Diogenes

That is why we have capital punishment in Kentucky! Your attendance is appreciated; hopefully you will find the facilities up to snuff. I attended the opener of Trinity's new stadium and have returned several times, and I am aware that Trinity fans are used to first class facilities.

Welcome to BGP. Hope you can make the first game; if not, tune in by radio or the net!

This topic is a recurring theme on BGP. The frustrating aspect is that many of the accusations have been refuted by facts, but the same accusation made by the same person pops up on a new thread. Pretty much, these complaints fall into three categories: 1. Tuition: Note, for the umpteenth time, every Catholic school student pays tuition. There are no exceptions. But, consider: Even if the Catholic schools permitted athletes to attend tuition free, those athletes would then be paying the same tuition as their public school counterparts-zero! 2. Level playing field: Nothing is ever completely equal anywhere. The level playing field people always cite St.Xavier or Trinity. These are two of a number of private/Catholic schools in the state. These people never refer to other private/Catholic schools-such as DeSales. Consider this snippet from a previous post: Compare DeSales with the advantages of your public school. Your public school has the initial multimillion dollar head start when it was built for you by tax revenues paid in part by the parents of DeSales students. Athletic facilities? DeSales has no football stadium. Your local public high school probably has a stadium. Throw a couple more million on the ledger in your favor. Those same DeSales kids’ parents paid in part for your stadium. Still believe DeSales is the wealthy school vis-a-vis your public school? Don’t forget teachers’ salaries. Every year the tab comes due for this bill. DeSales' supporters pay this entirely out of their pockets. The government pays all of this bill for your institution. Did we discuss furnishing that empty multimillion dollar school facility you were given? Desks, labs, lockers…. You may have taken these for granted, something the blue collar parents of DeSales students, located in a blue collar neighborhood, are acutely aware of. We still haven’t discussed support staff. Somebody has to keep the physical plant operational and clean. Set aside another huge block of money-every day. Is your desire to trade with DeSales for their hypothetical "wealth" waning? It just gets worse. We haven’t discussed medical benefits, pensions and vacation pay for teachers and support staff. And don’t forget building upkeep, expansion, legal expenses and myriad other expenses that go into providing a first class education to young people. Now substitute Covington Catholic, St. Henry, Mercy, Pres, Christian Academy,Lexington Christian or most other privates. If you are honest, you will admit that the financial playing field is not level, but it tilts in a direction that many do not want to admit, and this exists whether rural or urban. 3. Larger geographic area to draw students: There is no KHSAA rule against this. Perhaps this complaint has been shot down most succinctly by Guru, and I paraphrase: If you choose to self restrict with nonmandatory rules, you should not complain when others do not choose to adopt your nonmandatory rules.

Sorry. Should have typed: No Kentucky teams listed in the top 25, but two Cincinnati teams in the top twenty-three in the nation.

No Kentucky teams listed in the top 25, but two teams in the top twenty-three in the nation.

RE: Resources, a snippet from a prior post: The government pays for public schools. Every penny for private schools comes from the pocket of private school supporters. If public school supporters merely supported their schools with a fraction of what private school supporters support their schools with, the public’s financial advantage over the privates would be staggering. .. one should not blame a competitor for working harder than he works. If private schools really have more money, why are private schools teachers paid less than public school teachers and why do they have fewer benefits? Indeed, often private schools have inferior facilities than public schools. As an example, look at Jefferson County area private schools. DeSales has never had a football stadium. St. Xavier is just getting one this year. To my knowledge, every public school in Jefferson County that plays football has their own stadium.

Welcome to Bluegrass Preps, TIGER1990. This game may be closer than expected. X has not thusfar shown an ability to consistently complete a pass (Some may inquire as to when they ever did ), thus permitting opponents to stack the box against the run. I'll say X 21, Ballard 14.

Male and PRP are a little higher than they should be. Based on scrimmages, so is X.

In light of Trinity's impressive performances in their first two scrimmages, will this put a damper on the naysayers who forecast a long day for the Rocks at Cinn. St. X?

Does anyone know the Male-Highlands W-L record over the last 10 years (Scrimmage and regular season)? Were most games close or blowouts? About how many boys at each school?

Excellent points, Having agreed in principle, I realize that some schools (privates in particular) need the money. It is often said, regarding privates, that nothing is free, payment is merely occasionally deferred.

I'm sure Trinity would play/scrimmage.

Good post and up to your usual quality, astute observations. It seems that some fans had a concern, not over play calling, not over Ben's cut chin, and not over a lack of excitement, but over a number of errant passes to open receivers and dropped passes by open receivers, This is to be expected, to some extent, in scrimmages. The coaching staff, IMHO, is excellent, and these miscues should either diminish or the staff will put in players who can perform. But, at this point, for the most part the right players are in the right positions.

Good analysis. For this offensive scheme to work, it is imperative to complete the short pass. This did not happen in the Fern Creek scrimmage, because of poorly thrown passes and because of dropped passes. IMHO this plagued X last year. They can succeed with these problems against FC, but not Lex Cath, Male and T. The staff will go with the QB that can get it done, I think. In 1999 the starting QB was switched in the second game and X took state. If the starter can not get it done (I think he can) they will switch or perish. That is football.

Reese may be the answer-I don't remember. My question was not a trivia stumper- it was a plea for help from a poster whose memory has failed him!

BTW, I apologize in advance for deviating from the thread topic, but Southern lost the title game that year to Christian County, who had a beast at linebacker/nose tackle that year. Does anyone remember his name? (That is what I mean, Biotech, about "neurons just don't fire as cleanly)."

Don't worry, Biotech, it happens to all of us as we age. The neurons just don't fire as cleanly.

Good memory. BG put forth a valiant effort with a gerrymandered team. That said, a lot of talent left town last year for college. X played away at BG, and the Purples will be at Marshall Stadium. The Rocks don't stumble often at Harry Jansing Field. Trinity by 17.

X plays three BGP number one ranked teams this year plus Male, PRP, Manual, Butler, Ballard, Cov. Cath and Oldham County. It is a murderous schedule, but as has been said "You have to beat the best to be the best."

I saw that game (which, BTW, was 1982). Southern had a big wide receiver, Curtis Jeffries-his son, Justin Jeffries, recently played on the line at X) and a very good two time all state running back, Jimmy Maddox. Good game, two good teams.

Lets all try to stay focused on what has been, up till now, a very good thread regarding T vs. Cinn. X.

The Rock supporters that have posted so far have, IMHO, contributed a sober analysis of the situation, not hype. Even so, sometimes fans tend to overrate our contributions. It is not us out sweating on the practice field, nor will it be us making the plays come 9-14. The ball takes funny bounces in this sport. T and Cinn X could be undefeated or "ofer" or somewhere in between when they meet. Whatever, many of us anticipate a whale of a game.

Thanks for the correction. You are right to not overlook BG. They are talented and well coached. If the Rocks can ever swing it, I would recommend the Rafferty's Bowl, played each year at Western Kentucky University. X played BG there twice. It is a classy group and the kids on the team get to play a game at a college stadium to start the year.

Thanks for the detailed analysis RockPride and Biotech. By the way, the initial post on this thread has the game on 9-15 but the Trinity website says 9-14. Is it the 14th?

A rare thread where virtually all posters contributed reasoned views and solutions. Being close to a number of teachers I can attest that, where available, public school teachers often opt to spend money to send their children to private school rather than send them to free public schools. RRR is accurate-the privates are selective. The problems suffered by public schools are generally not the making of the teachers, and generally it is not a shortage of money-the average public school usually has more money than the average private. The difference, for the most part, is the type of student and the type of parent. Public schools have many pupils with little or no money that come from single parent households and neighborhoods that do not value education. Privates, particularly in Louisville, often come from middle class families that have a strong religious culture that values education. leatherneck and H tackle the problem head on. Perhaps, in some way, there should be some system to segregate "problem" students from those students who want to learn. However, this runs counter to the currently accepted theory to mainsteam problem kids. I have often wondered why citizens don't band together and form PACs to endorse slates of candidates to regain control of school boards. Then, leatherneck and H's views (probably the majority) would prevail.