TomcatPride

As an Ashland fan, I know the talent is down. I know the numbers aren't there. Our population has declined severely in the past decade. That has hit all youth sports in town, IMO. We're not blind to the fact that we're not sending out Surgalski's and Umberger's on the court every year. Well, most of us. We don't expect, as wild as this may sound, to have a random group of kids come together around December and win games. Most Ashland fans can cope with this group of talent not winning a region title every year. Regardless, when a team like Russell wins the region title after playing horrendous basketball in the AIT in December, and then putting on a terrible performance at Rupp, it opens everyones eyes to the overall weakness of the region. If a stronger team was winning the region every year, we as Ashland fans would not worry about not winning the region. But in the very weak 16th region, I feel as an Tomcat fan that Ashland can win the region every year even with less talent than years past. It's not crazy at all to believe a new coach can come in here and win the region next year. We're realistic about our situation, but we know anyone can win the 16th.

Is he being misportrayed? He was a great coach, and a good guy once you got to know him. But I'm not making up the things I've stated and reinterated numerous times on here. I felt it was time for a change, and obviously he did too. As for the coach/politican question, I just want a coach who is personable and who the kids want to play and win for. I don't think that makes him a politician, but if it does, I guess that is my answer. And I never said I wanted to take focus away from football. I want some focus on basketball too, since I feel it's become second class behind football. The sole reason for that, I believe, is Leon Hart. A great example of how a new coach can rejuvenate a whole program. But I want focus on all programs, I never said I wanted to take away from football. And I disagree with you 007. It's not like the 16th is a powerhouse. A new coach doesn't need to bring horses, which I'm sure would go over great with our regional friends anyway. Ashland may not have talent head and shoulders above everyone else, but I don't think they are too far behind anyone else. I feel the 16th is very balanced, and all a new coach needs to win, in my opinion, is some motivation, energy, and luck.

Sadly, if someone had to choose between Ashland and a Lexington, Louisville, NKY school, it would be hard to pick Ashland. The town isn't growing like those places, where talent seems to always be there. In Ashland, it comes in waves in the current system. But, that said, it's still Ashland. I know it's not what it once was, but the pride is still here. We're the winningest program in the state. If you're a tradition type person who loves history, how could the Ashland job not be desirable. And we know the situation isn't perfect. The talent pool is down and there is an up and coming team 5 minutes down the road. But if you're a confident coach, you can look at Ashland as a high-risk high-reward situation. We're ready to hand you the keys. Come in and rejuvenate the youth leagues, build the numbers back up with a likeable personality and connection with the town, and get Ashland excited for basketball again. You've got two very good players (Thomas and McDavid), your own holiday tournament, and playing in a region that is not overly strong where you could coceiveably have a chance to win it every year. Why not look at the Ashland situation as a positive? I think the right coach could look at Ashland thinking he could be the one who changed it up, he was the one who started selling out Anderson Gym every night, he was the one who brought the focus at Ashland back on basketball and made it more than something to do while football was over, and that he was the one who restored the "Tomcat Pride" and winning ways to Ashland basketball. I know it may be far fetched, but it's all very possible.

I think Ashland basketball needs a complete overhaul. Rickyp said in a post awhile back that Pendleton's Buddy Biggs seemed to be the most prevalent rumor. I'll use him for my hypothetical solution, because I think he would be an amazing hire, and he fits my model coach perfectly. Ashland needs a young, personable coach who can immediately connect with the town and the kids (see: Hart, Leon). Ashland needs an energetic and motivational coach who can inspire these kids to play hard for him and win for him. As I've said before, I don't think our previous coach excelled in this department. Also, Ashland needs a face to the program. Flynn did this pretty well, but I don't think he came off as a personable guy. Our new coach should be able to go to the youth league games, middle school games, and various camps and be able to talk to the parents and kids, and vice versa. Flynn would go to youth league games and sit by himself. I'd like a coach who would go out of his way to talk to parents and players alike. I think this would go a long way in getting the numbers for basketball up. You have got to have a coach the kids want to play for, and I know way too many talented kids over the past years who did not play basketball at Ashland, or did and absolutely despised it because of our previous coach. I think a new coach who does the above would change everything, and it is in that sense that I believe Buddy Biggs, or someone like him would be the perfect fit at this time for Ashland basketball.

If Flynn wouldn't run with quick athletes like Matt Thomas, Drew McDavid, and the rest, I can't imagine him changing his style at Bourbon.

I can tell you with full confidence that Fraley is not being considered. I can't who is being considered at the moment, but the name is well known throughout the state. Humphrey would be on anyone's short list, but I don't think he is interested in leaving Winchester. Just imagine the rumors that would be swirling around if Wayne Breeden hadn't taken the job in Owensboro last week..

You're getting a great coach, and an even better person. Just hope you Bourbon fans enjoy great defense and a 1950's offense with scores in the 40's :thumb:

I said after the final game last year that it was time for Flynn and Ashland to part ways, and it has come to fruition. A good move for both parties, IMO. The list at Ashland is short, and if Francis's intuition is the same as what I am hearing, then all of Tomcat Nation should be extremely excited about the future.

23-2! :scared: Potter hitting 1.000 in 2 games!! :scared: :scared: A strong showing by the Lions, congrats on another trip to Lexington, as much as it pains me to say it. Looks like we'll have to cherish 2004 for awhile longer.

Shew, for a second there I thought someone was coming out of retirement and Union had completely lost their minds. :scared:

As a Pioneer student, I'm very glad to hear this. The kid can play.

Graves Co. South Laurel Jeffersontown Shelby Co. Warren Central Cov. Catholic Madison Central PRP South Laurel Jeffersontown Warren Central Madison Central South Laurel Warren Central South Laurel 128

Congrats to Rex and the boys. No offense to the Russell and Greenup followers, but I think it would be amazing if Elliott Co. and Fairview played for the 16th Region Championship, and the right to go to Rupp. I'd almost go just to watch the fans of one of those teams celebrate in Morehead. Good luck to all teams on Friday though.

I mentioned how his record proves that he is a great coach. You can't dispute 121-63. But those kids and the type of talent they had, aren't around anymore. The future of Ashland Basketball are the kids that are coming through the ranks. I don't believe the type of talent that produced 121-63 aren't there either. I'm not saying Ashland is going to stink in the coming years, but Flynn and that talent aren't going to be adding to that great record, unless he radically changes his system, but I still don't think it's what Ashland needs.

I'm not sure if the emphasis is being on football or not, but maybe it seems that way because the kids want to play for Coach Hart. I hate to compare the two guys and the two sports, but football has seen a significant increase in participation, while basketball has seen a great decrease, where a lot of kids have quit or simply did not play mainly because of Coach Flynn. I hate to say it, but it's true; if you polled the basketball players who did not go on to play college basketball (read: not stars) from Ashland in the past 6 years as to whether they gave 100% percent and left their heart out on the court for Coach Flynn, the positive responces would be sadly low. I hate to question player's effort, but do you really believe they played as hard as Elliott Co. last night? That they weren't outhustled? That they wanted it as much as they did? I agree with you for the most part. All coaches can win with a load of talent regardless of their skills. But Flynn is best suited with a very talented team because he can reign in all these horses and can discipline them into his system which is very sucessful with all the right pieces. While he obviously can teach the fundamentals, he doesn't have that intangible ability to connect with these young players because of his pedigree as being such a disciplinarian. Ashland is at a state where we need someone with that intangible where his players want to win for him, and not just for the school. But these are just my $.02 as well.

Like I said, he is a good coach, he is a class act, he is a great person, and he does say all the right things. But his teams don't always play extremely hard. Elliott Co. outhustled them last night because they simply wanted it more. I'm looking much deeper than how good of a coach he is or how great of a guy he is. Elliott Co. had never beaten Ashland before last night. Times have changed. I think Ashland's program needs to change with it. I forgot to add in my last post, but this doesn't really apply to Flynn. If Elliott Co. lost last night, most of their kids would be in the basketball gym the next day or week, preparing for AAU or summer ball. But since Ashland lost, Cannoy, Williams, Rose, and Wilcox hit the baseball field, McDavid, Thomas, and Bonner hit the football weight room. With the exception of Wilcox, I would say that basketball isn't the #1 sport for any of these kids. Maybe with a revamped basketball program, it would be the #1 sport. How to do that? I'm not quite sure, but that's not my job. If you don't agree with what I said, I at least hope you see where I'm coming from with my opinions.

Seems like I've stirred up some emotions with my simple opinions. It also seems like no one is tripping over themselves to agree with me in any way. That's fine, but it seems strange considering all the rumblings and mumblings in the Tomcat stands recently. It doesn't matter, I'm just offering my opinion on the matter to potentially provoke other posters and give them something to think about. But it seems like everyone is misinterpreting my stance, or maybe I'm not making it clear enough. First off, Mike Flynn is a great coach. His record proves that, his knowledge proves that, he's a very smart coach. This is also not anything against Mike Flynn the person, he's a great man with a lot of class and heart, and we all know he has made a lot of sacrifices to win at Ashland. This is strictly an opinion based on his coaching style. In my simple opinion, there are two types of coaches for high school basketball. One is the great schemer, the disiciplinarian, he demands perfection. He can take a group of kids with a lot of talent and elevate them to win state championships. Guys like Haney, Billy Hicks, Bevars, and the like would be in this group. Mike Flynn is this type of coach. In the past several years, this type of coach could win at Ashland. There was a deep pool of talent with guys like Arbaugh, Surgalski, Beach, Howard, and Howell. These kids could be inserted into Flynn's system and executed to relative perfection. He had post players who could score and rebound, shooters who were deadly, and point guards that could make things happen. Now, these types of players aren't in the cards, and from judging the young kids coming through the ranks, there isn't anything there either. Coming back next year, Ashland has 3 players who are very talented. Unfortunately, they are all best suited to play the 2. McDavid will be forced to play out of position at the 4, while Wilcox and Thomas will probably be inserted into the 2 and the 3. There will be no size, no true point guards, and probably another disappointing season in Flynn's system. That said, the other type of coach is the motivator. The type of coach that can take a group of kids with average talent and elevate them to compete and beat teams with relatively better talent. Guys like Cooksey, Perry, Riley, and the like fit this model. They can groom and develop raw talent and young kids into a competitive team with solid role players and can ask for everything out of their players and usually get it. I don't think Ashland can say that their players gave everything they could for Coach Flynn during his tenure. Not to question the heart of the Tomcats, but they've been consistantly out hustled, in my opinion, over the years. I think the future of the Ashland program will demand a coach who can draw everything out of his players in order to field a team that can compete and win the region, not count on the established talent of a couple players to lead them to glory. The list of players over the last few years who could have been great role players in the right system, but never found their niche or suceess in a Tomcat uniform is rather long. A common link between those players is that they hated playing basketball for Ashland, they hated the system, and from that it can be pretty well deduced that they didn't give their all for Ashland and Coach Flynn to win. That's a shame. Maybe the two parties shouldn't part ways, but if Flynn doesn't become flexible with his system, Ashland will be in for .500 seasons for years to come and early exits in Morehead. You can berate my opinions and disagree with them all you want, I'm just being realistic, in my own mind. The great talent pool in Ashland just isn't there anymore, and Flynn is the type of coach that needs that pool to win. I think Ashland needs a revamped system that can develop what talent there is to the best of their ability and develop a system around a whole team in order to compete. We've got to get over this idea of our great past and that we play for State Championships every year. We can't worry about that for the next few years, it isn't gonna happen, we must focus ourselves to have 20-win seasons and putting emphasis on winning every game we play. Posters are quick to say I'm calling for his head after this last loss and the early exit, but these thoughts have been around for a few years, I just think now is as good as time as any to say them. Elliott Co. wanted to win that game more than Ashland did because we thought we were going to win because we are Ashland. That mindset must be changed, and I honestly believe Ashland would be better off in the long run if the program was revamped and Mike Flynn and Ashland parted ways.

My opinion is based on the whole season, not just this one game. I just figured this was as good as time as any to express what had been building throughout the year. This just isn't the type of program Flynn can successfully coach anymore. I'm by no means saying he should be canned because he lost tonight to Elliott Co., just that Ashland should consider moving on based on this season, and what type of program Ashland is going to be in the future.

He is a great coach, but only when he has the talent. I meant that I don't think he can win anymore with the situation at Ashland, but if he coached at Scott Co. or Lexington Catholic, he would be very successful. He can't take a young team with raw talent and groom them to win, but with already groomed talent that work into his system, he can win. He's a good coach, but not the right one for Ashland anymore. Sorry for the confusion.

With all due respect to Coach Flynn, and I very much appriciate all of his services and time put in at Ashland, I do believe it may be right to start considering that Ashland and Coach Flynn go their seperate ways. Ashland's talent level isn't the same as it once was, and I think Coach Flynn is more accustomed to working with great talent and coaching them to win. He is better off at a Lexington Catholic or Scott Co., where he has a wide talent pool to insert players effectively into his system. What I think Ashland needs now, is someone who can groom players and work to get the absolute best out of them. That is what Morgan Co., Elliott Co., Fairview, and the other teams in the region have done. They get the best they can out of the talent they have. There is no doubt in my mind that Ashland can not say they did the best they could this year with the talent they had. It's time to get a coach who can win with a system revolving around what his players bring to the table, not one where they are haphazardly thrown into a designed scheme. Maybe we need more of a motivator and less of a strict basketball disciplinarian. Just my opinions, take them for what you will. Mike Flynn is a great basketball coach, and his record proves that. But the kids that accumulated that record aren't around today. I don't think he is the type of coach who can win with what he has, he has to have great talent, and I don't think Flynn can win anymore at Ashland. It's time to move on. Really, what I am trying to say is: Does Leon Hart know anything about basketball?

"Mercifully, this season has come to an end." Pretty much sums it all up. An incredably disappointing season for Ashland. We could be seeing Elliott Co. vs. Fairview for the 16 Region Championship. Almost unbelieveable.

I do think it's moxie, actually, onetoya. Dirk and Dickie are probably at a pessimistic high in this game. They don't seem to give Ashland any chance. Tie game, 41 seconds to go. Hold for the last shot Flynn, and I give it to...Wilcox. He sounds like he's been on tonight. Come on TCats!

Ah, I didn't know that page existed Frances, thank you very much. If you just go to the b97fm.com site, there is no such link. And It opens to a Big Sandy Ad, ah, I feel back home again...and an Elliott Co. 3. Geez. Thanks though!

I'm not seeing this mythical "Listen Live" button on the left. Are you viewing the new page?

I appricate the updates Gore, considering I can't get the b97 live stream to work. Any stats?