I don't think you can vote Combs the best because of what happened last year. DIdn't he pitch his #4 pitcher against KCC. The players pick up on when a coach overlooks someone and that is what happened. They thought they could easily beat KCC and they got suprised. The best coaches would have more respet for an opponent than that.

 

If you are playing to win the region you have to make tough choices about pitching. The pitching was not that bad, held KCC to four runs. Coach Combs can't go out and field ground balls, or hit for them. Lee County is always well prepared.

Unfortunately, the coach has to take the blame. Everyone knows he was overlooking them.

Unfortunately, the coach has to take the blame. Everyone knows he was overlooking them.

:thumb:

Unfortunately, the coach has to take the blame. Everyone knows he was overlooking them.

 

He's a good coach, I don't think that he'll make that mistake again.

Unfortunately, the coach has to take the blame. Everyone knows he was overlooking them.

 

Hammonds did the same thing in 2000, didn't pitch Craft, KCC loses 3-2 in a game they should have won....it happens to everyone.

I am not defending coach Combs, but I can very well see why he did what he did. If he would have won that game then everyone would have been saying what a smart move he made. I am not taking anything away from KCC because they did win the game, but I never would have thought they could have held Lee to 3 runs. In baseball you have to plan ahead sometimes. It just didn't pan out the way he planed. When you are a small school and only have a limited number of quility pitchers decisions must be made for later down the road.

Coaches make mistakes daily but good coaches have their teams prepared to win and Coach Combs is by far the best in the region at doing that. I agree that the decision last year was questionable but we don't know the circumstances. It wasn't like he didn't advance a runner or just froze up. He made a personnel decision and it cost him. I am sure he is harder on himself than we can ever be to him. He is still the BENCHMARK for coaches in the mountains to emulate. It is a good thing he loves the community he lives in because there are a lot of powerhouse baseball programs that would love to have him across the state. Anyone can go to a tier 3 or 4 school but he is one that can move to a tier1 baseball school anytime he chooses to do so.

Coaches make mistakes daily but good coaches have their teams prepared to win and Coach Combs is by far the best in the region at doing that. I agree that the decision last year was questionable but we don't know the circumstances. It wasn't like he didn't advance a runner or just froze up. He made a personnel decision and it cost him. I am sure he is harder on himself than we can ever be to him. He is still the BENCHMARK for coaches in the mountains to emulate. It is a good thing he loves the community he lives in because there are a lot of powerhouse baseball programs that would love to have him across the state. Anyone can go to a tier 3 or 4 school but he is one that can move to a tier1 baseball school anytime he chooses to do so.

You are absolutely right. If Coach Combs wanted to coach at any of the powerhouse baseball schools in KY it could happen quicky. Coach Combs loves where he is from, and I admire him for that. He was also an outstanding College baseball coach, and I feel he could coach at any College team in the U.S. He teaches a lot of technique, but he is also a great person. I truly admire Coach Combs and I am glad I got to coach with and play for him. I use a lot of techniques and drills that Coach Combs taught me in my practices in baseball. :ylsuper:

I am not defending coach Combs, but I can very well see why he did what he did. If he would have won that game then everyone would have been saying what a smart move he made. I am not taking anything away from KCC because they did win the game, but I never would have thought they could have held Lee to 3 runs. In baseball you have to plan ahead sometimes. It just didn't pan out the way he planed. When you are a small school and only have a limited number of quility pitchers decisions must be made for later down the road.

Not so true. In the regional tournament you really only need 2 pitchers. Why not let Osborne or Thomas shut Knott down for 5 innings let the little guy come in, in the 6th and hold them off. Not just taking away innings from knott but gives hitters confidence that their lock down pitcher is on the mound to back them up. Whoever didnt pitch against Knott goes against PCC for all 7 assuming they win again they have Osborne or Thomas again on the mound in the regional finals with as good as a chance to win as anybody.

Great post JeterFan. And i'm curious......how could it "quickly happen" that Coach Combs could coach at any power house school in KY? Would some fire their current coach for him?? Give me a break......

That is good thinking JeterFan and I would have done something like that myself becouse you have to win that first game. But I can see what he was thinking when he did it. Kcc had a better team than he thought.

At the end of the season KCC had two goals. One was to win the district title. The second was to beat Lee Co. Not to crush them, but to win. Just to show the other's in the 14th that they could beat the best team in the region. I don't think it would have mattered if Lee had their best pitcher on the mound, KCC was bound and determined to beat them. Hammonds prepared them well. I believe that during the practices that they had after the district, he made sure that the team stayed focused. No mistake during practice was overlooked. If one was made, they went through it over and over until it wasn't made. That's a sign of a great coach.

Yes it is he is a great coach and a nice person as well, he did a great job of coaching that game too. I didn't get to see it, but I wish I would have. I love to watch good baseball being played and it must have been a heck of a game.

I would have to agree that Gene Combs is a great coach. For what he's done at a small school that didnt have much success since the 80's has been phenomenal.

At the end of the season KCC had two goals. One was to win the district title. The second was to beat Lee Co. Not to crush them, but to win. Just to show the other's in the 14th that they could beat the best team in the region. I don't think it would have mattered if Lee had their best pitcher on the mound, KCC was bound and determined to beat them. Hammonds prepared them well. I believe that during the practices that they had after the district, he made sure that the team stayed focused. No mistake during practice was overlooked. If one was made, they went through it over and over until it wasn't made. That's a sign of a great coach.

I believe that lee co. pitched an 8th grader in that game and knott only beat them by 1 or 2. i think with thomas or osborne on the mound it would have made a slight difference. but taking nothin away from combs and hammonds they are both good coaches.