[theprez]

Evidently the Pike Co School system is going to be boycotting Pikeville Ind School in middle school competition for the year of 2017/2018. Whats the reasoning behind it and should that take place. Is it fair for all kids. After all that's what our schools are for are the kids who cares where they go to school.

[plantmanky]

After some of the stuff Pikeville has done in recent years I can understand this.

[theprez]

elaborate on that

[Wildcat18]

Ok I'll say it. Pikeville has a history of cheating in basketball. Doesn't matter what school you'd like to go to, I'm all for choosing your school, but you better do it legally. Got caught and disqualified in 2011 for it. No shock to me that folks would rather pass on games with them.

[THE Whole Truth]

Rather than make accusations or call names or "boycott", perhaps take an inward look
and ask.....Why are kids leaving my school/program? hmmmmmm

[Big Don]

Sounds like the panther faithful should start saving now for those long trips to watch a game!

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

It's the same old excuse from the county schools as it's always been.....GOD forbid they look in the mirror and say to themselves "These parents are taking their kids out to go to Pikeville...What can we do better in order to keep them here?" The answer to that question is too hard of a reality to face. So, they take the cowards way out and blame Pikeville for everything that's went wrong in the world from planning 9/11 to forming Nickleback...What the Pike Co BOE has never understood and never will is that actions like this are EXACTLY why parents are pulling their kids out of those schools and sending them here in the first place! A school system is no different than any other buisness. Calling a School System a buisness may make some uncomfortable. But, it's a sad reality unfortunately. As in any other buisness, the consumer (Parents) has a choice as to where they wish to spend their money and the place that offers the best product wins. Both Academically and Athletically, Pikeville offers a better product. You can't blame parents for that and you can't blame Pikeville for it either...Well you can, but it just makes you look stupid!

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Ok I'll say it. Pikeville has a history of cheating in basketball. Doesn't matter what school you'd like to go to, I'm all for choosing your school, but you better do it legally. Got caught and disqualified in 2011 for it. No shock to me that folks would rather pass on games with them.

I find it interesting that you bring up this particular incident. Do you know who reported this incident when it occurred? Kevin Garris, then AD @ Pikeville. Now you know who. Want to know why? Garris told the JR. High basketball coach (Can't remember his name, from Shelby Valley originally) to NOT play a player who'd just transferred to the school a few days before the team left for a tournament in Lexington because he hadn't been cleared to play. After the team arrived and started play @ the tournament. Garris got wind that the coach played the player anyway. Garris then notified the proper authorities on the matter, action was taken and the coach was fired on the spot. If Pikeville are the "cheaters" you paint them...Why did they feel the need to self report?

[Wildcat18]

I find it interesting that you bring up this particular incident. Do you know who reported this incident when it occurred? Kevin Garris, then AD @ Pikeville. Now you know who. Want to know why? Garris told the JR. High basketball coach (Can't remember his name, from Shelby Valley originally) to NOT play a player who'd just transferred to the school a few days before the team left for a tournament in Lexington because he hadn't been cleared to play. After the team arrived and started play @ the tournament. Garris got wind that the coach played the player anyway. Garris then notified the proper authorities on the matter, action was taken and the coach was fired on the spot. If Pikeville are the "cheaters" you paint them...Why did they feel the need to self report?

The Pikeville administration did not report it first. KBA officials reached out to them AFTER the incident and complaints ensued. How do I know this? I was in the room when the calls were made to the Pikeville administration to clarify the situation. The calls were to Pikeville, not from Pikeville.

With that said, it was brought up during the tournament because an opponent recognized a player from Pikeville's team that played against them with Johns Creek a couple weeks prior at the Knott County Invitational. It had nothing to do with the Pikeville AD as the reason it was brought up. If the opponent hadn't said anything, I'm 100% positive that nothing would have came of it.

Whether it was self-reported or not, it's still cheating any way you want to spin it. The kid played for two separate teams and did not compete in the allotted number of games for Pikeville to be eligible for the tournament within the middle school basketball and tournament rules. It is what it is. It was known from the beginning and never should have been advanced that far. I sincerely hated it for the kids there as it wasn't their fault.

I say that to say this: I've been around middle school athletics for long time and I've never seen a fanbase exhibit behavior like Pikeville's acted while exiting KBA in Lexington that day. Grown adults threatening to fight, cussing, flipping the bird, etc. I would be embarrassed if our fanbase acted like that at a function in front of middle school kids, especially when they're the ones who were in the wrong. For me, those actions will forever be associated with Pikeville.

It's obvious we're going to have to agree to disagree. It's clear you have Pikeville running through your veins and that's understandable.

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

The Pikeville administration did not report it first. KBA officials reached out to them AFTER the incident and complaints ensued. How do I know this? I was in the room when the calls were made to the Pikeville administration to clarify the situation. The calls were to Pikeville, not from Pikeville.

With that said, it was brought up during the tournament because an opponent recognized a player from Pikeville's team that played against them with Johns Creek a couple weeks prior at the Knott County Invitational. It had nothing to do with the Pikeville AD as the reason it was brought up. If the opponent hadn't said anything, I'm 100% positive that nothing would have came of it.

Whether it was self-reported or not, it's still cheating any way you want to spin it. The kid played for two separate teams and did not compete in the allotted number of games for Pikeville to be eligible for the tournament within the middle school basketball and tournament rules. It is what it is. It was known from the beginning and never should have been advanced that far. I sincerely hated it for the kids there as it wasn't their fault.

I say that to say this: I've been around middle school athletics for long time and I've never seen a fanbase exhibit behavior like Pikeville's acted while exiting KBA in Lexington that day. Grown adults threatening to fight, cussing, flipping the bird, etc. I would be embarrassed if our fanbase acted like that at a function in front of middle school kids, especially when they're the ones who were in the wrong. For me, those actions will forever be associated with Pikeville.

It's obvious we're going to have to agree to disagree. It's clear you have Pikeville running through your veins and that's understandable.

Now that you mention it. I do seem to remember that the way you tell it. I stand corrected. If our fans acted in the way you described. There's no excuse for that! With that said, the fact remains that
the coach was told not to play that kid before they even left Pikeville. The Coach himself told me that after the fact...

[ifyasmell]

Politics at it's best.. Politics are everywhere.. too many yes men as principals and upper administration at the board of education.

[Schoolpolitics]

Politics are everywhere... Just ask your local principal..

[SPORTS FAN 101]

So if Pikeville City schools resides in Pike county and not allowed to participate in the Pike county tournament, there no longer will be a true Pike county champion in any sport. The county, I guess, will call the tourneys the Pike county school system champions???

[theprez]

It's not just Pikeville for instance a Phelps player good kid great athlete went to play football at Belfry then decided to come back to Phelps. another instance a good athlete great kid started out at Johns Creek and decide to go to Mullins later. kids bouncing around between Dorton and Elkhorn. Another this year bouncing between Elkhorn and Millard. is it the coaches no I don't think so. So why punish the kids at Pikeville for this making them have games during the week being out late at night. the county needs to get their panties out of a wad quit sucking on your pacifier and realize that kids changing schools is everywhere not just in the city. If I was a coach and I'm sure some would agree I'd rather have kids that wanted to play for me than ones that doesn't. so lace them up and just play the games.

[clay1]

Awful

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Apparently this ban has been lifted. Heard the KHSAA got involved...

[Warriorhawk17]

No panthers!! Boo whoo!! Hell pikeville. Not a county school. Go to lexington and play all you high and mighty. Then you can spend some of that curropt money at fayette mall.

[EastKyPride]

From what I heard Pikeville was having trouble finding games and a lot of their sponsors wasn't to happy about it.

[Ballistic]

Apparently this ban has been lifted. Heard the KHSAA got involved...

khsaa's butt more like big money political types who have kids at pikeville but political pull in the county or their finances are badly needed. same as always in pike county.

[bball_fan]

In regards to the rules and regulations, I coached two years at Mullins... the second year being the year prior to Pikeville being disqualified at KBA. My second year at Mullins, we had a set of brothers, a little point guard and a big man all transfer from Pikeville about three weeks into the season. All five dressed and played in games the following week. The coaching staff I was a part of was told since the kids came from Pikeville Independent, which was not considered part of the Pike County School Board, they were eligible to play the day they walked in the door. This must have been the case because no action was ever taken against us during this time period.

Also, in reference to this coach that was fired on the spot, this was the tip of the iceberg that year was it not Hail Pikeville? If I am wrong, please correct me because I was pretty close to some of the players at Pikeville Middle School that year though I was coaching at Betsy Layne. This was the year they beat Kemper 100 to 2, was it not? There was also rumors of the coach physically grabbing a player in the locker room during halftime of the Pike County championship game.

The rule with KBA that year was, for a kid to be eligible to play for a represented school, they had to have played three regulated games after they transferred. They was not the only team trying to squeeze in games as another 15th region team was trying to get the kids that played high school only eligible for this tournament as well. What was so ridiculous about what Pikeville did though, they was one of five teams from the 15th region that year that could have won KBA before the kid transferred.

[Real Badman]

This is dumb. Pikeville will always find away to recruit those county players, but to not play is dumb. East Ridge and Shelby Valley have no choice in grade 9

[jetpilot]

This is dumb. Pikeville will always find away to recruit those county players, but to not play is dumb. East Ridge and Shelby Valley have no choice in grade 9

Neither does Pikeville. I would be more than happy to grant the county folks' wish for no games between Pikeville and county teams.

[EastKyPride]

Wouldn't hurt our feelings at all! Its not like we need to play Pikeville. Enough county teams to schedule! Last time I checked Pikeville people were the group crying about the county teams not playing them and not being able to find enough games.

[hitter]

I don't think I would complain about recruiting players if I was on either side. just saying. and county schools don't have to play a city school nor do they have to let the city school in the county tournament