I heard about the fire but I never got the boy's name. Who was it? It is truly a tragedy when someone so young dies.

Thinthickbigred;1071824 wrote:Well lets see a former Big Red star was killed a few days ago and now a current player is killed in a house fire tonight . Its pretty black today and very sad

Its been a dark few years... Very sad to hear about Lee West. No matter the hatred, I NEVER wish a kid die. Prayers to his family and the Big Red community.

All of you are correct. The past few weeks may well be the blackest time in Big Red history.

Let's talk about happier days. Perhaps the brightest day in the Big Red football program was the first playoff game in 1984. Big Red was a heavy underdog to Ursuline who had just murdered a very good Mooney team 35-0. At the same time Ursuline was making mincemeat of Mooney, Big Red was struggling to pull off a miracle finish to beat a very weak Central team. If Big Red had lost to Ursuline, it would have meant four consecutive years of making the playoffs and then going one and done. The program might never have recovered. Instead we tightened up our jock straps and went out in a pouring rain and shut out Ursuline 8-0. The Ursuline coach nearly had a heart attack after the game, he was in such a state of disbelief. This game propelled Big Red on to its first state championship.

FairwoodKing;1073242 wrote:Let's talk about happier days. Perhaps the brightest day in the Big Red football program was the first playoff game in 1984. Big Red was a heavy underdog to Ursuline who had just murdered a very good Mooney team 35-0. At the same time Ursuline was making mincemeat of Mooney, Big Red was struggling to pull off a miracle finish to beat a very weak Central team. If Big Red had lost to Ursuline, it would have meant four consecutive years of making the playoffs and then going one and done. The program might never have recovered. Instead we tightened up our jock straps and went out in a pouring rain and shut out Ursuline 8-0. The Ursuline coach nearly had a heart attack after the game, he was in such a state of disbelief. This game propelled Big Red on to its first state championship.

We kicked butt. You are correct Ursulin smashed Mooney the #1 team in the state and undeafeated the week before and we were 35 point underdogs according to bookies . they didnt cross midfield . It was one of the biggest wins in our programs history . Ursulin was very good and very fast amd quick

I wouldn't call that Central team "weak". They finished 7-3 playing a good schedule, and if they would have beat Big Red they may have made the playoffs in Division 3 (they finished 5th that year).

ManO'War;1073740 wrote:I wouldn't call that Central team "weak". They finished 7-3 playing a good schedule, and if they would have beat Big Red they may have made the playoffs in Division 3 (they finished 5th that year).

Central wasnt weak they could have been 10-0 that year and won a title themselves . He must have remembered it wrong

Thinthickbigred;1073802 wrote:Central wasnt weak they could have been 10-0 that year and won a title themselves . He must have remembered it wrong

I guess old age has caught up with me!

FairwoodKing;1073812 wrote:I guess old age has caught up with me!

no biggie . Back then only the top two teams made the playoffs

One thing that I do remember distinctly about that Central game is that one of the priests went crazy. For weeks he tried to convince everyone, including the OHSAA, that one of our first downs in that final drive where we had to make fourth downs time after time wasn't any good and that the refs spotted the ball in our favor. He screamed that Central had been cheated. He sounded like Sammy after the Wintersville game in 1987.

FairwoodKing;1073242 wrote: Instead we tightened up our jock straps and went out in a pouring rain and shut out Ursuline 8-0.

Sounds painful.

FairwoodKing;1073923 wrote:One thing that I do remember distinctly about that Central game is that one of the priests went crazy. For weeks he tried to convince everyone, including the OHSAA, that one of our first downs in that final drive where we had to make fourth downs time after time wasn't any good and that the refs spotted the ball in our favor. He screamed that Central had been cheated. He sounded like Sammy after the Wintersville game in 1987.

It was father Huffman . I remember It was late in the game and John Murray made a catch on 4th down that kept our late TD drive alive . He claimed that it was either a bad spot or the markers were not in the right spot . To tell you the truth I dont know ,I thought he made the first down ,but I cant remember the tape . I met him at a Steuby U party I went to with a former Central girl . He was cool we talked for a few minutes I just smiled when he asked me where I went to school and what year and then he figured out I was on the team . I said I remember you very well . He was drinking a Milwaukees Best and he still had his priest cloths on .
I honestly dont recall that he made a beef with the OHSAA but I do remember it being in the paper ,radio, and perhaps on TV . Central had us and we pulled it out of our butts.

The part that was most disconcerting to Big Red people was not only that we were losing 7-6 late in the game to Central, but that the announcer was giving constant updates of the Ursuline-Mooney game. First it was 7-0 Ursuline. Then 14-0. Then 21-0. Then 28-0. By this point, I was wondering if we really wanted to beat Central and face this monster. Finally the score was 35-0. If you had told me then that Big Red was going to shut out this team, I would have sent you to a mental hospital.

FairwoodKing;1074029 wrote:The part that was most disconcerting to Big Red people was not only that we were losing 7-6 late in the game to Central, but that the announcer was giving constant updates of the Ursuline-Mooney game. First it was 7-0 Ursuline. Then 14-0. Then 21-0. Then 28-0. By this point, I was wondering if we really wanted to beat Central and face this monster. Finally the score was 35-0. If you had told me then that Big Red was going to shut out this team, I would have sent you to a mental hospital.

If your a player or coach ,your not really listening to score updates . Not when your in a battle,and truthfully nobody that plays really cares who your going to play . At Big Red you just know your going to win . it doesnt matter who the opponent is . They could be the #1 team in the USA but if you wear the red and black ,you are going to win period . it is what it is . Thats how we roll

Thinthickbigred;1074187 wrote:If your a player or coach ,your not really listening to score updates . Not when your in a battle,and truthfully nobody that plays really cares who your going to play . At Big Red you just know your going to win . it doesnt matter who the opponent is . They could be the #1 team in the USA but if you wear the red and black ,you are going to win period . it is what it is . Thats how we roll

I was neither a player nor a coach, and believe me, I was listening to the updates. When we were down 7-6 with less than a minute to go and Ursuline was up by 35, there was no way I could have believed that we would win the state championship.

FairwoodKing;1074608 wrote:I was neither a player nor a coach, and believe me, I was listening to the updates. When we were down 7-6 with less than a minute to go and Ursuline was up by 35, there was no way I could have believed that we would win the state championship.

When we were in junior high and training in the offseason for Big Red freshman , Big Red was still a whipping boy for the big schools .
At the end of our work out I remember Reno getting us down for pushups which we did at the end of every workout . We would do one for every game on reg season and then he would say down again for the first playoff game and then again for the second and then again for the state championship . Mind you we were already spent when we started our end of training pushups . I just remember thinking after the first time he did that was is he for real . It never resenated . It caught me . Big Red hadnt achieved anything as far as playoff wins and we havent had a great team really for some time . the belief system started then . Once we started rolling we never though we wouldnt win a state championship . Confidence is everything at the high school level . If you have that edge its half the battle .

I was on the official OHSAA site today & notice that Big Red was NOT listed on the " Open Dates ". We take it that the schedule is complete. Any news on whose on it ?

  I was on the official OHSAA site today & notice that Big Red was NOT listed on the " Open Dates ". We take it that the schedule is complete. Any news on whose on it ?

I don't think it is done yet.

I have never seen Big Red post on the "open dates" on the OHSAA website. They always keep their open dates a secret.

I'm glad I started this thread. It has brought back many happy memories. It has also brought back a few unhappy ones, but even those are interesting.

Now that I am coming home regularly to see Big Red play, I am starting to form some new memories. I remember Rally in Death Valley in 2010. I'm partially crippled, so a friend drove me to the stadium. We didn't sit together because we had different season tickets. That was OK, because I had made a lot of friends in the seats immediately surrounding mine. I watched the Big Red-Morgantown game. I was very impressed with Big Red. Then I started watching the Bosco-Iggy game. I was impressed with Bosco but not Iggy. At any rate, at the halftime, my friend came over to see how I was doing. He took one look at me and insisted that I leave. Within a few hours, I knew what he was talking about. I got the worst sunburn on my face that I've had in years. By the next day my nose was one big blister. Believe me, after that incident, I went out and bought some sunscreen.

All open dates are available to the public in all sports from the OHSAA. Here is the direct link for the open dates for 2012 through 2015

http://www.ohsaa.org/members/opendts.htm

Mortgagestar1;1076054 wrote:All open dates are available to the public in all sports from the OHSAA. Here is the direct link for the open dates for 2012 through 2015

http://www.ohsaa.org/members/opendts.htm

They're only posted if the school chooses to post them. Big Red chooses not to.

O I C . We see Mooney has several dates open as well as some REAL powerhouse teams. Like to see more competitive games in the regular season. Haven't seen a killer schedule since the 1970's. That was prior to the numbers games of getting into the playoffs. Mooney lost three games in the regular season but played a tougher schedule year after year. The playoff caliber teams who play the tougher schedules are more battle ready than the ones " backing ' into the playoffs. Its like a prize fighter who fights stiffs and finally fights another fighter who fought tougher guys. In the pre 1980's, schools had to schedule up to get more recognition and before the expanded playoff system kicked in. I prefer to see the top 16 in each division rather than the top 32, this would FORCE teams to schedule tougher opponents making each week mean something more. On the other flip of the coin, the more teams in the more kids get to experience the playoffs.

Mortgagestar1;1076072 wrote:O I C . We see Mooney has several dates open as well as some REAL powerhouse teams. Like to see more competitive games in the regular season. Haven't seen a killer schedule since the 1970's. That was prior to the numbers games of getting into the playoffs. Mooney lost three games in the regular season but played a tougher schedule year after year. The playoff caliber teams who play the tougher schedules are more battle ready than the ones " backing ' into the playoffs. Its like a prize fighter who fights stiffs and finally fights another fighter who fought tougher guys. In the pre 1980's, schools had to schedule up to get more recognition and before the expanded playoff system kicked in. I prefer to see the top 16 in each division rather than the top 32, this would FORCE teams to schedule tougher opponents making each week mean something more. On the other flip of the coin, the more teams in the more kids get to experience the playoffs.

I would love to play the university of Mooney . Id play them ten weeks in a row and put as much a hurting on them as possible LOL cant stand that illegal team . Ok in reality . The Mooney can play a killer schedule because they are a D-1 team . They have the depth that 99.999999 % others do not have . I dont care Id play em .. anyway this should be in the Big Red schedule column not here so this will be the only time I say anything off topic .. I really dont care who the Red plays . Reno schedules a very nice enjoyable schedule every year and we play very good teams . I want to play Massillon and teams like that . Teams that have a very big following a very nice band and stuff like that . I dont really care if we play the universities or what not . We will play a few of them types becuse we have to be ready for the playoffs