ACE

Mississippi State beat LSU in Death Valley...

 

Why would this game be close?

 

 

Vegas says Cats are 12-14 underdog, they are usually right for some reason. If you think it will be a blowout, here's a great chance for you to make some money...

Mine....went with something simple and clean and golf related

The Eagles were awesome in Vegas at MGM Grand Arena! The show went through the history of the Eagles with narratives from the guys-Henley, Frey, Walsh and Schmit. They were spot on vocally and musically. They performed for 3 solid hours.....the only problem was the jet lag as the concert was the day of arrival in Vegas. :confused:

Get to see the Eagles Saturday October 11 at the MGM Grand Arena...really looking forward to it!

Inexcusable.....both he and Farmer need their names removed from anything honoring them at UK.

The Cats need to keep the "Wow" factor going...in order to do that it needs to be a 28-10 win. Boom gets his first UK TD.

From an Ashland fans perspective....Raceland may have very well been the best team on the field. Messer was the best all around player in the game. If he hadn't cramped up, I think the Rams win. The Rams played with a lot of heart for sure. I think most everyone, including myself, thought this one was over with Ashland up 41-20. Very impressive for a team to dig deep on the road and push Ashland to the brink. Good job Rams!

UL still seems on a roll. Pertrino will get enough points on the board to win.

Since 1987....I use mostly to jump a dead battery or fix a flat tire....especially nice to have in the winter. I think it's worth it.

Should Raceland control the strong Tomcat ground game like the Rams did last season then I believe this one is a TD or less either way. Should Baker and their other very good backs run wild then it's a long night for Raceland, Ashland will win handily.

I remember that the Rams did as good of job stopping Baker as anyone on the Tomcat schedule last season. Most of that dominating O and D line are gone this season. Raceland does have a good line, just not as overwhelming dominate as last season.......yet

I do look for Raceland to pull out a lot of sets, plays, etc. that were not shown at all last week. RAMS Could very well show an entire new attack.

 

Too many "if's and but's" to call this one but there are two absolutes that I will promise.....1. Dick Martin will be whining, crying about the officiating if it's close and ....2. Raceland will play hard, hit people and regardless of any situation ....they will not quit !

 

Tomcats, I am pulling for you in every game....after this Friday :sneaky:

 

GO RAMS !!

 

Agree with everything you said, if Baker gets loose Ashland wins, if not, anybody's game. Glad Raceland is now the Ashland home opener:)

NewCath got back after 11:00 Friday night and you want them to drive back down to Ashland on Saturday on the HOPES the field would be playable? You have to be kidding.

 

Not kidding at all. These are 17 year old kids, they ate very adaptable. Wouldn't that have been better than not playing at all? My guess is the kids would have wanted to play.

Just got the "low-down".

 

1. Ashland did offer to pay the NewCath teams expense to travel to Ashland on Saturday, however they were NOT guaranteed the field would be dry enough to play. With that, NewCath was not going to drive another 5 plus hours round trip for another possible cancellation.

 

2. Newport Stadium was unavailable on Saturday because of youth league games, so Ashland traveling here was not an option.

 

3. Playing on Sunday, at anytime, is not an option...per the Diocese of Covington and the NewCath Administration.

 

4. Can someone from the Ashland contingent confirm or deny, they were bringing in a "big benefactor" who donated a substantial amount of money for the renovations to Putnam Stadium, and this is why they were so adamant about seeing this game played. :idunno:

 

There are several obvious reasons Ashland wanted to play this game. Money is number one, I am sure. This game was expected to be a sell out and would have meant somewhere in the neighborhood of $15k to $20k to the school(my guess completely). The reopening of the new stadium happens only once every 75 years or so, this it was very important to the community and a much anticipated event. Many, many people had come in from out of town for the event. The "significant" donor to which you may be referring is probably John Koskinen, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Mr Koskinen, is an Ashland graduate and had made a special trip to Ashland from DC to be here for the weekend. It's very unfortunate for everyone that the game couldn't be played. I personally feel NCC should have made the trip back for Saturday. I can't imagine that having much of a negative effect on the play of 16-18 years. Seems like there was a lot of upside to attempt to play Saturday and no true downside.

I don't believe people across the state dislike Ashland, but with the exception of Raceland fans, I don't believe there are many in NEKY that like the Tomcats. They may not be a state power these days, but they are a regional power. With the exception of Jim Matney coached teams they rarely lose to anyone on this side of the state.

 

Historically speaking, AHS has been the dominate Eastern Ky school, historically that is. With Ashland's city population dwindling(over a 20-30 year period) they will never be the power they were. IMO, Johnson Central has been the top program over a 10 year period. I would say that beating AHS by any team east of Winchester would be considered a real major victory and especially so for the more local teams. AHS is solid but not spectacular and will likely never compete again with the strong NKY teams. Football is primarily a numbers game and AHS doesn't have the numbers anymore.

Agree with all those points. Question, when was the last time an Ashland team had a critical call at home go against them with the game in the balance?

 

Obviously, that's a near impossible question to answer. At the same time, when is the last time Ashland had a critical call go in their favor with the game in the balance? Who knows when?-- i sure don't. As someone previously mentioned, apparently officials are assigned at AHS games(I thought about that, but wasn't sure so I didn't go there). I think the bottom line is most non Ashland fans have a strong dislike for AHS(and i fully understand those reasons, but won't elaborate here) and strong desire for AHS to lose anytime. Therefore, they usually don't look at officiating objectively. Most fans see bad calls that go against them, not the ones that go in their favor.

As I said..there could be other factors to lead to it and I dont think there is anything fishy going on... but at the same time there is just something about Putnam that causes controversial and inexplicably questionable calls to go against the visiting team.

 

I think the biggest factor that I eluded to is the fact that usually Ashland plays quality competition and have 3 or 4 big games at home each year it seems that are evenly matched. Ashland also has what seems to be many more rivalries than any other team. When a phantom holding call or missed late hit happens in a 42-14 romp it is water under the bridge.. when it happens in a tight game where it may impact the outcome or happens in a big rivalry game then suddenly it is very easy to take notice. It still doesn't change the fact that there have been the vast majority of similar road games where the Refs were "seen but not heard" yet somehow every game at Putnam will have it's head shaker..but I do think it helps explain the stigma a bit more.

 

What I can say is Putnam has nothing on some of the atrocities I have witnessed at Ironton.

 

All points well taken....I have always set on the visitors side at Putnam(why? because that's where my dad liked to sit in the 60's, the seats are perfect, I go to watch football only and not for social purposes). Over the many years I have observed a lot. Many teams come into Putnam not expecting to win and sit quietly to support their team. Many teams come into Putnam extremely emotional and hoping/expecting to win--these fans can border on the absurd/insane, cursing EVERY possible call. From the first flag(good or bad) it's "here we go, it's Putnam!" It's quite fascinating to watch. I simply chalk it up to mostly emotional, irrational parents and the die hards.

I disagree... HAHA

 

There are only two venues that I can honestly say that every single game I have watched there has had an atrocious call or non-call that directly favored the home team.

 

Ironton and Ashland.

 

That's not saying or implying anything fishy is going on... maybe it is just the "standard crews" that work those games aren't the most attentive refs.... maybe the setting and home crowd intimidates them... maybe it's the fact that there are more highly competitive games where the calls are as meaningful. One thing is for sure there is a good bet there will be a minimum of one absolute head snatcher per contest.

 

I respect your position to disagree. Are the "bad officials" out there? Absolutely.....and I have never watched any sporting event that there weren't atrocious calls. Happens everywhere, every game all the time. I just think painting officials as favoring a certain team with a broad brush is a bit of a reach. I have found that most fans are overly emotional and see the event with "colored glasses"

Good luck with the whistle NCC.

OK, I begin with I am an Ashland fan, always have been and always will be. But I truly think of myself as a fan of football(and bball and....). I simply go to watch and rarely get exited and emotional. I enjoy watching young high school athletes playing competition for the love of the game. I catch other games occasionally at Russell, etc. I even play to catch Pinecrest High School in Pinehurst, NC on an upcoming golf trip. Call me naive maybe, but I really don't think officials, as a general rule, "intentionally" miss calls to the detriment of another team. I truly don't believe any happens at Putnam Stadium any different than any other high school field across the country.

Hershel Walker and Bo Jackson, 1A & 1B. Then the rest.

 

Agree completely, I would add Earl Campbell as 1C and Marcus Dupree as 1D

Early season games are hard to predict and I know nothing about NCC. What I believe is that Baker should be primed for a monster year and one would expect him to run for 150 to 225 yards in this one which should translate into 28+ points for AHS. NCC will have to score a lot to have a chance to win this game. Ashland 35-21. It will be a fun opener.

I stopped by the stadium this morning to get a look and although there will things we wish were different, I find it to have a very classy look and believe all will be very pleased

with the final result. The complete horseshoe look is awesome for a high school venue.

 

PS--great pictures!

......

 

September 14, 1985 (I had to look up the date), Bowling Green State Falcons (led by QB Brian McClure) beat UK in a close game. BGSU would go on to be 11-1 and get pounded by Fresno State in a Bowl Game. My #1 memory of the game was going with a buddy and his family, and getting rear-ended in a drive thru in Lexington at a McDonald's before the game. His dad went apoplectic on a younger girl that hit him from behind as we were about to pull up to the window.

I was there, I think BG had an excellent QB by the name of McClure.....one of those tough loses.

November game, spitting snow and UK beat Florida! I was a Big Florida football fan back then and a friend of my mom's gave me to tickets, I couldn't find anyone that wanted to go so I went alone.

I think I was at that game....no one would go with me either:ylsuper:

I had seats close to the field and across the isle from the band--I was about 11 years old. I remember how big Art Still and Warren Bryant were. Fanuzzi was the QB and Campassi in the backfield. I fell in love with Uk football then and have never stopped. Unfortunately I never got to see a game at Stoll Field.

OJ was in "Capricorn I"---about the fake mission to Mars

A quick observation....over the last 7 years, lets call that recent, UL won the last 3 games and UK the 4 prior to that. The average score over that span was UK 23.57 UL 23.14. The last 3 years coincided with Bridgewaters arrival(Hurt recruiting). The last 3 years were arguably UL's best ever and among UK's worst ever. It appears the UL recruiting is taking a step backward and UK a solid step forward. I am making the bold prediction that UK will not only stay ahead of WKU but leapfrog UL. :thumb: