[PHSForever]

I understand exactly how it works. And just like I stated before the other county teams will get blamed because none of the top teams want to travel to the PCB and play. In reality those top teams do not care about the PCB when they can get a home game against another top team. Its not an argument, you are not even old enough to remember when the PCB was first played.
Your #1 makes no sense because every school rotates taking up gate money and working the concession. Pikeville rotates just like every other school. Does Pikeville get this free money........they get their share just like the other teams but they work for their share,lol.

Not only am I old enough to remember when the first PCB was played, I was out of high school when it happened. I vividly remember EVERY PCB except for the few I missed while living away.

And the other schools didn't rotate working the gate until they started playing in the PCB, just like the concession stands were always worked by PHS and BHS volunteers, along with some from CTB in some cases. Even still, the majority of the time, the gates are handled by Belfry or Pikeville volunteers with most of the game work volunteering coming from other schools is in the form of concession stand work.

Lastly, we don't REALLY blame the other schools. They whined, yes, but the committee is the one that bowed to them. Do you REALLY think that, for example, Lexington Lafayette or Tates Creek or Lex. Christian wants to travel to Pikeville to take on Phelps, East Ridge, or Shelby Valley? No. If they do, they are taking on Belfry or Pikeville, period. That's why they are always stuck playing Shelby Valley, Phelps, East Ridge, and Pike Central against each other.

[PantherTradition]

I understand exactly how it works. And just like I stated before the other county teams will get blamed because none of the top teams want to travel to the PCB and play. In reality those top teams do not care about the PCB when they can get a home game against another top team. Its not an argument, you are not even old enough to remember when the PCB was first played.
Your #1 makes no sense because every school rotates taking up gate money and working the concession. Pikeville rotates just like every other school. Does Pikeville get this free money........they get their share just like the other teams but they work for their share,lol.

The concessions do not rotate. East Ridge boosters work and keep the profits from the Pike County Bowl concessions every year.

[PHSForever]

The concessions do not rotate. East Ridge boosters work and keep the profits from the Pike County Bowl concessions every year.

Thanks for correcting me (and New O), I thought other schools worked the concessions at CAM.

[new o]

I do not see Lafayette,Tates Creek and LCA coming to play Pikeville. I see Powell County and Tellico TN but as I have said before that is SV and ER's fault,haha. It is time for people to realize that Pikeville is not the big draw it once was. They still have a good program but not what it was in the 90's because back then they played and usually beat the best.Coach Mac does a great job and they have some talent but not like it used to be. Why blame others when everyone knows there has been a decline?

[Panther Thunder]

I do not see Lafayette,Tates Creek and LCA coming to play Pikeville. I see Powell County and Tellico TN but as I have said before that is SV and ER's fault,haha. It is time for people to realize that Pikeville is not the big draw it once was. They still have a good program but not what it was in the 90's because back then they played and usually beat the best.Coach Mac does a great job and they have some talent but not like it used to be. Why blame others when everyone knows there has been a decline?

Tellico and Powell were supposed to be Franklin County and Harrison County and you know it. Franklin County royally screwed the PCB the past two seasons and the committee had to find two teams that would come play under a one year contract.

And while Pikeville is no the draw it used to be (or as you say), a bigger problem is that now-a-days everyone under the sun hosts bowl games and there are a lot of them through out the state that would mean more money and less travel for a lot of schools. Pikeville may not be a draw like they used to be but that hasn't stopped Ashland from bringing them into Putnam twice, Lexington Catholic doing a Home/Home, Corbin inviting PHS to their bowl for 4 years (vs. Corbin, East Jessamine, Boyle County, and Danville), Russell doing a Home/Home, or to get Holy Cross (Lou), Holy Cross (Cov), Corbin, Henry Clay, and Newport Central Catholic for the PCB 5 out of the 6 years prior to 2011 (Good credit given to Belfry who helps strengthen that draw). That does not include the EKY powers that PHS plays but I will not list them, because they should be played. Those out of district games are nothing at which to scoff and you do not see most of those teams just picking up a Betsy Layne, Morgan County, Powell County, etc... The Pikeville name, merited or not, still carries a lot of weight to the high school football community across Kentucky. Just as Paintsville still does in High School hoops and baseball.

Tradition does not die after a few years of mediocrity (of which some schools would love to be so mediocre). Now if something doesn't happen, and a whole generation goes without ever seeing Pikeville in the state semis for 5 out of 7 years with an occasional trip to the Title game, then it will start to lose that prestige, a lot more so than now. And I will concede that it has slipped a good amount, but it still carries good weight with it.

[Big Five-0-]

Pikeville's future is looking very good in football. Belfry is strong and always good. Go back to the original format, and there's NO DOUBT the stronger , more talented schools will be at Hambley and Cam (if rotated) to play in the PCB.

[More Cowbell]

Okay, I have kept quiet about this long enough. I see two arguments coming from the Pikeville fans. One is absolutely true, and the other is flat wrong.

First, that only Pikeville and Belfry deserve to play in the bowl. This is correct. Looking at each school's football history, only these two have the cachet to be considered "marquee" teams. If you want to go back to having just those two host two out-of-area teams, that's fine with me. I don't think any level-headed SV or PC fans would pretend that their programs are on the same level as Pikeville, much less Belfry. And to the people pushing PC as the headliner, a couple of good years does not qualify. I remember just a few years ago, Valley was clearly the better team of the two for about a 3-4 year period. But neither program has demonstrated sustained success. So, if it goes back to Pikeville and Belfry, I have no problem with that.

Second, is that allowing the county schools to play is what has caused the bowl to lose its luster. This is false. Just because the other county schools are playing what could be considered a "leadoff match" before the main game, does not affect who is playing the main event. It's not like Lafayette or Beechwood is going to say, "Well, we would have come to play in the PCB, but since we found out that SV and ER would be playing a game before us, we aren't coming now." That is just a ridiculous assertion, and has no logic behind it. Why would they care what goes on before their game? They wouldn't. There is some reason why the PCB has not been able to attract as many big names in recent years, but the other county schools are not to blame.

In short, give the other schools the boot from the PCB. They haven't earned the right to play in it. But don't expect that big-name teams are going to suddenly be falling over each other to come play once you do.

[More Cowbell]

It was called the Pike County Bowl because from the very beginning, it was about the best in Pike County (Pikeville and Belfry) versus some of the best in the state. It has given free money (yes, it is free, no matter what the other poster said) to the schools in this county for YEARS with practically NOTHING being asked from them. Then Shelby Valley started whining, and East Ridge, Pike Central, and Phelps rounded out the Whiner's Symphony. Fine. Let 'em play was the decision made. Then the dropoff in talent was REALLY obvious and people started caring less. But hey, they were playing in the dadgum PCB and it had become a birthright, sorta like living off entitlement. Now that they are not likely to win the argument they present now (let us headline!!) they want to pull out and start their own bowl. Fine, BYE, SVHS. If the 5th-6th grade bowl games you play are any indication of how you will run a bowl, it will die in 3 years. Then how do they take their ball and go home when they're already home?

Go back to the old format, PCB committee, I beg you.

And to you, I'm not sure what the 5th/6th grade teams have to do with a high school thread. But if you don't like how their bowl game is run, then just stay home.

[Panther Thunder]

Okay, I have kept quiet about this long enough. I see two arguments coming from the Pikeville fans. One is absolutely true, and the other is flat wrong.

First, that only Pikeville and Belfry deserve to play in the bowl. This is correct. Looking at each school's football history, only these two have the cachet to be considered "marquee" teams. If you want to go back to having just those two host two out-of-area teams, that's fine with me. I don't think any level-headed SV or PC fans would pretend that their programs are on the same level as Pikeville, much less Belfry. And to the people pushing PC as the headliner, a couple of good years does not qualify. I remember just a few years ago, Valley was clearly the better team of the two for about a 3-4 year period. But neither program has demonstrated sustained success. So, if it goes back to Pikeville and Belfry, I have no problem with that.

Second, is that allowing the county schools to play is what has caused the bowl to lose its luster. This is false. Just because the other county schools are playing what could be considered a "leadoff match" before the main game, does not affect who is playing the main event. It's not like Lafayette or Beechwood is going to say, "Well, we would have come to play in the PCB, but since we found out that SV and ER would be playing a game before us, we aren't coming now." That is just a ridiculous assertion, and has no logic behind it. Why would they care what goes on before their game? They wouldn't. There is some reason why the PCB has not been able to attract as many big names in recent years, but the other county schools are not to blame.

In short, give the other schools the boot from the PCB. They haven't earned the right to play in it. But don't expect that big-name teams are going to suddenly be falling over each other to come play once you do.

I would just prefer the Bowl be in it's original format. But, you have to admit that the schools playing in the Bowl has gotten the PCB into the mess it is in. There is no other way around it. There would be no arguments for Valley to host or PC to get a marquee game if they had never been allowed to play in it in the first place. It was a chain reaction, they were given a game, now they want more. If they would have never had the game, they couldn't argue to host or play in headline games, could they?

It started (probably innocently, but nonetheless it did) a political coup. Instead of just being satisfied with the profit split, they wanted a game. Then when they got a game, they were not satisfied, they want to host. Then when one got to host, they weren't satisfied, they now want the marquee game.

My point is that if the PCB had just said "No" in the beginning, we would not be in the mess we are in. But politics got involved, people did not want to hurt feelings, and now the bowl is on the brink of failure.

You are completely right about the 2 teams coming in to play. The other games have no effect on their decision. But, that is not what I was arguing. I was arguing that the bowl is being ruined because now everyone wants something different and it looks like the benefit of the doubt is going to go to schools that did not even exist when the PCB started. This problem would not have been possible with that chain reaction. And it is not me being a county "hater". But IMO, this bowl means a lot more (just in terms of tradition) to Pikeville and Belfry (and probably moreso Pikeville) than any other Pike County school and I don't see how PHS and BHS don't have ultimate veto power in the end. It is saddening to see something that I really care about and have emotions invested into be treated the way it is because of the selfishness of a select few.

And I just want to say, if I come off in a bad way in my posts, I apologize. I really just am articulating my thoughts. It is not anger or anything like that, but I am passionate about this subject. I harbor no ill will towards any of the schools other than what I feel is being done wrong and hurting this Bowl.

[Big Five-0-]

Okay, I have kept quiet about this long enough. I see two arguments coming from the Pikeville fans. One is absolutely true, and the other is flat wrong.

First, that only Pikeville and Belfry deserve to play in the bowl. This is correct. Looking at each school's football history, only these two have the cachet to be considered "marquee" teams. If you want to go back to having just those two host two out-of-area teams, that's fine with me. I don't think any level-headed SV or PC fans would pretend that their programs are on the same level as Pikeville, much less Belfry. And to the people pushing PC as the headliner, a couple of good years does not qualify. I remember just a few years ago, Valley was clearly the better team of the two for about a 3-4 year period. But neither program has demonstrated sustained success. So, if it goes back to Pikeville and Belfry, I have no problem with that.

Second, is that allowing the county schools to play is what has caused the bowl to lose its luster. This is false. Just because the other county schools are playing what could be considered a "leadoff match" before the main game, does not affect who is playing the main event. It's not like Lafayette or Beechwood is going to say, "Well, we would have come to play in the PCB, but since we found out that SV and ER would be playing a game before us, we aren't coming now." That is just a ridiculous assertion, and has no logic behind it. Why would they care what goes on before their game? They wouldn't. There is some reason why the PCB has not been able to attract as many big names in recent years, but the other county schools are not to blame.

In short, give the other schools the boot from the PCB. They haven't earned the right to play in it. But don't expect that big-name teams are going to suddenly be falling over each other to come play once you do.

Just want to clarify my last post. Wasn't inferring these big name out of area teams would immediately respond to the old(new) format. Just saying it will grow. Like anything different, results would be realized in time,imo.

[More Cowbell]

I would just prefer the Bowl be in it's original format. But, you have to admit that the schools playing in the Bowl has gotten the PCB into the mess it is in. There is no other way around it. There would be no arguments for Valley to host or PC to get a marquee game if they had never been allowed to play in it in the first place. It was a chain reaction, they were given a game, now they want more. If they would have never had the game, they couldn't argue to host or play in headline games, could they?

It started (probably innocently, but nonetheless it did) a political coup. Instead of just being satisfied with the profit split, they wanted a game. Then when they got a game, they were not satisfied, they want to host. Then when one got to host, they weren't satisfied, they now want the marquee game.

My point is that if the PCB had just said "No" in the beginning, we would not be in the mess we are in. But politics got involved, people did not want to hurt feelings, and now the bowl is on the brink of failure.

You are completely right about the 2 teams coming in to play. The other games have no effect on their decision. But, that is not what I was arguing. I was arguing that the bowl is being ruined because now everyone wants something different and it looks like the benefit of the doubt is going to go to schools that did not even exist when the PCB started. This problem would not have been possible with that chain reaction. And it is not me being a county "hater". But IMO, this bowl means a lot more (just in terms of tradition) to Pikeville and Belfry (and probably moreso Pikeville) than any other Pike County school and I don't see how PHS and BHS don't have ultimate veto power in the end. It is saddening to see something that I really care about and have emotions invested into be treated the way it is because of the selfishness of a select few.

And I just want to say, if I come off in a bad way in my posts, I apologize. I really just am articulating my thoughts. It is not anger or anything like that, but I am passionate about this subject. I harbor no ill will towards any of the schools other than what I feel is being done wrong and hurting this Bowl.

It depends on what you mean by the bowl being "in a mess". My contention is that the bowl is flailing because of the lack of marquee matchups in recent years. And getting back to only having Pikeville/Belfry, isn't going to magically fix that problem.

I'm not angry or anything either. I'm a realist, and I know SV has no business hosting the PCB, or being in one of the headliner games. Neither does Pike Central. I still think that if you're going to have the PCB split over two nights, let Valley and Central each play an opening game against some outside team as an appetizer to the marquee game that night. But I wouldn't argue against going back to the way it used to be either, letting it be a one day event and rotating between Belfry and Pikeville as hosts.

I just get aggravated when I see posts that imply the reason for the drop in quality of the out-of-area opponents is because of adding the county schools. That is a separate issue, and one does not have nearly as simple an answer as some would believe.

[More Cowbell]

Just want to clarify my last post. Wasn't inferring these big name out of area teams would immediately respond to the old(new) format. Just saying it will grow. Like anything different, results would be realized in time,imo.

I still don't see how going back to the old format would result in that kind of "growth". Times have changed, maybe it's just too far to drive to play when teams have so many other closer bowl games to choose from.

Dropping the county schools from the event, which I would not object to, will still not bring back the glory days of the PCB. Someone is going to really have to do some out-of-the-box thinking on this one.

[NEXT]

I'm asking this -

Does the PCB Committee tell teams this -

2013
Team A vs Pikeville
Team B vs Belfry

2014
Team B vs Pikeville
Team A vs Belfry

Is that the case?

[Panther Thunder]

It depends on what you mean by the bowl being "in a mess". My contention is that the bowl is flailing because of the lack of marquee matchups in recent years.

All I will say is that this is not correct, in the grand scheme of things. I will have to wait to elaborate on why.

I do agree though that the marquee games need to improve and Somerset is a good start. Hopefully the other will be a home run as well. While that is a reason it is losing luster, don't confuse it with why the Bowl is endangered. Like I said, I will let it play out and we will see what happens before I go any further with anything.

But, I think good discussion has come out of most of this thread. And I wish the committee was a little more transparent.

[Panther Thunder]

I'm asking this -

Does the PCB Committee tell teams this -

2013
Team A vs Pikeville
Team B vs Belfry

2014
Team B vs Pikeville
Team A vs Belfry

Is that the case?

That has been protocol in recent years, yes.

[NEXT]

That has been protocol in recent years, yes.

Then that is part of the problem.

No matter if your a Belfry or Pikeville fan, that is not conducive to good match-ups.

Belfry is a top 20 program right and and should be playing top 20 competition in the PCB.

Pikeville, unfortunately is not.

You get a competitive game for each of them one year, then your getting 2 blowouts the next.

[Panther Thunder]

Then that is part of the problem.

No matter if your a Belfry or Pikeville fan, that is not conducive to good match-ups.

Belfry is a top 20 program right and and should be playing top 20 competition in the PCB.

Pikeville, unfortunately is not.

You get a competitive game for each of them one year, then your getting 2 blowouts the next.

No doubt. Without the ability for one year contracts, this strategy will produce two likely blowouts and two likely good games every two years. But, I will say that the current strategy is light years better than the ideas being slung around by the committee now.

Best idea I have heard yet is pairing up with another bowl similar to the PCB and letting The two big schools trade opponents and the two smaller schools trade opponents. It would make scheduling even harder, but that is the best idea I have seen yet.

[crazytaxidriver]

It depends on what you mean by the bowl being "in a mess". My contention is that the bowl is flailing because of the lack of marquee matchups in recent years. And getting back to only having Pikeville/Belfry, isn't going to magically fix that problem.

I'm not angry or anything either. I'm a realist, and I know SV has no business hosting the PCB, or being in one of the headliner games. Neither does Pike Central. I still think that if you're going to have the PCB split over two nights, let Valley and Central each play an opening game against some outside team as an appetizer to the marquee game that night. But I wouldn't argue against going back to the way it used to be either, letting it be a one day event and rotating between Belfry and Pikeville as hosts.

I just get aggravated when I see posts that imply the reason for the drop in quality of the out-of-area opponents is because of adding the county schools. That is a separate issue, and one does not have nearly as simple an answer as some would believe.

I agree with this assessment.. Especially about SV and PC not having the marquee game..

[PHSForever]

And to you, I'm not sure what the 5th/6th grade teams have to do with a high school thread. But if you don't like how their bowl game is run, then just stay home.

It was nothing more than an observation about how the "bowl" is run, and has been the last 2 years over there at that grade level. Believe me, if it weren't for a son playing, I wouldn't have gone.

Anyway, I'm like PT, I don't MEAN to offend anyone, just saying what I'm thinking. And PT got it right about what we are trying to say, that letting the other schools in was more the downfall due to bowing to pressure than flat out running other teams off. But I've seen a lot of complaints about Pike Central having to play Phelps, ER and SV playing each other every year, etc., and fans just are tired of it. They want to spend 7 bucks seeing GOOD football.

[Real Badman]

I'm not going to make a big deal about anything in either case, but what does letting ER/SV/PCC/Phelps play have anything to do with the competition that Belfry/Pikeville plays? I didn't read every post, maybe I missed the link.

[More Cowbell]

All I will say is that this is not correct, in the grand scheme of things. I will have to wait to elaborate on why.

I do agree though that the marquee games need to improve and Somerset is a good start. Hopefully the other will be a home run as well. While that is a reason it is losing luster, don't confuse it with why the Bowl is endangered. Like I said, I will let it play out and we will see what happens before I go any further with anything.

But, I think good discussion has come out of most of this thread. And I wish the committee was a little more transparent.

If you meant that the bowl is "in a mess" financially, then I could see blaming the county schools for that. Makes sense, if you're cutting 6 checks to schools instead of just 2.

But they're not to blame for the bowl losing its luster. The PCB is not what it used to be because of the lack of marquee opponents. And I still say that dropping the other county schools isn't the solution for that problem. Other schools aren't going to care who plays the game before them, no matter if it's PC vs Phelps or the local flag football league. It's irrelevant.

[bucslover68]

If you HAVE to have the other 4 county schools in the PCB, put them on the same night...Friday....Let Belfry and Pikeville host their teams on Saturday night at Hambley. BTW, how about Pikeville and Pike Central one year in the PCB? They open it up, and Belfry and Somerset in the nightcap.

[64SUR]

:howdy::howdy::howdy: how about 1A WILLIAMSBURG they need to show case just how good they are so pikeville an belfyerved:by the:policeman:policeman:policeman an we want just hand you a win .you will haveto earn it by playing us inviteeriously::yes: we exceptmoke:

[bucslover68]

:howdy::howdy::howdy: how about 1A WILLIAMSBURG they need to show case just how good they are so pikeville an belfyerved:by the:policeman:policeman:policeman an we want just hand you a win .you will haveto earn it by playing us inviteeriously::yes: we exceptmoke:

No disrespect, but Williamsburg and Pikeville MIGHT be a good matchup one day, but Belfry would pound Williamsburg.

[jetpilot]

Don't know if this has been addressed, but why do teams coming in have to commit to 2 years? Unnecessary, and a hinderance to the Bowl. Pikeville and Belfry can always get teams to come in and play them one year without a committment to come back and play the following year. Fix that and get Belfry and Pikeville on the same field in back to back games and the Bowl is fixed. As for the other county teams, I don't care when they play, I don't have to watch.