[Hoot Gibson]

Highlands fans, you have a common opponent with John Hardin this season, so you need not speculate as to whether John Hardin has improved drastically this season. Maybe by playoff time, Highlands will again be much better than anybody in western Kentucky, but so far the evidence says the Birds belong in a second tier of teams that includes, at a minimum, John Hardin, BG, and Covington Catholic.

Last season, most Highlands fans predicted that the Birds would blow out the Colonels. It didn't happen. In last season's playoffs, Johnson Central easily defeated Covington Catholic. Highlands fans predicted that the Birds would blow out Johnson Central in the regional finals. Once again, the predicted romp never happened. JC came within a dropped pass within the final seconds of the game of having a chance to beat the mighty Bluebirds. Last week, most Highlands fans, ignoring last season's results, once again predicted that Highlands would stomp all over Covington Catholic. Again, it never happened.

Now, following its second straight close call at the hands of the Colonels, Highlands fans are crowing that Covington Catholic is the only team having a chance of beating them this season. Not only that, among Highlands fans, it seems to be a matter of fact that Highlands is heads and shoulders above every team in Kentucky except Trinity. (One of them even made the statement that Highlands is "arguably" the best team in the state.)

I am picking up a pattern here with some Highlands fans and their predictions...the predictions are getting to be a little bit too predictable. It is time for a reality check. Highlands is a very good high school football team. Highlands is not unbeatable. Highlands is not one of the top 25 or even top 50 teams in the country this season. Highlands is a big fish in a small pond but it is not the only big fish in the pond.