[WideRight05]

This is the little EKY team that was supposed to beat Highlands this year, am I correct? What has happened?

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[Thrillex]

Head scratcher...they have obvious talent. I was VERY shocked they lost to Russell. Wonder what's up?

[baseball1974]

Ashland is my alma mater and I'm a very proud alumni. However, Coach Love doesn't seem to know how to motivate his players in close games. They are 3 points away from being 3-1. The game that does worry me is the Ironton, OH game. Ashland beat them by 20 points last season and they turn around and lose to them by 28 this season. That's 48 points that Ironton made up from last year. That is not a good sign of a program going in the right direction. If it continues, I look for this to be Love's last season.

[Scotty_Bronson]

They will give Love more time, imo. They over achieved last year, many had them going 4-6 or 5-5. They finished with a strong record last year and it ended like just every other season does. A lopsided loss to Cov Cath or Highlands. This steam is odd though. After the Raceland game, I was thinking that Raceland may be very good. Bc of all the hype that had surrounded Ashland and their 3 headed monster in the backfield. But now I have ahard time using the game as a measuring stick. Hart had a 2-8 season while at the Helm. They justhave to put together a never say die attitude. They have relied on their offense too much and their defense hasnt performed very well. I think its a defensive issue more than offensive. Which isnt a good sign, w Love being a defensive CO turned HC. But idk if that really means that he is done after this year. The are still young upfront though. Still cant comprehend the Russell loss and the blow out to Ironton though.

[Pulp Fiction]

Ouch....

Geez WideRight05.... don't hold anything back.
Tell Ashland how you really feel.

[dawgbyte02]

Ashland and coach Love will be fine. They will win their next 3 games and have a chance to work on the details. In their district it is all about Johnson Central and they have a ways to go for that game. They learned some hard lessons in those close losses.

[Fly Like a Duck]

And, above all.....

"Let's remember that your teaching position is much more important than your coaching one."

[Truth]

This is the little EKY team that was supposed to beat Highlands this year, am I correct? What has happened?

[Image: http://cdn2.business2community.com/wp-co...00x244.png]

Many times I have said that, if you could buy the Ashland program for what it is worth and sell it for what its supporters think it is worth, you could retire the national debt.

Every year, football or basketball, the hype is long and loud. However, at the end of the year, nothing of significance has been accomplished. This year will be no different. They will pad their team and individual statistics in their next four games with four embarrassingly poor opponents- Rowan County, Boyd County, Greenup County, and Sheldon Clark. An all star team made from these four couldn't compete with a decent Class A team.

But then comes Johnson Central and the fat lady will sing.

[Samiam]

They just are not very good up front.

[Clint Westwood]

Many times I have said that, if you could buy the Ashland program for what it is worth and sell it for what its supporters think it is worth, you could retire the national debt.

Every year, football or basketball, the hype is long and loud. However, at the end of the year, nothing of significance has been accomplished. This year will be no different. They will pad their team and individual statistics in their next four games with four embarrassingly poor opponents- Rowan County, Boyd County, Greenup County, and Sheldon Clark. An all star team made from these four couldn't compete with a decent Class A team.

But then comes Johnson Central and the fat lady will sing.

Great post Sir Truth!

[Clint Westwood]

Wonder why Mr. Ashland himself hasn't weighed in on this conversation.

[Image: http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/pic...tureid=704]

[EKUAlum05]

Hey I coined this statement about Ashland back before the season even started!

Two great players.

One really bad team.

[scrappy coco]

its called karma. Ashland has been too busy worried about smaller schools in area and not concerned about itself. mark swift tony love have recently made calls to khsaa to report about schools. clock is ticking on both or their jobs. ashland fans and the team are overated

[Truth]

its called karma. Ashland has been too busy worried about smaller schools in area and not concerned about itself. mark swift tony love have recently made calls to khsaa to report about schools. clock is ticking on both or their jobs. ashland fans and the team are overated

Correct and this has been their mode of operation for a goodly number of years. Actually, Ashland has KHSAA on speed dial. And, from the results, KHSAA never refuses to take their call.

[baseball1974]

And, above all.....

"Let's remember that your teaching position is much more important than your coaching one."

Haha! Since when has how good a coach teaches mattered anywhere?

[FarristownFlyer]

If Ashland would actually OPEN THE JOB TO CANDIDATES...they would get a good coach in there. Its a great job, and one of the top few in the state, but I hate when High School jobs are just given to assistants on a current staff. It usually isn't a good thing.

[tomcatfan722000]

If Ashland would actually OPEN THE JOB TO CANDIDATES...they would get a good coach in there. Its a great job, and one of the top few in the state, but I hate when High School jobs are just given to assistants on a current staff. It usually isn't a good thing.

Ashland waited well past the 30 day mandate to announce love as the coach. They were practically begging for anyone else the rumor was the coach at Cabell midland that used to coach at Lawrence county and Jim matney were the targets. But noone returned interest. I think we are seeing why coach love was passed over when coach hart was hired. We will see but I honestly don't know who would be jumping to take this job and I think love deserves some time to fix the mistakes. The biggest being the offensive line I think back to when jim bentine and Randy heaberling were handling those kids and thinking of the assistants that have been lost I wonder if maybe that hasn't hurt the development of some of these kids.

[FarristownFlyer]

Ashland waited well past the 30 day mandate to announce love as the coach. They were practically begging for anyone else the rumor was the coach at Cabell midland that used to coach at Lawrence county and Jim matney were the targets. But noone returned interest. I think we are seeing why coach love was passed over when coach hart was hired. We will see but I honestly don't know who would be jumping to take this job and I think love deserves some time to fix the mistakes. The biggest being the offensive line I think back to when jim bentine and Randy heaberling were handling those kids and thinking of the assistants that have been lost I wonder if maybe that hasn't hurt the development of some of these kids.

I'm calling bluff on some of that. I was told by Coach Hart 3 years before he retired that when he left it was Tony Love's job. It may have been posted more than 30 days, but it wasn't "opened up". Like you said those other coaches were rumors. Losing good assistants hurt no doubt...but a coach Head Coach...coaches his coaches!

[tomcatfan722000]

I'm calling bluff on some of that. I was told by Coach Hart 3 years before he retired that when he left it was Tony Love's job. It may have been posted more than 30 days, but it wasn't "opened up". Like you said those other coaches were rumors. Losing good assistants hurt no doubt...but a coach Head Coach...coaches his coaches!

It sure looked like Ashland was luke warm on coach love at best. By the time coach hart had gotten to Ashland in 2003 coach love had already been at Ashland almost 10 years why not hire him then? Yes it is true coach hart went to bat for Tony even did so publicly after that was published in the paper I feel it almost forced the hand of the administration. To make it clear nobody loves tomcat football more than Tony love but he has got to fix some mistakes his leash never was very long at least from the where there is smoke there is fire perspective.

[Patch]

Ashland has some decent weapons on offense, Prince and Baker the best. But the offensive line is just not getting the job done most of the time and no matter how good you are or how fast you are, if you don't have some good blocking, you are not going to have as many opportunities to make plays.

[foxbatone]

We need to carry a positive outlook here, the season is not over with a 1-3 record, it's just the start. The Coaches at Ashland are still making adjustments and putting together better game plans to adapt with the talent they have. They are 1-3, not a great start but the team can improve over the course of the season, remember they are not 1-10 here, have patience with Coach Love and his staff, they are doing there best here.

[Clint Westwood]

[Image: http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/pic...tureid=704]

Where have you been hiding at?

[Truth]

We need to carry a positive outlook here, the season is not over with a 1-3 record, it's just the start. The Coaches at Ashland are still making adjustments and putting together better game plans to adapt with the talent they have. They are 1-3, not a great start but the team can improve over the course of the season, remember they are not 1-10 here, have patience with Coach Love and his staff, they are doing there best here.

Ashland has four very weak opponents the next four games. It would be nearly impossible for them to come close to losing any of these games. Therefore, they will enter the Johnson Central game at 5-3. The natives will be fired up again but the truth is that these four wins will do nothing to improve the overall outlook for the team.

After that, the season plays out as always: a loss to Johnson Central, a win at home over weak and hapless Covington Holmes, and a one sided thumping by Fort Thomas Highlands or Covington Catholic.

End result, an unimpressive 6-5 with no significant wins.

[Wildcat1]

I wouldn't overlook Boyd if I were the Tomcats....they played right with them til the final 5 minutes last year, and this year the Lions are much better. They are probably better up front and for sure more physical than Ashland. Though the record is far from stellar, Boyd County is much better than many of the pre-season statements on this website ("looks like my son's middle school team," "possiby the worst team in the state 4A," etc...)

[NKYfootballfan91]

You dont win for two reasons in football. Bad players or bad coaches. Dont tell me a great player cant put W's up. Boone County did it with Shawn Alexander. I thought Baker was pretty special when we played him last season in Newport. Either he is not as good as the hype, or this coaching staff just needs to go. I was born in Ashland and played my college ball at Marshall, make me an offer and ill come coach this team. Has to be a good one, ive got a pretty great job atm.

[baseball1974]

Ashland waited well past the 30 day mandate to announce love as the coach. They were practically begging for anyone else the rumor was the coach at Cabell midland that used to coach at Lawrence county and Jim matney were the targets. But noone returned interest. I think we are seeing why coach love was passed over when coach hart was hired. We will see but I honestly don't know who would be jumping to take this job and I think love deserves some time to fix the mistakes. The biggest being the offensive line I think back to when jim bentine and Randy heaberling were handling those kids and thinking of the assistants that have been lost I wonder if maybe that hasn't hurt the development of some of these kids.

Coach Salmons would have been a great a pickup. Lawrence should have done everything they could to keep him.

[baller55]

More like a donkey than a pig!