That would be awesome, Boom. :thumb:

 

I'll post more about this game tonight when I have more time. I've been kind of looking forward to this discussion for a while.

 

Yes, one rule change was to outlaw tear-away jerseys. Belfry's coaches noticed HHS had a tendency to grab runners by the jersey and tackle them. At least in the film they saw and in HHS' game the week before. So they used tear-aways in that game, which were legal at the time. Apparently, the KHSAA got a few complaints about that.

 

Anyone know what the other rule change was?

 

 

The second rule change was identify which team had to enter the stadium prior to game time. After Belfry warmed up, we went in and took off the cleats and shoulders pads and relaxed for about 45 minutes...Coach Roddy finally agreed to leave the locker room at the same time as HHS.

Smart coaching. Did they have tear away jersey's already or did they get them delivered that fast?

 

First time we had worn them....and I do believe a razor blade may have touched those jerseys as well.

If I remember correctly, the HHS game the week before got postponed on Friday night because of a bad lightning storm and had to be played on Saturday. I think it was against Lloyd.

 

And that gave the Belfry coaches the opportunity to come and watch them play in person on Saturday.

 

Is that right? Or do I have another year confused with 1979?

 

That is correct. Or at least this is what I recall...our entire coaching staff found out after our regional game that Highlands would be playing on Saturday. They all went up and watched the game....the came back with a great plan. They made the whole cannon scenario seem like a big joke. WE could not wait to hear.....the players all agreed the cannon would be ours for the night....so it meant nothing but good things to us...we figured if we delayed going onto the field, then we decided when it was set off, therefore, we owned it for the night.

 

Quite a night for a group of mountain boys. BHS had lots of respect for HHS, but that was all. Coulda, woulda, shoulda is all HHS could walk with on this night. There is no way BHS should have won that night....we were small, quick and strong....but we also played SMART. For 1979, our coaching staff was well ahead of their time.

If memory serves...I think the rule change might have something to do with reporting to the field. I think that there was a lengthy delay in the start of that game due to each team waiting for the other to take the field first. Just a guess.

 

That is right.

 

Here is how it was explained to me.

 

Belfry's coaches, Dick Roddy and Ron May, had witnessed HHS home games before, including the week before vs Lincoln County or Lloyd because of the delay. HHS had a habit of making the visiting team take the field first. Then while the visitors were preparing for kick off, the Birds would enter the field, the cannons would boom, the crowd would go wild, etc. It was intimidating.

 

So after warming up and going back in the locker room, Coach Roddy told his team they weren't going to go out until the Birds were on the field.

 

The refs came in twice to tell the Pirates to take the field. Coach Roddy would ask if HHS was on the field yet, and the answer was no. So he said "We'll wait until they are on the field".

 

On the third time the refs came in, the answer was still no, and Coach Roddy told them to get out of his dang locker room them and not to come back until Highlands was on the field. Then he slammed the door shut.

 

The Pirate players went wild. And they waited until the Birds were on the field before they came out.

 

Coach Roddy was a character.

 

After that game, the KHSAA passed a rule that the home team must come out first at the beginning of each half, in case of a standoff like this.

That is right.

 

Here is how it was explained to me.

 

Belfry's coaches, Dick Roddy and Ron May, had witnessed HHS home games before, including the week before vs Lincoln County or Lloyd because of the delay. HHS had a habit of making the visiting team take the field first. Then while the visitors were preparing for kick off, the Birds would enter the field, the cannons would boom, the crowd would go wild, etc. It was intimidating.

 

So after warming up and going back in the locker room, Coach Roddy told his team they weren't going to go out until the Birds were on the field.

 

The refs came in twice to tell the Pirates to take the field. Coach Roddy would ask if HHS was on the field yet, and the answer was no. So he said "We'll wait until they are on the field".

 

On the third time the refs came in, the answer was still no, and Coach Roddy told them to get out of his dang locker room them and not to come back until Highlands was on the field. Then he slammed the door shut.

 

The Pirate players went wild. And they waited until the Birds were on the field before they came out.

 

Coach Roddy was a character.

 

After that game, the KHSAA passed a rule that the home team must come out first at the beginning of each half, in case of a standoff like this.

 

 

That is a great story!

 

Can any Highlands posters from the other side of the field give an account of what Highlands' coaches were saying in response?

This thread could lead to a cool idea in the dead time during the summer. the mods handpick one "classic" game and let the story be told. I am as big of a Belfry supporter as anyone but I even I didn't know the significance of this game!

That is right.

 

Here is how it was explained to me.

 

Belfry's coaches, Dick Roddy and Ron May, had witnessed HHS home games before, including the week before vs Lincoln County or Lloyd because of the delay. HHS had a habit of making the visiting team take the field first. Then while the visitors were preparing for kick off, the Birds would enter the field, the cannons would boom, the crowd would go wild, etc. It was intimidating.

 

So after warming up and going back in the locker room, Coach Roddy told his team they weren't going to go out until the Birds were on the field.

 

The refs came in twice to tell the Pirates to take the field. Coach Roddy would ask if HHS was on the field yet, and the answer was no. So he said "We'll wait until they are on the field".

 

On the third time the refs came in, the answer was still no, and Coach Roddy told them to get out of his dang locker room them and not to come back until Highlands was on the field. Then he slammed the door shut.

 

The Pirate players went wild. And they waited until the Birds were on the field before they came out.

 

Coach Roddy was a character.

 

After that game, the KHSAA passed a rule that the home team must come out first at the beginning of each half, in case of a standoff like this.

 

I'd like to hear a Highlands poster respond to this. What a move by Roddy.

That is right.

 

Here is how it was explained to me.

 

Belfry's coaches, Dick Roddy and Ron May, had witnessed HHS home games before, including the week before vs Lincoln County or Lloyd because of the delay. HHS had a habit of making the visiting team take the field first. Then while the visitors were preparing for kick off, the Birds would enter the field, the cannons would boom, the crowd would go wild, etc. It was intimidating.

 

 

I checked the record and Highlands played Lincoln Cty the week prior and won 34-0.

 

According to the the Cincinnati Enquirer that game was played on a Friday night.

 

Highlands played Conner the week before and Campbell Cty before that. Lloyd was the 6th game of the year. It was the last loss when Highlands started 2-4 before reeling of 7 wins until the Belfry loss.

What was the actual date of this game?

Quite a night for a group of mountain boys. BHS had lots of respect for HHS, but that was all. Coulda, woulda, shoulda is all HHS could walk with on this night. There is no way BHS should have won that night....we were small, quick and strong....but we also played SMART. For 1979, our coaching staff was well ahead of their time.

Quite a night of learning how to cheat to get what you want when you know you can't get it legitimately. I bet the boys learned a lot that night.

That is right.

 

Here is how it was explained to me.

 

Belfry's coaches, Dick Roddy and Ron May, had witnessed HHS home games before, including the week before vs Lincoln County or Lloyd because of the delay. HHS had a habit of making the visiting team take the field first. Then while the visitors were preparing for kick off, the Birds would enter the field, the cannons would boom, the crowd would go wild, etc. It was intimidating.

 

So after warming up and going back in the locker room, Coach Roddy told his team they weren't going to go out until the Birds were on the field.

 

The refs came in twice to tell the Pirates to take the field. Coach Roddy would ask if HHS was on the field yet, and the answer was no. So he said "We'll wait until they are on the field".

 

On the third time the refs came in, the answer was still no, and Coach Roddy told them to get out of his dang locker room them and not to come back until Highlands was on the field. Then he slammed the door shut.

 

The Pirate players went wild. And they waited until the Birds were on the field before they came out.

 

Coach Roddy was a character.

 

After that game, the KHSAA passed a rule that the home team must come out first at the beginning of each half, in case of a standoff like this.

 

 

This is very accurate. The HHS coach came over the last time with the refs as well. He was begging Roddy to go ahead and come out....it was like Roddy was screwing up their whole plan....and he was...a remarkable plan that played out just like he had drawn it up. We were all sitting around the locker room without shoulder pads and cleats...when the HHS coach walked in the gym with the refs you could have knocked him over with a feather...we were chilled out about as much as you could be. Roddy never allowed us to talk much...we rode the entire trip to HHS, (which was about 5 -6 hours on the bus, at that time it took about 35-45 minutes just to get to Pikeville from BHS) without speaking...a very intense trip to say the least.

I'd like to hear a Highlands poster respond to this. What a move by Roddy.

What a low-class move is all I can say. The refs should have been issuing penalties on them. But it really meant nothing. All it did was fire up the Bluebird players even more. So in that sense, it was horrible strategy.

What was the actual date of this game?

 

 

It was either Friday November 9th or Saturday November the 10th, 1979. It wouldn't surprise me if it was Saturday. The picture I looked at has a small, slow, un-talented freshman carrying the ball, but it lists the name of a prolific downfield blocking sophomore receiver. so you never know.

What a low-class move is all I can say. The refs should have been issuing penalties on them. But it really meant nothing. All it did was fire up the Bluebird players even more. So in that sense, it was horrible strategy.

 

 

Please be objective on this one...this was 1979...and HHS was the best program in the state. Roddy had to do what he had to do to win. He pulled no punches and never did anything that was without class. In fact, he won Coach of the year in 1979.

 

Its been 28 years, this is truly a classic game and coaching move. Now, it goes against HHS, but how many things in the past 30 years haven't gone HHS's way. HHS is one of the most tradition rich programs in the state and if things have gone their way its clearly been because of hard work.

 

I can't see where Roddy did anything wrong...there was no rule regarding who entered the field first, there was no rule against tear away jerseys.

 

To be honest...he had the refs and HHS coach begging him to go onto the field first. It was really a circus in our locker room. The head ref and the HHS coach were completed baffled as to why BHS would not come out first.. Roddy clearly stated his position from the start. The whole scenario played into his plan....

Quite a night of learning how to cheat to get what you want when you know you can't get it legitimately. I bet the boys learned a lot that night.

 

We did learn a lot that night. We learned to be resourceful, use every advantage within the rules to achieve your goals. We learned to take other peoples perceived strengths and turn them into ours. We learned to work hard and to never allow a newspaper article or a loud cannon to keep you on the bus.

 

KEEP IN MIND, we lost the finals 33-0 to Franklin Simpson...our only loss of the season.

 

But you know, we had already won our state championship the week before.