OVC should invite the Ironton Tigers to join the league

[Manxious2]

Isn't it time for the OVC to invite the Ironton Tigers into the league?
The Tigers will only help in making the conference much stronger. I know the fear is that Ironton would dominate in football but I think that is a chance that the OVC has to take or they are going to become a "marginal league". The schools in the OVC can compete with Ironton in most other sports year-in and year-out. Don't penalize the Tigers because they have a very good football program. I think that there are some personalities involved in blocking the Tigers from joining the OVC. In almost every respect, this would be a good move for the Tigers and the OVC.

[lostcause]

i agree in it making the conference stronger but the ovc would not help ironton 1 bit.

they would be playing smaller schools(not trying to downgrade anyone)and the points just wouldnt add up. JUst being real some of the schools they play would get more points if they lose than they would if they win against some of the ovc teams.
ps i am not trying to down grade anybody so dont put words in my mouth

[theassassin]

i agree in it making the conference stronger but the ovc would not help ironton 1 bit.

they would be playing smaller schools(not trying to downgrade anyone)and the points just wouldnt add up. JUst being real some of the schools they play would get more points if they lose than they would if they win against some of the ovc teams.
ps i am not trying to down grade anybody so dont put words in my mouth

you dont get points when you lose... know what youre talkign about before you post

[lostcause]

i agree in it making the conference stronger but the ovc would not help ironton 1 bit.

they would be playing smaller schools(not trying to downgrade anyone)and the points just wouldnt add up. JUst being real some of the schools they play would get more points if they lose than they would if they win against some of the ovc teams.
ps i am not trying to down grade anybody so dont put words in my mouth

you dont get points when you lose... know what youre talkign about before you post

my point exactly

[tl895]

be a great fit travel wise and size wise a couple of schools are bigger. but we could go 10-0 and never sniff the playoffs some years

[fuzzhead]

be a great fit travel wise and size wise a couple of schools are bigger. but we could go 10-0 and never sniff the playoffs some years

Ironton is a whisker away from being DV with Coal Grove and Chesapeake and getting smaller every year. When Ironton hits DV and if they dominate the OVC in football, they'll be highly seeded every year with a 10-0 record (refer to Chesapeake's teams a few years back). This would be Ironton's best shot at making deeper runs into the playoffs. A few attitudes have to change first though.
First of all, Ironton and its fans/coaches need to accept the fact that the program isn't the powerhouse is was even 5-10 years ago and that soon, teams like Coal Grove and South Point especially will be able to go toe to toe with them.
Secondly, OVC fans need to quit settling for mediocrity and start thinking outside the conference and give up on this inferiority complex they have that tells them that Ironton is invincible and that the only way to beat them is to sit at home and listen for their score hoping they lose.
The move would benefit both schools. Even if the OVC was as bad as you make it out to be some years, Ironton would still have 4 non-con games to rack up points with, including Wheelersburg, Ashland, and Portsmouth.

[Manxious2]

fuzzhead; you are making my point...right on! This will be a win-win situation in the over all scheme of things. Ironton needs to get off their "high horse" and look realistically into the future. They are going to continue to have a strong football team and will have every bit as good of a chance to make the playoffs in the OVC. There is a lot of parity in the student numbers at the county schools and some of the schools are eventually going to start building a better football program that will be more competitive with Ironton.
I totally agree with your comments fuzzhead!

[Manxious2]

lostcause; you might want to check out the enrollment figures of the schools in the OVC. I think you might find that Ironton is about the third or fourth largest school in the county (barely). Fairland, Rock Hill and South Point are larger, or almost as large as Ironton. I think that Chesapeake and Coal Grove aren't that far away in numbers. Anyway, I might be slightly off on these figures but that's not the point. You have to look at the big picture and realize that Ironton is a great fit in the scheme of things here. They (Ironton) really need a conference identification and the OVC and can use a good cup of cold water thrown in their face. The OVC needs some improvement and realignment. Maybe Portsmouth would also be interested. Who knows?
I just want to see this area's sports program's flourish.

[dragoncoach56]

be a great fit travel wise and size wise a couple of schools are bigger. but we could go 10-0 and never sniff the playoffs some years

Ironton is a whisker away from being DV with Coal Grove and Chesapeake and getting smaller every year. When Ironton hits DV and if they dominate the OVC in football, they'll be highly seeded every year with a 10-0 record (refer to Chesapeake's teams a few years back). This would be Ironton's best shot at making deeper runs into the playoffs. A few attitudes have to change first though.
First of all, Ironton and its fans/coaches need to accept the fact that the program isn't the powerhouse is was even 5-10 years ago and that soon, teams like Coal Grove and South Point especially will be able to go toe to toe with them.
Secondly, OVC fans need to quit settling for mediocrity and start thinking outside the conference and give up on this inferiority complex they have that tells them that Ironton is invincible and that the only way to beat them is to sit at home and listen for their score hoping they lose. The move would benefit both schools. Even if the OVC was as bad as you make it out to be some years, Ironton would still have 4 non-con games to rack up points with, including Wheelersburg, Ashland, and Portsmouth.

probably the most important thing to be said if you are a ovc fan and member

[boilermaker]

Not going to happen , Ironton would win this league every year . JMHO

[peake450]

They may win in football year in and year out, but you have to look at the other varsity sports and in most of those everyone could compete. Plus you have to look at the gate Ironton would bring to every league game. They would benefit with alot less travel also. This is definitely a win, win for most everyone. And Fuzz, I probably have listened for the score on Friday night and maybe not hoped they were getting beat but just wondered what happened to the tigers tonite, especially the few years under Triplett.

[Manxious2]

boilermaker: Is that humble, arrogant, confident or wishful thinking on your part? Things do change!

[Frogtownbuckeye]

boilermaker was not being arrogant, I believe he was stating a fact. Ironton would win the OVC year in and year out in FOOTBALL. I don't believe this would be the case in baseball, basketball, or track. The OVC typically has some very talented baseball and basketball teams in the conference and I believe competing with them would only make Ironton better. I also agree with Fuzzhead in part. Playing Ironton in football year in and year out would greatly improve every team in the OVC and the crowds at these games would bring in plenty of cash. On the other hand, it would be an extremely rare year when Coal Grove or South Point could go toe to toe with Ironton. Over the past 20 years Ironton's record vs the OVC is 19-0. The 19 games have been won by a total combined score of 903-96.

[jbl]

Just FYI:
from the OHSAA breakdown for 2009-2011--enrollments grades 10-12

South Point 196 boys 215 girls total 411
Fairland 221 185 406
Rock Hill 217 186 403
Chesapeake 176 168 344
Ironton 182 154 336
Coal Grove 161 147 308
Symmes Valley 108 109 217

For football:
D-IV 177-251 boys
D-V 125-176
D-VI 124 and below

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

i ain't touchin this with a ten foot pole, don't ask.

[fuzzhead]

Ironton would win the OVC year in and year out in FOOTBALL.

Could they honestly be any more dominant than Chesapeake was from 1998 to 2004?

On the other hand, it would be an extremely rare year when Coal Grove or South Point could go toe to toe with Ironton. Over the past 20 years Ironton's record vs the OVC is 19-0. The 19 games have been won by a total combined score of 903-96.

As I said earlier, this isn't the Ironton of years gone by. And lets just get this out in the open right now: Lutz won't be around forever. And I have a feeling that when Lutz goes, there will be turmoil just like there was when he quit before. The fans and faculty will divide into camps and the program will suffer.
So the worst case scenario is that Ironton joins, wins the OVC for a few years in a row and makes the playoffs year in and out, and gradually it all evens out. . . . throughout the whole process the OVC makes a lot more money. Everyone wins in one way or another.

[gogrove9]

If Ironton and Symmes Valley were to join and River Valley drop out it could be a Lawrence County League and there would be less expense for all districts involved as far as fuel costs are concerned and better revenue because everyone would be willing to travel within the county. It would be a big win for everyone involved especially for basketball where attendance isn't the highest .

[fuzzhead]

The Symmes Valley thing won't work right now. That's been tried before and it failed miserably - in football, at any rate.
Oak Hill is the other school I'd like to see join right now in football at least. Person probably wouldn't like to be back in the OVC in basketball, but they'd be on everyone else's level in every other sport. They're perfect size-wise and if OVC teams are willing to drive to River Valley, distance shouldn't be a problem either. A school their size has no business being in the SOC I with D6 programs. Let them move out and let Northwest take their place.

[OVCfan32]

symmes is a bit out of the way, ironton would be a great fit until they build new schools and the such and jump up to probly almost div3, just like it wouldn't be fair to get river valley outa the ovc till they get everything fixed up out in gallia,
and duh having ironton pack the stands of the new facilities in the ovc would just get them playing better football. .

and whoever thought they wouldn't make the playoffs at 10-0 is a complete moron,. . .seriously dude, you are an idiot. . you'd sniff playoffs from 8-2 fo sho

[Frogtownbuckeye]

Ironton would win the OVC year in and year out in FOOTBALL.

Could they honestly be any more dominant than Chesapeake was from 1998 to 2004?

On the other hand, it would be an extremely rare year when Coal Grove or South Point could go toe to toe with Ironton. Over the past 20 years Ironton's record vs the OVC is 19-0. The 19 games have been won by a total combined score of 903-96.

As I said earlier, this isn't the Ironton of years gone by. And lets just get this out in the open right now: Lutz won't be around forever. And I have a feeling that when Lutz goes, there will be turmoil just like there was when he quit before. The fans and faculty will divide into camps and the program will suffer.
So the worst case scenario is that Ironton joins, wins the OVC for a few years in a row and makes the playoffs year in and out, and gradually it all evens out. . . . throughout the whole process the OVC makes a lot more money. Everyone wins in one way or another.

More dominant than Chesapeake? Are you serious?

So what you are saying is that since the 2005 season, South Point has improved so much and Ironton has dropped off so much that the 62-7 score is nowhere near indicative of what would happen if they played today? Anyone from this area who follows high school football must find this amusing. And when Lutz quit before, for 1 year, Ironton made the playoffs under a new head coach IN SPITE of the turmoil surrounding the team. In no year, past, present, or future would CG, South Point, or any other OVC school go toe to toe with Ironton in football. They have not dropped off like you are stating and will not any time in the near future. I do agree that all other sports would be very competetive and Ironton would be happy to win the conference now and then in basketball and baseball, but football would not be in question for a long time.