You guys are reading too much into it, and misplacing your anger. Elliott County is just the most recent example of how much we as a society overvalue sports with relation to academics. He's simply pointing out that if everyone put as much attention on kids' schooling as they do on something as trivial as HS sports, maybe we as a state wouldn't lag so far behind the rest of the nation.

 

But by all means, keep missing the point.

 

I don't remember him mentioning society in the article. All I remember is him talking about Elliott Co. Not society. The problem is he painted a picture showing 1 side of the story without explaining the whole story. I believe if a reporter or analyst isn't accurate then his opinion's or views are useless. There was a sense of elitism (if thats a word) in his article. Whos to say Elliott Co. is not working very hard on academics.

Then he could have said it that way in an article that probably would have received far less readers, instead of hanging it on the accomplishments of some truly outstanding young men in a misplaced attempt to gain increased awareness.

 

OR... he could have done just a tiny bit of homework... like maybe one phone call to the school... to learn that these young men don't fit the negative stereotype.

 

AND THEN, he could have written an entirely appropriate POSITIVE article about how these young men are indeed role models for their younger schoolmates who would benefit by following their examples.

 

BUT, that would require a level of common sense and lack of an agenda that is entirely uncommon these days.

 

So by all means, keep defending the indefensible media elitism that is literally running newspapers out of business. :thumb:

 

How do you write an opinion column without an agenda?

We know Wireman... We know.

 

Is there something wrong with supporting my own team?:confused:

I don't remember him mentioning society in the article. All I remember is him talking about Elliott Co. Not society. The problem is he painted a picture showing 1 side of the story without explaining the whole story. I believe if a reporter or analyst isn't accurate then his opinion's or views are useless. There was a sense of elitism (if thats a word) in his article. Whos to say Elliott Co. is not working very hard on academics.

 

Well, if you'd have gotten off the "they're making fun of Eastern Kentucky" wagon and read the piece critically, you might have understood that was the angle he was shooting for. Also, if you read Hawpe regularly, the importance of sports v. academics is a common column topic for him. This piece fit in nicely within the theme.

 

For the record, Hawpe is from Pike County.

Not it my book...

Well, if you'd have gotten off the "they're making fun of Eastern Kentucky" wagon and read the piece critically, you might have understood that was the angle he was shooting for. Also, if you read Hawpe regularly, the importance of sports v. academics is a common column topic for him. This piece fit in nicely within the theme.

 

For the record, Hawpe is from Pike County.

 

That's interesting.

How do you write an opinion column without an agenda?

I have no problem with anyone having an agenda… unless that agenda is so blindly motivated that it ignores the truth in its zealous drive to establish a slanted (disingenuous) viewpoint and steamrollers good people along the way.

 

My agenda is to poke holes in the puffed up intellectual snobbery of prigs like Mr. Hawpe… not at all costs, but certainly when it is called for… and it is called for here.

 

If Mr. Hawpe’s mission is genuinely to raise awareness for the importance of academics, he missed a golden opportunity here. The idea of academics versus athletics is the root of the problem. It doesn’t have to be an “Us vs. Them” argument.

 

What is wrong with the concept of Academics AND Athletics as displayed by the fine young men in Elliott County?

 

To miss an opportunity of taking the overwhelming enthusiasm surrounding a small group of overachieving high school athletes and using that to teach motivational lessons to the hundreds of children in the grades below them as examples of how they too might achieve success in their endeavors is truly sad.

 

You know, success still requires a lot of hard work. How can you make hard work appear more appealing to young children than to show them the fruit it has produced in the lives of their heroes.

 

I'm tired of all the poo-pooers and snide sniveling superiority smitten know-it-alls whose only gift seems to be the pointing out of the problems, with no meaningful solutions of their own to offer.

Well, if you'd have gotten off the "they're making fun of Eastern Kentucky" wagon and read the piece critically, you might have understood that was the angle he was shooting for. Also, if you read Hawpe regularly, the importance of sports v. academics is a common column topic for him. This piece fit in nicely within the theme.

 

For the record, Hawpe is from Pike County.

 

Not making fun, just putting down Eastern KY. But its hard to argue with you being media apologist #1. You will always take the side of the media.

I have no problem with anyone having an agenda… unless that agenda is so blindly motivated that it ignores the truth in its zealous drive to establish a slanted (disingenuous) viewpoint and steamrollers good people along the way.

 

My agenda is to poke holes in the puffed up intellectual snobbery of prigs like Mr. Hawpe… not at all costs, but certainly when it is called for… and it is called for here.

 

If Mr. Hawpe’s mission is genuinely to raise awareness for the importance of academics, he missed a golden opportunity here. The idea of academics versus athletics is the root of the problem. It doesn’t have to be an “Us vs. Them” argument.

 

What is wrong with the concept of Academics AND Athletics as displayed by the fine young men in Elliott County?

 

To miss an opportunity of taking the overwhelming enthusiasm surrounding a small group of overachieving high school athletes and using that to teach motivational lessons to the hundreds of children in the grades below them as examples of how they too might achieve success in their endeavors is truly sad.

 

You know, success still requires a lot of hard work. How can you make hard work appear more appealing to young children than to show them the fruit it has produced in the lives of their heroes.

 

I'm tired of all the poo-pooers and snide sniveling superiority smitten know-it-alls whose only gift seems to be the pointing out of the problems, with no meaningful solutions of their own to offer.

 

Absolutely nothing. Because of these "trivial" sports, Ethan and Evan Faulkner will continue their education on a sports scholarship. Jarrod Flannery, who is a senior on the basketball and golf teams, will continue his education with a sports scholarship. Jonathan Ferguson will probably continue his education on a sports scholarship, if he so chooses. Shae Ferguson and Lakin Griffith, who are seniors on the EC girls basketball team will also probably continue their education with a sports scholarship, if they so choose. Timmy Knipp, who is a sophomore on the EC boys basketball team, will also probably continue his education with a sports scholarship, if he so chooses. Kelsey Ferguson, a junior on the EC girls basketball team, will also probably continue her education with a sports scholarship, if she so chooses. So if anyone thinks that sports is just a "trivial" pursuit (lol), they probably need to rethink and ponder these things for a moment. BTW Fastbreak, the two posts you have made on this subject are awesome.