CAT DIESEL POWER

I haven't seen anyone mention the weather does it play a factor in tomorrows game? even if it doesn't rain that night Mercer field is grass and I have no doubt that chiefsmoke and his crew will have it in good shape but it will be saturated. Will that effect the running game? The passing game? will both squads be ready for game one in this condition?

Boyle comes in with some questions on the o-line but return every dynamic skill player from last years state title run minus nick walker. They had a common opponent in Collins last year with Ballard winning by 6 and BC winning by 28. Both teams should improve this year from last and I do not know what Ballard lost. I dont actually have a prediction but I will say this if they are similar as the previous years predecessors Boyle shouldn't struggle. It may not be a clock game but shouldn't be in question. If Boyle doesn't find answers on o-line early enough their skill players should still be a big enough difference maker to hide that inexperience but could still be a down fall if Ballard didn't lose much.

I cannot say for certain but I have asked as well and the answer that I received was that the jersey had started to get in bad shape and they took it down out of respect. They didn't want it up there tattered and they didn't want it to continue to get worse was the answer to me. If that is the case I agree with taking the jersey down but maybe they should look into a memorial of some sort.

I got you but I wanted to clarify anyway just in case anyone took what I said to be fact or that I didn't like the coaches.

The Rural point is exactly the point I am making those kids dont play yet two of the best athletes in school history are from there. The numbers show that the Rural kids out in the county dont play which as I said I have heard is from travel issues. Secondly I said before that it was not a Knock on the coaches as I think that is a list of fine leaders and fine football coaches. The Original statement was lack of support and as I said the perception from the outside in is that basketball is more important you can take that for what you want but everyone I have talked to brings that up at some point. So I was simply answering the original question from someone who is looking from the outside.

From the outside looking in it has always seemed like Lincoln was ok with a football program that was just that OK but prided itself in being good at basketball. Like I said this is from the outside looking in and that may not be the case but this is where most people get this idea of lack of support from. One other issue here is how big this very rural county is and with the distance being great in some areas from the school I have heard that some families have trouble getting home from football so to alleviate that they just dont play. Which doesn't have anything to do with support just throwing out why this is a difficult job to undertake. I want to say also that I find that Settles and Leffew are good coaches and showed improvement while they were head coaches there so I am in no way saying that they were bad for Lincoln.

From the outside looking in it has always seemed like Lincoln was ok with a football program that was just that OK but prided itself in being good at basketball. Like I said this si from the outside looking in and that may not be the case but this is where most people get this idea of lack of support from. One other issue here is how big this very rural county is and with the distance being great in some areas from the school I have heard that some families have trouble getting home from football so to alleviate that they just dont play. Which doesn't have anything to do with support just throwing out why this is a difficult job to undertake.

It was a good game, I was really hoping to see Boyle play Simon Kenton with their entire team. They had 3 or 4 starters who were not playing because they went to prom. I believe 3 players started for Boyle who had yet to play or start a varsity game this season.

Western was not D1 When any of those players signed to play football, and I don't consider a non scholarship Morehead state to be anything near D1 at this point. Also not everyone on that list played D1. Even if you considered everyone of those players D1, thats 11 guys in 8 championships which is not even 2 a year. We see teams across the state with 1 or 2 kids a year that never win.

We are talking high school football and culture change. The playoff committee choosing not to take an undefeated FBS team is bogus in it's own right, but had this been a high school team taking far inferior talent like UCF did, and went undefeated it would be in the playoff and have the chance to show what they could do. Did Scott Frost come in and get 5 star recruits? Half of his starters were starting on the winless team, its about culture change and its even easier to do that at a high school level. UCF went undefeated with 2 star and below kids, if they can do it, so can a high school team. Not every team can win a championship, only 6 can (which is still far to many,) but a team should always set that as their goal, always.

Took 7 years to go from winless, to 15-0. Thats not a decade, and if you look at 1997 Boyle had a real legitimate shot at winning a title in just 5 years. I am not saying that a team wins every year, or that if you don't win its a failure. I have seen a lot of excuses though on why it's unattainable in this region, or this town, or this school. UCF was winless 2 season ago, this year they were undefeated. They had to recruit no stars through two star kids because no one wanted to go to a winless school. Changing a culture is everything, UCF went undefeated with far less talent than almost every single team they played. It's much harder to do it at the D1 level than it is to win a 2a or 4a state title.

I suggest you look at my post and Boyle County again. Everyone say's it can't be done yet Boyle is a shining example that it can, and that it can happen from a small school. Can go from a winless team and in less than a decade win 5 consecutive championships. Be a team that is always a contender, that has won titles in 2a, 3a, 4a, 3a again.

It's not easy, and the thing is how many coaches in this state have ever been involved in winning as a coach, player, administrator, or something a long those lines? I would be more willing to bet the reason we don't have more winning programs is because coaches don't know what it takes to win either, because its not easy. Go to a coaches clinic and look at all the coaches trying to learn a scheme to help them win, not even realizing scheme doesn't win. The cop out has always been "we don't have the talent." It's not the scheme that wins, it's learning how to win and maybe this state needs more people in position to make decisions who have won, and know the sacrifice and dedication it takes to win, and how to mold players into champions. Does the team with the most D1 kids win state every year? Absolutely not, I can tell you that most years Boyle has won a title, they didn't even have a D1 kid. Every town in this state can improve and work towards a championship. The real question, is if that kid wants it bad enough to sacrifice, does that coach want it bad enough to sacrifice? Does a 3 sport athlete want a state championship so bad that he works on his game all year on the weekends, does he get up and workout before school and then go to a basketball or baseball practice or game, while still being sore from morning workouts? Does the kid never skip a workout even on game day. Does he throw the ball around, does he catch the ball, work on route running, watch video's on how to improve footwork, how to stem routes. If the answer is no, then of course that team will not be successful. It is completely possible to outwork the competition, the excuse that a team doesn't have the players is just that, an excuse.

As I said in my earlier post, Boyle County could not win pre Chuck Smith period. Do you think it's a coincidence that they went from the toilet to state competitor year in and year out? I mean maybe it was a fluke that talent just decided to show up the year coach Smith arrived. I would think the team that was winless the year before coach Smith somehow magically developed talent over the summer to win 7 games seems entirely impossible. It's not like Boyle County just has some incredible talent that is impossible for a Lincoln County, or Casey County to attain. I see the kids that walk into Applebees from Casey or Lincoln, or Garrad, they look the exact same as the kids from Boyle. Do you honestly believe that some towns the same size as others that win, while others lose is because of the food they are eating or the water they are drinking? Set goals high, and force kids to learn to attain them. If you don't do this you are failing your kids, and not preparing them to be adults.

Look at Boyle County prior to Chuck Smith being hired in 1992. This argument really rubs me wrong, is it easy to win? No, but with good hiring of coaches, proper structure and development any team can be successful. Boyle County didn't just have D1 and NFL players move into the county, and I would argue that if you looked at other teams with 8 state championships, I would bet Boyle County has far less D1 players over that span, than other teams who have won championships. Winning takes guts, and heart, and coaching, player development, administration buy in, community support. All of that can be attained with the right coach, with the right vision and work ethic. If a teams goal is not to win a championship they do not need a program, and we are setting these kids up for failure and unrealistic expectations in life. Always set your goals high, and if you don't attain them, look back reflect and find a new strategy. Selling kids that being mediocre is ok, will just make them mediocre adults.

Here is the quote from kentucky redbook going with what you said. Booster can pay just has to be through the school payroll. Anyone that read this you will see that it state they cannot pay them directly but can give the money to the school in order for that salary to be paid. (it says additional coaches but it is the same for a head coach) Can external /support booster organizations create and fund additional coaching positions at the school? No. All positions must be created by the local board of education, including the salary or stipend amount associated with each position. External support/booster organizations may make donations to the district for the purpose of paying board-established salaries or stipends which must be paid through district payroll. Likewise, booster groups cannot pay “volunteer” coaches. The local board would have to take action to set a payment amount for that work and then the booster group could donate funds to the district to offset the cost.

Average time for receiver at the combine is 4.55 which would make van cleave being clocked in laser and having an official time of 4.37 nfl speed just throwing that out there. At last years combine he would have had the 6th fastest time there.

I personally think this is the dumbest thing in the world. The 36 point rule is there to help prevent blow outs when a team try’s to secure that they are being classy imo not classless. Besides this is big boy football not little league and each level of football is to prepare a player for the next. There is not running clock or mercy rule in college so at some point players need to be use to winning or losing by a larger margin. These are just my opinions I don’t feel like it is an issue if you had teams not going for it and beating people 100-0 those same people would complain about that there is just no winning with some people.

Unfortunately in most cases size matter just as much as talent if you can get a kid that is just as talented but couple inches taller or a few pound heavier or lighter teams will do that. The mind set is that if you can get a kid taking van cleave who is phenomenal but a bit short for most d1 receivers to take a pwo then you save a scholarship. It may not be the right way of thinking but that’s just the reality you get a phenomenal player at a fraction of the price so to speak. As far as Elam IMO when a player is a 5 star and they end up not doing much they are a bust but when a 2 star makes it to the first round the coach is a genius m. However both of these boil down to coaching and I don’t think the UK staff has done a tremendous job developing the player they have recruited. If and it is a big if but if Elam has went to bama we may not be talking about the same kid at this point in his career. Either way these are fine young men that deserve everything that they get and have worked hard to earn it congrats guys.

Earlier this week I said something about this week taking forever and finally Friday is here and its game day!!! With that said I am sitting here reflecting on my playing days and what this day was like for me so many years ago. It was a whirlwind day that ended with us bringing home the hardware but it is what happened after that final whistle that I still remember the most. I sat that locker room knowing that I would never put those cleats or those pads or that jersey on to play this wonderful game ever again. I have been fortunate enough to coach this great game but never player another snap after that day. So I say to all my fellow BGP people no matter who you are a fan of enjoy this moment. If you are a parent of a kid playing today remember this is a memory and moment that they will remember for a life time. Good luck to both teams and thank GOD its GAME DAY!!!!!

Tick Tock Tick Tock this week is taking forever I mean is it Friday yet LETS GO!!!!

I wonder if there were any complaints when it was at WKU? I dont know all the facts as I never went to a game there but someone said yesterday that the ticket for WKU was 10$. Then there was additional money spent for parking sometimes up to 10$ more just for that. It is my understanding that the 13$ cover the parking expense as well as admission. So I guess my question is if that is true about WKU was there issues with the ticket price before now?

So anyway back to the game at hand I expect nothing less than a 4 quarter slug fest of the finest football this state has to offer. This might be the best game in the state tourney not to say that other wont be or cant be but I think with out a doubt this one will be great. This is going to be the longest week in the history of the world I am already board waiting on Friday to get here.

The layout in that section is premium seating which just happens to be the only place in the stadium. I think to be fair they are offered to everyone even though this section is only on the home side.

Can you elaborate what you think isn't right?