ChiefSmoke

Coach Young is in the building today and will be here permanently, soon. We are really glad to have him as a Titan!

Mercer Co Football (@mercer_football) on Twitter

First, our crowds would need to be large enough to justify it. At that point, I would have no idea on funding. I hope that becomes an issue. Right now, it is not.

The old Harrodsburg HS football field is a better venue all around. A new track and lights were installed. We now have new bleachers also. No matter how much $ we put into the old field, it would not be as nice. Also, we are glad to finally have a full length/full size practice field.... our old gamefield. Our MS & Frosh practice on our old practice field. Less to take care of and alot easier on everyone. I also like that we do not have to use the sports complex on game night. That helps alot with wear & tear and cleaning. I also like that we play at Alvis Johnson Field and where the old Hogs played. It is a great tradition and Coach Johnson is the Patriarch of football in our community. I don't know how much that factored if at all in the decision, but I like that part of it alot. I enjoy being at our old field everyday for practice. It was 46 years ago tomorrow that Robert Allen Yankey played his last game for the Rebels on that field when my Dad coached at Boyle. The first time I was on that field was 1972 with my Dad. It is also where I played in HS for Coach French. It is a great place with a bunch of memories. I am really glad that both places are such a big part of Titan Football. That is how it should be.

The Batey twins. Great girls and football/soccer players. They went on scholarship to Asbury to play soccer. They were very good. I couldn't tell them apart. I called one of them Kickoff and the other Extra Point.

I support Jim McKee and Scott County football. I remember Scott County football before Jim. I've worked like a dog as part of several strong staffs with good players, and never got to the state championship game in 30 years of coaching. Winning a 6A title is a huge accomplishment. I know how tough it is to stay in the same place for an extended period. From my perspective, Jim McKee is an outstanding football coach. He is probably too blunt and straight forward for a lot of people. That is one reason he and I are good friends. He tells you want he thinks. You don't have to read his mind or guess. And, nothing on here will offend Jim. Lol.

Kurt Young is the new basketball at Mercer County Senior HS. Great to have you Coach Young as a Titan and congratulations to AD Donald Smith on a great hire!

Sounds to me like a minor infraction. It also sounds like the Boyle County school and community are committed to having the best football program for their kids. If anything, this situation makes Steve Tamme a hero for the Rebel faithful. Steve took one for the team to bring back a coaching legend/great coach. I understand, but I don't like the statute. A quality football program has a lot of moving parts and requires substantial resources/extensive cooperation. If the Board Chairman is all in and supportive of the program, that is a good thing to me. Correct me if I am wrong.... most people realize the importance and the benefits of a successful football & athletic program. But, few school administrators will come out and say it because they will be criticized. I could be wrong.... but I bet supporters of successful programs read this and say..."that is how it works if you want a program."

Also, congrats to Coach Poynter and his Wikdcats on the win!

I agree. My daughter is a senior cheerleader. When she graduates, my wife will sit away from the crowd like she did previously. Congrats to Bracken and Coach Sizemore on the program they are building for the Polar Bears!

It was a him. Lol

I can tell you for sure..... I do NOT cross Mrs. ChiefSmoke. Lol

We played our best game at Mercer in my two seasons here this past Friday. The MAJORITY of our fans and parents are VERY supportive. Still.... my wife got into it with a fan after the game. Hearing rumblings our offense is too predictable, we are not playing the right kids, etc....... For whatever reason, some people are very comfortable criticizing a high school football coach. We know it goes with the job. But, still not crazy about it.

The Titan QB Club will have a Tailgate meal available from 6-7 pm Friday night at the stadium. BBQ Sandwich, chips and drink for $6.Warrior fans are wanted and welcome. I am sure you will get some great stories on Coach French from long ago. :thumb: Enjoy a great meal prepared by Grant Miller and support the Titans! - Coach Buchanan

Chad Asbury out of Germantown does our turf , Ashland's and Mason's. Outstanding work and very reasonable. Have someone contact me for his phone number.

The Hogs had a great place to play, but I agree with you in that the facility is at an entirely new level. New track, lights, bleachers. And, I believe this is the first bermuda surface at the field. It looked brand new again after two games in the rain for the bowl. We are excited about it. Our kids love it. Holler at me when you come to a game!

I bet you looked forward to those 1/2 gassers every Monday. I am proud of you Bulldog!

Beating the Red Devils was a big deal because Russell has a great football program and tradition!

I don't know of any. Which districts do not allow football practice on Labor Day?

Friday night before our game with Anderson County got started, Todd Thompson, a former HS teammate, came by to say hello. It was great to see him and I appreciated him making the effort. It got me to thinking about Labor Days from the past and why football is a great game. Labor Day in 1981, Coach French rolls in just in time for practice, pulling his boat behind his truck. Our starting QB is Todd and he has hurt his ankle and unable to practice. As the backup, I get snaps with the first team offense. That night, we practiced full gear in a driving rain storm. My football pants are saturated with rain and the thigh pad slides down my leg. I took a helmet to the top of my thigh that turned in to a pretty good deep thigh bruise and made it very difficult for me to run the next few days of practice.... and I was pretty slow to begin with. It was all I could do to get through those practices that week. They were very painful, but our starter was out and I had to do the best I could. I fought through those practices and by Thursday I started to feel better. But, Todd's ankle was also better. So, after fighting it out and practicing all week, I was back on the bench and Todd was the starter. It was absolutely the right thing for Coach French to handle it that way. But, that was a great life lesson for me. Some times even when you endure and fight through tough times, you may not get the personal return you want. But, it was a great illustration for me that the team comes first. If that is what I needed to do for the team, I need to do it to the best of my ability, regardless of whether or not I get what I want. That lesson is taught frequently on the football field and is one of the many benefits my sons and the kids I coach gain from playing football. It was a lesson that I needed and I still draw on that experience today when my attitude is not what it should be. The other Labor Day that came to mind was from 1997 at Mason County. The previous Friday night we had lost to Rowan County, 12-7. Neither team was very good. I was so frustrated because our kids had played so hard but it seemed like we made every dumb mistake you could make to lose a football game. To make things even better on Saturday morning, our brand new silver pants had the blue stripe fade and we now have turquoise pants! I was sick to my stomach about everything. That Sunday night, I never went to sleep. I was too frustrated and angry. The next morning at practice, we introduced "WIN Drill." From that point forward during the season, we would break the huddle on "WIN" to remind us to do all the little things right necessary for us a win. The drill works like this..... the entire team starts on one sideline and runs a half gasser. Skill has 20 seconds, big guys have 25. All toes are on or behind the line. After the half gasser, I call out a goalline offensive play. The offense takes the field, runs the play perfectly, and returns to the sideline. If there is a mistake, we run 5 grass drills and immediately run another half gasser. If someone does not completely run past the line after completing the play, it does not count. We run 5 grass drills, another 1/2 gasser and do that play again. We have 3-4 goalline plays that must be run perfectly before we end practice. After a successful play, we have 30 seconds to rest before running the next half gasser. If we mess up, there is no 30 second rest. Since that Labor Day in 1997, we have ended every Monday practice with "Win Drill". Some days we get it done quickly. Some days we do not. But, it helps our kids focus and do their best. It makes them fight through something they don't want to do. It has become a tradition, every Labor Day practice, I tell the story of the 1997 Mason County Royals. I always tell my current set of players, you can thank those guys for this drill. I think the drill has made us a tougher, more disciplined, and more focused football team over the past 20 years.... and helped our conditioning. And, the 1997 Royals were the first football team in school history to beat Russell, Newport, & Erlanger Lloyd.... 3 opponents I was told we would NEVER defeat. To say I am proud of the 97 Royals would be an under statement. That week in 1981 was tough. That Labor Day weekend in 1997 was a long one. But, the same things that make football tough are the same things that make football great. I want my sons to play football. They don't get many of those tough lessons and illustrations in any other area of their life. Most other things they do are much easier and they are often told how good they are. I am getting old, but I am thankful I got to be at football practice for one more Labor Day this morning. Hopefully I have a few more in my future. BlackShoes&WhiteShoeStrings: Lessons from Labor Day Football Practice

Southwestern fans: we now play at Alvis Johnson Field (Harrodsburg HS). The GPS address is 371 E. Lexington St., Harrodsburg.

I am looking forward to seeing my old coach. We both have calmed down substantially since this picture was taken. :thumb:

I've been around Rebel football since 1969. The late 80's/early 90's they hit rock bottom. Less than a decade later, 5 rings. No one wins without players and Chuck will be the first to tell you that he had great administrative support. But, yes, Chuck Smith is a great football coach. I am biased because we worked together at Mercer and he is a very good friend. But, the results speak for themselves.