dominate gridiron fashion in 4A, and across the state in general. Of the current 53 members of 4A, only eight sport shades of green: Great Bridge, Hanover, Huguenot, Jamestown, Kettle Run, Loudoun Valley, Louisa County, and Woodgrove. And but a single school chooses to make the striking sartorial statement of sporting purple - Deep Creek. Of those nine schools, probably only Hanover and Woodgrove could at this time be considered serious contenders in 2016.
Yet, other divisions seemingly have had more frequent success by schools clad in these colors. Off the top of my head, I can think of Northside winning twice in Division 3/3A, Glenvar and Essex - purple! - in Division 2/2A, and a few other schools. Patrick Henry (purple and gold) of Roanoke won the AAA crown in '73, although I think their jerseys were yellow that year.
Let's entertain any theories, or even uniform color preferences, in this slow season on the boards. For my part, green is my favorite color, especially the darker hues like emerald, forest, and hunter. My senior year at W&M, the captain of the basketball team lived on my hall. I remember asking him why the team was so good at home, yet so very bad on the road. He replied, "I don't know. We're just out there....wearin' green.....feelin' all slow and ugly."
Until we determine what's behind this colorful causation, I wish a school like 6A's James River of Midlothian - with its colors of purple and green - a lot of luck.
Forget gun control, racism, and all that lightweight stuff. It's time to take a look at the hottest of hot-button issues - school colors! Specifically, how those colors relate to winning state championships.
Since the playoff era began in 1970, only one team wearing green as one of its colors has claimed the state football title in AA, AA Division 4, or 4A. That was the Tazewell Bulldogs, way back in 1986. That's one out of forty-six! And no team clad in purple - the most regal of hues - has ever accomplished the task.
So, what's behind this phenomenon? I suppose an obvious answer could be that very few schools have green or purple as a color. Red, blue, and maroon dominate gridiron fashion in 4A, and across the state in general. Of the current 53 members of 4A, only eight sport shades of green: Great Bridge, Hanover, Huguenot, Jamestown, Kettle Run, Loudoun Valley, Louisa County, and Woodgrove. And but a single school chooses to make the striking sartorial statement of sporting purple - Deep Creek. Of those nine schools, probably only Hanover and Woodgrove could at this time be considered serious contenders in 2016.
Yet, other divisions seemingly have had more frequent success by schools clad in these colors. Off the top of my head, I can think of Northside winning twice in Division 3/3A, Glenvar and Essex - purple! - in Division 2/2A, and a few other schools. Patrick Henry (purple and gold) of Roanoke won the AAA crown in '73, although I think their jerseys were yellow that year.
Let's entertain any theories, or even uniform color preferences, in this slow season on the boards. For my part, green is my favorite color, especially the darker hues like emerald, forest, and hunter. My senior year at W&M, the captain of the basketball team lived on my hall. I remember asking him why the team was so good at home, yet so very bad on the road. He replied, "I don't know. We're just out there....wearin' green.....feelin' all slow and ugly."
Until we determine what's behind this colorful causation, I wish a school like 6A's James River of Midlothian - with its colors of purple and green - a lot of luck.
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