Kingfish Stevens

If Selby doesn't play, it will remove Boyd County from serious contention in the district.

Tomcats drew their way to the finals.

Finals was a second half blowout.

Cubster is, as usual, correct.

I dont know what makes you think that the defending 64th district champs and 16th region runner-up would be on a "downward spiral". While RH who has not made a regional appearance in 4 years would be on the rise. Potential is just that...I'll take proven winners.....

Check out the scores when one school's "potential" actually plays the other school's "potential". Ashland cleaned Rose Hill in the second half of the varsity game last year at Ashland. That is past history. Rose Hill, led by 9th graders and 8th graders, beat Ashland's junior varsity in the preliminary game. We can't compare the two freshman teams because they didn't play anjd we all know why. Rose Hill's 7th grade team beat Ashland's 7th grade team and Ashland's 8th grade team each time the teams played last year. RH's 8th grade team was its 7th grade team.

Ashland's braintrust won't allow any Ashland elementary teams to play RH and that has been their policy for several years. Does anyone really wonder why?

When we look at what is coming, I would say that it is clearly more than "potential", don't you think?

As I said earlier, I look for Ashland to win the 64th District this coming season. I base it on the fact that the tournament will be played at Ashland and that Ashland still has Matt Thomas (Who is still, by the way, a favorite with RH people).

Where is my analysis wrong?

I'm not concerned with all the legalisms. My only concern is whether or not anyone is listening.

Boys, I believe we could save a lot of time if we just admit the obvious truth. Ashland people still despise Rose Hill and it has just intensified since Mayo left. Now that Rose Hill appears to be on the rise and Ashland appears to be in a downward spiral, the hate will merely increase. If you doubt this, check out the accomplishments of both schools's younger, but soon varsity, teams particularly when Ashland teams are forced to play Rose Hill. It isn't very pretty for the boys in maroon.

And, of course, the feelings from Rose Hill toward Ashland are mutual since they believe that Ashland has spent and continues to spend almost as much time trying to badmouth and undermine Rose Hill as they do building their own program.

Neither school is "without sin".

There is no mutual love, trust, or respect and anyone who spends time trying to bring peace would have more success with the Arabs and Israelis.

And, as a partisan, I must admit that I enjoy it wholeheartedly.

How about this...RH (Euton and Jackson) don't have experience winning big games (District games) with their RH teammates, whereas Elliott Co. and even Ashland for that matter does. Its easy to win AAU games when your roster is loaded with other players of the same caliber.

Somehow, I would have to believe playing in national tournaments against the best from all parts of the country is a "bit" bigger than playing in the 64th District.

As for the caliber of players involved in AAU, while your team is loaded with talented players, so is the opposition. Otherwise, they wouldn't be there. The 64th District of the last few years is less than mediocre at best and, when compared to the top AAU teams, extremely poor.

Remember, no 64th District team has even won the region since Rose Hill did so in 2003 and the odds are strongly against it this coming season.

But, since I am no fan of Ashland, I hope their "leaders" continue to believe that they don't need AAU exposure. I applaud their stance.

I respectfully disagree. Obviously the reason for that is the KHSAA thinks that if the accuser is made public, there would be a lot less accusations. The KHSAA rarely will make the accused school any 'trouble' unless they have just cause to do so. If we think there are a lot of private school accusations now, wait until the KHSAA is not informed to prove them otherwise...

 

Side note: That's a BGP record. I defended the KHSAA AND private schools all in one post...

There would clearly be less false, baseless, and harrassment complaints if you had to stand up and state your case rather than being able to hid in the shadows. It is too easy to cause a rival problems and some tend to keep a hotline open to KHSAA. If you must display your complaint in the light of day, you would be much more likely to have some concrete evidence before you act.

Otherwise, all we have is a few valid complaints and a lot of spineless tattle tails and trouble makers.

It just seems that due process would require such an approach.

I would venture to say that Euton and Jackson have played in far more "big" games than anyone else in the 64th District. Of course, the EC boys have played in many such games. I think those who play AAU at a high level progress far more from that experience than they do from playing high school ball.

As for Ashland, I believe the consolidation of Coles and Putnam into first Coles-Putnam and then into Verity has really hurt the program. Also, I have always heard that Ashland is not particularly "AAU friendly" and that has hurt.

Any school accused of wrongdoing should be informed as to who made the accusation. If the alleged "whistleblowers" were identified so that they could be held accountable for their acts, there would be a lot less complaints filed with KHSAA.

I'm not saying this is a frivilous claim but, the process, as now practiced, makes it too easy to cause a rival problems.

If we merely want the truth, why would we not include the possibility that the accuser is merely trying to cause problems for another school? It has happened. All should be accountable and, if the complaint is found to be baseless, the accusing school (assuming the complaining party can be tied to a particular school) should be punished.

That would serve to somewhat "level" that playing field.

So they have the talent this year, then They should win with Biggs.

No. I don't think Ashland has the talent to win the region this year. I am saying that they have more talent this year than they will have next year or for several years thereafter. Of course, a few relocations and/or foreign exchangers could change all of this but I am going on what is in the system now.

As for Biggs, I believe he is a decent coach. They won't lose games because of him. When they lose it will be because they have less talent.

It is amazing just how smart coaches look when they have talent. A poor coach with good talent will beat a good coach with poor talent. For example, I can remember when Mays was seen as a lesser coach in the region. All of a sudden, he looks much more able. What changed? The talent level.

I would think it would depend upon the quality of your experience and the quality of your potential. Elliott County has a measure of both. While they are not likely to be a threat for the state championship, they must be considered the odds on favorite in the region.

I would not bet on that ! Tomcats have another year to season out.

What does "season out" mean? The available talent will clearly decrease next year and thereafter. If Biggs can compete for a regional title in the next few years after this coming season, he will be a magician worthy of a major contract in Las Vegas.

All the Ashland posters seem to be big on Biggs. Will they feel the same way in March?

I know Dicky mentioned it, but I hadn't heard Coach Hart say anything about it. Did he mention that during his post game talk?

Unfortunately, he did. I think I can safely say that none of the others I mentioned would have done so. Those guys had too much pride in their programs to use such a transparent excuse.

After reviewing the Class 4-A competition in the area, I fully understand why Ashland is hoping to move down a notch. Nonetheless, Ashland has a proud tradition in football going back many years. That tradition was built by coaches like Jimmy Anderson, Fayne Grone, Rex Miller, Jake Hallum, and Herb Conley. All of these guys welcomed tough competition from all around. They didn't seek to play weaker competition when the going was rough. Consequently, it should be disappointing to all true Ashland fans to hear the present coach using the excuse that the school is just six students over the Class 4-A limit. The tradition was not built on making excuses for poor performance. It doesn't enhance one's perception of the coach.

Excellent.

Yes, I believe Ashland's worse loss ever was 98-0. I can't remember for sure, but I believe it was to the hands of either Stonewall Jackson or Highlands.

Wow. Was that before or after the Coolidge Administration?

Excellent.

Final. It sounded like an old American Football League game. Has Ashland ever given up that many points in a game before tonight?

Dickie said Ashland will remember this game. I'll bet so. The first half can't be a pleasant experience. Shoot, I picked Ashland in an upset. Good thing there is no money riding on that prediction.

If it is a program for those that are able to provide for themselves, I would agree with you.

 

But it is not. It is for kids who did not chooose to be put in the position they are.

 

Won't get a disagreement from me on those taking care of themselves, but when you put kids in the mix.

 

Remember why did the early church get deacons in Acts? To take care of the widows and mothers who couldn't take care of themselves. Biblically, there is NO DOUBT that we need to take care of kids in situations that they are not being taken care of.

And, we should also make the "parents" of those children live up to their responsibilities or take their children from them and make sure they can produce no further offspring.

The children are victims. The "parents" are not. There is an enormous difference between being a biological father and mother and being a true daddy and mommy. There are far too many biological parents and not enough daddys and mommys.

I am firmly committed to providing for those who are unable to provide for themselves. Nonetheless, it is still welfare. Therefore, when a truly needy person is involved, I support welfare.

If we are going to get Biblical, I would add that the Bible also says, to paraphrase, that if you don't work you don't eat. I would interpret that to mean that if you are capable of providing for your family, you should do so or suffer the consequences.

My point remains to be that we are going a bit afield in just who is and is not able to provide for themselves and their families. Also, I believe a lot of this overdone concern of politicians has more to do with garnering more votes than it does with compassion.

No, ladiesbballcoach, it is what it is. It is welfare. Whenever one pays extra to provide for the alleged needs of another who supposedly cannot pay his/her own way it is welfare.

If we start justifying extra taxes on all who cause some health issues, we should start with the fast food industry, move on to the liquor industry, and be sure to include the movie, music, and television industries. Although it is not politically correct to say so, I feel certain that the entertainment industry has and is causing far more real harm to our population than is the tobacco industry. As I said, I don't smoke or chew tobacco any more although I did so in my earlier days. An occasional good cigar is far less dangerous to our children than is a hip hop recording from one of the usual sources.

Downward spiral but may win the district? That comment doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. If you are saying the Tomcats do not have much young talent coming up then I might suggest you could be surprised. While they might not have anyone coming with the potential of an Euton or a Jackson I think they will continue to show up to play the game. Ashland has an 8th and 9th grade group of athletes that will compete with anyone in the region when their time comes. Unfortunately they havn't had much of an opportunity to play together as part of a school team yet.

I am surprised. I was under the impression that your boys have played together in the elementary grades, at Verity in the 7th and 8th grades, and as 9th graders at the high school. In fact, I saw those teams play a couple of games last year. Could it be that I am mistaken and didn't really see what I thought I saw?

Anyway, I did see on multiple occasions, a group of 7th graders from another school beat both Verity's 7th and 8th grade teams back to back on the same evening. Maybe the Verity uniforms were worn by imposters and, if so, I better understand your post.

The idea of the so-called "poverty level" is as much, if not more, based on politics than it is on economics. My main problem is that I don't believe welfare (and that is what we are actually talking about) for NYC residents should be increased at the expense of Kentucky's tobacco industry. If NYC needs a higher threshhold, how about making up the added funds with a tax on such items as tickets to Broadway shows or NYC taxi fares?

If there is to be added financial pain, it should be felt by those in the area causing the pain. Davis's vote was proper. He does not represent the interests of the people of NYC and has no responsibility to provide for them at the expense of his own people.