2Short

Great Job Bulldogs! This group truly appears to have found some of the maturity and focus we've all been hoping for. I am extremely pleased to see a solid first round performance...Tonight it's Hill...Friday who knows...they have three or four kids who can lead the team. I see a tough match up for Laurel Friday.

To get OUT coached, you need to coach...yelling at refs, running kids in and out, and screaming cliches at crunch time doesn't qualify...

CCH is smart enough, athletic enough, and way too aggressive a group to 'sit back' in anything. They certainly could have thrown some different defenses out and been very effective at it. My question is who teaches offense? They have been pretty average all year and gotten away with it. People say it's 'disciplined' offense? They run frustrated sets to nowhere, then get a shot they could have gotten by dribbling down and firing it...This group had multiple scorers...from my view, they never came close to their offensive potential...they got worse. I've never seen a team spend an entire season making things tougher on themselves offensively by running frustrating sets, with different people on the floor every 50 seconds or so, (with no apparent rhyme or reason) except to just get them in? The difference in this game was offense. That has been their self-inflicted achiles heal all year and Holmes at full roster is too good to get away with it. Shear will and athleticism may be able to get a group like that to the show...some insight, adjustment and savy is needed to win it. 17 seonds left; in the double bonus; consecutive time outs; the game is yours to win; and you saw what they came up with? I'm guessing the kids just choked and froze after hitting key free throws and fighting and clawing themselves into that position?

Define "Best Coach" ...I'll skip the worst discussion for now. Is it wins and losses, is it winning percentage, is it regional titles? That can be satisfied statistically; if you're talking about the coach's impact on his kids; his ability to get the very most out of his kids; to built trust and confidence in the program; to take decent kids and make them good to take good kids and make them great? If you choose these attributes, it seems to me you can only answer if you played for them. There's a lot of talk about what this coach or that appears to do with the talent they're given...I may be wrong, but it doesn't sound like many actually played for the coaches about whom they comment. I know, it's your opinion, and it's fun. But, the passion with which some of these opinions are defended is silly unless you've truly spent time under someone, day after day. The best coaches I've had are guys that, win or lose, held the respect of each and every player they had. They did win a lot, but the legacy for them has been more attributable to their genuine, honest, consistent and competent leadership. I've played for a couple of 'winners' who I wouldn't care to see again. I think I trust the opinion of those closest to the program. John Wooden quote: (from memory-(it's close but I'm sure I'm off a little).."Be more concerned with your character over your reputation; character is what the people around you know about you; reputation is merely what the rest think they know about you". ...Just my thoughts...

FWIW....IMO....that seemed a little over dramatic and self serving to me....pushing unsportsmanlike on Listerman's part. Look at the other coach, listen for things you've scouted, then call your defense if you want. He walked a couple of steps toward the Conner bench...stand and look directly at Hicks so that everyone could be made aware of it; he was one-upping his opposition and it was pathetic...didn't really need that side show, especially when it was obvious he had all the horses on the floor....

the breds are gonna have to pull it together

I was there for both games...and I must tell you, as bad as it looks, this was not a 'message', an 'axe to grind', or bad sportsmanship. For CCH: Grimes never saw the floor; the other startes played approximately half the game; some less; they did not press after the middle of third when the big run took place; the tried to play 2 x 3 zone in the fourth, but got a couple quick bust outs on that, and went back to mtm....the leading scorer has averaged like 5 minutes all year (Roll); the jv kids were dressing for the first time played almost as much as the starters. Beechwood gave a great effort for about 2.5 quarters and still found themselves down a couple dozen; then just went through the motions for the rest. This is just one of those years where one team is up a little, and the other is just not having a great go at it...(aka Total mismatch) and...by the way...CCH has lost like 6 games? St Henry, Brossart are two of them...and NC was no picnic; so the a schools are doing fine imo

HC couldn't buy one in the first half...from my view, it had more to do with athletic people defending them; as opposed to just missing good shots. It had blow out written all over it..then the third quarter...I felt Holmes did everything they could to let the Indians back in it and gain a little confidence. They seemed to slow their offense down, didn't press much, etc...I was wondering why, with superior athletes and the big lead, they didn't open it up and blow it away. I do give HC credit for a brilliant effort coming back and making it a game...(got it to 9)...cudos to the Sullivan boy for a great effort in particular, and Ryan stepped up late. The HC point guard Giwa? can play, if he works on his shooting he will be really something.

Oh yeah...I forgot...HC will bring their standard good preparation and gutsy performance to the floor tonight.. I say it's close through 2 quarters ...Bulldogs just too many athletes from the middle of the 3rd on... 61 - 49 final

Word is the CCH admin told the kids not to attend the early game so that seats are available for those schools...don't know if they'll comply? I would guess they will due to the second game's 'on paper' lack of drama? As of yesterday they were not clearing the gym...

I think he is forced to handle the ball too much as opposed to coming off some screens etc to get more open shots. He is not big enough against athletic and bigger defenders to create for himself...CC's defenders are pretty athletic and everyone who guarded him was at least a couple of inches taller...(he still scored a bunch, just not able to dominate) At the HS level I think they need to get him shots...at the next level, I agree he could be a very good point guard...

WHAT ???? That makes no sense at all...(it's like you're running in retreat, but get off a couple sideways shots at nobody...???? if Holocher plays, it is because he earns it and is their best option! ...and, btw....the graduating ss is a wonderful kid; but it won't be a big stretch to replace last years performance...even he would admit that.

I don't see Krumps spending a lot of time thinking about holding cards...if it's Blesser's start, he'll start....by season's end, however, I think Bles will be welcoming some others to the 'hand'...we may have a pair or a set..(of aces)...just have to see how they develop..?

I tried...I really did....but I can't help myself; CF, either you are actually Mike L; or you are drunk!

LOL !!!!

Good win for the Colonels. Great effort by the Tomcats...had every reason to quit after a dismal first half, but made it a good game and had every opportunity to win it. The Colonels still don't seem to have a grip on how to use all their weapons, lots and lots and lots of different combinations with no apparant rhyme or reason, BUT, the biggest nod has to go to Schult. He showed signs of returning to full capacity and he is the obvious key imo. He played great, especially considering he is still at about 75%! If CCH figures out how to use all these kids to their potential, they are still the 9th's best imo. Wish they'd press and trap for 32 minutes and exhaust their bench with Schult, Bo, and TJ anchoring...they have the ability to run you out of the gym, fortunately for the others...they don't. They seem to be irrationally addicted to a terrible half court O that gets them nothing. When they spread out and simply use their athleticism and depth and just play, they are an impossible match up for almost anyone.

Can someone from Doss help me understand why Brooks is not the focus of their offense? I watched the CCH game and this one, and in both games he gets lost in whatever it is they are trying to run. I think they had four possesions late in this one and he didn't touch the ball? There wasn't a kid out there who could stop him imo....it was weird to watch the 6'8" kid setting picks for his teammates so often. I'm sure I don't have an accurate opinion after watching only two games, but it seemed odd to me. Keeping him boggled up in traffice and/or at the top of the key when he has a 6'2" kid guarding him really helped the CCH group.

Different good or different bad? I buddy told me the middle school floor is as bad as it gets....played a 7th grade game there and said it is an ice rink! Are you saving all the money for the new football building?

..you're killin me S.M.A.-LLS !!!

Over? OVER? OOVER!? 'It ain't over till we say it is...was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?....."

OG, we have a lot in common...a deep love for the Colonels; a sincere respect for those whom choose the vocation of a high school coaching; and, we apparently both know these three coaches...I apologize as it has occured to me that is probably not the proper venue for some of my thoughts. I commend you and thank you for your loyalty and unyielding support for the Colonels. For what it may be worth, my opinion has very little to do with a loss to St X, or any difference in opinion I may have with the coach relative to this X or that O...

Don't know how much $....my question is: why are they not seeding that field! I realize it's past the optimum time of year, but with the dry and warm weather these past weeks...it seems that they would have jumped at the opportunity to get some seed down? Maybe it's a waste of seed at this point? Just wondering...I'm hoping there's a slight chance of playing on it sometime this season....

OldGuy, I love ya...but man, you took the hook, line and sinker on this one! The words Hep, Mote and Mike L don't belong in the same sentence...and you obviously have not played for or had anyone close to you play for the man. Decent human being, no doubt! ... but the emperor has no clothes!

I appreciate your loyalty and fervant defense...but suffice it to say, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about here. That is not a shot at your intellect or your knowledge of basketball; simply relative to your lack of intimate knowledge of this particular situation. I know I speak for the vast majority of us who did experience it...trust me, you have no idea.