New Whitley County coach...

[HighHopes]

You know I have read Mountainmutts comments just about everywhere and you would think that he is going to be the next Dickie V with all the critiquing he does of the game. Fact is, regardless of how much you like Brandon Anderson he did turn his back on Coach Guffy. You can take up for him all you would like, but facts are facts. Guffy didn't run the Carolina break as much as Anderson woulud have liked and because Anderson just loves Mike Deaton, he thinks the Carolina break is the ONLY way to go. But regardless of what people think, Anderson turned his back.

 

I would say your son will have a good chance to play for Coach Deaton and Coach Anderson. Let's just hope he doesn't quit before the 2nd game of the year because of playing time. It would be a shame if another coach played someone over him.

 

Last, if a school board is going to let so many parents and outsiders have involvement in the hiring and firing of employees, all Whitley County faithfuls better hope that Coach Deaton brings in a weak schedule. Yea there is some talent at Whitley, but right now it isn't what everyone is expecting it should be. Not many teams can play all these freshman and upcoming freshman and beat teams with experienced varsity players. Just because teams are good in Junior High doesn't always mean they are going to mature into great high school players. It almost seems that kids in the County area mature at the age of eight and then quit growing. I know kids on there team who are 16 and 17 who have looked the exact same ever since they were 12. Same height, weight, and mustache. I just know, parents definitely have to much say and when the school let outsiders have a say, that is when bad things happened.

 

As for Guffey. He is a great guy. Should have never been done the way he was done. Okay, so they were going to let him go. Don't hire someone behind his back while he is still coaching. When he comes to ask if he is going to be fired, don't tell him he will be evaluated after the season, if you already have a coach hired. Don't let him know over the phone he is no longer the head coach. That is just a bad program with bad people at the top running the program. No class in how things were done at Whitley County. I guess that is how they like it though.

[mountainmutt]

Wow, HighHopes, thank you for your keen interest in the Whitley County Program and its kids. If you are suggesting that Whitley County has finally started holding back their better athletes, then you are correct. Whitley finally decided, that if they were going to compete in the 13th with Corbin, Clay, ect. then, they were going to have to put kids on the floor in the same age group as their competition. Whitley has played 17 year old seniors against 19 year old seniors for the past 40 years. You will see, Whitley, correct this situation over the next three seasons. The benefits will begin to be noticable very soon. As soon as, the new coach is in place.

 

If Coach Guffy had actually used the Carolina Break, a little more often, he may have been able to win more than 13 games over two seasons. It would have to beat the heck out of Guffy's motion post and weak side overloads. In one, you isolate a guard underneath the basket with a center and in the other you get a three point shot from the deep corner for a 15% three point shooting team. It was amazing how effective the old blue play got open three pointers. This why Whitley averaged 45 points a game against teams other than Williamsburg and Jellico.

 

If, Coach Guffy, had taken Brandon's advice on defense, maybe he could have kept a few games respectably close or maybe he might have won a couple. Instead he played his over play every pass, stand in the paint style and was blown out by some of the weakest teams in the 12th and 13th regions on a nightly basis. The only thing worse than Whitleys offense, this year, was their defense. I have watched Whitley give up over 30 layups a game for two years now under Guffey. The Russel County and Casey County games were the two worst defensive performaances I have ever seen on a high school level.

 

When teams with 6 or 7 wins per season come into your home gym, shoot layups on every posession, and beat you by 40, it should be an indicator something is wrong. A record of 13-42 over two seasons with seven wins coming over Williamsburg and Jellico, really says all that needs to said. The numbers speak for themselves.

 

I am also very happy that you have taken an interest in my son. I suspect you are right about Coach Deaton, Coach Anderson and my son getting along well. My son has played for Coach Anderson for three years and he has progressed admirably. I love the fact that Coach Anderson's hard nosed mentality is so apparent in my son. I look forward to the next three years of my son's career under Anderson with great anticipation.

 

Your comments regarding freshmen and upperclassmen are absolutely true. Freshmen are not ready to compete against good junior and senior athletes. The problem with this concept, at Whitley, under Coach Guffy and his predecessor is that they could not keep good athletes on the team for more than a semester. Could have been the constant mind games, the hail of daily cynical remarks, or it could have simply been the humilation of continually getting beat by 40 points.

 

As for scheduling, how could anyone in the 13th region have had an easier schedule than Whitley's this year. In state, Whitley played the bottom five teams in both the 12th and 13th regions. Out of state, they played two 1A Tennessee Schools (less than 200 students). Williamsburg beat one of these Tennessee schools twice. The schedule is never going to get any easier, Whitley is going to have to get better.

 

Again thank you, Highhopes for your interest in my beloved Colonels, my friend Brandon Anderson and of course my son. I share your high hopes for Whitley County Basketball.

 

Highest Regards

 

Mutt

 

 

:dancingpa

[Shoot the 3]

First off, Let me be the first to say that I didnt agree with everything Guffy did at Whitley. When you hire assistants, you are suppost to hire people who will watch your backside, not bite it. That was Guffys fault. However, Im not sure that Ricky P. himself could have won more than 5 games this year with the young kids. I feel that Guffy actually made the program appealing to a experienced coach, like Deaton. He cleaned out the trouble, and played young kids. In a sence he was the hitman for the program. I hope he lands on his feet somewhere, because I love his intensity and passion for the game.

[mountainmutt]

I have a few question for all the Guffy defenders. I am asking with an open mind. I will honestly try to keep my mind open because maybe I may have missed something or I may have been misguided by emotion in forming my personal opinions.

 

1. What did Guffy do at Whitley to show the team was progressing or that he was a good coach?

 

2. How did parents interfere with his progress or contribute to his firing? How could/should this interference be stopped?

 

3. Why is it a bad thing for parents to be concerned or vocal about a team that performed like Guffy's teams including this years JV. How are Whitley's parents any different than those at other schools.

 

4. Why shouldn't the admistration be concerned over Guffy's performance and what did they do that other school administrations would not do?

 

5. Why should Guffy have been given another year to prove himself?

 

I look forward to hearing the responses. Maybe, I can learn something or change my opinion. I will try. :confused:

[Whitley]

Whitley Co did the right thing. Deaton is a better coach. It should be exiting next year. With Guffy, it disappoints me that the team did not improve. He said all the right things, but you gotta have results. Thats all there is to it.

[4chs]

Will there be a new A.D. at Whitley also?

[HighHopes]

Ok MountainMutt, I know we had some disagreements in our last posts. I believe that you bring up some very good questions. First off, Mike Deaton is a very good coach and I do believe that he will do a fine job coaching at Whitley County. At the same time everyone talks about how Whitley should compete for district and region titles, I just don't believe that they can do it at Whitley with Corbin and South in the district. I honestly believe that for the next three years it is going to be Corbin and Josh Crawford along with South reloading. I don't know much about South, but I would believe in South Laurel, they will rebuild.

Again, let me go about the business I have. I just don't believe that they way Guffey was done was correct. First off, I know the last two years he has struggled. But the fact remains, he has been the HEAD coach for only TWO years. Just because he was an assistant for two or three years does not mean anything. You cannot count him credible, even if he was brought in by Coach Evans. Two years is not enough, especially when your second year your talent is very, very marginal. I am sorry, the kids that were playing major minutes were younger kids and the seniors that were playing were kids playing real varsity ball for the first time. I just believe that another year or two and things could have been a little different.

I also just don't agree with the process of how they let Guffey go. If you are not going to re-hire your coach you don't hire another coach during the middle of the year. They is not acceptable. If you do that, then be man enough to let Guffey know he is not going to be back next year instead of letting him hear this from people in the community. Don't beat around the bush. The job is supposed to be posted for a minimum of 30 days. I believe Whitleys season has been over a minimum of 3 weeks. Deaton is going to be announced as Coach supposedly on Tuesday? Something is wrong with that. But as a school, you do not hire someone during the season and not let the coach know about it.

All programs, not just Whitley Counties include politics. Unfortunately there is nothing anyone can do about parents. Parents have a mind of there own. I have always said, from the time a child plays elementary ball till they graduate, parents most of the time do nothing but embarress there children. They go to games and rant and rave at the officials believing they know everything about basketball when they do not know anything. I would enjoy games much more if parents just clapped and cheered for there school instead of making fools of themselves, but at the same time, that also gives me something to laugh about when I go to these games.

All in all my major complaint is just how I believe the school did Guffey wrong with how they let him go. I have been around Whitley for a long time, I honestly thought there was a tad bit more class than that. It was a classless move to hire Deaton behind Guffeys back in the middle of the season. It was classless to let Guffey know by phone he was no longer the coach. I support Coach Guffey and wish him the best. My only question to those Whitley faithfuls is this. What if in two years Mike Deaton has two losing seasons. Doesn't get out of the first round of district and what not, what are the chances of them letting him go? I am just saying, I hope it does not happen, I would like to see Whitley achieve great success, I know many students and players and the school deserves to be winners, but what if they don't have good seasons in Deatons first two. Is he GONE?

 

Hope that clears all my frustration up on why I disagreed with certain things. Never was intending to make personal stabs and I should have never mentioned the son comment Mutt. Just hope that clears everything up. I believe that the points I have made are very, very valid. Please if not, clear them up for me. It is a friendly message board meant for all.

[mountainmutt]

Highhopes,

 

You make many good points. I never take any of this board stuff personally. Actually, the juicier or nastier it is, the more I enjoy it. A good heated argument just makes my day.

 

My son is a big boy learning lessons in life day by day. When it comes to extracirucular activities, he makes his own decisions. Sometimes, I agree with him. Sometimes, I do not. He is the one that has to live with his decisions. Some of the best lessons come the hard way. He knows that the high school experience is short and once it is over, it is over. I think he is going to make a good high school basketball and football player. Only time will tell.

 

I think people should be allowed to say what ever they want on these boards. Noone has to read or post unless they are so inclined. People should have a more mature sense of humor. Complaining and disagreements are a big part of sports, especially for old fart spectators of spectator sports. When you are too old to play, all you can, is talk. All the talk make sports much more interesting to the spectators and players alike. If nothing else, it lets the kids know people are interested. I personally have always followed high school sports because I love my almamater and the kids involved. Of course, as fans, we have much more access to the players and games since the players live in our houses and neighborhoods. It would be kind of hard to have the UK players over for a cookout twice a month. Rajon Rondo never spends the night watching TV in my basement with my son.

 

I really do not know whether or not Guffy was actually contacted by phone regarding his dismissal. He had to expect what was coming, but he should have been called into the office for the news. I guess we will have to disagree on his coaching ability. I personally would not like his style of basketball if he had gone 35-0. His style of play is not nearly physical enough for the type of kids we have at Whitley. I think main problem, was simply that he was far too inexperienced for the head coaching job at a big public high school. He had no understanding of the overall job requirements (for example spring and summer practice and his responsibilities regarding the feeder programs). I think he also had diffiulty relating to the typical Whitley High Student and in general, the typical Whitley County resident. He clearly did not understand the political and promotional requirements of the job. He made no efforts to befriend or organize the parents and boosters and he certainly did nothing to promote his program to the community. Most of these shortcomings were no doubt due to his inexperience with being a public figure in a large rural community. I think many of his problems with recruiting kids and keeping kids in the program were due to simple demographics. He was from a large urban high school in Indiana with a nationally known basketball program. A place where kids were lined up just to get on the team and a place where personalities are quite different. Even, in this day of mass communications, the mountain mentality is very unique and the Appalachian persona is very alive and well in Whitley County. I think Guffy is an intelligent guy and a solid person. His idealism will fade with experience. He learned a lot at Whitley and it will show in his next job. Darrell Guffy will have brighter days.

[Thunderstruck]

Mike Deaton was officially named as Head Basketball Coach at Whitley County High School today (Tuesday). It is truely an exciting day when a coach of Mike Deaton's caliber takes over the program.

 

Good Luck Coach Mike Deaton, you have the support of the Colonel Nation.