Coach Mark Fudge tendered his resignation yesterday at Adair Co. He will continue to teach according to the press release. Any early names for this opening?

Whats this all about? Wonder if he was forced out?

Whats this all about? Wonder if he was forced out?

 

He wasn't forced out.

He wasn't forced out.

 

Probably just got tired of it all. Their fans seem to be a restless bunch.

Probably just got tired of it all. Their fans seem to be a restless bunch.

 

He's been the coach at Adair County for twelve years. I could see how one might want to take some time away.

Probably just got tired of it all. Their fans seem to be a restless bunch.

 

The fans are more accurately a rested bunch, having been put to sleep for the last couple of years by the dormant, passive play of Adair County. I have given Coach Fudge credit for teaching good defense through the years, but any effort of establishing a scheming, productive offense has not been discernable. The failure to take advantage of an easy scoring oppurtunity has made us fans frustrated; I have always thought coach Fudge must think it unfair to take advantage of an easy uncontested lay-up! They make no effort to beat the opponent down the court. Oh, they sure pass enough. They pass around the perimiter relentlessly waiting for an open shot, never or hardly ever feeding into the post. I hope the next coach will utilize the talent that is availabe to them. Next year junior. Chance Melton, was a child prodigy, gaining varsity status in the seventh grade. I believe he started his eight grade year. Now, through his sophmore, I have seen no development. Zone defense is usually played against Adair. Melton is positioned around the free throw area. As the defense shifts with the ball movement, Melton shifts with the defense; in essence he is providing the defense with a 6th man as he is clogging the middle. He has not been taught to post up properly and demand the ball. His call for the ball is passive because he, and everbody in the gym, nows it rarely going into him. I hope he will be saved from being a under utilized big man, grown frustrated and passive, like his big-man predesssor, Darron Ballou. Both of these fellows could/would have benifited the team by running pick and rolls, pops and flares and sprinting to the post. These actions along with slip screens, give and go, and any other fundamental team offensive tactics have been nearly abandonded during my 8 years of watching Adair. The word I get from the kids on the street is that basketball is no fun at Adair. In Melton's young class there was Tre Stotts, a 3 point shooting phemom. He was on varsity with Melton in the 8th grade, if not the 7th also. He transferred to Russell County his freshman year, still living in Adair, I am told. Travon Jones on this years State Runner-up Bowling Green Purples was also in their class. Jones was on the Sweet 16 all-tournament team, as a sophmore. He had 2 games in the tourney of mid 20's in points and mid-teens in rebounds. In one of the the games he only played 18 minutes. OH! What could have been! Their has been a few other viable players transfer from Adair in the last couple of years. I had an opposing head coach say to me this year about playing Adair "They act like they don't want to be out there."

This is a very interesting situation since Fudge did not have an assistant during the district championship game, and a fellow on the bench with him during the regional game that was only identified as a "Linsey Wilson" guy.

Wow

How about an update on the assistant coach issue from this past season.

I attend many games every year and have seen Adair play at least once a year for many many years. I always thought Coach Fudge did a great job with the players he had. I think the style of play described above was the style Adair needed to play to compete with the better teams in the 5th region. In twelve years he went to Rupp twice. Year in and Year out I think Etown, John Hardin, North Hardin, Central Hardin, Bardstown will almost always have better athletes than Adair. Marion Co and now Taylor Co are going to have better athletes most years than Adair Co. Although Campbellsville has been down for the last 4 years or so they had great athletes through much of Coach Fudge's tenure.

 

Adair Co has also been know for lots of drama making it a difficult place to coach.

 

I think parents fans a lot of times over estimate the talent there team has, and underestimate the competence of their coach.

 

From what I saw I think Coach Fudge was a very good coach and greatly under appreciated.

 

I think they do have some young players that you could build around but I still do not see them having the talent to beat those top 6-7 teams I listed above.

Personally, I think Fudge always got short shrift from Adair fans. To get to the Sweet 16 twice with the limited talented there, and be a dangerous region tournament team in other years, is impressive to me.

How about an update on the assistant coach issue from this past season.

 

Here it is:

 

McCreary County indictment of Adair County Assistant Coach on ColumbiaMagazine.com