January 31, 200818 yr Yes Really, I know Steve and first and foremost he is a good man and a good Sports Editor. I saw the cartoon in its original form in the newspaper and knew immediately who drew it. He is not a cartoonist, so OK his signature was not in the drawing itself, however it was clearly labled. I thought it was funny, a little harsh, but funny. It was a cartoon for cryin out loud. It's easy to say "It was just a cartoon (or joke)" if it's not targeted at you or or something you put a lot of time and energy into. If it is targeted at your interests it can be very offensive and provoke ill feelings, even if only meant to be funny. (Ask Don Imus) As the parent of a current LexCath football player, I can tell you this cartoon is not funny in the least. Did LexCath commit violations? Yes (5 years ago) Was LexCath punished for those violations? Yes ($31,000 plus other punishments including forfeit of football wins over 3 seasons) Since the violations LexCath has cleaned up its house. The administrator involved with the violations is gone. There is a stance of doing things the best possible way within the rules. In fact, LexCath was ready to institute prop2 a year before it was due to go into effect and this was communicated to all incoming freshmen. The insinuation that LexCath is standing in line to purchase championships with something other than the hard work and dedication of its students, coaches, administrators and parents is an affront to everyone involved. This could be the reason Coach Letton was so upset. I may go against many of my fellow private school supporters, but I place much of the blame for this kind of attack squarely on the shoulders of the LCA administrators. After LexCath's violations and subsequent punishment, they should have examined the sources of their own students' funding and cleaned up any improprieties. If that had happened we would not be having this discussion.
January 31, 200818 yr It's easy to say "It was just a cartoon (or joke)" if it's not targeted at you or or something you put a lot of time and energy into. If it is targeted at your interests it can be very offensive and provoke ill feelings, even if only meant to be funny. (Ask Don Imus) As the parent of a current LexCath football player, I can tell you this cartoon is not funny in the least. Did LexCath commit violations? Yes (5 years ago) Was LexCath punished for those violations? Yes ($31,000 plus other punishments including forfeit of football wins over 3 seasons) Since the violations LexCath has cleaned up its house. The administrator involved with the violations is gone. There is a stance of doing things the best possible way within the rules. In fact, LexCath was ready to institute prop2 a year before it was due to go into effect and this was communicated to all incoming freshmen. The insinuation that LexCath is standing in line to purchase championships with something other than the hard work and dedication of its students, coaches, administrators and parents is an affront to everyone involved. This could be the reason Coach Letton was so upset. I may go against many of my fellow private school supporters, but I place much of the blame for this kind of attack squarely on the shoulders of the LCA administrators. After LexCath's violations and subsequent punishment, they should have examined the sources of their own students' funding and cleaned up any improprieties. If that had happened we would not be having this discussion. As I posted earlier........ The real outrage are for the parents who pony up tens of thousands of dollars to both of these schools for something more over public education. If I was one of those parents you bet I would be screaming at the school leadership. The decisions of the athletic interests in the school overrode the mission statements of the school (and they still have a job).
January 31, 200818 yr As I posted earlier........ The real outrage are for the parents who pony up tens of thousands of dollars to both of these schools for something more over public education. If I was one of those parents you bet I would be screaming at the school leadership. The decisions of the athletic interests in the school overrode the mission statements of the school (and they still have a job). That's a great post.
January 31, 200818 yr How many times will the term OVERSITE or MISTAKE be valid before a punishment comes down on a school that coincides with the rules that they violated. Giving a player illegal aid to come to a school is paying them to play, and it is one of the most gross forms of cheating that can occur at the High School Level. And once again camel, prove to me that Lex Cath paid a player to come to their school. You people keep wanting this to be illegal recruiting yet nothing from at least the Lex Cath case led to the KHSAA stating that was the case.
January 31, 200818 yr Yes Really, I know Steve and first and foremost he is a good man and a good Sports Editor. I saw the cartoon in its original form in the newspaper and knew immediately who drew it. He is not a cartoonist, so OK his signature was not in the drawing itself, however it was clearly labled. I thought it was funny, a little harsh, but funny. It was a cartoon for cryin out loud. As far as the Public/Private issue and in particular with Mr. Sears at Somerset, I think people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. In an interview, I asked Mr Sears about the double standards (public/private) when it comes to recruiting at the high school level. His response was that we can only deal with one problem at a time. That we need to start somewhere. That's when the old cliche about glass houses came to mind. Don't you think his efforts would have looked a lot more noble if he had started with the public school recruiting first? Then again, I really don't think recruiting or even fairness in athletics is Mr. Sears motivation for his proposal. I think he realizes that rightly or wrongly, private schools are growing in Ky. I heard his speech to the KHSAA delegates a couple of years ago and it reminded me somewhat of Bush's Axis of Evil speech (well, it wasn't that strong). The more private schools created and the bigger they get means fewer and fewer kids attending public schools. That's not good for the public school system (and maybe arguably, for society). Private schools use athletic programs to flourish and grow. Cause a material adverse effect to the athletic programs of the private schools and you hinder the future growth and success of the private schools. Cause a separatin of the public private championships and you have a material adverse effect. In my opinion, Mr Sears is using the old level playing field argument as a convenient vehicle to get him where he wants to go.
January 31, 200818 yr Don't you think his efforts would have looked a lot more noble if he had started with the public school recruiting first? Then again, I really don't think recruiting or even fairness in athletics is Mr. Sears motivation for his proposal. I think he realizes that rightly or wrongly, private schools are growing in Ky. I heard his speech to the KHSAA delegates a couple of years ago and it reminded me somewhat of Bush's Axis of Evil speech (well, it wasn't that strong). The more private schools created and the bigger they get means fewer and fewer kids attending public schools. That's not good for the public school system (and maybe arguably, for society). Private schools use athletic programs to flourish and grow. Cause a material adverse effect to the athletic programs of the private schools and you hinder the future growth and success of the private schools. Cause a separatin of the public private championships and you have a material adverse effect. In my opinion, Mr Sears is using the old level playing field argument as a convenient vehicle to get him where he wants to go. Couldn't have said it better myself, and I have tried.
January 31, 200818 yr I beleive that this one is the very first post for me in this forum. I usually don't even read in this one just bc it is such a heated issue. Having siad that I will have to say that a Public/Private split districts/regions/and State Titles imo would solve a lot of the bickering. Should private school and public school want to and agree to play one another in the regular season they by all means do so. Just have the playoffs/district, regions and state titles separate. I am talking only in football by the way, imo with the much fewer amount of athletes needed for a basketball or baseball team I don't think that it is needed. I love the basketball "sweet sixteen" State tournament and there have been a number of public schools won a state title in basketball along with some very small schools win it all. Footbal imo creates by far the most unlevel playing field. My 1st and probably last post in P/P debates forum is now over:lol:. I just wanted say my feelings on it. I don't like to keep going back and forth on this issue and I won't do that. All I know that is I love all high school sports and will finish with this one statement............. Yes, I beleive that the private schols have a decided advantage as far as being able to get "choice" athetes and I don't think that they should cheat to gain an even greater advantage. No, I don't think keeping up arguments on the subject will change much if anything. Persons on either side are not likely to change their minds by an opposing argument. I know that I won't. I do respect and enjoy the competition with Private Schools and have made some very good friends that are coaches, parents and fans of Private schools.
January 31, 200818 yr And once again camel, prove to me that Lex Cath paid a player to come to their school. You people keep wanting this to be illegal recruiting yet nothing from at least the Lex Cath case led to the KHSAA stating that was the case. I was refering to LCA. I haven't had the opportunity to read the findings from the Lexington Catholic investigation. I will say this, however, there have been very few programs convicted of violations and Lexington Catholic is one of them. If you don't like the reputation you recieve when you pay the fine, then don't committ the crime. I didn't know, it was an oversite, or it was a mistake is NO excuse for a program or its administration to use. It is their job and their RESPONSIBILITY to know.
January 31, 200818 yr ...there have been a number of public schools won a state title in basketball along with some very small schools win it all.That pretty much sums up the whole issue.
January 31, 200818 yr there have been a number of public schools won a state title in basketball along with some very small schools win it all. Footbal imo creates by far the most unlevel playing field. That pretty much sums up the whole issue. Well, RM and the others could have foretold this post was coming. LCA, Lex Cath and Sacred Heart have won the past 6 state championships and 7 of 8 in girls basketball. Elizabethtown, I believe, is the lone dissenter in the past 8 years. Check out the success in volleyball. Check out the success in soccer. Check out the success in fastpitch. If you want to make your comments strictyl regarding 1/2 of the gender, than I can understand your point. But there is a whole 'nother gender out there to consider.
January 31, 200818 yr Well, RM and the others could have foretold this post was coming. LCA, Lex Cath and Sacred Heart have won the past 6 state championships and 7 of 8 in girls basketball. Elizabethtown, I believe, is the lone dissenter in the past 8 years. Check out the success in volleyball. Check out the success in soccer. Check out the success in fastpitch. If you want to make your comments strictyl regarding 1/2 of the gender, than I can understand your point. But there is a whole 'nother gender out there to consider. Point taken. :thumb: I was talking mostly about football being on an unlevel playing field, not to say that the private schools don't have advantages in all, imo they do. Just imo much more so in football.
January 31, 200818 yr I am for the split--not because of recruiting (yes, publics do it too)--but because publics and privates are different in every sense of the word. When you must deal with all populations (rich, poor, regular ed, special needs, ESL, etc.) regardless of choice, it is just different.
January 31, 200818 yr Girls basketball is where I hear the big problem is, and you just stated the facts to prove it.
January 31, 200818 yr I am for the split--not because of recruiting (yes, publics do it too)--but because publics and privates are different in every sense of the word. When you must deal with all populations (rich, poor, regular ed, special needs, ESL, etc.) regardless of choice, it is just different. The majority of the people are for a split state wide. I hear it every night at a game somewhere, people talking about the split. What really threw me for a loop, I actually heard some private school coaches saying that they might welcome the idea.:scared: I was stunned to say the least. They just said that if the publics wanted to split so bad, they( the KHSAA) should just go ahead and do it. They were of the opinion that the split faction was not gonna stop till it was done. I agreed with them, they will not stop. To many are for the split.
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.