[Old School Hound]

Last night was a night that the City of Corbin and Corbin High School has anxiously pointed towards ever since the funding for the $9+ million  renovation project was secured.  Make no mistake about it.  Corbin found itself in the spotlight last night. This time, for some good reasons.  Corbin was the place to be last night, as fans from all over the state and some from different parts of the country converged on the "new" Campbell Field/Dees Stadium last night.

For those who were able to watch the game, and especially those who were able to attend last night's event, I'd like to gain your perspective on how you think the city of Corbin and officials at the high school did planning and staging this event. With the eyes of the entire state on Corbin and Redhound nation, how do you think they did? What did you think of the stadium renovations?  What were the biggest positives from last night? Were there things you think should have been done differently? What are your thoughts on the game itself? Did it live up to its pre-game billing? 

I will give a few initial impressions and then I'll revisit the thread after you have had a chance to add your thoughts. Don't hold back. Let's hear what you thought.


1. Marlana VanHoose---- the young lady from Johnson County was the perfect choice to sing the national anthem. Oh my Gosh!!!  Only she can make this Old Hour tear up over the anthem.  She has sung at Reds' openers, UK games, and NBA finals but she has never sounded better than last night. Awesome job, Marlana!!!!   A+ !!!!


2. The stadium was beautiful. The field looked terrific. I am disappointed that there was , in plain view, still more work to be done, especially on the Roy Kidd side of the field. I was hoping that everything visible to the public would be a finished product. Seems like it should have been. But maybe there are legitimate issues that held up the work or maybe it's just another phase of the project that is due to be completed at a later time.

3. The helicopter fly- over was nice. I actually expected something like that. I halfway expected it to land on the field, as it descended.  lol  Greg Schiano and Nick Saban flew in on copters to visit a recruit on game night. Mark Stoops also flew in to watch Damien Harris in Richmond in 2014. Would have been quite the spectacle to see Stoops enter on a chopper to watch his two grizzly bears.

4. For the past months, I thought Tommy and Corbin might have made a mistake in scheduling Douglass as the opponent to open the newly renovated Campbell Field. There was a real risk , with a team like Douglass, of scoring no points and having a lopsided loss on your first night in your new digs. I was thinking maybe they should have scheduled a nice 5A or 6A team that they would be pretty confident they would beat, score a lot of points against, shoot of lots of fireworks, and save their RPI.  Even Tommy said,  “It’s a big week, but I was just sitting here thinking, ‘What nut scheduled Frederick Douglass for your home opener?’” “He ain’t right in the head.”   I agree, Tommy, you ain't right in the head but you were right and I was wrong.  Douglass made for the perfect opponent on opening night at the new Campbell Field.[/font][/size][/color]

5.  Now, for the biggest negative.  TOO DAMN MUCH TALKING!!!  I knew there's a lot of so-called dignitaries here in Corbin that are filled with a lot of hot air but I didn't realize just how much hot air. One after another they took their turn on the mic at halftime to  bloviate about one thing or another and effusively praise one good ol' boy after another. It really is the Corbin way and it's the biggest problem that has held us back here in Corbin for forty years and running.   The video board tribute to Coach Kidd and to past Redhound coaches, players and teams would have been sufficient.  Cox making a brief statement thanking those who made the night possible would have been plenty.  But for those speakers to go on and on and on, obviously loving the spotlight, was egregious, in my opinion. Coach McPeek must be a very patient and kind man to have let that go on without complaining to someone.  It seemed to go one for more than 30 minutes.  We are there for football, not to hear a bunch of old folks opine about the good ol'days and slobber all over Dave Cox's tiny knob.[/font][/size][/color]

6. Uniforms---  Just weird seeing the Redhounds dressed out in maroon. I get it--- it's a celebration of 100 years of Corbin football. It's throwback night. The Hounds from my dad's and my grandfather's era wore maroon. So , I completely understand it. This is not a criticism at all. I think it was fine. It was just odd seeing the Corbin Maroonhounds.  It would have been nice if we could have seen the Hounds sporting those shiny helmets that the previous coach liked so much. Those would have looked good with either maroon or Corbin Red.

7. The game---Fantastic!!!!  Whoever said a football game had to be high-scoring to be good needs to be banned from all football games for life. Some of the best games I remember were defensive struggles--- Corbin 6-0 over Mayfield, Somerset 7-6 over Corbin, Corbin 10-9 over Middleboro.  Last night's game was one of the best defensive games I've ever seen. I wouldn't be surprised if those two teams on the field last night---Corbin and Douglass---  are the best two defensive units in KY high school football this season. 

The only Corbin teams that I've seen that rival the Grizzly Bear defense is the RC Thomas-led '76 team. No one could block R.C.(nor wanted to) and no one can block the twins.  Honestly, as good as the Douglass defense is, and it's DAMN good, I thought Corbin's was every bit as good. I thought Corbin's offense, while still with a way to go to be elite, was a bit better than Douglass'. Corbin moved the ball well , at times. They were inside Freddy's 25, I believe, 4 times last night, coming away with just six points. Had the Redhounds been more efficient, in or near the red zone, they could have had the game put away by early in the fourth quarter. Freddy is really fortunate to have only been down by six when they marching on their last drive. They could have very well been down 20-0 or 27-0 by the time . Corbin might have had a TD taken off the board early in the game on the QB fumble that was called a pass.  

My final point is this:  I thought Corbin would somehow find a way to win this game. Coming into the game, I felt like Douglass was probably the better team but I just felt the stars were probably lined up for Corbin on this particular night in such a way that it would be a challenge for Douglass to leave that field with a win.  But, after watching the game, it was clear to me that Corbin was just the better football team. And that surprised me!!! 



So, for those that witnessed last night's spectacle, what are your thoughts?  Was this titanic struggle between two of KY's best teams all that you expected it to be?  I look forward to your observations.

[smoke1015]

I would have skipped recording our own game to have watched this if not for the ridicule, and possibly being fired from my day job. Lol. this sounds amazing.

[64SUR]

1 out of 10

I will give it a 10 for a Friday night experience

[Bull got out!]

I love the stadium. I think it is incredible and it was packed.... I mean packed out. I think Corbin being a football town did a Heck of a job last night and if you are a fan of football, I don't know how anyone can not love watching a game there. Parking was a little different but it all worked out. I enjoyed myself and glad I went. I cant say anything negative at all.

[Bull got out!]

Diogenes, Keep it on topic on this thread. Noone wants to listen to that garbage when a thread is basically about a basic question. All comments that are stupid will be deleted. So keep it on topic. You wont to say that other stuff say it on a appropriate Thread like a Corbin game thread, not on this one.

[KnoxvillesFinest]

I was hoping for another Corbin thread today.

Thanks OP. It’s like a drug I can’t quit