[16thregioner]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

[RAMDAD50]

Wonder what Russell will do if a couple of kids transfer in? Will they yell them to go down the road ? This is a sorry attitude

[Jarons]

Is is Russell just going to drop all schools who receive transfers? If that's the case, just start an intramural league within the Russell schools. All schools, including Russell, have transfers.

[GOREDDEVILS]

While I may not agree with Russell dropping these games, It is what it is and nobody on here can do anything about it. I will still support Russell in all sports with whomever they fill out their schedule with.

[KColley]

You can't drop teams just because they have transfers. This is not a good move. If you are going to put 'A Tradition of Excellence' as your school motto, then you need to be competing against the best of the best in everything. Regardless of what may or may not be going on, I personally would want to play Ashland in basketball and Raceland in football. Beating them means you are a good unit with stuff to work on. Losing to them means that you need to get better and work on stuff as well.

[GOREDDEVILS]

You can't drop teams just because they have transfers. This is not a good move. If you are going to put 'A Tradition of Excellence' as your school motto, then you need to be competing against the best of the best in everything. Regardless of what may or may not be going on, I personally would want to play Ashland in basketball and Raceland in football. Beating them means you are a good unit with stuff to work on. Losing to them means that you need to get better and work on stuff as well.

I would like to play Raceland and Ashland well but talking about it on a message board does nothing. It's not like Russell administration is going to listen to a  bunch of people on a message board. The school administration does what they want whether we like it or not.

[KColley]

Wheelersburg has won 10+ games and made an appearance in a regional championship game in seven out of the last nine years. Have only had one losing season (2000) since 1964.

The year that you all went to state, Wheelersburg went 15-0 and won the Division V State Championship (they beat West, who went 9-1 in the regular season, 41-7 that year whom Raceland was in a serious ballgame with), and went to the state semis the next year beating West by four-plus scores both times they played.

Rob Woodward and his staff are outstanding and they truly have the enthusiasm up in that area for football about as high as it's ever been over the past five-eight years. They have an outstanding freshman class who is already seeing time on the field and the expectation is that they'll be in the thick of things for years to come. If you're competing with Wheelersburg in anything, you are doing something right. They've won state titles in football, baseball x2, softball x2, and track just in the last decade and are probably in line to win at least a couple more state softball championships.

If Wheelersburg was in Kentucky I seriously doubt they have those other championships or as many. They would be strong in Football though. It is So much harder to win state titles in Kentucky than Ohio with Kentucky not having classes for most of their sports. Wheelersburg is always pretty good at sports though.

You can't drop teams just because they have transfers. This is not a good move. If you are going to put 'A Tradition of Excellence' as your school motto, then you need to be competing against the best of the best in everything. Regardless of what may or may not be going on, I personally would want to play Ashland in basketball and Raceland in football. Beating them means you are a good unit with stuff to work on. Losing to them means that you need to get better and work on stuff as well.

I would like to play Raceland and Ashland well but talking about it on a message board does nothing. It's not like Russell administration is going to listen to a  bunch of people on a message board. The school administration does what they want whether we like it or not.

I also agree with you here. They're not going to. I just feel like that if you are going to put as a school slogan, A Tradition of Excellence, you need to live up to the standard of what you are promoting your school to be.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Russell’s saying is Where tradition meets Excellence.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Tradition is everything about the school not just sports. There is much more to a school than sports.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Russell has plenty of tradition in stuff outside of sports like the academic team and science olympiad.

[i82much]

Russell has plenty of tradition in stuff outside of sports like the academic team and science olympiad.

Is it okay for parents of academically talented kids who live outside the district to enroll their kids in the Russell school system in grade school?  I love and respect the Russell school district and attended their schools for the majority of my childhood but it's a two way street. If your tradition of excellence in academics attracts students from outside the district you have to accept the fact that excellence in athletics may also do the same....

[RAMDAD50]

Russell has plenty of tradition in stuff outside of sports like the academic team and science olympiad.

Is it okay for parents of academically talented kids who live outside the district to enroll their kids in the Russell school system in grade school?  I love and respect the Russell school district and attended their schools for the majority of my childhood but it's a two way street. If your tradition of excellence in academics attracts students from outside the district you have to accept the fact that excellence in athletics may also do the same....

Well said…what bugs me the most is I know for a fact no Russell athlete is walking around crying about playing Ashland or Raceland. They wanna play. Russell is robbing their student athletes

[GOREDDEVILS]

I think that the kids should have to go to high school wherever they live when they enter high school.That is exactly what the new transfer rule says that you must sit out 1 year if you don’t move into said district.I don’t know how that works in County but it is definitely in effect for out of county.

[16thregioner]

No one is disputing Russell’s academic excellence. 5,000 people don’t show up to watch the quiz bowl, though, and there isn’t a message board and numerous social media accounts on varying platforms talking about how the Red Devil academic team didn’t apply the pythagorean theorem in the correct fashion on the final question.

Russell girls soccer and basketball are very good programs. Boyd County girls basketball has had numerous transfers over the past decade. Russell didn’t stop playing them. They got better and beat them. I think all local schools should keep the rivalries alive because those are the games that are fun to watch, fun to play in, and fun to talk about on here.

[GOREDDEVILS]

I said I didn’t agree with stopping the games with Raceland in Football and Ashland in basketball. No one on this thread is going to be able to make Russell administration change their mind so we’re pretty much wasting our time on this topic.

[GOREDDEVILS]

All we can do is hope the games with our rivals are added back in the future.

[KColley]

No one is disputing Russell’s academic excellence. 5,000 people don’t show up to watch the quiz bowl, though, and there isn’t a message board and numerous social media accounts on varying platforms talking about how the Red Devil academic team didn’t apply the pythagorean theorem in the correct fashion on the final question.

Russell girls soccer and basketball are very good programs. Boyd County girls basketball has had numerous transfers over the past decade. Russell didn’t stop playing them. They got better and beat them. I think all local schools should keep the rivalries alive because those are the games that are fun to watch, fun to play in, and fun to talk about on here.

100 percent right. Could not say it better. Mandy Layne is a great coach because she knows that her program has to rise above. Same with the women’s soccer program and that’s why both have been the most successful team sports lately.

Dropping opponents in football and boys basketball sends a bad message to kids, basically saying that if we can’t beat them, we just shouldn’t try instead of working to get better.

[OhHereWeGo]

There was a school in the 10th Region who did the same a few years ago... Only lasted about 4 years.

[RAMDAD50]

I said I didn’t agree with stopping the games with Raceland in Football and Ashland in basketball. No one on this thread is going to be able to make Russell administration change their mind so we’re pretty much wasting our time on this topic.

I disagree with not being able to change it. The administration at Russell can see the public view on this and it could change the way they think. If enough Russell parents expressed their dislike in the administration’s decision then this form and others like it is the perfect place to discuss it. The key word being discuss it….not get on here and become your ultra ego and talk crap about one another. I believe most the people I’ve talked to in the area agree that this isn’t in the students best interest at Russell.

[KColley]

Here’s the deal. I see Russell as a football program that always has a lot of upside and the financial support is there. In this current alignment I think seven or eight wins in a season and a couple of playoff victories should be the goals for the football program year in and year out at the very minimum, especially in 3A which outside of Belfry and Tilghman is basically wide open. Russell should be a top-8 to 10 team in the class.

In our third year of being back in 3A, Tilghman went 4-6 in the regular season my junior year and won the state championship at 9-6. It’s not like 3A has really been a daunting task to climb other than Belfry’s 2013-2016 run.

Belfry and Tilghman stay at or near the top of the state’s best contenders in the class because they play teams in all classifications across the board, who are among or are the best in their class, to prepare them for the playoffs and then prepare for those opponents appropriately. Louisville Central did the same as well when Ty Scroggins was the coach and Central was 3A.

Russell needs to keep Raceland on the schedule and add more regular season games with programs like a Pikeville, a Wheelersburg, Jackson (Ohio), Breathitt County, Johnson Central, Belfry, Corbin, etc. Games that draw good gates and have great traditional showdowns from years past but also make you better today and tomorrow.

---

Forgot to add too: basketball-wise, Russell has a tougher road there, but considering how highly-touted Rimmer is for his age, they could have something special in a few years.

I understand not wanting to possibly lose him, but if you perform up to snuff losing him shouldn’t be a concern unless it is to an elite prep school or private school not associated with a state athletic association, in which they could come in and recruit as they wished anyway.

[jamesclay]

Good

[Hoot Gibson]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

[i82much]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

Hoot, your post is implying a double standard by the administration at Ashland that doesn't exist. We are talking about two different administrations. Even if they were the same it's fairly safe to say they're not happy with the actions of Coach Mays. Since we haven't heard any public comments from the "Rose Hill era" administrators regarding Russell's decision it's difficult to say whether or not they have a problem with it. Also, Coach Mays was caught recruiting a player, not players, and the recruited player is not enrolled at Ashland. To assume that the other players were recruited, until there is evidence, would also be a stretch. Since the Russell administration hasn't produced evidence that any active players were recruited we have to assume that their decision to drop Raceland and Ashland is due to transfers and/or holdbacks, not recruiting. In no way am I condoning the actions of Coach Mays but if Russell's decision to drop Ashland is based on recruiting a player that did not transfer, then this Russell school tax payer does not support their decision.

[Hoot Gibson]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

Hoot, your post is implying a double standard by the administration at Ashland that doesn't exist. We are talking about two different administrations. Even if they were the same it's fairly safe to say they're not happy with the actions of Coach Mays. Since we haven't heard any public comments from the "Rose Hill era" administrators regarding Russell's decision it's difficult to say whether or not they have a problem with it. Also, Coach Mays was caught recruiting a player, not players, and the recruited player is not enrolled at Ashland. To assume that the other players were recruited, until there is evidence, would also be a stretch. Since the Russell administration hasn't produced evidence that any active players were recruited we have to assume that their decision to drop Raceland and Ashland is due to transfers and/or holdbacks, not recruiting. In no way am I condoning the actions of Coach Mays but if Russell's decision to drop Ashland is based on recruiting a player that did not transfer, then this Russell school tax payer does not support their decision.

The recorded phone call makes it clear that not only did Coach Mays attempt to recruit a player, he did so with the full knowledge that what he was doing was a serious violation of the rule against recruiting. The fact that he is still the head basketball coach at Ashland and their mischaracterization of the phone call suggests that Ashland's administration is more upset that he got caught cheating than they are at the cheating itself.

The names have changed since Ashland boycotted Rose Hill over recruiting but the actions of the previous board were hypocritical at the time. The statements made by Ashland administrators after they self reported the violation implied that it was some sort of minor technical violation. It was no such thing. Different facers, same kind of okay for me but not for thee environment. 

If this was Coach May's first rodeo, then he was born with some natural talent.

[plantmanky]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

Hoot, your post is implying a double standard by the administration at Ashland that doesn't exist. We are talking about two different administrations. Even if they were the same it's fairly safe to say they're not happy with the actions of Coach Mays. Since we haven't heard any public comments from the "Rose Hill era" administrators regarding Russell's decision it's difficult to say whether or not they have a problem with it. Also, Coach Mays was caught recruiting a player, not players, and the recruited player is not enrolled at Ashland. To assume that the other players were recruited, until there is evidence, would also be a stretch. Since the Russell administration hasn't produced evidence that any active players were recruited we have to assume that their decision to drop Raceland and Ashland is due to transfers and/or holdbacks, not recruiting. In no way am I condoning the actions of Coach Mays but if Russell's decision to drop Ashland is based on recruiting a player that did not transfer, then this Russell school tax payer does not support their decision.

The recorded phone call makes it clear that not only did Coach Mays attempt to recruit a player, he did so with the full knowledge that what he was doing was a serious violation of the rule against recruiting. The fact that he is still the head basketball coach at Ashland and their mischaracterization of the phone call suggests that Ashland's administration is more upset that he got caught cheating than they are at the cheating itself.

The names have changed since Ashland boycotted Rose Hill over recruiting but the actions of the previous board were hypocritical at the time. The statements made by Ashland administrators after they self reported the violation implied that it was some sort of minor technical violation. It was no such thing. Different facers, same kind of okay for me but not for thee environment. 

If this was Coach May's first rodeo, then he was born with some natural talent.

Hoot, I think you are off on this one a bit.  Ashland did report the issue, and is waiting for KHSAA to confirm its a violation.  Until then what action can Ashland take?

[Hoot Gibson]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

Hoot, your post is implying a double standard by the administration at Ashland that doesn't exist. We are talking about two different administrations. Even if they were the same it's fairly safe to say they're not happy with the actions of Coach Mays. Since we haven't heard any public comments from the "Rose Hill era" administrators regarding Russell's decision it's difficult to say whether or not they have a problem with it. Also, Coach Mays was caught recruiting a player, not players, and the recruited player is not enrolled at Ashland. To assume that the other players were recruited, until there is evidence, would also be a stretch. Since the Russell administration hasn't produced evidence that any active players were recruited we have to assume that their decision to drop Raceland and Ashland is due to transfers and/or holdbacks, not recruiting. In no way am I condoning the actions of Coach Mays but if Russell's decision to drop Ashland is based on recruiting a player that did not transfer, then this Russell school tax payer does not support their decision.

The recorded phone call makes it clear that not only did Coach Mays attempt to recruit a player, he did so with the full knowledge that what he was doing was a serious violation of the rule against recruiting. The fact that he is still the head basketball coach at Ashland and their mischaracterization of the phone call suggests that Ashland's administration is more upset that he got caught cheating than they are at the cheating itself.

The names have changed since Ashland boycotted Rose Hill over recruiting but the actions of the previous board were hypocritical at the time. The statements made by Ashland administrators after they self reported the violation implied that it was some sort of minor technical violation. It was no such thing. Different facers, same kind of okay for me but not for thee environment. 

If this was Coach May's first rodeo, then he was born with some natural talent.

Hoot, I think you are off on this one a bit.  Ashland did report the issue, and is waiting for KHSAA to confirm its a violation.  Until then what action can Ashland take?

Ashland is not waiting for the KHSAA to confirm that there was a violation. Did you listen to the recording of the call? Recruiting occurred and the fact that the effort failed does not make the violation disappear.

I am in favor of doing away with most restrictions against transfers. I would support bans on transfers during a season but otherwise, parents should be able to send their children to different schools every semester if they think it is in their children's best interest. But, if a school agrees to be bound by the rules of the KHSAA, then that school should abide by those rules and exercise institutional control over their coaches and other employees to ensure that the rules are followed.

[i82much]

After dropping Raceland from their football schedule, now Russell drops Ashland from their basketball schedule per Zack Klemme.

https://mobile.twitter.com/zklemmeADI/st...2123670529

I guess Russell is taking a stand against all schools who get transfers by not playing them anymore.  I think this is a shame for the area to lose these games of interest.  I understand Russell’s frustration, but they are taking some good rivalry games away by doing this.  Yes, there will be periods of time where one school gets the best of the other for whatever reason, but the pendulum always swings.  Russell beat Raceland 3 years in a row in prior to this season when Raceland won.  Russell actually beat Ashland in basketball the last time these 2 teams met last season.  That was the most exciting game of the year for Russell.

I remember when Ashland forfeited district basketball games against Rose Hill after accusing the school of recruiting. Ashland"s basketball team has been caught recruiting red handed. Actively recruiting players is clearly against the rules. Accepting transfers is not against the rules, in the absence of evidence of recruiting. Apples and oranges.

Hoot, your post is implying a double standard by the administration at Ashland that doesn't exist. We are talking about two different administrations. Even if they were the same it's fairly safe to say they're not happy with the actions of Coach Mays. Since we haven't heard any public comments from the "Rose Hill era" administrators regarding Russell's decision it's difficult to say whether or not they have a problem with it. Also, Coach Mays was caught recruiting a player, not players, and the recruited player is not enrolled at Ashland. To assume that the other players were recruited, until there is evidence, would also be a stretch. Since the Russell administration hasn't produced evidence that any active players were recruited we have to assume that their decision to drop Raceland and Ashland is due to transfers and/or holdbacks, not recruiting. In no way am I condoning the actions of Coach Mays but if Russell's decision to drop Ashland is based on recruiting a player that did not transfer, then this Russell school tax payer does not support their decision.

The recorded phone call makes it clear that not only did Coach Mays attempt to recruit a player, he did so with the full knowledge that what he was doing was a serious violation of the rule against recruiting. The fact that he is still the head basketball coach at Ashland and their mischaracterization of the phone call suggests that Ashland's administration is more upset that he got caught cheating than they are at the cheating itself.

The names have changed since Ashland boycotted Rose Hill over recruiting but the actions of the previous board were hypocritical at the time. The statements made by Ashland administrators after they self reported the violation implied that it was some sort of minor technical violation. It was no such thing. Different facers, same kind of okay for me but not for thee environment. 

If this was Coach May's first rodeo, then he was born with some natural talent.

I wasn't defending Ashland or Coach Mays or anyone else. I don't know who made the decisions during the Rose Hill era nor the specific people making the current decisions with Mays. I do know a few people in administration at Ashland from both time periods I have always held them in high regard and know that if they were part of the decision making process they took the matters to heart and looked at the facts from the inside. Anyway, we are getting off topic with respect to the original thread. I'm a 16th region fan and know so many good people in all of our schools. I don't have an angle or an agenda or a talking point to try to win.  As I said in the original post, if Russell made their decision based on one "non-recruit" then I don't agree. If it's because of the totality of transfers/holdbacks, etc. at Ashland and also at Raceland then I understand where they are coming from and respect their decision even though I may not agree with it.

[RAMDAD50]

There’s another thread for this crap! This is about Russell taking its toys and going home because they can’t win. If you wanna cry about a phone call where the coach got set up by a cry baby parent then go to the other thread. As far as transfers go….I can’t wait till Russell plays a transfer hahah talk about a double standard

[Hoot Gibson]

There’s another thread for this crap! This is about Russell taking its toys and going home because they can’t win. If you wanna cry about a phone call where the coach got set up by a cry baby parent then go to the other thread. As far as transfers go….I can’t wait till Russell plays a transfer hahah talk about a double standard

Congrats on your promotion to moderator.

[plantmanky]

There’s another thread for this crap! This is about Russell taking its toys and going home because they can’t win. If you wanna cry about a phone call where the coach got set up by a cry baby parent then go to the other thread. As far as transfers go….I can’t wait till Russell plays a transfer hahah talk about a double standard

Russell has a right to schedule whoever they want.  Quit crying.