buckeyemike Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Last night's entry was for Parkersburg, West Virginia. Parkersburg, a city of 33,000 on the Ohio River, has a combined 192 state championships -- that's right, 192 -- between its three high schools, Parkersburg High (the Big Reds, who have the largest high school stadium I've ever seen outside of Canton or Massillon), Parkersburg South (the Patriots) and Parkersburg Catholic (the Crusaders). Link to video on ESPN's website. If you remember the story about my cousin Sarah Shingleton that I posted here a while back (Sarah died of cancer about a year ago), she was a student at Parkersburg Catholic. Sarah was a volleyball player, who unfortunately could no longer play because of her cancer, and PCHS is known for their volleyball program. If you get a chance, vote for Parkersburg as Titletown. I don't think they have much of a chance to win, because they're one of 20 entrants (including New York, Chicago, L.A., and Green Bay), but I know it means a lot to the town that Parkersburg is simply included as a finalist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I haven't seen many of them, but I did catch this one last night. It was nice to see a HS only entrant. Who was the gentleman who they had explaining why Parkersburg should win? I missed his name but thought he did a good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 I haven't seen many of them, but I did catch this one last night. It was nice to see a HS only entrant. Who was the gentleman who they had explaining why Parkersburg should win? I missed his name but thought he did a good job. His name is Mike Haden...a star at PHS, who later became the head football coach at South High and led them to a state football title a few years back. I believe he has since retired. I was in Marietta, Ohio on Friday. Marietta's 15 miles up the Ohio River from Parkersburg (I was there for a family reunion in nearby St. Marys, West Virginia). I saw the Parkersburg paper on Friday, which is when the ESPN segment was taped. The article I read about it took up half the front page of the sports section. They were expecting a crowd of 7,000 at the stadium and having all kinds of giveaways for the crowd...Parkersburg turned it into one great big tailgate party. Kudos to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornerville Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 We all know what ESPN is doing...just tell us your beloved Boston will win this 'award' and end the stroke fest already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewPort71 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Parkersburg supports its HS teams in ALL sports..Not just football and hoops. Attendance at all games is very high. And they travel well also. My kids went to a school in the southern part of WV and when 'we' hosted either the Big Reds or the Patriots of Parkersburg South, the crowd from the visitors matched or sometimes exceeded that of the home school. I'd like to see Parkersburg win this contest, but am realistic enough to know that some large city will win.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 The Titletown thing is ESPN's latest attempt to make me never watch again. How much more boring can it possibly get? And who the hell is coming up with this garbage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 The Titletown thing is ESPN's latest attempt to make me never watch again. How much more boring can it possibly get? And who the hell is coming up with this garbage? Agreed. The channel has changed immediately whenever they break into this crap. I am waiting for the "Conference Title" Town series to start so hopefully Buffalo can get a mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 We all know what ESPN is doing...just tell us your beloved Boston will win this 'award' and end the stroke fest already Seriously. The only thing holding my suspense right now is whether it'll be Boston or NY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Seriously. The only thing holding my suspense right now is whether it'll be Boston or NY. Actually, the way things are going over there lately, I wouldn't be surprised if BFPN (Brett Favre Programming Network) picks Green Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Actually, the way things are going over there lately, I wouldn't be surprised if BFPN (Brett Favre Programming Network) picks Green Bay. Well, it was the original title town! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 It's on ESPN? In that case no I have not seen it nor will I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellDressed Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Seriously. The only thing holding my suspense right now is whether it'll be Boston or NY. See the difference between me and you is that you like your suspense held by 'ol ESPN, I like mine held firmly in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 Update: Parkersburg finished a strong (and surprising) second in the voting, with 24.4% of the vote. The winner? Valdosta, Georgia. Another small town with an even greater football tradition. Valdosta High has won more football state titles than any other high school and is ranked the #1 HS football team in America. (Parkersburg HS was #7 overall in that same poll). Valdosta received 29.2% of the vote. Boston finished fifth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Update: Parkersburg finished a strong (and surprising) second in the voting, with 24.4% of the vote. The winner? Valdosta, Georgia. Another small town with an even greater football tradition. Valdosta High has won more football state titles than any other high school and is ranked the #1 HS football team in America. (Parkersburg HS was #7 overall in that same poll). Valdosta received 29.2% of the vote. Boston finished fifth. Valdosta State? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Valdosta State? Just goes to show how few people were watching, or how few people cared about this latest ESPN marketing scheme... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 ESPN: picking the best "titletown" of all-time. (and by all-time, we mean the last 6 years) I liken this trash that they produce to their sham of a "all-time greatest college football team" bracket form a few years ago. Their top 4 teams of "all time" were 2005 USC, 2004 USC, 2003 USC and 2006 USC. I've given up on everything on that network save for PTI when they started catering to the extreme hot pocket crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 ESPN: picking the best "titletown" of all-time. (and by all-time, we mean the last 6 years) I liken this trash that they produce to their sham of a "all-time greatest college football team" bracket form a few years ago. Their top 4 teams of "all time" were 2005 USC, 2004 USC, 2003 USC and 2006 USC. I've given up on everything on that network save for PTI when they started catering to the extreme hot pocket crowd. Isn't that phrase so 2003? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Rich Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 ESPN: picking the best "titletown" of all-time. (and by all-time, we mean the last 6 years) I liken this trash that they produce to their sham of a "all-time greatest college football team" bracket form a few years ago. Their top 4 teams of "all time" were 2005 USC, 2004 USC, 2003 USC and 2006 USC. I've given up on everything on that network save for PTI when they started catering to the extreme hot pocket crowd. Yeah, like there was actually college football before 2003. Get real. Boo ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 ESPN: picking the best "titletown" of all-time. (and by all-time, we mean the last 6 years) I liken this trash that they produce to their sham of a "all-time greatest college football team" bracket form a few years ago. Their top 4 teams of "all time" were 2005 USC, 2004 USC, 2003 USC and 2006 USC. I've given up on everything on that network save for PTI when they started catering to the extreme hot pocket crowd. Best part of that is one of those teams lost the National Championship. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udonkey Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Last night's entry was for Parkersburg, West Virginia. Parkersburg, a city of 33,000 on the Ohio River, has a combined 192 state championships -- that's right, 192 -- between its three high schools, Parkersburg High (the Big Reds, who have the largest high school stadium I've ever seen outside of Canton or Massillon), Parkersburg South (the Patriots) and Parkersburg Catholic (the Crusaders). Link to video on ESPN's website. If you remember the story about my cousin Sarah Shingleton that I posted here a while back (Sarah died of cancer about a year ago), she was a student at Parkersburg Catholic. Sarah was a volleyball player, who unfortunately could no longer play because of her cancer, and PCHS is known for their volleyball program. If you get a chance, vote for Parkersburg as Titletown. I don't think they have much of a chance to win, because they're one of 20 entrants (including New York, Chicago, L.A., and Green Bay), but I know it means a lot to the town that Parkersburg is simply included as a finalist. Mike - I grew up in Marietta, OH - right across the river from Parkersburg. Now, what they've done in WEST VIRGINIA certainly is an accomplishment. However, it would sicken me to see Parkersburg listed as "Titletown, USA" when they're up againt some of the cities that they are. New York, LA, etc, aside, trying to say that Parkersburg's high school dominance is like saying that the winner of the 100m special olympics race is as good as the world record holder in that OTHER 100m race. Anyone that knows high school sports, and knows PHS/PSHS, know that they get dominated when they leave their state...bring them to Cincinnati/Cleveland on any given Friday night and I'm willing to bet that our city champions would beat them 9 times out of 10. Cincinnati St. Xavier, Moeller, Colerain, Elder, Cleveland St Edwards, St Ignatius, etc. etc. WVa sports are a joke. Plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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