WoodyJr

I've had an impression (right or wrong) that perhaps kids may get pigeon-holed into a more specific or limited role/position/skill set with some % of D1's whereas they may get a more versatile, wider range of opportunity at some of the presumed lower levels ????? Just curious, anyone have an opinion on that? My observation may just be from a few anecdotal instances... Woody Jr

We're just so misunderstood, we want to try & help ya'll but I've heard that kids attention span isnt what it used to be:sleep: Woody Jr

Well these sportswriters have made some interesting points and they have done what they are paid to do; take a position and push it:flame: As I mentioned in one of the other threads I feel it's a case of MUTUAL-using [perhaps the history books will create that word noting it's introduction as; circa 1990's with the rise of AAU basketball;) ] My comments yesterday, "pre" Mike DeCourcy: In this particular case I feel that the schools involved have themselves been used to an extent AND on the flip side, the school (or segments of it) and various people connected to the school(s) have also used the player(s) for their benefit. Yes everyone is using "each other" to some extent, but that doesn't make it even, or fair, or right. The player(s) used the school(s) to showcase themselves and further their game experience, talents, and publicity (how much to blame other adults is a seperate debate). The school(s) used the player(s) to gain exposure, generate increased participation, opportunities, and monies. Adults at many different levels enjoy the connection with a talented, popular, and/or famous individual(s), team, or organization which feeds their ego and makes them a part of something . It often becomes difficult for them to say or do anything that threatens that connection -ie., let the good times roll The Sporting News can send my residual check ASAP:rolleyes: To be honest I think what bugs me the most is that this is nothing new, we read & hear about it all the time. But we see it as arising out of urban New York or crazy California, some "foreign" environment, not from the small towns around us in KY/OH/WV. This shows us they can get us anywhere. Perhaps no one is immune from it?? Woody Jr

The last post about the title game location made me think about something (sorry if hijacking) If I were a HS coach my practice field would have a college goalpost rather than HS size. (for practice and psychological edge on Friday nights) Anyone know if this is true? Woody Jr

I think the reason some of us have expressed concern with the low numbers is b/c we ARE familiar with what GP has been going through in recent years (seemingly rather instable) and this is another point of concern that could reflect continuing problems. Greenup Co is a very spread out, rural school which always means their kids have transportation issues - so I'll acknowledge that as a factor. On the other hand, they have had a good student population to attract athletes from and have had success in several sports before so it seems something is going on Woody Jr P.S. be safe Mike

Some excellent points SBob, A comparison "discussion" of talent level by age, grade & decade is a recipe for never ending torment so I'm staying away from that baby. In my limited involvement with youth athletes (& to an extent, young talented individuals in other fields) I have frequently found that a good number of youngsters with above average athletic ability could reasonably be considered below average in some other age appropiate developmental levels - or more simply put, rather immature in other areas. They also are frequently an eager to please type person and quite likeable to those around him.:thumb: It's easy to see why some of these youngsters can be steered down certain paths due to certain manipulative adults and/or important adults that can't, won't, or may be incapable of providing good guidance. A few may have felt that some of my previous posts dealing with issues related to this thread were directed at a player. The players name is usually a focus of the thread or the headlines but my "displeasure":p has been about the ancillary organizations, people, and environment that allows this to occur. Which school(s) the kid plays for and how it effects the school I support is not the basis for my opinion(s). I have personally expressed my negative view about how some super talented youngsters at my own school were "handled" in the past "BB"(Before BGP). Since I'm not the parent or guardian in those or the current situation my opinion doesn't carry any weight where it counts. That doesn't mean my opinion is not valid - & same for others opinions on these matters. Others are free to have a different opinion of matters, but not free to presume my motive(s) [see my prior comments complaining about mind reading;) ] You can believe what ever you wish about my motive(s) and experience around athletics & youngsters, but I can only post my view and leave it at that. In this particular case I feel that the schools involved have themselves been used to an extent AND on the flip side, the school (or segments of it) and various people connected to the school(s) have also used the player(s) for their benefit. Yes everyone is using "each other" to some extent, but that doesn't make it even, or fair, or right. The player(s) used the school(s) to showcase themselves and further their game experience, talents, and publicity (how much to blame other adults is a seperate debate). The school(s) used the player(s) to gain exposure, generate increased participation, opportunities, and monies. Adults at many different levels enjoy the connection with a talented, popular, and/or famous individual(s), team, or organization which feeds their ego and makes them a part of something:D . It often becomes difficult for them to say or do anything that threatens that connection -ie., let the good times roll:banana: Rationalizing these things by saying; he's a good kid, would have gone "somewhere" so it may as well be us, others have done, do, or will do it are all bogus counter arguments IMO. I can understand some taking my comments as offensive but it's simply my observation & I would hope they could step back and consider things with a detached view. Perhaps I'm envisioning an impossible dreamworld but what would it take to just tell a youngster, his parent, guardian, entourage, and/or your own coach and boosters that no we don't need to take this on this kind of stuff and help perpetuate the system that is getting worse and worse. Hopefully no one feels the need to use the play dumb card like there's really a school administrator, coach, or educator that doesn't know what the deal is I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with everything I said - well maybe not all of it;) I realize using too broad a brush is unfair and I've tried not to do that, but please consider this an overall view of the course of events we have all become familiar with - and some obviously are more familiar than others:thumb: Woody Jr

Tom Groeschen / the Enquirer has an article on Mayo being back in school: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060503/SPT030101/305030020 Woody Jr

Wow I hate to hear that. As a Tomcat fan I hope for good programs all around us. I remember Greenup's couple of glory years around the time of our JAWS team. Hope you guys can pull it back together. Woody Jr

I'm curious why Ashland seems to never have much depth on the mound. To have a good program you need to develop a pitching staff. It doesnt just happen. You can throw good athletes out there in other positions but just waiting until Spring to find your pitchers is a recipe for disaster. Are the Ashland kids losing interest in baseball? Do they feel they can't play multiple sports? Do we not have the proper facilities or coaching available year-round to develop pitchers? Is there anyone looking for the good arms in the youth leagues and encouraging them? Can some Ashland supporters tell me why we don't seem to maintain a higher level of success on the baseball field. Are we just in a down period for athletes? We've had a pretty strong (and successful) team at times lately - what is needed to maintain that? If I'm off base, please give me the details. Woody Jr

Raz, I think that may be the same article I posted on 4/26 in the thread about NCH celebrating without Mayo, Walker, et al.... It is a good article!. Here is an interesting opinion article by Jeff Goodman on the Fox site that came out within the last 24 hours. It discusses a different #1 player in the 2007 class and has some questions about the "circus act of sorts" around Mayo. Check out why & who the other #1 could be: http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5539492 WoodyJr

Perhaps this is a hijack .. (just ignore if it is) but here's a Doyle article on players who obviously either don't have any well grounded individuals to turn to for advice OR they just don't listen to anyone anymore .......... http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9412339 P.S. check out #9 Woody Jr

Wouldnt it be fun to have the annual winner ride in the parade and the losers follow with shovels? Just sounds like a fun idea since you guys don't get very fired up about those games Cheers, Woody Jr

Gosh, this would just be an ever increasing degree of madness:scared: If true, I find it depressing that this talented young man (I think he's 18 now?) continues to bounce around and seems to have no stable influence to turn to OR is willing to listen to?:confused: I know the interest level in phenoms is higher than ever but we have seen lots of super talented individuals who are grounded enough that they aren't pulled into the orbit of selfish ideals and behaviors.:thumb: I don't mean to attack the player but I am attacking the system that allows, creates, and/or perpetuates this type scenario :fight: - and adults are an important part of it. Once an athlete turns 18 he needs to decide what path he wants to follow. I hope they eventually use some good advice on that path. Woody Jr

Perhaps they dance around the HS rule by only have 2 of the players on "each" particular roster they submit per game? I mean it's perfectly understandable that a player might decide to leave the team and another take his spot - right? and then maybe he had a family emergency and the original kid just happened to have changed his mind & decided to rejoin the team - right? Frances, you think I have the right thinking process to be an AAU coach? Woody Jr

Wow, looks like the 16th Region is going to get even more competitive Woody Jr

I may have to disagree this time Rambler(that happens so infrequently:p ) Many if not most of the colleges are/have/can/seem to? behave as patheticly as the rest of these people. It's just that the NCAA & schools have such wonderful PR mechanisms in place;) Like at post-game interview sessions when they issued the directive that all players MUST be addressed as "student-athletes" :sleep: :lol: I wonder if they provided puke buckets for all the sportswriters in attendance? caveat - I know I'm using a really wide brush in some of my statements, but I'm basically addressing the overall picture Woody Jr

I'd like to see Majo play for a different shoe team (whoops, I mean AAU team) each weekend and drive these low life slime balls into insanity as soon as possible. It's just pathetic what all this has become:fire: Woody Jr

So let's see... :confused: :confused: :confused: Does that make Huggins - Dor-a-they; trying to find her way home to Kansas and the UC prez - the Wicked Witch of the West? with Mayo - naturally as the Magician/Wizard of Oz So that leaves us with ....... the Scarecrow (no brain) - the Tin Man (no heart) - the Cowardly Lion (no courage) - ToTo - Auntie Em - Uncle ? - The Munchkins - how about the various sportswriters Glenda the Good Witch - perhaps coach Smith @ Oak Hill ? How about some BGP'ers suggesting who to play various roles Cheers, Woody Jr

Could you explain a little more what you mean about the show now that its not in E.KY ? Woody Jr

Then perhaps the high schools are lucky they don't have the graduation ratios to watch over like the NCAA coaches and AD's do? Anyone ever consider how that would work in HS ? Just a thought... Woody Jr

Well ummmmmmmmmm...............:bunny: I'm not completely sure of your meaning on that Oh Fair One I hope no one thinks I have any animosity towards any HS player. My jousts on here have been with how I perceive others comments sometimes being personalized towards me (thats just MY opinion of course). Others can & may feel my comments aren't always 100% up to par but we can agree to disagree without getting off topic IMO. I just TRY to stick to the specifics (as much as possible:p ) when debating in hopes of not digressing into :fight: . Of course, a small side dish of sarcasm is sometimes offered as a little spice to the meal Any Who, My "issue" surrounding most of this stuff has been the impact of AAU, Summer Tourneys, Shoe Co. influence, Entourages, Adult(or semi-adult) egos, etc dictating and overly influencing HS basketball - as I see it. Others have differing views and thats fine; perhaps I'm just too old school:sleep: I don't know whats best for any HS player & I don't think anyones else's opinion is any better either. There may be several good options OR no good options. Often we just have to make a decision and go with it - life is a process. I had thought that Oak Hill would be a pretty good option for Mayo (hopefully alone) in the belief he would get great coaching and be a "little" better insulated from the traveling circus that follows him seemingly everywhere. It may not occur and/or we don't know where he will end up but I hate to see a young person so bounced around/led around/bribed around (I dont know what words to use) simply because they have a God given physical talent better than most others. Lets just hope things work out for the best for him. And by that I don't necessarily mean the largest contract ever for his age, etc, etc, etc .....:fire: Woody Jr

If I have it correct, After tonight (4/28) we only have to survive 15 more empty Friday nights until the official 2006 Kentucky High School Football is kicked into the air ! Patient Cheers, Woody Jr [please correct me if I miscalculated]

I imagine that is one interesting looking transcript Woody Jr