TheDarkness

I'd throw someone else in the discussion. Haywood is obviously a great man and coach, but he stood on the shoulders of giants before him. Jim Matney took a program on the verge of collapsing, made it relevant, then made it a powerhouse, then won a state title. Before that, he pioneered a program with no history into a perennial contender year in and out at Sheldon Clark. The man can coach football, and he isn't finished yet.

He will be missed. Also, if you read the comments, there's a certain coach who tells him he'll be missed despite him being from Ashland. No names named, but if you read it, some of you might be shocked.

Lemme tell you. I scheduled to be off Friday months ago, hoping JC would be in the state 4A finals. I work nights in the Emergency Department (on Dixie Highway, no less). You just up and move the game to a day when I have to work for no reason except your own poor planning. Now I am going to have to pay from my pocket someone to cover half a shift (if I am lucky) so I can go watch my beloved school try to win the Dream state title. Yeah, you take it for granted at Trinity. This would be the alpha and omega of life in Johnson County. Would change things forever. And that's my home. So. Feel free to shrug and say who cares. Me. And also several thousand Johnson Countians who got screwed last year with the late night Sunday game, and are getting screwed again this year because the KHSAA doesn't care as much about football as it does its precious little basketball tournament.

As someone who arranged to be off months in advance for the Friday 4A game, and someone who works nights in the emergency department, this is absolutely abhorrent on the part of the KHSAA. They did it to us last year and they're doing it again. Yeah, we know, you don't care about EKY, and you help your home teams. Some of us are going to have to pay handsomely just to attend this game and buy our way out of shifts you (the KHSAA) capriciously change game times for because you can't stick to times and dates you published months ago. I hope WKU loses by 60.

Nailed exactly what I meant.

And if you met the Matneys...you can't help but love them. Best people on earth.

Nobody is throwing shade. Brandon Smith was a fine player and a great coach. If you're looking for disrespect from JC, you won't get it. We know what they've done at Boyle. We know what he's doing at South. We know we are in for a war Sunday.

Also, I think this isn't nearly the biggest mismatch at state. 6A and maybe 2A may be worse. FWIW.

Hey. All I said was Brandon Smith has a coaching pedigree and grew up with a many time state champion coach as his father. Is any of this untrue, or demeaning? It means he's a coach's kid and probably a good coach himself. I'm not Matney's biographer, but I believe he played for Coach Roddy at Belfry and once held the KY state record for interceptions. And I respect him to the end for what he did at Sheldon Clark and what he has done at Johnson Central. Nothing but respect from me for the Smith family. Perhaps I was misconstrued.

I know Chuck built it. His son benefited from his father's knowledge and wisdom. Those are fine things to pass on. Matney is trying to do what Chuck Smith did. And it's hard. We've learned it is hard.

I did not mean to imply that he hasn't earned what he has gotten. Just he was brought up in the culture of his multi-state title winning father's program. When you're born into winning, it makes winning easier. Never did I mean it to suggest he wasn't a good player or isn't a good coach in his own right. Just the paths are different.

Perhaps not. But I know a culture of success, and I know a culture of fighting for respect.

I consider him a family friend and a school icon. I remember playing him when he was at Sheldon Clark. He drove us crazy. Because he knows all the rules, and he is a dogged supporter of his kids. Precisely why we love him now at JC. He IS the community. So glad he finally gets his shot. I want to cry FOR him. Nobody works harder or cares more for his players and his community. Brandon Smith may be a great coach. But he was brought up in an age of entitlement with his dad. Jim Matney was NOT, and he -and we - appreciate every second of this ride.

We don't. We have our own boat. And we're happy to sail it.

Believe me: he could have run scores up way, way more than he has. He intentionally avoids running clocks so he can get his young kids into the games. The field goals? Also ways to avoid running up the scores while getting your player recognition. If you've seen him speak after a game, you know he loves Johnson County and his school and his players. We could have South Warrened our schedule for years now. We prefer getting our young guys on the field early and getting them varsity snaps. Again, before you judge Coach, maybe you should know him. He's a family man, who loves his players, his team, and his community.