[Westside]

Final

[SouthEast18]

Ryan Whitaker doing an amazing job this year IMO. Wasn’t a fan of his last year with all the recruitment mess but he’s doing good things with a young team

[99PIRATEFAN]

Just another whooping (SMH)

[99PIRATEFAN]

Well if Phelps beats us we won’t win ten game this year it’s past time for a change

[Ghost of R.J.Jr.]

Well if Phelps beats us we won’t win ten game this year it’s past time for a change

Be careful what you wish for.

There is a power struggle going on right now for the boys basketball team. Mark Thompson is the good guy and you better root for him, because the alternative is worse, much much much worse.

[CA3]

Be careful what you wish for.

There is a power struggle going on right now for the boys basketball team. Mark Thompson is the good guy and you better root for him, because the alternative is worse, much much much worse.

I really hope your wrong.
This job needs to be open, posted, and interviewed. They need an outsider.

[Ghost of R.J.Jr.]

I really hope your wrong.
This job needs to be open, posted, and interviewed. They need an outsider.

Outsider?

Frankie Smith? You paying $80k for a guy that will literally fight the football coaches the day they make basketball players max on squats on game day?

Garland Rabbit Thompson? He fought a parent who come up in his face about playing time. Do you know how often that happens at Belfry?

Young guy out of college? Without teaching tenure he will be completely controlled by politics.

Older, successful coach? Pay is garbage and egos aren’t allowing another Alpha Male in that building.

BTW, this is NOT a football vs basketball thing.This is a school culture, school politics, selfishness thing.


Mark Thompson is a good guy and a good basketball coach that isn’t allowed to run a program the way he wants. I have watched almost every home game for Belfry since about 1975. I graduated and played there, had a son play there, and countless nephews and nieces go through there or are there now.

Coaches have been blamed since Raymond was ran out of town. We’ve had 4 and outside a couple of years with Randy Casy and last year with Thompson, basketball has been terrible.

[99PIRATEFAN]

Be careful what you wish for.

There is a power struggle going on right now for the boys basketball team. Mark Thompson is the good guy and you better root for him, because the alternative is worse, much much much worse.

Maybe just as bad but never worse besides my time is over there so what happens just happens i hate it for the kids but I don’t really care I just know what they have now is a good guy that can’t head coach at all

[99PIRATEFAN]

Outsider?

Frankie Smith? You paying $80k for a guy that will literally fight the football coaches the day they make basketball players max on squats on game day?

Garland Rabbit Thompson? He fought a parent who come up in his face about playing time. Do you know how often that happens at Belfry?

Young guy out of college? Without teaching tenure he will be completely controlled by politics.

Older, successful coach? Pay is garbage and egos aren’t allowing another Alpha Male in that building.

BTW, this is NOT a football vs basketball thing.This is a school culture, school politics, selfishness thing.


Mark Thompson is a good guy and a good basketball coach that isn’t allowed to run a program the way he wants. I have watched almost every home game for Belfry since about 1975. I graduated and played there, had a son play there, and countless nephews and nieces go through there or are there now.

Coaches have been blamed since Raymond was ran out of town. We’ve had 4 and outside a couple of years with Randy Casy and last year with Thompson, basketball has been terrible.

Buddy I don’t mean to be a a hole but if you try to tell me Thompson is a good coach you don’t know much about basketball teams don’t even prepare for us anymore they may go over a press breaker but that’s about it I’ve been around Belfry Basketball since 85 and we’re light years away from where we used to be again Mark is a good guy but a head basketball coach no way let’s quit cheating the kids and getting a basketball program they can be proud of once again

[EastKyPride]

I agree, if you really think he is a good coach I feel sorry for you! He has talent now and cant do anything with it. There is no reason Belfry doesn't compete in every sport. What is wrong with having coaches who care about their program. Love to have a Frankie Smith who stands up for his program versus a coach who lays down to the football program. His name is the one on the line and the one who gets bashed when team isn't competing. I'd let my son play for Rabbit any day. He is a proven coach and has won on the Kentucky and WV side. The KIDS deserve better and the KIDS deserve to have the school and community by their side. Who ran Raymond out? Could it be the same ppl who are starting issues now? Something to think about!!!!!

[belfrystat300]

Wow. The amount of cluelessness from some people on here really amazes me. How about be around the program everyday before coming on here and bashing Coach Thompson and his assistants? Coach Thompson is a guy that knows what he is doing and so do his assistants. The staff works hard to get guys ready for EVERY GAME. Coach Thompson, Coach Copley, Coach Hurley and Coach Varney are in gyms every night for a game whether that's scouting or a game of our own. Coach Thompson is constantly putting game plans together and scouting opponents, not just once but multiple times before we play them, he pours his heart into the program and the kids that put the jerseys on now days just don't care about it, this man stays in a gym until 10, 11 and 12 at night putting everything together. The kids wont listen to any of the coaches and try to take things into their own hands instead of listening to the ones that know what they are doing. If he tries to sit the seniors and let the younger guys go he will get backlash in the community and on here, if he was to win 30 games I am completely positive someone would come on here and complain and say he is terrible and "got lucky". Coach Thompson is here to stay for a while and Belfry is lucky to have a coach that actually cares about the program. Luckily, our group of 8th graders-sophomores are ones that actually care and give RESPECT to the coaches. Because if you can't tell the group from last season and the ones this season had NO RESPECT for ANY COACH on the staff and doesn't listen. And from what I have been told, these guys (group of seniors last year and this year) don't listen to any coaches from football to baseball as well. So be ready in the next year or so for a complete program turn around, with Coach Thompson IN CHARGE. Get outta here wishing he was gone cause it isn't happening. If you want to be a coach, go talk to the administration about volunteering your time, because I am positive that you won't do it. Have a nice day.

[EastKyPride]

We didn't bash his assistants. Actually, there are two that I think are pretty good coaches and Hurley will make a great head coach one day. Just because you put in the time doesn't make you a great in game coach. He has how many winning seasons since being at Belfry? Some of us who post on here are at every game and are around the program. That's his fault for not playing the best and if the program is winning prob wont hear much backlash. Also, Varney isn't coaching at the high school anymore correct? Also, some of us do volunteer our time and work with the youth and watching these kids grow up and are usually dominant in different leagues and aau ball and to see them lose their love for the game by the time they are seniors tell me something else is going on. But hey he gets paid to spend hours and hours in the gym to prepare so if he cant handle ppl mouthing may need to change sports. Just saying.

[99PIRATEFAN]

Wow. The amount of cluelessness from some people on here really amazes me. How about be around the program everyday before coming on here and bashing Coach Thompson and his assistants? Coach Thompson is a guy that knows what he is doing and so do his assistants. The staff works hard to get guys ready for EVERY GAME. Coach Thompson, Coach Copley, Coach Hurley and Coach Varney are in gyms every night for a game whether that's scouting or a game of our own. Coach Thompson is constantly putting game plans together and scouting opponents, not just once but multiple times before we play them, he pours his heart into the program and the kids that put the jerseys on now days just don't care about it, this man stays in a gym until 10, 11 and 12 at night putting everything together. The kids wont listen to any of the coaches and try to take things into their own hands instead of listening to the ones that know what they are doing. If he tries to sit the seniors and let the younger guys go he will get backlash in the community and on here, if he was to win 30 games I am completely positive someone would come on here and complain and say he is terrible and "got lucky". Coach Thompson is here to stay for a while and Belfry is lucky to have a coach that actually cares about the program. Luckily, our group of 8th graders-sophomores are ones that actually care and give RESPECT to the coaches. Because if you can't tell the group from last season and the ones this season had NO RESPECT for ANY COACH on the staff and doesn't listen. And from what I have been told, these guys (group of seniors last year and this year) don't listen to any coaches from football to baseball as well. So be ready in the next year or so for a complete program turn around, with Coach Thompson IN CHARGE. Get outta here wishing he was gone cause it isn't happening. If you want to be a coach, go talk to the administration about volunteering your time, because I am positive that you won't do it. Have a nice day.

Grow some and come talk to me I’m a life long Belfry fan Mark sucks as a coach no the kids from last year’s team didn’t have no respect for him because one would cuss a coach and nothing would happen another would go off the rail and he would try to discipline him you know treating kids different none get tearted the same that’s why there’s no respect come talk to me about it I’m sure I’ll tell you some shit you don’t want to here but I’ll tell you anyway this basketball program sucks Thompson sucks as a coach and your assessment of the situation sucks now you have a nice day

[belfrystat300]

Grow some and come talk to me I’m a life long Belfry fan Mark sucks as a coach no the kids from last year’s team didn’t have no respect for him because one would cuss a coach and nothing would happen another would go off the rail and he would try to discipline him you know treating kids different none get tearted the same that’s why there’s no respect come talk to me about it I’m sure I’ll tell you some shit you don’t want to here but I’ll tell you anyway this basketball program sucks Thompson sucks as a coach and your assessment of the situation sucks now you have a nice day

This is pure comedy :biglmao:

[Best Ever]

Wow. The amount of cluelessness from some people on here really amazes me. How about be around the program everyday before coming on here and bashing Coach Thompson and his assistants? Coach Thompson is a guy that knows what he is doing and so do his assistants. The staff works hard to get guys ready for EVERY GAME. Coach Thompson, Coach Copley, Coach Hurley and Coach Varney are in gyms every night for a game whether that's scouting or a game of our own. Coach Thompson is constantly putting game plans together and scouting opponents, not just once but multiple times before we play them, he pours his heart into the program and the kids that put the jerseys on now days just don't care about it, this man stays in a gym until 10, 11 and 12 at night putting everything together. The kids wont listen to any of the coaches and try to take things into their own hands instead of listening to the ones that know what they are doing. If he tries to sit the seniors and let the younger guys go he will get backlash in the community and on here, if he was to win 30 games I am completely positive someone would come on here and complain and say he is terrible and "got lucky". Coach Thompson is here to stay for a while and Belfry is lucky to have a coach that actually cares about the program. Luckily, our group of 8th graders-sophomores are ones that actually care and give RESPECT to the coaches. Because if you can't tell the group from last season and the ones this season had NO RESPECT for ANY COACH on the staff and doesn't listen. And from what I have been told, these guys (group of seniors last year and this year) don't listen to any coaches from football to baseball as well. So be ready in the next year or so for a complete program turn around, with Coach Thompson IN CHARGE. Get outta here wishing he was gone cause it isn't happening. If you want to be a coach, go talk to the administration about volunteering your time, because I am positive that you won't do it. Have a nice day.

Wow, can't believe some of the adults on this site have to result to talking about high school athletes this way. I have been to many games and those seniors give him the best chance to win. Sure, when you're 6-16 you're not going to be okay with it and you're probably going to say something out of line to a coach, happens everywhere. If politics would stay out of it maybe these kids would enjoy it more, but it just seems the love of basketball is sucked out once they put on that Belfry uniform. As for my opinion on Thompson, I'll remain quiet.

[CA3]

facts are in the numbers

If coaches lose, lose, and lose schools have to move on.

Mark might be a great guy but it ain't working.

[99PIRATEFAN]

facts are in the numbers

If coaches lose, lose, and lose schools have to move on.

Mark might be a great guy but it ain't working.

Yes this discussion should be about the basketball program and the lack of Coaching

[bloodypike91]

Not saying anyone is right or wrong , but wins and losses do not make up a program , a season , or a coach. Thompson has been at Belfry 6 years and only has missed the regional tournament one time, and that was when he was playing with a team full of sophomores, while playing in a district with a really good PC team , and LC with the Dalton brothers. Last year PC had best record in the 60th and 2nd best record in the region , yet Belfry beat them 3 times. Belfry could cake a schedule and win 20 games every year like a lot of teams in region do, but Thompson seems to have always played a tough schedule . So I don’t buy into the wins and losses of a team or program. Sure, this years team is struggling a little but they are playing with a team that has never played together before. They lost around 98% of their scoring from last season. Hard to put together a team who has never played together before , especially when majority plays football and there is just not enough time to get them to mesh before the season starts in the 2 weeks or so from football to first basketball game . It’s always going to be tough to be a extremely successful basketball program at Belfry. There are not many kids who are basketball only guys. Most play football, and when you have a football program like Belfry’s ( and it’s the first sport of the school year ) its hard to get kids in the off-season to focus just on basketball, when football is priority because it’s the next sport up. Not knocking the football program in any way. But that’s why Belfry is one of the hardest coaching jobs probably in the state of Kentucky. They do not have the enrollment like JC or a lot of the other Louisville or Lexington schools to have kids that stick to one sport mostly. Most kids that play basketball at Belfry for the most part are and always will be football players also, and with Belfry being such a dominant program and going deep into the playoffs year after year, it’s hard to get kids in shape and build chemistry in the week or 2 they have before their first game. By the time a coach and the players figures out the teams identity, the season is already half over.

A little food for thought before everyone plays the blame game.

[Ghost of R.J.Jr.]

We didn't bash his assistants. Actually, there are two that I think are pretty good coaches and Hurley will make a great head coach one day. Just because you put in the time doesn't make you a great in game coach. He has how many winning seasons since being at Belfry? Some of us who post on here are at every game and are around the program. That's his fault for not playing the best and if the program is winning prob wont hear much backlash. Also, Varney isn't coaching at the high school anymore correct? Also, some of us do volunteer our time and work with the youth and watching these kids grow up and are usually dominant in different leagues and aau ball and to see them lose their love for the game by the time they are seniors tell me something else is going on. But hey he gets paid to spend hours and hours in the gym to prepare so if he cant handle ppl mouthing may need to change sports. Just saying.

Varney isn’t at the high school anymore because the kids hated him and he is a grade A #1 d!(khead


Nicest thing I can say about him is that he is a good basketball coach, maybe.

He is also an arrogant, demanding, loud mouth, self centered, thinks he’s better than people know it all.

No kid that has ever played for him likes him, as a matter of fact I don’t even think his family likes him. Ask his nephew, ex-wife, son, and ex family in laws.

Belfry took a step in the right direction when it showed him the door.

Will take a bigger one when he is fired at the end of the year from middle school too.