13th Analyst

There is a paper called Pinnacle Sports View in that region that did an interview with him a month or so ago but they have taken it off of their website, I will try to find it though. Within the article, Miller himself told of the schools that were recruiting him.

I didn't say he will sign with UofL, I'm just not happy with you trying to make this visit illegitimate. I hope he goes to LMU and continues to score 30 a game personally. I just want what is best for him.

I said playing days, not riding the pine days. I don't understand what makes me full of bologne?? haha Do you still not believe me about my family?? There is a real hang up there isn't there?? Miller has brought this hype upon himself. By breaking the all-time 3 pointers made record and averaging 30 a game, he has caused us to use three pages talking about him.

bellco14, first of all, why don't you let the man speak for himself. As far as I'm concerned, getting approached to walk-on is being recruited. I mean UK holds tryouts for the entire campus, sometimes hosting 100+ players and they usually keep about 2 or maybe even 3 out of all of them. I'm telling bellalumni40 that would he did was extremely respectable and that he should feel good about someone from the same background getting the opportunity. As far as your comment about the big 2, I'm not going to stoop to your level and play these games. Anyone from Bell County would have the outlook on sports simply because their baseball program got the shaft from the school. At Middlesboro where the school put pride and emphasis on baseball, we learned to appreciate the level of top notch play more. So I respect your opinion on those being the big 2. However, that doesn't make them any tougher than baseball. Because of the fact that there is simply D1 and not DI-AA in baseball, every team on that level is trying to get the best talent possible because they are competing for the same post-season spots. Even though we are getting way off topic, I'm not going to let you bully me away from your arguments. As far as you statement about not being a legit D1A in your mind, I could care less my friend. The NCAA's opinion is the only one that matters. DI-AA only exists because there is such a drop-off talent wise in those sports that they have to have a seperate division. Fact!! About my family, you seem to be getting too personal, or jealous one. I stand by the statement that each of those members of my family you mentioned did in fact play at the D1 level. My brother at an SEC school (UK), my grandfather at an ACC school (Florida State), and my father and I at Mid-Major conferences (him in football and me in baseball). Believe what you want. I'm done with this thread. I was trying to make a legit point about knowing the recruiting process of the major sports and all of a sudden, D1 baseball isn't good enough in your mind?? Haha, you're laughable my friend. And then you get defensive about me saying I am a 3rd generation D1 athlete as if no was is allowed to have these honors from someone other than Bell County. Get a life man. Our playing days are over and don't even matter anymore. What matters is that Miller gets to enjoy the hype he has deserved.

Listen, I'm not out to prove how good I was or whatever. I'm simply saying that I know every in and out of the recruiting process. I'm sorry you don't know of any family in Middlesboro who could boast of this but maybe that means you don't know everybody, which would be understandable. Let me give you an example. You played baseball at Bell County. I have heard you talk about you being in high school around maybe 98 or 99 on. Let's examine: 98 District Championship- Middlesboro 12 Bell County 2 99 First Round of District- Pineville 9 Bell County 6 District Championship- Middlesboro 16 Pineville 0 00 District Championship- Middlesboro 12 Bell County 2 01 District Championship- Middlesboro 10 Bell County 3 02 District Championship- Middlesboro 17 Bell County 1 03 District Championship- Middlesboro 13 Bell County 6 Now, you may say what is the point of all this, this thread is about Miller visiting Louisville and not baseball scores. You said earlier, "If he is the amazing player you make him out to be, Middlesboro would have a lot better record in his years there. One player can make a difference on the high school level in case you havent watched it before." In high school baseball a pitcher, which you said you were, makes just as much difference as one player can make on a basketball team. Seeing how awful your high school baseball team was, using your reasoning, I could say that there is no way a D1 baseball player could come from that team. However, you said you were approached by some D1 schools and even an SEC team (UK) about coming on. How is it then that you, out of everybody on here, can't understand how a great individual player off of a below average high school team, can get looked at by a big program. You said UK for you which although they aren't the greatest, play in the toughest baseball conference hands down and that is equivalent to Louisville right now. It is possible people. And just so you and bellco14 can sleep tonight, I played baseball where mind you there is no D1-AA and yes every family member that I mentioned did play D1.

It doesn't necessarily take monumental upsets. When Middlesboro went to the last true "Final Four" in 2002, it was there 4th time in 20 years. It simply takes good baseball which the average small school doesn't play.

His share of points?? By his share do you mean 40+ in four different games against them?? Yeah I would say that is getting his share alright. Keep in mind, this has been a down decade for Middlesboro basketball. I'm glad you can hang your hat on a district championship. You know a lot more about the recruiting process than me?? Bank on it?? I really don't even know how to say this without sounding a bit arrogant which I hate doing but for your information, I was recruited and signed by a D1 school. My brother was recruited and signed by a D1 school. My dad was recruited and signed by a D1 school. My grandfather was recruited and signed by a D1 school. I am a third generation D1 athlete and unless you have experienced the same, then no, you don't know more about the process than I do. Like I said, reading about it and watching it in movies isn't the same as experiencing it first hand. I did say in an earlier post that is was an OFFICIAL visit. Talking about what the kid has accomplished is not building him up for failure, I don't get why you keep saying that. It was you and bellco14 who brought up the whole, scholarship or walk-on situation when what the original topic itself was was simply that this is an incredible opportunity for an eastern Kentucky kid.

First of all, get off the kids back. Why are you riding him so hard?? Is it because Bell County has never had a talent like this come through?? Is it because when you look through the record book, there is nothing to be found regarding anyone from Bell County and Miller is in about 5 categories by himself?? Is it because the kid torches Bell everytime he plays them?? If you knew for sure you would flaunt for him? What if he hadn't talked to RickyP? What would you flaunt? 100% sure? Wow, thats good to know Nostradamus. This whole comment is laughable. You obviously know nothing about the recruiting process. The only thing you know about it is what you saw on Blue Chips or something. In recruiting at big schools, the first contact ALWAYS, comes from the assistant coach (recruiting coordinator). Then, if the school is interested enough, the head coach gets involved with calling and what not. Seeing as this is the first contact, nobody should have expected it to be Ricky himself. What do you think this is, fantasyland, where head coaches make all the calls to players they have never met. When Stuart goes on his visit, the coaches have told him that they will have a sit down and talk about the future and that Coach Pitino will be in attendance. And what are you going to do if he doesn't get a scholarship?? Are you going to keep riding him?? Fact is, they dont just give out walk-on opportunities to anyone. As I said earlier, the roster can only be about 12-15 men deep and to be considered one of those, whether on scholarship or not, would be a great honor. And one last thing, "Then the Cards have commits from 4 others, two being about 6' or 6'1 guards" So much for size being a set back for Miller seeing as he is 6' himself. But go ahead and respond like you yourself have taken a tape measure to him and you know without a shadow of a doubt that he isn't 6'. That is exactly the type of thing I'm expecting out of someone of your class.

The J.J. reddick comparisons I made were only for defending the fact that he is better than a good shooter. Nobody says that J.J. Reddick, who has almost the exact numbers as Miller, is only a good shooter because he takes a lot of shots or that anybody could shoot as good as Reddick if they wanted to. Why?? Because he creates shots like nobody else can and takes a split second to get the ball off. He also shoots for a high efficiency even when everybody knows he is going to shoot and puts extra pressure on him. In this manner of speaking, Miller's game is very comparable to Reddick's. And for your second question, who knows?? Miller doesn't flaunt his achievements. If I knew for sure, I would flaunt for him, but I don't. I am 100% sure though that he will meet and conversate with Rick himself when he goes up for his visit.

Again, getting a letter from a D1 school is a lot different than getting personally invited over the phone to come to campus for an official visit. We could debate the defense that Miller sees all day long but plain and simple, he averages about 30 a game, shoots 85% (J.J. Reddick shoots 86.9) from the charity stripe, and shoots 43% from behind the arc (which is exactly what J.J. Reddick shoots). There are VERY few kids in Kentucky shooting like this. Heck there are very few kids who could shoot 43% from the arc without anybody on them.

Let's also remember that Miller has made more 3's than any high school player in the history of Kentucky basketball. He has more size and more athletic ability. Also, while playing in the Middlesboro High School program may not have been great for him, it hasn't been the only team he has been a part of. Since his freshman year he has played on a highly competitive AAU team in Tennessee, the name of the team slips my mind. They did however compete in the national AAU tournament a few years in a row. AAU is where most colleges find their players.

First of all bellco14, you are flip-flopping back and forth. You said you congratulated him in the other thread but came back to say, "When Miller is offered or given an invitation for a OFFICIAL visit or Pitino shows up at M'boro highschool, then I think we can start congratulating Miller. Until then I think everyone should just chill." So which is it, do you congratulate him or do you think we should wait this out. Secondly, you obviously know very little about his specific recuiting situation. The head of recruiting operations and top assistant coach from the University of Louisville, Kevin Willard, called Miller's home phone asking him to come up for the DePaul game. In no way shape or form is this a norm for a college recruit. This isn't football, they don't invite 50 high school players a game to come watch. I admit, in football it doesn't really mean much to be invited to the game. But in basketball, when the arena only holds around 15-20000, however many Freedom Hall holds, and when there is only about a 12 man roster to fill, I would say there are about 10 players or fewer invited in for a game. Yes it is late in the recruiting season to some but perhaps Pitino missed out on a player or two he was going for and is no reopening his recruiting. Happens all the time. As far as this statement goes: "He is finishing up his senior season and if any major D1 school, especially a powerhouse, was interested in him they would have already had him up for visits, receiving coaching visits and phone calls, and on and on and on." His phone never stops ringing. He has been told he could go to LMU, Carson Newman, Walter State (Juco), Morehead, SIU, and even Belmont and step right in the starting lineup. They are simply waiting on him to say the word. Excuse him for waiting things out and seeing if better options come his way. Thank goodness he did though. For your info, this is an OFFICIAL visit. Sorry to spoil your fun.

A lot of times, the smaller schools don't waste the effort right off the bat on people they don't think they can get. They wait and see who the big boys aren't going after and then they go for them.

Here is a little exerpt from the Middlesboro Daily News following last Tuesday's game against Cawood High School. "Miller's last basket of the quarter was particularly impressive - with a defender draped all over him, he jumped up trying to draw a foul and flung up a fadeaway from just inside the 3-point line. Fittingly, it hit nothing but net." This seems to be a regular occurence in just about every article I read on Middlesboro, Miller making big shots. Needless to say, he scored 33 points on the night. 24 coming in the second half for the come from behind win.

I definitely agree. Everyone tries to justify his scoring with the fact that he shoots it several times a game but then they want to look past the fact that he is shooting a very stout 43%. bellalumni40, are you sure that is what you really think about Miller or what you want to think?? First of all, he's every bit of 6' and probably a half an inch more. No 5'11" to it. Second of all, like noah2001 said, your comment about many people being about to make the number of shots as he does if they were given the green light is simply naive and down right blind. Do you honestly believe that any player given the green light from behind the arc could make 139 3's this year at 43 %?? Not a chance. There are very very few in the state that could do it. Is a walk-on spot to Louisville not an incredibly opportunity to for a player coming from a team like Middlesboro?? You and bellco14 have been bashing the kid all season and now you all are having to eat crow since Rick has invited him up. I believe that he is a better judge of talent that you are and if he thinks he could contribute in the BEast, then I think he could as well.

I know that he also has a visit to Belmont coming up. He has also been heavily recruited for a year now by DII schools Carson Newman and Lincoln Memorial.

Could a moderator merge the two threads? I didn't realize their was another one.

To be honest, he is probably 6'0"-6'1". Definitely not any taller than that. However, he has grown 2 inches in the last two years and is still growing. His father is about 6'3".

Earlier this week, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Louisville Kevin Willard contacted Middlesboro star Stuart Miller and reportedly set up a visit for Miller to come sometime within the next few weeks. I am not sure of the exact date but will report it when I find out. What an opportunity this would be for Miller!! Pitino loves shooters. Currently, Miller is in the top of several statistical categories in Kentucky. 4. Scoring- 29.1 PPG 10. FT %- 85% 1. 3-PT Made Per Game- 6.0 139 for 322 for 43%

I agree. Because it is healthy for the community and the students of those schools to have something like that. A game they can look forward to being a part of every single year. Win or lose, the Bell County vs. Middlesboro game was always loads of fun. At Middlesboro High School they had "Spirit Week" the week the football team played Bell County, having a theme to dress up by every week, conluding with a gold and black day on Friday. Therefore it truly serves as a school unifier.

It's not always lop-sided. And Bell County didn't drop Middlesboro from the schedule when the Jackets used to beat them just as bad.

It's not all about the gate though. This is one of the oldest rivalries in SE KY. It is about tradition.

If you lived in the area you would know that this controversy is more than just a football game. It is about keeping a tradition that the high school has had for 40+ years. They shouldn't be expected to win every year. However, in my mind, they owe it to the county to play every year.

Bell County was very upset when Middlesboro decided not to play. I would imagine they would do whatever they could to get this game back on the schedule as well. The price of buying out an opponent, if that is what they must do, couldn't be near as much as they make on this game.

In all fairness, I don't think anyone was trying to hide but Kenny Roark. Plain and simple, he can't beat them. Like I said in my first post though, Middlesboro still owns the series. :ylsuper: