retropop

Does this coach have a name that can be divulged???

If my memory is correct, this will be the fourth coach in the last five years for the Lady Dragons. How sad for a program that was a model of consistency for a number of years. It would be great if they can land someone who can stabilize things for a period of time.

What is the outlook for the 8th region in 2015-16? Not much has been said so far, and it's about time for the prognosticators to do their bidding. Big things are expected for Simon Kenton, but after that it appears to be anyone's guess. New coaches at Collins, Oldham Co., South Oldham (as of yet undetermined), and maybe more might make this a developing story.

, Without a doubt. Five, you're saying there are five? Really, there are five? Dang, if there are five, then this team is THE top team in the 7th and a top 10 team in the state. Now that is great, and I hope they are, but this is a bold stretch.

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]If this really is "THE" key question, then this line of thought is the challenge that I referred to earlier. All things such as this will be answered on the court, practice and games. That said, I am confident that there are not five players on Eastern's roster that possess the body of work, and certainly not the skills, that Mishler has. This is why it could prove to be a challenge to coach this group. A number of teams have deep, athletic and talented groups of kids and are challenging to coach. Accumulating talent does not always equal winning, just like in AAU, but it certainly doesn't hurt. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist the AAU jab ...)[/font]

There definitely is some interesting stuff here. What about the 8th grade post player that helped Eastern in the district off the bench last year - Beach? Is she not in the mix??? There certainly has been an accumulation of talent at Eastern over the summer with the addition of Mishler and others, but it may be quite a challenge to keep everybody happy next year. Hope it works out.

Nope, nothing yet. Is it really a priority?

It seems tacky to respond to one's own comment, but to elaborate further ... The "privates" are the ones who first jump out to me as circumventors of the rules that have a great advantage in "accumulating talent." But, realistically, these schools are "in business" to provide a spiritual school experience and alternative to the public schools. Hence, they have to fill their seats and find students (notice I did NOT say athletes.) However, for the public schools to cry "foul" when they themselves do the same thing is highly hypocritical. As a result, the KHSAA has an impossible job, and it may be time, and it very much sickens me to even say this, to go the open enrollment route. The cheating and circumvention is rampant, seemingly more than ever before - and involving a number of sports. How tragic, but real. 'Nough said.

Apparently, there has been an epiphany! "The scales were removed from their eyes!"

There are more nets being cut down than the one you mentioned, districts and regions are mostly the ones I had in mind, and for more years than just the past season. Not to get personal, Pass, but you needn't look very far to find evidence of similar things at the school that you follow closely.

We are now into the "era of the KHS-AAU." With the current mindset of kids and their parents wanting to do whatever they want, whenever they want, the KHSAA(U) has the impossible and thankless job of trying to police every attempt to circumvent the basic statutes of residency and participation at a single school. The whole thing is corrupt, which mostly is a character issue of our current sports culture. Not to mix metaphors and sports, but it may be time for the KHSAA to quick-kick and quit trying. IT MAY BE TIME TO RELENT AND ALLOW OPEN ENROLLMENT AND MAKE IT JUST LIKE AAU. PEOPLE ARE IGNORING THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WHEN THEY DO NOT ADMIT THAT THE CURRENT CLIMATE IS STAKED ON THE ACCUMULATION OF TALENT, WHICH IS JUST LIKE AAU. THE TEAMS WHO ARE COLLECTING THE MOST TALENT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE CUTTING DOWN THE NETS.

Mishler is now at Eastern, not Ballard. Verrrry suspicious.

For old-timers, is seems like Mercer's recent accumulation of talent has finally fun a full 180 degrees from the back-in-the-day loss of VonDale Morton LexCath in the 90s. Could this be their karma moment??? No matter, it now seems that the primary way to win seems rely solely on the accumulation of talent, AAU style. Not good for Kentucky high school b-ball overall, but in this instance, a positive break for the Titans (ex. Scotties). Could we be witnessing the birth of a new entity - the "KHS-AAU" (ha, ha)? Heaven forbid!

Congrats, Scotties ... er ... Titans!

It's a tough challenge to get the Kentucky girls back on track, to be sure, and won't be an easy fix. Might a recurring "Coach Emeritus" be a good way to go, or are there any other suggestions? There are quite a few accomplished ladies/men coaches who have recently left the sidelines capable of filling the void. Hmmm, for starters, to name just a few: Sally Zimmerman, Nell Fookes, Tony Kays, Mark Evans, Stacy Pendleton ... and I'm certain that additional names can be added.

The decision to not have tryouts came as a surprise to many followers of the Kentucky All-Star team and those familiar with the process followed in recent years. Possibly I was inattentive to an earlier announcement, but I am still wondering when was the decision made, who made it, why was it done this way, and why was it not communicated prior the team being announced?

How about this hypothetical scenario: a public school coach provides "individual instruction" sessions for a fee, and then gets those kids to join the coach's high school program as a player? What an amazing application of capitalism?

The problem with this is that just "any" inner-city kid who has need doesn't get the opportunity to attend, but only the one who might able to help 'em get a few more wins will get the opportunity. Now everyone understands that this is standard operating procedures for a Division I program ... but this is high school sports, and the spirit and principle of what should be going on is the issue.

But AAU, now that is big deal nowadays. What a pity, and it's not going to change for the better, either.

Brutal. Really brutal.

"No different ... " - not bloody likely. C'mon, now let's get real. In the old west, cattle rustlers were either shot or hanged. The problem that I see is this: public school folks get bent out of shape when they lose kids to the catholic schools, and I fully understand their ire. And I could now mention a couple of specific recent instances but would incur the wrath of moderators, so I won't go there. But ... a number of public schools need to clean up their own house before they can throw stones. It's an ugly hot mess, especially in Jefferson county.

Who are the Valkyries' new additions coming for this summer's play?

He will do well at HC. Congrats to CJ.

Go Bruins!!!

It's not been uncommon for NKY girls to skip the all-star tryouts the past few years, if my memory is correct. I have never understood the disconnect, but it will be interesting to see if it plays a part in attendance at NKU the next two years for the Sweet 16.