There is confidence and there is over confidence. Thinking you will win is one thing. Thinking you can't lose is another.

There is confidence and there is over confidence. Thinking you will win is one thing. Thinking you can't lose is another.

You are correct about over confidence. Raceland was not overconfident, they went in as I said knowing they would win and were set on proving their point. That imo is the difference, you never should go into a game "running through the motions" so to speak bc you think you can't be beat. Imo you should go into a game as "we have worked hard for this, we are prepared with a game plan and we know we are better and will win and will prove it."

 

That is jmo on how any player / team should look at any game. Nothing more, nothing less and not meant as a cut on anyone or an arrogant statement. JMO on how a player should look at things and certainly not my opinion on what will happen Friday night at Putnam Stadim.

I think Ashland did take a win for granted against Raceland last season and payed the price for it.

 

I was there, you may have been as well, Ashland came out ready to play, it seemed. I don't know what they were thinking. But, it seemed as if they were playing to win. It didn't hurt that Raceland had a QB who threw for over 6,000 yrds in three years as a starter and a veteran offensive line, and a dominate defense who allowed, I believe, 14 points per game. Give Raceland a little credit, they deserved to win the game, they played a good game. Nothing against Ashland, they played good as well, for the first game of the season.

 

Now, if you want to talk about total shock, 1991 would be the year to talk about. That was the first year that Raceland ever beat Ashland. I played in that game. I saw the looks on the faces of the Ashland players. They were shocked. If you want to say that Ashland expected to win that game, I will agree with you.

 

They may not admit it but I doubt there were any Ashland fans or players that thought they might lose that game.

 

Of course not. You always expect to win. Not over confident, but you expect to win. I can't imagine going into a game and not expecting to win.

 

That's not being disrespectful or trying to stir the pot. That is just human nature.

 

I don't know if you mean any ill will or not, but it seems as if you don't like Raceland for some reason. But, to imply that a group of high school kids only won a game because the other team was overconfident, is in my opinion disrespectful to that group of young people. If Ashland would have won you may have said that was what was expected, but since Raceland won you say they won because Ashland was not in the proper mind set.

 

I ,personally, like to see local teams do well. I was excited for Russell the last two years, and glad they did so well. I hope Russell as well as Ashland both do well this season. Of course I want Raceland to win against Russell and Ashland, but I hope both of the aforementioned teams do well and go far in the playoffs.

I was just wandering if Russell even played this week. Is there not a thread for their game?

I was just wandering if Russell even played this week. Is there not a thread for their game?

They play Greenup Co. at home and there is a thread.

I was there, you may have been as well, Ashland came out ready to play, it seemed. I don't know what they were thinking. But, it seemed as if they were playing to win. It didn't hurt that Raceland had a QB who threw for over 6,000 yrds in three years as a starter and a veteran offensive line, and a dominate defense who allowed, I believe, 14 points per game. Give Raceland a little credit, they deserved to win the game, they played a good game. Nothing against Ashland, they played good as well, for the first game of the season.

 

Now, if you want to talk about total shock, 1991 would be the year to talk about. That was the first year that Raceland ever beat Ashland. I played in that game. I saw the looks on the faces of the Ashland players. They were shocked. If you want to say that Ashland expected to win that game, I will agree with you.

 

 

 

Of course not. You always expect to win. Not over confident, but you expect to win. I can't imagine going into a game and not expecting to win.

 

 

 

I don't know if you mean any ill will or not, but it seems as if you don't like Raceland for some reason. But, to imply that a group of high school kids only won a game because the other team was overconfident, is in my opinion disrespectful to that group of young people. If Ashland would have won you may have said that was what was expected, but since Raceland won you say they won because Ashland was not in the proper mind set.

 

I ,personally, like to see local teams do well. I was excited for Russell the last two years, and glad they did so well. I hope Russell as well as Ashland both do well this season. Of course I want Raceland to win against Russell and Ashland, but I hope both of the aforementioned teams do well and go far in the playoffs.

I give Raceland, their players and coaching staff all of the credit in the world for winning at Ashland last year. Do I believe that Ashland was overconfident. Yes I do.

I was there, you may have been as well, Ashland came out ready to play, it seemed. I don't know what they were thinking. But, it seemed as if they were playing to win. It didn't hurt that Raceland had a QB who threw for over 6,000 yrds in three years as a starter and a veteran offensive line, and a dominate defense who allowed, I believe, 14 points per game. Give Raceland a little credit, they deserved to win the game, they played a good game. Nothing against Ashland, they played good as well, for the first game of the season.

 

Now, if you want to talk about total shock, 1991 would be the year to talk about. That was the first year that Raceland ever beat Ashland. I played in that game. I saw the looks on the faces of the Ashland players. They were shocked. If you want to say that Ashland expected to win that game, I will agree with you.

 

 

 

Of course not. You always expect to win. Not over confident, but you expect to win. I can't imagine going into a game and not expecting to win.

 

I don't know if you mean any ill will or not, but it seems as if you don't like Raceland for some reason. But, to imply that a group of high school kids only won a game because the other team was overconfident, is in my opinion disrespectful to that group of young people. If Ashland would have won you may have said that was what was expected, but since Raceland won you say they won because Ashland was not in the proper mind set.

 

I ,personally, like to see local teams do well. I was excited for Russell the last two years, and glad they did so well. I hope Russell as well as Ashland both do well this season. Of course I want Raceland to win against Russell and Ashland, but I hope both of the aforementioned teams do well and go far in the playoffs.

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: 5 thumbs up on this one Ram, very well stated!! Especially the highlighted part.

but it seems as if you don't like Raceland for some reason

 

Well he is a Russell guy and there is no love lost between those two schools. Having attended both schools I am well aware of the stereotypes each school has of one another. But let's save the Raceland/Russell talk for October when they finally line up across from one another for the first time in over 30 years.

 

As for this game- any word on how physical Ashland is going to be this year? I think to beat Raceland in any year you have to be extremely physical with them. Like I said before one thing Raceland will do is hit and hit hard and hit hard for four quarters. I talked to a kid who played for Fairview last year and is in college now who told me he honestly thought the Rams hit harder last year in the 4th Quarter than they did in the 1st. He told me it was like they never got winded or tired. Credit that Hoof and his staff for their conditioning programs.

 

Can't wait for these two teams to line-up against each other this Friday!

Well he is a Russell guy and there is no love lost between those two schools. Having attended both schools I am well aware of the stereotypes each school has of one another. But let's save the Raceland/Russell talk for October when they finally line up across from one another for the first time in over 30 years.

 

As for this game- any word on how physical Ashland is going to be this year? I think to beat Raceland in any year you have to be extremely physical with them. Like I said before one thing Raceland will do is hit and hit hard and hit hard for four quarters. I talked to a kid who played for Fairview last year and is in college now who told me he honestly thought the Rams hit harder last year in the 4th Quarter than they did in the 1st. He told me it was like they never got winded or tired. Credit that Hoof and his staff for their conditioning programs.

 

Can't wait for these two teams to line-up against each other this Friday!

Another great post TRR, I had said basically the same earlier. I will talk about Russell again in the week of that Raceland/Russell game. As I said before, we have many games and many more important games than the one with the Red Devils between now and the Russell game.

Actually, Raceland has beaten Ashland several times, including, I believe three times in a row '91-'93. If you ask Ashland, I don't believe they take the Raceland game as a guaranteed win.

 

Seems to me that you are either trying to stir something up, or you don't know much about the Raceland/Ashland series.

 

Not trying to stir anything. Just making an observation. (That's why I signed up for BGP.) I knew they had beaten Ashland previously, but I didn't know exactly how many times or what years. But my point remains that that game is normally a "W" in the column for Ashland. It's a tune-up game. It's a Class 5A school vs a Class 1A. It is what it is. That doesn't mean that the game can not be competitive and that yes, sometimes the small school can pull the upset. I would personally love to see them beat the Tomcats again this year, but I just don't think it will happen.

I think Raceland has the better team this year and will have an all around better season that Ashland will. With that being said, I'll still have to give Ashland the edge. It's tough to beat the tomcats at home. It wouldnt surprise me at all to see raceland win though.

 

This should be a great game. Good luck to both teams.

 

I'll say it's gonna be a close one. Could easily go either way.

 

Ashland 24

Raceland 21

I don't have a clue about how good Ashland is. I DO know that Raceland will be good, and that I'm pulling for them. I would like to see an undefeated Raceland come to LCA in September - it will make for a more exciting game!

 

Go Rams! :thumb:

I don't have a clue about how good Ashland is. I DO know that Raceland will be good, and that I'm pulling for them. I would like to see an undefeated Raceland come to LCA in September - it will make for a more exciting game!

 

Go Rams! :thumb:

Thanks Bluto and we feel the same about LCA and wish you luck except for your home game on Sept. 21st. (p.s. - we are thinking of ordering several Orange Crush Togas to wear at the game to offset LCA's Toga advantage. :lol: )

Hopefully can we hear from some of the Ashland faithful sometime on this thread. I guess that the Tomcats are laying low and not talking, uh? I mean our Russell friends are o.k. but we are playing Ashland.

 

This should be one of the more challenging years for Ashland in quite some time in that not only did we lose key leadership and experience to graduation (as did the Rams), but every returning player is playing a different position from the previous season. That doesn’t inevitably spell doom for the Tomcats though…we are not necessarily young, but rather untested.

 

No prediction on the fianl score of this game but I look for weather, as much as “first game jitters”, to play a role in the outcome. Forecast is for 95plus degrees by kick-off this Friday…the team in the best physical condition certainly will have a significant edge come the 4th quarter.

 

As for some of the thread comments about facilities at Raceland…let me just say I really admire what the Ram program has done with your JFL field….Ashland can take a few lessons from what you guys have accomplished.

 

Friday night football is finally upon us!!

 

As for some of the thread comments about facilities at Raceland…let me just say I really admire what the Ram program has done with your JFL field….Ashland can take a few lessons from what you guys have accomplished.

 

Friday night football is finally upon us!!

 

What does the JFL field have to do with any of the comments about Raceland High School's facilities? It is admirable but it of no consequence to the lack of space for large crowds at varsity games. Why has Ashland always insisted on playing Raceland at Putnam Stadium?