Lee County had not won any tournament since 1988 District Tournament, nor have they won eight straight games during that time. 3-0 in district for first time in forever. I have been watching for years, and only dreamed of beating Powell County and Owsley County both in same year much less in same week. Danny Wright has enthusiasm and willingness to work hard, he even coaches a little league team in Youth Sports. To say things are not looking up for Bobcats is ignoring the obvious.

Owsley won the district tournament in 1988. Lee won it in 1989.

I believe that Lee County is going to make a lot of noise and turn a lot of heads in the 14th. Wait and see.

What about a coach that sweats more than his players and is just as active? Hats off to a young Danny Wright for a great job at Lee Co also.

 

Dee Hutchins did a great job at Lee County in the late '90s...until coach Wright gets them into the regional tournament (which is not a given) and wins a couple of games, or wins the class "a" region, I don't think you can consider him that great of a coach or Lee County that good of a team.

 

Greatness is a relative term, but Coach Wright's Bobcats have in fact acheived 3 straight district wins, have defeated Owsley @ Owsley, have won 8 straight games AND won the Country Music Highway Classic at Johnson Central-- ALL THINGS THAT HAVEN'T HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES. Why shouldn't the Lee Co fans be optimistic?

 

I mean, could a 'great coach' or a 'good team' have done better?

:thumb:

You said in an earlier post that Lee County was in the cellar... that may have been the case, but not 6 years ago coach Hutchins had them competing in the 14th also. What's the difference? I agree, they are competing in December and January (they did that when Hutchins was there), but the real games don't count until late Ferbruary, early March. That's all I was saying. Lee County was 10-12 points better than Owsley last year. I figure that will be about the spread when Smith is back. They had better hope that Owsley doesn't end up the four seed and them the one. Could be deja vu.

 

Earle, you make some good points and some that are a little incorrect. I completly agree with you that all of these games that are going on in December-Febuary are just practice for March. But as far as them being 10-12 points better than Owsley last year....I think that Owsley was a better team than Lee last year...but regardless I agree that it doesn't really matter how you start is how you finish.

And that Owl team had one of the best players in the reigon in Tyson Gross too if you remember. Lee County is 3-0 in the district for the first time in YEARS and has one 8 strait in the first time in who knows win...tell my, why do you not like our coach...because you refuse to give him credit for a GREAT JOB this year...do me a favor, check out the Bobcats before and after Coach Wright got here.And tell me what what Dee Hutchins did that was so great.

 

LBF, didn't you tell InMyOpinion that the whole point of forums was for people to express their opinions and to get their feelings off their sleeves?? I am completly with you that Lee is much better this year and Coach Wright has done a good job but EARLE makes a few good points.....you have to win in March to gain a lot of respect.

Have they been to the regional tournament since Wright has been coaching there? Since there are only four teams in the 56th, then I assume they have lost in the first round of the district with talent every year too. What's the difference?

 

 

Wright's impact goes beyond our record. I don't know what your affiliation with Dee Hutchins is, but as someone who has been attending and involved in Lee Co. High School sports for years, Yes even back when good ole Dee was here, there are a lot of changes. Lee County hung tough with a great Letcher Central Team, and performed well against Johnson Central. To say that because Coach Wright has not won a championship means he is not a good coach would be like saying ... well Pitino only went 14-14 his first year here therefore he sucks as a coach, and how many years did it take Pitino to win the NCAA?

 

There has been a real atmospheric and attitude change in Lee Co's fans and players. The year before Coach Wright came to Lee County, Lee County won only one game. Now fans expect to win, and players feel as though they are entitled to win. I'm not sure what your problem is with Coach Wright; but I suspect nothing he could do would satisfy you. Will Lee County win a regional tournament? I don't know, but I do know that for the first time in years, Lee Co. fans EXPECT to be a contender.

 

BTW, Dee never won a regional tournament either, so I guess he must be a terrible coach as well.

LBF, didn't you tell InMyOpinion that the whole point of forums was for people to express their opinions and to get their feelings off their sleeves?? I am completly with you that Lee is much better this year and Coach Wright has done a good job but EARLE makes a few good points.....you have to win in March to gain a lot of respect.

 

 

As forums are to voice opinions, I've never once told Earle not to voice his. However, I have just as much right to voice and defend my opinion. And I just happen to believe that it is not all in how you finish. Consistency is key, but saying a good start means nothing, well, if that is true, why do UK fans care if UK loses to Nike Elite, etc. To finally see some positive come around to the Lee Co. basketball program is exciting. A whole lot more than just Lee County's record has changed.

Wright is positive,hard working and dedicated. The fruits of those qualities don't happen instantly but I believe they will blossom and Lee Co. can become a contender year in and year out. Much like Coach Combs has done with the baseball program. From a fan of high schools sports in general I say it is great to see what one individual in a program can do. Good luck Bobcats. I'll have to buy some Bobcat blue if you make it to Rupp.

Lee County fans go to games expecting to win for the first time in years. The attitude of the fans and players has changed. That makes a difference.

Wright's impact goes beyond our record. I don't know what your affiliation with Dee Hutchins is, but as someone who has been attending and involved in Lee Co. High School sports for years, Yes even back when good ole Dee was here, there are a lot of changes. Lee County hung tough with a great Letcher Central Team, and performed well against Johnson Central. To say that because Coach Wright has not won a championship means he is not a good coach would be like saying ... well Pitino only went 14-14 his first year here therefore he sucks as a coach, and how many years did it take Pitino to win the NCAA?

 

There has been a real atmospheric and attitude change in Lee Co's fans and players. The year before Coach Wright came to Lee County, Lee County won only one game. Now fans expect to win, and players feel as though they are entitled to win. I'm not sure what your problem is with Coach Wright; but I suspect nothing he could do would satisfy you. Will Lee County win a regional tournament? I don't know, but I do know that for the first time in years, Lee Co. fans EXPECT to be a contender.

 

BTW, Dee never won a regional tournament either, so I guess he must be a terrible coach as well.

 

Pitino had taken Providence to the NCAA Final Four (1987), before he got to UK.

 

It would be nice to see a 56th district team, maybe two, reach at least the regional semi-finals this year. I think Lee County and Estill County have the talent to get there. And with a good draw or an upset one of them could reach the finals. They (Lee County) have just not won the BIG game in the past is all I am saying. They will have their opportunity in the all "a" and the district. Besides district games, the regular season means nothing. If you don't seed, then even those games mean very little.

I don't know who is doing it or do I care, but nobody can say Lee is not playing good ball. I don't know if coach Wright is doing it, but since they are doing so well I would say he has a big hand in it. There are always people who like this coach better than that one and so forth, what really matters is the program doing better and Lee's is so my hat goes off to coach Wright

Wright's impact goes beyond our record. I don't know what your affiliation with Dee Hutchins is, but as someone who has been attending and involved in Lee Co. High School sports for years, Yes even back when good ole Dee was here, there are a lot of changes. Lee County hung tough with a great Letcher Central Team, and performed well against Johnson Central. To say that because Coach Wright has not won a championship means he is not a good coach would be like saying ... well Pitino only went 14-14 his first year here therefore he sucks as a coach, and how many years did it take Pitino to win the NCAA?

 

There has been a real atmospheric and attitude change in Lee Co's fans and players. The year before Coach Wright came to Lee County, Lee County won only one game. Now fans expect to win, and players feel as though they are entitled to win. I'm not sure what your problem is with Coach Wright; but I suspect nothing he could do would satisfy you. Will Lee County win a regional tournament? I don't know, but I do know that for the first time in years, Lee Co. fans EXPECT to be a contender.

 

BTW, Dee never won a regional tournament either, so I guess he must be a terrible coach as well.

 

Didn't say that they had to win a regional championship...just get to the regional tournament and be competitive. There is a huge difference in being competitive and losing in the first game of the district tournament by 17 points (the team they lost to had beaten them by a grand total of 3 points in two games in the regular season, and lost their head coach along the way). Lee County lost 5 of their last 6 games in '05.

Oh, I will agree that Lee Coutny fell apart last year. Different team now though. Lee got off to a bad start last year and never recovered. This team is getting better and better. These 4 wins over district opponents is a confidence builder and a confident team is a very very dangerous team and I think teams will find that out this year playing the Bobcats.

And I just happen to believe that it is not all in how you finish. Consistency is key, but saying a good start means nothing, well, if that is true, why do UK fans care if UK loses to Nike Elite, etc. To finally see some positive come around to the Lee Co. basketball program is exciting. A whole lot more than just Lee County's record has changed.

 

I think that at this point people care if they start well or not and it does have a large effect on the teams attitude. They are playing great and believe in themselves finally. I think that most if not all contributes to Coach Wright, especially the attitude change.

 

But, let me ask you something if they finish in the Final Four and/or Win The National Championship will the UK fans honestly care if they beat Nike Elite or not???