[cougarpride08]

30 kids is not bad for spring practice. With other sports going on.

[old PB05]

Compare to the other 3-4-5-6A schools and it really is. The teams with success anyways.

[old PB05]

28 showed, 6 had never played football.

[cougarpride08]

It is a start.

[Lambert #1]

Heard today that there were 34 present, 6 not there because of baseball and 10 or 11 eighth graders. If this is true the numbers are up over 50 and that's about 20 more than last year so it's looking up anyway. I heard that the kids were very enthused with Coach Raines yesterday and really enjoyed their first practice with him.

[cougarpride08]

Great news from cougarama.

[Coach Booth]

Hopefully with a new coach that has Johnson County ties, a game between Letcher Central and Johnson Central will happen in the future. I've never understood why these two schools couldnt get a game together in the past. The crowds would be huge.

[cougarpride08]

That would bea good game.

[Tica]

How long has Matt Kettler been an assistant there?

[cougarpride08]

Since last year.

[Blue fan]

They need more football players out that has played

[Lambert #1]

Blue Fan,
You are exactly right buddy. They really need to get Cody Conn, Zack Adams, Cody Sexton, Aaron Tackett, Clayton Johnson, Blake Knight out. These kids can really make a difference for Coach Raines if he can get them to play. Were talking about three offensive linemen and two linebackers and two wide receivers. Conn and Adams would be the most aggressive linebackers on the team, Sexton and Tackett would be two starting DB's for sure.

[cougarpride08]

Agreed, and more importantly sit down and talk to these kids. Find out why they quit, and try to ensure fairness in the conversation.

[old PB05]

I hate that it comes down to begging kids to play anymore..

[Lambert #1]

Playboy,
I agree with you completely about begging kids to play, it's just the nature of the beast though. In the good ol' days it meant something to be on a football team, now it's pretty much "What can you do for me" attitudes that we deal with. However, 30 kids will not cut it at LCC this year, they need kids out in a hurry so they probably need to do a little damage control and get those kids out that are not playing.

[blue/white spirit]

No , 30 is not a good number. However , some of these boys that you say need to be talked to to play have been talked to. Some say they are waiting until the summer practice to start. This is the problem with Lcc football : Some boys think ,"OH, I'm big or I"M fast and got some natural talent ,so I don't need to do anything extra but show up at practice when it is absolutely necessary." " I will not put any extra into it." Yes, it is not the OLD DAYS;however, I would rather have 30 boys who want to show up from day 1 and want to work hard before summer practice than 40 boys who 10 of them know that they don't have to do anything and people are going to beg them to play. Most of these boys who you are mentioning was not ran off by the former coach, but have just chosen different avenues to pursue in life. I wish those boys would come back not because someone begged them ,BUT BECAUSE THEY LOVE FOOTBALL AND WANT TO WORK TO BE THE BEST BY PUTTING FORTH 100% NOT BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO PRACTICE AND PLAY. This is what LCC football needs!!!!!

[Lambert #1]

Blue/White Spirit,
I think you got a little pissed at my post right before yours? I basically said the same thing that you put in your post. I was not defending the kids not being out. However, I do know that at least three of the kids I mentioned were ran off by the previous staff for one reason or the other. Your right about a few have chosen other things to do but I can still hope that they choose to come out this year with the new coach and all. I would also rather have a strong 30 instead of a weak 50 but you've go to admit that with over 900 students we should be fielding more than 30 kids at this point. I hope that Raines can get them out and dress a boat load of kids, if not this year maybe in the next couple of years we will be where we should be with numbers. I wish that the kids that aren't playing would just come back and check out what Raines is doing, I hear the kids are loving him.

[UK2aday]

No , 30 is not a good number. However , some of these boys that you say need to be talked to to play have been talked to. Some say they are waiting until the summer practice to start. This is the problem with Lcc football : Some boys think ,"OH, I'm big or I"M fast and got some natural talent ,so I don't need to do anything extra but show up at practice when it is absolutely necessary." " I will not put any extra into it." Yes, it is not the OLD DAYS;however, I would rather have 30 boys who want to show up from day 1 and want to work hard before summer practice than 40 boys who 10 of them know that they don't have to do anything and people are going to beg them to play. Most of these boys who you are mentioning was not ran off by the former coach, but have just chosen different avenues to pursue in life. I wish those boys would come back not because someone begged them ,BUT BECAUSE THEY LOVE FOOTBALL AND WANT TO WORK TO BE THE BEST BY PUTTING FORTH 100% NOT BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO PRACTICE AND PLAY. This is what LCC football needs!!!!!

i agree 100% but if this team shows some success then maybe the kids will want to play and regain some LCC pride. I still believe no matter how bad things seem to be, stick it out it will make them better adults as they get older, parents need to get behind these boys and the county needs to support the whole team. Look at PCC,Hazard,Belfry these players wouldnt be more popular with the community if they played for UK or EKU. In short Coach Whitaker didnt bring this team down we all did IMO

[Blue fan]

I wish kids would just get tuff and suck it up play football it's not a day care

[cougarpride08]

The face that there was numerous reasons why the cougar program was down the past two years is reason enough for us as fans, players, coach, and administration to move forward. The reasons are irrelevant, and we need to get this program back. If the kids that sit out won't come out, then that is our choice. They have to want to come out, and I agree with Lambert we need to at least find out why they left so we don't do it to another kid. Work on our feeder program and in two to three years we will see results. Middle school will be running his style and his plays so that will prepare them for next year.

[termite]

I talked to a few of the kids at a recent LCC baseball game that have been doing spring practice and they all seem real enthusiastic about the new coach. I know Trevor Napier is playing and he has put on some muscle. He didnt play last year, and Hunter Hall has bulked up some. I think Hunter could have a real good year if he keeps working hard. The boys were talking about getting other players to come out and we can only hope they will. Bottom line is they gotta come cause they want to, and not quit when things dont go their way. LCC lost alot of talent that didnt win many games and I think this coming season community expectations are very low. With that being said I believe the cougars could surprise alot of people. Chris Tyree should have a good year, we need some "tuff, hardhitting guys to step up on Defense and becom leaders. Big Willie Smith HAS GOT to produce to reach his potential. Ryan Alzaraki(?spelling) could step in at tight end and produce. Alot of factors surrounds this team and their success. Hope it all pans out!

[cougarpride08]

If they can talk to them fine, but like termite said they have to want to play. It is that simple.

[Foxtrot]

It must be boring in Whitesburg. Don't yall have anything better to do than speculate over these kids. Not trying to be a smart **s either. It just seems like yall get on here and look for anything to go on about. Let it happen. Yall got a new coach. Let him do his job. Do you think he cares how you want him to go about doin it?

[catscards]

It must be boring in Whitesburg. Don't yall have anything better to do than speculate over these kids. Not trying to be a smart **s either. It just seems like yall get on here and look for anything to go on about. Let it happen. Yall got a new coach. Let him do his job. Do you think he cares how you want him to go about doin it?

First of all , I am NOT from or a fan of Letcher Central or Harlan County, but just a few years the Cougar program looked like they were on the way to becoming the Highlands of the East but those days seem to be long gone. I can see why the Cougar fans are looking for any hope that those days could be rekindled. Now that the torch of potential greatness has moved over the mountain to Harlan County, that makes it even tougher to watch their program become a shell of its former self. So give the Cougar fans that remember Cougarama with fondness a break......

[Foxtrot]

First of all , I am NOT from or a fan of Letcher Central or Harlan County, but just a few years the Cougar program looked like they were on the way to becoming the Highlands of the East but those days seem to be long gone. I can see why the Cougar fans are looking for any hope that those days could be rekindled. Now that the torch of potential greatness has moved over the mountain to Harlan County, that makes it even tougher to watch their program become a shell of its former self. So give the Cougar fans that remember Cougarama with fondness a break......

Letcher Central compared to Highlands or even Bell County or Johnson Central for that matter is :hilarious:

[catscards]

Letcher Central compared to Highlands or even Bell County or Johnson Central for that matter is :hilarious:

In 2007, 2008 and 2009 Letcher went 31-8 and reached the third round of the playoffs each year. The turf at Whitesburg had become one of the toughest places in the mountains to play as they lost only three home games in three years. The program seemed to be on the rise and ready to move to the next level to take on the Highlands and Bell Countys. That is the glory years the Cougar fans want to return to.....

[UK2aday]

Letcher Central compared to Highlands or even Bell County or Johnson Central for that matter is :hilarious:

I wouldnt put alot of stock in Bell or Johnson Central they are on their way down from their glory years as LCC has expirenced, bt i will give you both programs have seen more success than LCC did.:ChairHit:

[jw4914]

Rains is looking for a home, and as long as Letcher supports him, he will be there for a
while. But, if the support isn't there or politics get in the way, he will walk in 2 years.

[cougarpride08]

It will be there. This big of a investment also is too great. We will be fine. Does anyone know exactly what kind of offense he will run?

[CBW57]

When he was here at Montgomery he ran the double wing and had good results form it. Coach Raines was here six years and never had a losing season won a few disticts champs and a region title. He had the great ability to get the kids to buy into his system. He was a heck of a coach hated to see him leave.