Kingfish Stevens

True but I don't think anyone considered them the fourth best team in the region by a long shot and they were never a threat to win the region. Nonetheless they did upset someone in the first round to get there proving that anything can happen. They should be a top four team this coming season. Having the district tournament at Ashland will help them a lot. Bill Bradley deserves a good season but Merle Kidwell deserves a trip to Bowling Green (as a participant rather than as a spectator).

Woodford County dominated the game from the start. After each Ashland game, there have been several posts stating that Ashland is better than its record indicates. At this stage of the season, it seems fair to ask if that is really true. As I have posted before, I hate to see Matt Thomas having this situation in his senior year. He deserves better.

I just looked at UL's schedule. Qualification for a bowl game doesn't look very likely. Too bad. That UK-UL rematch sure sounded good. But, at least, we may get a T-X rematch which will probably be better anyway.

Very good analysis. I would believe Russell should be the favorite. Raceland may be a little higher and Rose Hill a little lower. But, overall, a very good analysis.

Your conclusion as to the basis of my opinion is, as usual, incorrect. Even the most rabid 16th Region fan would have to admit that there is no team in the region who could remotely have reached the final four at Morehead last year. The region had five D-1 scholarship recipients last year. There were several more seniors who received lesser scholarships. The truth is that there are no truly outstanding players left. Vanderhoof at Raceland is probably the best. Teamwise? Let's just say that, unlike the last two years, most all the other regions would be pleased to draw the sixteenth in the state tournament. Russell ninth? Wishful thinking on your part. Where am I wrong?

I hope UL makes it. Personally, I'm no more a fan of one program than the other. However, I do think a rematch could be a great matchup- gamewise, fanwise, and moneywise. UK won on a last minute bomb late in the game at Lexington. If we are all honest, I think we must admit that that game didn't prove much of anything. If you take off your blue glasses and try to be objective, I'll bet you will agree. Why get all hyped up over another sublevel bowl appearance against someone like the sixth ACC team or the eighth Big Ten team or whatever meaningless matchup can be arranged? UK vs. UL would fill most stadiums. Brohm vs. Woodson one more time and at the end of the season. It would be an outstanding matchup. UK fans may have been convinced that they are better since they escaped with the homefield win. I'll bet it didn't convince very many UL people. Let's promote one more game.:ylsuper:

I'll bet our good friend, marooncat, was much more anxious to list Rose Hill as #16 than he was to list his girls at #3. I wonder why he listed Bath County twice and left Russell out. Personally, I will put the missing Russell at #1 with East Carter #2 and Ashland #3. I think that Rose Hill, even with their middle school makeup, will finish ahead of three teams on the list- at least one of which is in its district. One fact is undisputable. The region is very weak in team talent and individual talent. Of course, someone must win.

Can I assume that most of the above posts are from UK fans who are frustrated over the recent superiority of UL football? Wouldn't it be interesting for these two to play each other again in a bowl game at the end of the season? I think all Kentuckians should promote it. It would give each a chance to prove who is better in the Commonwealth. Why not? Neither is likely to land a big bowl bid. Neither will remotely win its conference. So, can anyone think of a bigger gate attraction (at least for many locals) than a rematch. It would sure be a sellout. It makes sense.

I nominate this post for "spin of the season". If you get away from the Kentucky fan base, it was obvious (Did you listen to the game announcers?) that Kentucky was viewed as vastly overrated (ie: 8th in conference which may be close to reality). A fairly favorable schedule, which admittedly included an overrated Louisville team at Lexington and a minor upset over a middle of the road Arkansas team on the road, as usual, got the fans charged up. South Carolina probably started the trauma of reality. Fortunately for UK, there are so many bowls around that they should get one of the leftovers. But the quest for respect for the UK football program continues.

I feel certain that Herbstreit has revised his opinion. The "Big Blue Bubble" burst on Thursday night and reality should have set in. If not, give it a couple more weeks. Look for another lower second to third rate bowl appearance at best.

True and ridiculous. Teams like Boyd County, Ashland, Greenup County and many others around the state have about as much business playing in the playoffs as the Kansas City Royals have playing in the ALCS.

I agree completely. It is certainly understandable that partisans view their favorites in a more positive way than would someone else who is not necessarily tied to that team. That is merely being a "fan" which, of course comes from "fanatic". I would be the first to salute that Hager team that won all of those consecutive games against the other Ashland elementary schools and Holy Family. I am a proud "graduate" of Hager.

Ooooooooh. When basketball heats up and third parties wonder why there is no mutual love, regard, or respect between Ashland and Rose Hill, I suggest that your attitude be used as "Exhibit A". To be honest, from the families I know, I would suggest that they would never consider returning to the Ashland system. Strange as it may sound to you, Ashland needs them but they don't need Ashland.

I would recommend leaving the deer alone and concentrating on the illegal aliens.

After reading your post, I made a couple of inquiries to individuals associated with each school. Both have assured me that you received incorrect information. I would have to believe that that is the case since Rose Hill apparently has both a fully manned seventh grade team as well as a fully manned eighth grade team. I was further told by a representative of the Ashland "athletic community" that the middle school coach was told by a "higher up" that he was not to schedule Rose Hill. It is no big deal since schools can play whomever they choose. However, schools should not be "creative" in explaining the policy. I agree that it will be interesting to see what happens in regard to football at Rose Hill. I agree with Greybeard that it could produce a windfall for one or more local public schools. Apparently Rose Hill has some fairly talented players. With the less than amiable relationship between Ashland and Rose Hill athletics, I would be surprised if Ashland gets much of the windfall.

I heard that Rose Hill's eighth grade beat Ashland's eighth grade 22-0 in a gridarama at Boyd County. I also heard that Ashland won't schedule a regular game with Rose Hill for either the seventh or eighth grade teams. As I remember, RH's seventh grade beat Ashland 22-0 in the same gridarama last year. Any truth to this or did I receive bad information.

I am pleased and relieved. My views are most like Huckabee and least like the Breck Girl.

If four or five of them deserved it, I would agree with you.

The 16th Region group looks good. My only disagreement would be with Bonner as #10. I wouldn't place him near that high. Three EC players is enough. I know they are the odds on favorites and defending champions but, individually, they are not that much above a few of the other teams. I would, however, clearly put Evan Faulkner over Bonner. As is the case in football, Ashland will go about as far as Matt Thomas can take them. Bonner and Coleman will help but the cupboard is bare after that. Still, Ashland could very well win the well balanced district. I believe it will be played at Ashland and that, along with their coach, could well make the difference. Elliott County should repeat as region champions because of their overall balance and familiarity with each other.

Absolutely true. The only luck involved in Russell's season last year was bad luck. VanHoose's injury, in reality, ended their seson. Russell, both the boys and the girls, will be fine this coming season.

Don't discount the possibility.

Good to see Matt Thomas have another big game. As a realist, I don't see much progress in Ashland as a team. Beating winless Boyd County in overtime doesn't do a lot for the resume. Nonetheless, 1-5 is better than 0-6. The trip to Versailles could be a long one since Woodford County lost to Franklin County tonight.

I realize that he will likely not end up with his scholarship to Indiana and it is possible he could go to jail but do you suppose that he will be forced to sit out any Scott County games?

Academics, like athletics, requires quality raw materials in order to produce a superior finished product. Of course, the condition of the equipment on the "assembly line" and the quality of the "work force" producing the product are equally important. Finally, the attitude of management and the shareholders (parents) counts for a lot. All of these factors vary from district to district. Still, the bottom line is what counts and, regardless of the reason, if it is weak, it is weak. There are explanable reasons as to why some schools are weak in academics and/or athletics. Nonetheless, the result is still there. The factors making up the education system are complex. However, you still end up with a measure of success or a measure of failure.

Let me try one more time because the principle is, I believe, basic and important. I oppose the concept of "hate crimes" because I believe that they cannot be justified as being constitutional. Why should the beating of a member of what is seen as a minority be seen as a more serious crime than the beating of one of what is seen as not a member of a minority? Is one head more "valuable" than is another? I don't think such a conclusion is constitutional. As one of several sources for my conclusion, I will cite the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The concept of "hate crimes" is nothing more than more social engineering and manipulation. I would be the first to state that, not too many years ago, the beating of certain individuals (blacks, homosexuals, Irish immigrants, etc.) were treated less seriously than were the beatings of a good, old WASP. That was wrong. However, to reverse the process is equally as wrong. As for the burning of the cross, I would assume that the perpetrators could be charged with trespass, destruction of property, possibly an endangerment charge (maybe even attempted murder if we want to get a little melodramatic) of some sort, and a few other such crimes. However, to magnify the situation by giving it a special classification such as "hate crime" is still, in my opinion, unconstitutional. I would not expect the courts to necessarily agree with me but I would submit that their perception is based much more on political pressures and "the times" than it would be based on a reasonable reading and interpretation of the US Constitution. I apologize for the poor typing in my previous post. I didn't proof it since I was late for an appointment.