Scratch43

Empirical data(using personal parameters). GIVEN: A close game is one within two scores; a competitive game is one within 3 scores; a blowout is more than 3 scores Round 1: 59 blowouts(61%); 12 competitive(13%); 25 close games(26%)=39% of games were competitive. Round 2: 26 blowouts(54%); 6 competitive(12%); 16 close games(33%)=45% of games were competitive. Round 3: 11 blowouts(46%); 3 competitive(13%); 10 close games(42%)=55% of games were competitive. Round 4: TO BE DETERMINED Round 5: TO BE DETERMINED State Championships with only 4 Classes from 1998-2006(9 years) 13 blowouts(36%); 8 competitive(22%); 15 close games(42%)=64% of championship games were competitive. data compiled from KHSAA website.

Owen County; 61 wins and 146 losses since 1990 before this year. 1991 was their last winning season at 6-5. That's a winning percentage of 29% over the last 21 seasons and a 5% 'winning season' percentage in that same time period. Don't hold me to this statistic but I think at least 6 other coaches not counting Coach Fowler. Owen County is a tough place to win let alone...UNDEFEATED. This should be a "no brainer". Congratulations Owen County and Coach Fowler; hands down the MOST deserving candidate for Coach of the Year.

Easy to rip a team's schedule with hindsight. Take it from a pre-season perspective and the Rebels scheduled at or above their class size in 4 of their 6 non-district games with Lloyd(2A), Grant(5A), Western Hills(3A), Bourbon(3A & likely to win seven games this year). Bellevue and Ludlow are the two remaining. Bellevue is consistently solid and coached by the last Owen County coach with a winning record in Croley and that district has typically beaten Owen in the past 20 years when they've faced off. Give the Rebs their due. They're winning games that they used to lose. THEY'RE WINNING!!! Going into the season their district was a toss up with Carroll, WV, OC and Gallatin. In the three OC has played they've outscored their opponents 110-19 with Gallatin this Friday. Put no asterisk on this undefeated record. They've earned it.

Rebel faithful; correct me if I'm wrong(and I'm sure you will! LOL). Coach Patterson(current BOE Chair's father) started the program in early to mid-60s. Roy Cochran had the team for quite a while with their best teams in the early 80s with his sons playing. Runner-up in the state or Regional runner-up in that time period being beaten by eventual state champ Russellville. Only one winning season since 1990 (1994 I believe, 6-4 under current Bellevue coach, Croley). So not 'relatively new' to football, just to winning football!

Conner, Cooper, Scott, Grant and South Oldham: Yes, Beechwood and S.O. for the District championship and Beechwood wins this district, typically; every year.

Oops. Apologies to the "counties" of Dayton and Ludlow. I hope that you'll share the sentiments of potential greatness. Dayton, 2007, is another example of the tumblers falling in line.

If you don't have an abundance of great, or even good athletes; it doesn't matter what offense you run, or defense for that matter. The wing T and the Triple Option are both offenses, along with the Spread if run correctly, that are supposed to offset a lack of athleticism...AND all three offenses are better if you have athletes running them. If your team does not possess GREAT/good athletes in abundance, you'd better be precise in your techniques and you'd better be together as A TEAM and a fantastic coach helps provide these opportunities. (Mavericks vs. Heat if you need an example.) All that being said, even the best coached teams with no or few athletes, will not typically win championships but can be competitive year in and year out and week in and week out. Effort does not require athleticism. TEAM does not require athleticism. County teams like Bracken, Pendleton, Dayton, Ludlow, Grant, Owen, Gallatin, Carroll, Henry, Dixie(to some degree), Ryle(like Dixie), Trimble, Scott etc., that have to play in regions, if not districts, of superior talent, can be and have been competitive. Those schools, too, if they can keep the belief; work their program from youth leagues through Middle School and High School, will every once in a while find that all the tumblers click together to give them that chance at a magical season where they can beat a Beechwood, a Danville, a Mayfield, a Bowling Green, a Bell County, a Belfry, a (ok, maybe still not highlands lol), and YES, even a Highlands to attain that magical season that we all have dreamed, some of us have neared and a few of us have achieved(Simon-Kenton comes to mind). I don't know Coach Siple. I know some that know him. Bracken, from what I understand, has gotten a steal. It is my understanding that Coach Siple provides the 'opportunity' for Bracken to, not only get better, but to achieve GREAT things should those tumblers all click together at once. Good luck Bracken County and Coach Siple.

Job no longer posted on KHSAA website. Did they name a new coach? Could it be an "Ecks" coach?

Welcome to the world of 'Head Football Coach', Coach Spencer. All those years of being liked, respected, knowledgeable, etc....ARE GONE!!!

Valley and Fern Creek jobs not posted on JCPS web-site any more. Anyone have any scoop?

oops, already found one error, Trimble beaten by Frankfort last night and season is done.

Here's my interpretation of tie breaker: page 77 of handbook. 3 way tie with all three beating each other: Bracken over Gallatin; Trimble over Bracken; Gallatin over Trimble;=goes to points of non-common opponents. Trimble has no other win and plays Frankfort next week...unlikely upset so based on that, counting Trimble out of playoffs. Gallatin beat Atherton but Atherton has no wins so 1 point only...BUT...Atherton plays Iroquois next week and COULD be a win. Gallatin plays Henry next week; unlikely upset. possible Gallatin=2points Bracken beat Manchester, OH and they have one win(fayetteville perry) so 2 points to Bracken. As of today; Bracken third and Gallatin fourth. However: if Manchester loses to Batavia next week leaving Bracken at 2 points AND Atherton beats Iroquois giving Gallatin two points=decision goes to KHSAA for third and fourth place. (don't hold me to that, my interpretation only) NOTE: Batavia has only one win so Manchester COULD give Bracken a 3rd point givng them third place outright and Gallatin fourth. INTERESTING NOTE: If I'm correct(again, don't count on that) and Gallatin finds a way to be third...rematch with W-V in first round of playoffs. 1 POINT OVERTIME WIN FOR W-V in game 1. Now, experts; is any of this correct???

Sorry, can't help on address but I believe the varsity field is at Sharp Middle School.

Lickert answered Guru's "up and coming" question when he was at Dayton. He's 'established' himself at Holmes. The real question is does he stay at Holmes to win state championships there or jump to KY's higher level of competition with a CovCath, a Dixie, a Boone(after last night) or maybe wait for Mueller to die (I don't ever see Dale retiring. He has too much fun.)?

I paid $20.00 to respond to this. DALE MUELLER does not deserve this question. I am a high school football coach. I have been a coach for 24 seasons. COACH Mueller has more fun coaching than any other coach I've ever seen in my life. His enthusiasm is so infectious that his kids outwork the rest of ours. There is no one in football that I admire more than him. He allowed me to spend two days with him and his team this Spring. I stopped coaching (and OMG I'm hoping just for) this year because I wasn't able to coach with the enthusiasm that this man has for the game and, more importantly, for his kids. Tradition; yep. Talent; we've ALL got talent. Dale Mueller; one of a kind. Be thankful.