Red Shift

:thumb: But it can be if you go down 23, stop to get directions, and miss the turn... Not that I've done that.

tomato - n. (te - MAYT - o; te - MOT - o) The point is, its a long drive and if the AD couldn't find time between Saturday and Monday to take the tickets, it really doesn't matter because there should be plenty of seating.

I just read throgh some of last year's thread, and I began to notice a couple similarities. One similarity is the questions about Belfry's schedule. Last year it was Russell's schedule that people were wondering about, after the Devils biggest win came early in the season, and Russell really hadn't been tested since. Belfry, on the other hand, had come off a tough game versus Prestonsburg. This year, it's Belfry who is rolling, and Russell who comes off of an OT game against Newport. Further, Region III appears to be better this year, while Region IV from top to bottom is a bit down (Fleming over Breathitt and an off season for Prestonsburg highlight this shift). Last year, Russell had one feature back that folks had heard alot about in Gross, but not the other two of Russell's running backs. Belfry had Jones and Howard. This year, Belfry is the school with the feature back in Maynard and 2 good (though unpublicized) backs. And though Russell's featureback gets most the publicity, I believe more people have heard of Horn and Edwards than May and Chapman.

That is up to the AD's discretion. If you will recall, the same thing happened last year to Russell (Belfry did not send tickets), but that can be the result of a few things. Russell generally doesn't because they have their own visitors seating, plenty of space, and are prepared for a huge number of people to come. I am guessing Belfry did a similar thing last year because they wouldn't refuse anyone who showed up. Also, you must take into account that tickets must physically be sent down to Belfry to go on sale, and with a 3 1/2 hour drive and a short week, there may be some difficulty in sending the tickets.

I am excited. It's the Wed. before the BIG GAME Pt. II and just like last year, its snowing for the first time over on the hill. Hopefully the outcome will be different this year though. Good luck to both teams.

I believe that the accepted term is BGP-ers I should be there with a few folks from across the river if all works out. :ylsuper:

I wouldn't be surprised if it was full, but in addition to 1500-2000 (my estimate) visitors seats, there is plenty of room to stand. As it has been expressed on this thread before, the seating capacity at Russell is 5000, and I am sure you could cram another 500-1000 fans between the two grand stands, this all in addition to the fact that, if necessary, fans can stand around the track, on the hill in the east end zone, and on the terrace behind the scoreboard.

This is going to be an excellent ballgame. There are a few keys on each side: RUSSELL 1.The Devils defense will have to stop the big play. Their run defense is excellent, especially to the outside. However it has been a little suspect to the middle run late in the ballgame and if the Belfry QB can throw down the field, they MUST prevent a long bomb (Note below that Belfry shouldn't try a long pass, but if they do, Russell has to stop it.). 2.The Devils need to keep from turning the ball over. Turnovers kept Russell from having a chance to win the ballgame last year. They can not expect to give up the ball and still have momentum and scoring opportunities. 3. Russell has to spread the wealth in the rushing game. Josh Gross was run into the ground last year because Clark and a host of other "non-feature" backs were unable to get yards rushing. If they can do this, they will keep legs fresh and keep Belfry's defense guessing at who is going to run the football. 4. Russell has to be able to field punts and kick-offs. They had lots of trouble with this last week at Newport, and with temps becoming frigid again this week that may be a problem again. BELFRY 1. Belfry has to play Belfry football. Even though the Russell defense has been prone to giving up the big play (especially on the pass), the Pirates need to move the ball on the ground, grind it out, and eat up clock. If Belfry tries to throw in an extra pass here and there to try and fool the Russell D, an unproven passing game may result in a loss of down at best or a sack or pick at worst. 2. Belfry needs to stop the bootleg and deep pass play. If Russell gets in a long yardage down, the bootleg is the bread and butter. By converting on long yardage plays, Russell will gain momentum, keep the Belfry defense on the field, rest their own defense, and increase scoring opportunities. 3. Russell has the advantage in 3 departments. They have played in more close games, they have probably played the tougher post season, and the game will be played at Russell. Belfry must over- come these obstacles. Again, it should be a great game.

I have no official word but I talked to him a little at school today and he seemed to be fine.

I thought that you had 2 more wins than Mr. Valance had reported in his book (or at least the website's transcription of his stats) from the last time you mentioned it. :thumb:

Congrats Coach McGlone, and good luck this Friday (Unfortunately I will have to miss for a second week in a row. :cry: ) On a different, but related note, the Russell Football Website reports that Russell High School is merely 2 wins away from breaching the 500 win mark in school history. Perhaps FBall could verify that.

We all know what the real problem here is. Some teams are going to be perenial powers, and others will often have losing seasons. The KHSAA believes that the best way to fix that problem is to give more championships. If that is in fact the problem, I have a better suggestion. How about when a team wins a state championship, they are automatically kicked out of the state tournament for their next 3 seasons. That would allow more teams to have a chance to win the state championship.

IF that community's team hosts a playoff game, and if the other team brings good fan support. (When all those 0-10 teams make the playoffs, they generally don't bring a mass following.)

At this point, does anyone think it would be fair to drop off 25 or so teams from the playoffs? To me, if you expand to 6 Divisons and allow 4 teams per district to go into the playoffs you would be doing those teams a major injustice because they wouldn't make it in. This demeans the regular season and really makes me think that if they are going this far, they should let all 217 teams into the playoffs and then not force a team to play any games against the other teams in their district.

I will continue to maintain that Ironton is not as good this year. On a side note, Bellaire is one of the few teams over in Ohio Lutz has yet to beat, and if the rumors are true, this is his last shot. But I have to agree it's almost a certainty that it won't happen.

The tournies definantly need to be divided for Boys and Girls soccer. If they do it for football it needs to be done for all sports of similar size. Volleyball is comprable to basketball in terms of team size and I don't think you will be seeing a split in either sport soon, (b-ball and volleyball) with the exception of public and private divisions possibly in the next 5 years.

I see what you are saying for your first point, but when you play against diluted competition your natural tendency is to slow progress of a team and thus the class. For your second point, I again could see MAYBE doing that, but I don't know because Russell, the team I follow most closely, does not have that problem.

I was responding to his idea about 1 class for all the teams.

Yes, but I think you are doing more harm than good by doing that. Kentucky is trying to reach the level of performance in football as other states around it, such as Ohio and Virginia. To do this, they need make sure there is competition compelling teams to win a re- spectable championship. By puting 36 teams per class, no other state around here (exception of WVA and IN) would view the tourny as respectable.

One reason is that you can only play a football game once a week, and this would expand the tournament to about eight weeks, and nine if both the district champion and runner up went to regionals. There are probably other, much better reasons, but I won't be able to come up with all of them.

Then I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it except that it would still mean you would only have to prove to be #1 of 36 or so. But if the proposal goes through, I would be shocked to see it reduced to 2 teams per district, I could almost assure it.

If you go to this new 6 class configuration bad things happen. For example, if you divided each class evenly, you will find about half of the districts will send all their teams to the playoffs, meaning you can be 0-10 and make it. If you divide 4A and 1A, you will find that all the teams will make the playoffs, regardless of their records. Furthermore, as long as you are sending 4 teams per district, that only leaves 25 teams that don't make the playoffs, and there would be no fair way to determine which teams make it and which teams don't make it.

I could see MAYBE splitting up 4A and 1A, but I generally don't believe it's a good idea. Reducing the number of schools per class would dilute a state championship too much, even though it may benefit some small schools, and even may help schools like Russell, who claim their district is too big (which it is). I just don't like the idea that you only have to prove to be the number 1 team of 36 or so teams - it makes the championship trivial. As for more teams in the playoffs, that is just rediculous. I think that the only class that should have 4 teams from each district is 4A. Thus, I agree with others that 4 teams per district dilutes the regular season's importance.

Appearing to some as though he is wiping blood from a ballbat with which he has been beating a horse, he says what he knows is in vain: "Ironton is down this season; more proof can be found in Ironton's last game verses Rock Hill. Ironton was in position to lose that ballgame, something that they wouldn't do in 98% of the Bob Lutz era." Conceding that he will never win that battle, he turns to the topic at hand: "I like Ashland in a close ballgame. Holbrook will take over late in the second half, late, and end up winning by 1 to 2 TD's at Putnam." He adds: "Quit using the Ironton loss as a medal of honor, and start using big games that you actually won - Ashland has a pretty good team without using that game." P.S. - I know that is a very uncharacteristic style of typing for me, but it was very fun and I suggest it to one and all.

Yes, Boyd played exceptionally that night; Russell did not, it's just that simple. Russell came out a little flat after the Ashland game the week before, Tommy Brown went down in the second half in a close ballgame, and then Boyd was able to seal the deal. I would like to have seen Russell run the regular season again, but I think that it helped Russell realize they are not unbeatable, and has helped urge them onward.