[EKUAlum05]

Shawn Thompson at Wayne County is the coach I think best symbolizes why it is better for High School Programs to show patience.

He has been at Wayne for a long period of time and his first 5 or 6 years was at best mediocre and at worst awful. Wayne stayed patient...Thompson built his feeder system... and as a result their program is probably one of the Top 30 or so programs in Kentucky in terms of the present.


I think too many places simply judge it off the win/loss column and not on the overall state of the program. For a guy to completely change the trajectory of a rural school though it will take time. Most of these places don't have the talent pool in place... it takes developing kids from Youth Football through Middle School and then into High School.

With that said, just because you give a coach 6 years doesn't mean it will assure a positive trend. If a guy simply cannot coach, organize, delegate, or keep numbers up then no reason to beat your head against the wall. I just think to often though schools think they can judge this off a body of work that is entirely too short.

[Fly Like a Duck]

Agreed

[Madness]

I have no arguement with you except that why I could not tell if I had hired a good coach or not, and why I have to give them at least 8 years to prove it. Now, that was assuming I was in a position to hire and fire. But if that were my job, I could make that call and it would not take me 8 years.

[Madness]

Looks like we have jumped the gun on this hire again. Woolum has not accepted yet. I do not understand why we continue to beg this guy to take it. I would like to have someone that wants to be here because he wants to lead the team. Not someone we have to beg and find more and more things to offer. More Than that, already said no at least 4 times, 2 officially. If this guy turns this down again and we do not get rid of the people that continue to go down this road, we do not deserve a coach. Take it or tell John Brock not to call again. We are ALL getting tired of this.

[The Outsider]

Looks like we have jumped the gun on this hire again. Woolum has not accepted yet. I do not understand why we continue to beg this guy to take it. I would like to have someone that wants to be here because he wants to lead the team. Not someone we have to beg and find more and more things to offer. More Than that, already said no at least 4 times, 2 officially. If this guy turns this down again and we do not get rid of the people that continue to go down this road, we do not deserve a coach. Take it or tell John Brock not to call again. We are getting tired of this.

I have heard that one of the hold ups on woolum is that some members of his family dont want to leave florida for bell county. Looking outside lately I cant say that I blame them.

[EKUAlum05]

I have heard that one of the hold ups on woolum is that some members of his family dont want to leave florida for bell county. Looking outside lately I cant say that I blame them.

I know one thing... if I am being asked to uproot my family to come all the way to rural Pineville... and I see how Bell just handled their former coach... as well as the current economy of the area. I am demanding a 5 year contract.

[PRIDE101]

I am not hiring a guy that doesn't want to be at my school. Working with a guy that wants to be there is one thing, looks like Bell is trying to buy him in.

[Fly Like a Duck]

I know one thing... if I am being asked to uproot my family to come all the way to rural Pineville... and I see how Bell just handled their former coach... as well as the current economy of the area. I am demanding a 5 year contract.

No doubt.

That should be the case at most places, too.

That is another aspect that people don't understand in regards to wondering why coaches aren't just uprooting to move around anymore. There is no contract other than it being a year to year deal.

No contract for a job that pays dirt (not just Bell, but in general), and also has so many variables that you can't control:

-talent levels coming through or lack of
-administrative changes above you
-not being able to hire any of your staff
-financial cuts
-etc

[panther nation]

I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I just can't seem to wrap my head around this whole mess. You fire a coach with some flaws ok thats fine. Then you can't get anyone to take the job and now your thinking of bringing the one you fired back. You've offered it to one who has turned it down at least 2 time maybe more. Come on people of Bell thiese kids deserve more than this administration is giving them. Time to plull the plug on this bunch of people and get someone in there that will take some action and do whats right for the kids. Enough of the BS. HIRE SOMEONE! !!!!!

[PRIDE101]

I blame the super now. She can step in and take care of this. The incompetence in the high school is now hurting kids. I wonder if the principal and others involved know it is their last year at their current positions? She will have to do it to save what she has left of her job.

Can not wait to talk to these guys for the true story, because this is a comedy that has to be embellished.

[insideinfo]

Being from Knox Co. We are use to setting the standard on how not to do something, but you guys are trying to make us look good down here. As for as I know we have not screwed up a hire this bad yet. But now we got something to shoot for.

[Trashtalker]

And people say Middesboro was the laughing stock of the county.... Time for the bell faithful to take a long hard look in the mirror. And demand something be done for their children. Because it's all about the Children

[Finis]

Being from Knox Co. We are use to setting the standard on how not to do something, but you guys are trying to make us look good down here. As for as I know we have not screwed up a hire this bad yet. But now we got something to shoot for.

We are not proud of that. It is a joke what is happening here.

[FlippedOut]

And people say Middesboro was the laughing stock of the county.... Time for the bell faithful to take a long hard look in the mirror. And demand something be done for their children. Because it's all about the Children

You really would have thought that Gilliam would have learned something from the bone head move Martin made here. Guess not , Bell will be in the same shape in a couple years. How do people like these two even get to be in charge of a school system? You reap what you sow, enjoy the harvest.

[Hurricane Storm]

Wow, the thread has over 1,300 posts (I haven't read them all) and >92,000 reads. I'm definitely seeing a sense of continued passion from the Bell Co. faithful. Nothing wrong with that at all, as they do have a strong and prideful tradition. I'm glad to see a fan base concerned for the program, but it also sounds like a fan base concerned for the kids. It takes a special person to be a coach, as so many have pointed out, what with budgets, community and administrative support, pay, feeder systems, relocation, assistants, etc., making it harder to consider a job. And yes, I'm guilty like most people - I like immediate results. It's a part of our culture now.

"Tradition" doesn't win ball games, but it does keep generations of players/fans/supporters interested and involved. And that often translates to success. I hope that whoever lands at Bell Co. will have the support of the people that contributed to their past success supporting them as well.

[The Eagle has landed]

What Shawn Thompson has done at a hoops school is nothing short of of of well can you think of a word! He could be considered the best football coach in the state. IMO state titles don't make you a great coach because if you win won of those you have a lot of real good players!!(no matter what ole dud told yall in Bell Co.) In other words yall had a lot of dang good players,players win titles. BUT what has been done at Wayne Co. could be the best coaching job in the state. And they held on to him at Wayne because expectation have never been big there. He is a great coach. And Parks mean nothing to a coach. BUT where the mans wife will eat and more importantly shop at MEANS EVERTHING. Heck I am not even a coach and I turned down one heck of a raise to go somewhere but my wife would have been miserable in which if you are married makes you miserable.

[Madness]

I guess we need to hire a coach that is either not whipped or single.



LOL

[William Muney]

As the world turns. Heard Woolum has said no again. Even spurned a free air fair ticket from papa john. I am glad he didn't take that bc the price of my weekly pizza would have went up.

[Single Wing 77]

Speaking of Shawn Thompson. I wonder if he was contacted about this job. He is a heck of a coach.

[Goingdeep]

Contacted? Lol. To my knowledge there hasn't been one single interview. They just deside who they want and give them a call.

[Madness]

Speaking of Shawn Thompson. I wonder if he was contacted about this job. He is a heck of a coach.

He was called.

[panther nation]

Contacted? Lol. To my knowledge there hasn't been one single interview. They just deside who they want and give them a call.

You've must be joking?? Not one interview:pondering: these people have no clue how to go about hiring someone. . This is worse than I could have imagined. No excuse for this amount of incidence.

[Madness]

Names offered

Mark Woolum five times
Nate McPeek two times
Chris Larkey two times
Jerry Heron
Greg Duncum accepted once
Randy Frazier
JB Donahue
Wayne Mills ,yes the same one fired!
Doug Preston

I know I am missing someone but that is what I know of.

[WhyLie]

This is beyond belief, Woolum has said no again. Let me spell this out for you John Brock, he doesn't want to come. You guys hiring are comical, if someone says no, move on. Now I will help, call only the guys that applied and set up some interviews. We trust you to make decisions that concern our kids and this is what we get. It may soon be time to abandon ship. It is taking on water in massive amounts. Remember Captians have to go down with the ship.

[insideinfo]

Contacted? Lol. To my knowledge there hasn't been one single interview. They just deside who they want and give them a call.

You got to be kidding !!! I really don't know what to say about that. Speechless I guess.

[panther nation]

This is beyond belief, Woolum has said no again. Let me spellt for you John Brock, he doesn't want to come. You guys hiring are comical, if someone says no, move on. Now I will help, call only the guys that applied and set up some interviews. We trust you to make decisions that concern our kids and this is what we get. It may soon be time to abandon ship. It is taking on water in massive amounts. Remember Captians have to go down with the ship.

After this mess there should be some heads rolling off log mountain...the so called captain's of this ship have to go since they've sent thing program down the drain. ..:flush:..

[panther nation]

I find it hard to believe that the folks on the school board haven't stepped in and put a end to this.

[William Muney]

I find it hard to believe that the folks on the school board haven't stepped in and put a end to this.

They are in the background just adding ammunition to get rid of these clowns and the board members that support them.

[redrocket]

So if Woolum turned it down AGAIN, what direction do we head now? March is coming up pretty quick. Realistically no current head coach and obviously not Mills who's up next?

[BIG TONY]

Just out of curiosity, where did the money come from for the new turf field?