From The Bleachers 2003: Week One by Ardent Cougar
Friday, August 29 - Northside Vikings (Away): Series:
PC
leads 13-9.
2002
Cougar Team Statistics
Dobson Stadium - Opening Night - 1979. New Head Coach Joel Hicks starts off with a bang, giving a hungry (actually, starving) Pulaski County its first win over the hated rival from across the New River - an intense New River District rivalry during pre consolidation days for both the Dublin Dukes and the Pulaski Orioles - the Radford Bobcats. The final score was a 13-0 shutout. The rest, as they say, is history. (Just as the Cougar-Bobcat series was, after that game.) Jack Turner will not get the luxury of a home opener. In fact, his first two games as Head Coach will be on the road. The first challenge will be against a team that went 10-0 last season, and has defeated us two years running. As most fans do, I like to see points up on the scoreboard. If you put up 50, it is very unlikely that you will lose. However, if you hold the opponent to 0, it is a certainty that you will not lose. Jack played during a span where Cougar Football meant first and foremost - DEFENSE. He was an all state defensive end in his senior year. From 1982-1984, the Cougars went at least as far as the Region Final, losing all three years to the eventual champions. The 10-0 1982 team, which lost to powerhouse G.W. Danville, gave up a mere 49 points in the regular season, pitching shutouts in a full half of the games. The 1983 squad allowed 80 points in 10 contests, blanking three opponents. A heartbreaking State Semifinal loss to Mount Vernon, where a 21-6 lead slipped away, ended PC's hopes that year. In 1984, the Cougar D held the opposition to 70 points, with four opponents failing to either cross the goal line, or even kick the ball over the crossbar and between the goalposts. T.C. Williams stopped that Cougar team a game short of a title bout. That's an average of four shutouts per year, for those three seasons. Less than seven points given up per game. Despite the offensively explosive teams of 1992, 1993, 2000 and 2001, some fans look back to this point in Cougar History, and believe it to be the 'Golden Era' - maybe the best teams Pulaski County has ever fielded. That kind of discussion is almost always never resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Such musings help pass the time between the end of a season, and the beginning of a new one. Well, the musing must be put aside for a few months. Cougar Football is back! This is not only the start of a new season, but also the dawn of a new era. The Jack Turner Era. Something tells me that defense is still extremely important to Mr. Turner. The Cougars have shut out the Vikings four times, in the history of the series. Joel
Hicks got his first of 210 wins as 'The Man With The Plan,' with a shutout.
It would be great to see the Jack Turner Era arrive with a return to the glory days of DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE!! DE-FENSE!!!
IT'S TIME FOR FANS TO STEP
UP TO THE PLATE!!
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages.........it's time. On Friday night our Cougars travel to Roanoke to battle the Northside Vikings. There aren't too many other teams we play that we have played so close. The series record is 13-9 in favor of the Cougars, but the Vikings have won the last two. There have been 14 games decided by less than 12 points, 9 games decided by a touchdown or less, 7 games were decided by a field goal or less, and 3 games decided by a safety or less. The Cougars have posted the only four shutouts of the series. So what does all those numbers mean? Absolutely nothing!! This game is one of those games that could be decided by something as simple as an extra point made or missed or it could turn into a blowout. Pulaski has shown they have heart in the first two scrimmages, and they have shown great improvement over last year, but are they good enough? I think if Head Coach Jack Turner can get his offense to come out like it did in the fourth quarter against Graham then things could get ugly fast for the Vikings. If they come out like they did for the first three quarters we may have a close one. If, if, if, if, if..........aww forget it, this is a job for Ardent Cougar to figure out what they need to do best to win. Let's talk about what WE need to do. First of all, I would like to issue a public apology to Ardent, Pete, Steve, Anita and the crew, Scott, and anyone else who was there "on time" for the Graham game. Yes, I was late. I won't give you an excuse, but I will tell you what happened. Plain and simple, too many things were going on at once, and then I just flat out got lost. I'm told that my late arrival and late start on the hotdogs may have had something to do with Pulaski not getting warmed up till later in the game. Ardent Cougar and ScottCougar did mention that by my forth hotdog the boys were looking much better. I also need to say a quick thank you to my daughter. I know it was only a few feet to the concession stand, but that girl made the trip up and down those steps for hotdogs and drinks several times. So to make up for this, I have consulted with the great tailgate Gods, and they have said that I must make ribs. But we're not just gonna show up and start eating folks. We need to let these kids know what we think of them. We need to let Coach Jack Turner and the rest of his crew know how much we appreciate all there hard work. So as of right now, the plan is to show up at Northside by 5:30 between the High School and the Middle School. The team will be getting there around 5:45. There will be free balloons, and the first 75 people there will get there choice of a Cougar bandana or a window sticker. I did mention ribs didn't I? Bring your baked beans, bring your fried chicken, bring your BBQ, bring whatever you want to bring, just bring it and be ready to get loud!!! Bring your Cougar flags, your milk jugs, your cow bells, and Tommy don't forget to have her bring the potato salad baby!!!! People these are our kids, this is our school, and this is Cougar Football!!! Lets get out there and make some noise and let the team know we are behind them!!! Look for the big green and gray Dodge with Cougar Flags and an ugly guy heating up ribs in the back of it. Dan Callahan, you know I'm bringing the Pineapple upside down cake, so feel free to show up and grub too buddy. ScottCougar, your job is to bring Bob and bring the apple crisps, I'll be ready for them. LETS
MAKE SOME NOISE PEOPLE!!!!! IT'S TIME FOR COUGAR FOOTBALL!!!!!!!
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