Johnson Central 49 Paintsville 15

[AcesFull]

You dont understand the point of a rivalry game, do you?

The only reason that there ever was a rivalry is that Johnson Central's football program suffered through decades of mismanagement. If JC had hired a coach like Matney (or like Bill Musick or David Lemaster or Leon Hart or Phillip Haywood or John Derossett or ...) thirty years ago, the schools would not still be playing each other. Matney is a great coach, but it would not have taken a great coach to take a 5A football team and beat a good 1A team badly almost every year. In contrast, Paintsville has had some great coaches over the years and their fans never truly appreciated just how fortunate they were.

 

Throughout most of the school's history, the quality of Paintsville's coaching staff has been far superior to Johnson Central's staff. That was the Johnson Central board's fault. Almost every hire under the Hamilton regime was a political hire and coaches were made to feel that they owed favors to Orville, the board, and their supporters just for the privilege of working.

 

Now I am sure that there are some people in the board office who are eager to punish Paintsville for their past dominance in the series, but that is the kind of thinking that held the Golden Eagles' program back for so many years. It is time to learn all of the lessons of the past and move on.

 

The Apple Bowl has become a farce and it is time to end it or at least suspend it until Coach Matney retires.

[Ram]

I'm an outsider to this game, but I would hate to see it end. Games such as this go threw changes. Paintsville used to dominate this game, now JC is dominating it, it will likely change some more over the years. I think Matney is a great coach, but he will retire someday, I don't know when, but someday.

 

Some observations and comparisons to Raceland.

Raceland is a 1A team and plays much larger schools in non-district games. This is the first year in a long time that Raceland has scheduled a non-district game with a 1A team (Paintsville). Raceland used to get manhandled by Ashland. Many people at Raceland said, that Raceland should stop playing Ashland because no one is getting anything from it. Ashland was saying the same thing. Ashland was winning by an average of 35 points for around 6 years. Then Raceland started winning against Ashland. Raceland does not dominate Ashland, but Raceland wins. This game has become a good early test for both teams and prepares both teams for the playoffs. This game is also one of the biggest gates of the year for both schools.

 

Raceland plays Greenup Co. Used to Raceland and Greenup Co would win back and forth, then Greenup Co won 7 games in a row versus Raceland. Once again people said there was nothing coming from this game for either school. But, the game continued, now Raceland has won 3 in a row. This game is also one of the biggest gates for both teams, and also prepares both teams for the post-season.

 

The comparisons could go on: East Carter, Russell, West Carter, and so on. Some of these series go one way for a long time, then change. Due to coaching changes, injuries, or one really good class at one school. But, even with JC controlling the last few years, both teams will be better for it in the long run. Right now, JC just got some more confidence, more then likely had an opportunity to try some new things, got some game experience for some younger players, and time for some injuries to heal. Paintville, got to see some very good competition, played more then likely the best team they will see this year, and has a goal to work toward (beating JC). Both teams got a lot out of this game, even if it was lopsided this year.

[EJHS Fan #98]

JC is far superior to Paintsville. I remember growing up watching this game and seeing my boys beat JC and I miss that. I hope that someday Paintsville can get it back and beat JC one more time. This is a rivalry game and it's fun to be there but it hasn't been fun the last few years. Ironically, the last time I went to the Apple Bowl was about 4 years ago and we beat JC. Maybe I need to start goin' to that game again and bring some luck back to Paintsville. Good luck the rest of the season to JC and Paintsville and put up some good showings in the playoffs.

[Dark Horse]

This game still serves one purpose: it puts fans in the seats, wherever it is played, and it is consistently the biggest gate of the year for both schools (and therefore a huge source of funding for both). I personally would like to see our hugest crowds show up for teams like Woodford County and Louisville Central, but the people of Johnson County who don't come to any other game will still, for whatever reason, come watch the Apple Bowl. That alone is reason to continue it. Games scheduled against other opponents wouldn't draw the same crowds (see the Big Sandy Bowl's last few years, for example).

 

 

Brought in 18k last night on the gates alone...Sounds like a good payday for both schools. But other than the money i dont see any reason to keep it going. Invite two different teams in and rotate it back and forth just like they are doing and the home team plays the second game. They will still get good money for both school. probably not as much but anything helps.

[AcesFull]

At its best, Paintsville never had a string of dominance in this series approaching what has happened since Matney took over Johnson Central's program. Yes, the Tigers put together some longer winning streaks, but never was the gap between the teams so wide that Paintsville could have easily put 40 points or more in the first half of each game over a four year stretch. I expect that Johnson Central to be as good or better next season as this season, so following the next Apple Bowl the string of total domination will stand at five years.

 

The scores of recent Apple Bowls have not been representative of just how badly the Tigers have been over matched on the field. A Paintsville win over Johnson Central with a competent coach on the Golden Eagles sideline will rarely, if ever happen again. If Johnson Central decides to start playing politics with its football program again, then the series should resume at that time but as long as the district is committed to fielding a good 5A football team Paintsville should not be anywhere on the schedule.

[Eagle Pride 90`]

I was a little disappointed in the way JC started last night. Paintsville was much more ready for this game than we were. JC came out very flat. Paintsville slapped them in the mouth the second they took the field by disrupting their entrance and stomping on the big eagle at midfield. You would have thought that would have gotten them a little fired up, but Paintsville looked very good the first quarter. They were just wore down by the bigger team. I must be part of the minority but I don't think paintsville is going to loose the rest of their regular season games. They are better than people are giving them credit for.

[Freebird23]

You dont understand the point of a rivalry game, do you?

 

ri val ry :Competition. 1. to be in competition with, 2. to try to equal with, 3. to have qualities that approach or equal another's

 

I do understand the definition... and I fail to see the competition between J Central and P-ville. I understand that the game may have run its course in the community and that is bad for all fans. To gloat about a win over such a small school is beyond my understanding.

[Pancake]

I think they should keep the game going. Every year Major college programs play small Div II teams and when there is an upset (Michigan) it is great! I think the kids still want to play this game and the majority of the town does too!:fight:

[firebird]

Brought in 18k last night on the gates alone...Sounds like a good payday for both schools. But other than the money i dont see any reason to keep it going. Invite two different teams in and rotate it back and forth just like they are doing and the home team plays the second game. They will still get good money for both school. probably not as much but anything helps.

 

At this point Johnson Central could probably play another local powerhouse team and still bring in a big gate payday and more than likely would come out money ahead to schedule another high level team of special interest, but it is very obvious that Paintsville cannot bring fans to the stands at this point in time. Johnson Central fans probably outnumbered Paintsville fans last night by a 6 to 1 ratio. If the money was split porportionaly it would be about a 15k payoff for JC rather than the 9k that came with the equal split.

 

When Paintsville had the regional runner up team in 2005 their fans did not even fill half of the home side bleachers when they hosted the playoffs. I remember Lynn Camp coming into town that year and bringing more fans than what Paintsville had supporting them in their home stadium. Keep in mind also at this game there was many JC fans in attendance for that game that helped fill several seats on the Paintsville side. For some reason there just does not seem to be the interest in the football program that there once was even when Paintsville has had some pretty good teams, and that was a pretty good 1A football team that year. If playing in the playoffs for all the marbles cant bring the fans out, then it sounds reasonable that they cant play anyone else other than JC that would put fans in the stands to help support the athletic budget.

 

This is a must game for Paintsville right now, and one that is not nearly as important for JC as far as revenue production. They could draw other teams that would generate almost as much fan interest and not have the 50/50 split. I think the Touchstone Energy Bowl is a good indication of that fact. As a matter of fact Paintsville will continue to lose money by playing this game on their home field when it rotates because of the lack of fan accomodation. They come out much better financialy to play this game at Eagle field. Paintsville needs to hope that for whatever reason Johnson Central decides that this game continues to be played. If you are Paintsville, something has to produce revenue to keep the lights on over on Jefferson Avenue.