I'm not totally sold on Carroll. They may win, or they may dominate, but this is the same team that barely beat a weak Laredo Alexander team 20-6. Laredo Alexander just lost to 3A Rio Hondo 49-42. Carroll couldn't put more up on a team that a 3A school just rolled 49 on?

Just something to think about. I hope the Vipers pull it off.

Wow O.J. is the only offensive player that could play for Wagner or Judson I guess you dont see how big the offensive line for the Vipers are. Wait some of the people commenting here dont even go to the games. Memorial has the talent and the size just it is not be used where it should be. Carroll did dominate last year but turnovers helped the Vipers stay in the game. If the Vipers have any chance Thursday they will have to play a perfect game and Carroll will have to have a very bad game. Carroll only lost this year was to G-P by 3 points. Before some of you comment on whats going on go to a game or two and you will see that the kids are doing what the coaches tell them which ends up in disaster.

Ocker, you don't have a clue! The athletes that used to go to VHS are no more. The big white lineman are not at Memorial. The good ones have gotten away from that kind of environment. I am telling you the coaches do as good a job as they can. It is a hell of a staff with average 3a talent. OJ is the only player on Offense that could start for Wagner or Judson.

Belly,
Carroll will not dominate Thursday. Carroll was supposed to dominate last year going into that game 3-0 and barely beat a bad Memorial team by 4 points and it took a last minute TD to win that game. Carroll is always overrated because they don't play anyone in non-district and people think they're good because they usually go into non district unbeaten. That's what happens when you schedule weak valley teams. This season they have beat up on 2 Laredo schools and lost to Gregory-Portland. That game Thursday night will be another close one like last year IMO.

Wes, I'm getting the feeling there is still a lot of hate out there.

KTFootball you have to be kidding me, you have a lot to learn, you have kids standing on the sidelines that are STRONGER, FASTER, then some of the kids on the field but because they don't kiss Clint or Parma's A-- they are screwed. Good example you have a punt return guy returning punts who has dropped more punts then he has caught but Parma likes him so no chnages are made. Clint allows some of the SLOWEST kids on the team to start on his defense and well you see the results (remember Clint you beat MOODY) Carroll will run up and down the field on you if you don't make changes, Ooops sorry Clint there is nothing wrong with your defense. Is the issue with the OL ever going to be corrected? NOT just keep putting the same players out on the field, when you have kids standing around who would love the chance to show they can block and not jump.

Careful Fatboy. I commented about Mickey Finley in the “AD” context and my comment was deleted. When I asked why my comment had been deleted, I was told that “Stop all the hate” was in reference to Mickey Finley the “Passionate Football Coach” and therefore my comment was not relevant.

Wes, great that the guy is passionate for football. But as a A.D. HE should be passionate for all athletics of both genders. Who is the voice for the other programs? Who? Who speaks for the girls? Who?

WHO?

Wes, who???

It ain't hate if it's true.

Do some of you guys just like to argue? Are you really going to assert that "athletic" people just don't live in Victoria anymore? I went to VHS, graduated in '95, and the kids at Memorial today are bigger and just as fast as any that I went to school with. I went to the El Campo game. I saw those kids line up against one another. There was no comparison. Memorial way far larger, as a team, than El Campo. I don't know where somoe of you people dream this stuff up. I guess maybe the river water is causing us all to shrink. Absolutely ridiculous!

Trust me, Victoria will not be on the map soon cause of football. Due to athletic body types, those day's are long gone. They will produce good soccer and baseball teams though. Like Moody does.

Need some 6'3" 230+ lbs. linemen guys for football in the 4A, 5A ranks.

All you "want to be" quarterbacks don't have a clue! I will tell you the reason for any losses that have occured over the past few years is because of a lack of talent. You idiots think that just because Memorial has a bunch of kids in school that they should just automatically have great athletes. Have you walked the halls at Memorial? I have and I can tell you that all the athletes are playing football. They don't have much to pick from. These coaches work their tails off for this community and get bashed like this. You goofballs ought to be ashamed. Keep up the good work. Good things happen to good people.

scout, I believe you are referring to the "GO CENTER" at the senior campus where the kids get info on scholarships. Its not "goal" but "GO". :-p

One more thing VA you want no more hate talk then there is a blog now about Calhoun's loss. Double standard!!!!! Whitaker should have the same mutual regards from the VA blog board that controls the entries made.

It will be astonishing to see how many coaches leave the distict after the split and the teachers in the classes that get the "wrong" side.

oldrustybucket,

While the reasons fro consolidation may not have explicitly included "better teams", it was most definitely a mitigating factor in many people not opposing it. Nearly every single conversation that I heard or participated in at that time centered around the sports dynamic.

Wasn't one of the reasons (although maybe not admitted) for combining the schools "so we can have better teams"? Shot that in the rump didn't they?

For once, I'm not involved in a coach bashing LOL.

Bsspotter - where is the goal center at the h.s.??? (not picking on you, lol)

thats my point. visd kids are not prepped for the next level. your sport star has a advantage due to a scholarship but everyone else has no guidance. none.

i hope the smaller schools have a prep class and not some psuedo center to learn why you need gpa's, volunteerism, recommendations, etc to earn academic honors and a college start. if not why have nhs, etc. imo. i took it easy on the coaches, lol.

Ringer, I didn't mean it to be negative. It's just they way "talent cycles" go in most communities. Going to 4A next year will help for sure in competing.

That being said, I still think Memorial has a good chance of claiming the final playoff spot this year with a 3-7, 4-6 mark.

I wish Victorians put just as much passion & effort into academics as they do football. Wouldn't it be awesome if Memorial could fill a stadium to watch students match wits with other schools in math & science competitions?! How about a booster club for the Mathletics Dept?

I played high school football, and even I think it's unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Sports teaches valuable lessons, but it also instills meat-headed conformity. I saw it first-hand.

I personally think sports should be outside of the school system. It would allow extra focus on studies and keep coaches out of the classrooms. Most coaches I had for teachers were in history classes, and they insulted my teenage intelligence. It's no wonder we don't know history and are doomed to repeat it. I submit that we're repeating Rome's history because "the games" have become a priority, on top of the many other parallels to their fall.

We are being dumbed down by design!

Wes I can see where your coming from its easy to call out someone when your hiding behind a tag name. I just don't think all the fuss in really needed because their is no MHS next year ,and the schools will be split so why complain. Use the cliche there is always next year,and it's not that their is no talent out there. It is that the talent isn't put to good use or in the right position or maybe not even on the field. Many solid athletes out there just don't see any playing time.

YT- I've got news for you. Victoria's problem has nothing to do with players talent or coaching ability- BUT... EVERYTHING to do with people like YOU and the mentality you express.

BTW: IT SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

Keep it up and VICTORIA will NEVER be winners! WHY??? because of all you LOSERSSSSSSSSSSS out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vipers problem is not coaching, it's the lack of talent. One day that will turn around, and Victoria will have a winner again.

It is good to see that I'm not the only one that recognizes this for what it is. I commented similarly on another topic. Why the Advocate allows it is beyond me. If you want to argue with someone or oppose their views, get after it, but to allow someone to constantly belittle another person without ever discussing anything of merit serves no purpose. I am extremely offended that his comments about the republican party were deleted. I share his thoughts 100%. They should have never been deleted. And then to allow others to take personal shots? The VA has some 'splainin' to do!

TxEx, once again fulfilling your modus operandi with a character assassination without refuting the statements made by your target. It serves a purpose, but it's surely NOT the pursuit of truth. We're still waiting for your articulate analysis of his comments.

Wes is Finley your neighbor and you have to write nice things about him. Come on Advocate quit giving all the Finley's and the VISD coaching staff a free ride. Get tough on them. When Reeves was here and Weddel they both were always grilled and they would come out and say we did not play well and would take responsibility for the loss. Now when they lose it was too hot or too cold or it was raining or it was our first game of the season, same enviroment for the other team. Hey plain and simple just win and turn the program around but still cant do that with a big 5 A program. One day advocate you will be tough on them maybe when you give them an exit interview from VISD which if it was last week it would not be too soon.

By your own reporting back in June, Finley was a finalist for the Beeville job vacated by Sosa.

By itself, that shows how little commitment he has to VISD.

im not going to bash the guy, but he needs to be shown the door minutes after the last game of the season.

i have yet a crisp, sharp looking football team since he's started here. the man has no business having any input on the two new head coaches.

I am sure Finely is a excellent coach, but the issue I see is:

He does not participate in any of the pep rallies to show his own team he believes in them. If he would get involved in the pep rallies, so would his team. They will only follow what their leader does. He needs to lead by example.

He did not even get involved with the Homecoming pep rally, but I will have to say, I did see him there, off to the side and away from the rally watching.

So people may say that a pep rally has nothing to do with the game, but I beg to differ. You get these kids boosted up before the game, they will show up at the game ready and pumped.

GO VIPERS!!!! LET'S GET CARROLL!!!!!

This comment was removed by the user.

MO- - -once again spreading HIS anger and HIS unhappiness. The second coming of Christ would infuriate this guy.

My point was that Mickey Finley does not have the "winning credentials" and "history of winning" that some people keep claiming. He has coached for a long time, and won a few more games than he has lost. His record at Cuero was (I believe) 69-23, not exactly stellar for Cuero. Look at Reeves' record since arriving there. He inherited a down program from Bill Littleton, but he was good enough to turn it around.

Finley was (I believe) 4-26 at Cleburne. They had a better record before he got there, and a better record after he left.

Everyone acts like Memorial has been terrible from the start, and Finley can't be expected to work miracles. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 2001 or 2002 team make it pretty deep in the playoffs?

Like I stated earlier, I'm not saying the guy is terrible, but stop all the rhetoric about history and resume. Finley has never won a State title (only been to the championship once, and quarterfinals one other time) so stop making him out to be Alan Waddell or the guy from Stephenville, or Gordon Wood.

Thanks for emphasizing my point, Mr. Ocker. What was yours again?

Mr. Cobbler, or Mr. Bloomquist,

I kind of figured my comment would be removed. Nothing I said was openly malicious or fabricated. I did state a personal opinion, however I thought that was allowed.

I assume if I create my own blog and post the same comment that will be removed as well? You guys sure seem to practice selective censorship.

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

"Mickey Finley has the winning credentials, the experience, and the history of winning to his name."

Really? Have you compared his record at Cuero with that of the coach from the 80's or Reeve? Have you checked his record from Cleburne? If my math is correct, his career winning percentage should be somewhere around 56%. How are we talking about the same man? I'm not saying he is a bad coach, but let's not crown him the next Knute Rockne or Vince Lombardi just yet.

It's easy to criticize from the outside looking in. Mickey Finley has the winning credentials, the experience, and the history of winning to his name. He has had to salvage a mess of a program left him that had become void of a winning attitude and winning tradition. It's hard to break that cycle and start a new one. Let's put forth a positive attitude toward success supporting our kids and our coaches!

OJ is starting at QB tonight.
Dolezal has been moved to safety.

Wes come on ask the kids, Mickey Finley NEVER talks to them except during half time when he tells them how much they s---. And that is a FACT just ask the kids on the team. How can you say he has done everything he can to win watching game film 24/7 doesn't count, putting kids in the right position is what matters. After the first two games Finley says "We just couldn't line up right on defense" ok if that's the case MAKE CHANGES PUT SOME OTHER PLAYER ON THE FIELD THAT IS WANTING THAT LITTLE CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF, so in everyones mind this is a coaching ISSUE. From what I understand (well see tonight) he has made very few if any changes on defense, and he should win tonight it's Moody, but moving players around that couldn't tackle to start with just makes no sense. And everything that is happening to Dolzel is WRONG, are the WR being changed that dropped balls? Is the TE who has dropped more balls than he has caught being replaced (NO FORGOT HE IS THE COACHES SON THAT'S A NO NO)?