[Hoot Gibson]

I am in no way shape or form bashing the kid. I'm excited to see JC with such an explosive special teams weapon. I just think out of respect for the opponent and the game it could have been done differently. I hope that he gets the record just not in that style, but since I'm the only who appears to see it that way I'll drop it.

You will find plenty of Highlands fans who will agree with you on that "other" website. They are the same fans who defended Dale Mueller running up the score on JC a few years ago by leaving Patrick Towles and his first string offense in for nearly the entire game. This is not strictly a NKY website. If you like wearing a muzzle and having everybody tell you what a good boy you are for agreeing with the owner of a website and his band of merry Golden Triangle mods, then, by all means, you should air your grievances there.

Jim Matney has done more good for Johnson Central than most of its alumni could do in two lifetimes. For example, he was instrumental in helping get our wrestling program off to a good start by participating in a couple of scrimmages while he was still a Belfry student. I remember him and a few of his teammates hanging around after the scrimmage to share his wrestling knowledge with our team. Unless my memory is failing me, those wrestlers drove their personal cars from Belfry to Johnson Central and were not even accompanied by a coach. He made a very positive impression on me the first time I met the man as one of the state's outstanding wrestlers. Yes, he was a cocky young man - always confident in his considerable skills, but he was also an outgoing boy who was always happy to help others reach their potential.

I have no problem with you criticizing Matney - none of us is perfect, but Matney has earned the respect of every Johnson Central parent, student, and alumni. Criticize him publicly if you must, but at least be respectful when you do so and do not lose sight of his considerable contributions to the school and the football program.

I have no doubt that you would feel very different about Matney if you had the privilege to play for him. Unfortunately, you and your teammates had two endure the three worst years of JC football history. No player should have to put up with what you went through in those years. If you want to be bitter and angry at somebody, direct your outbursts toward those former administrators who stole from you three years of what should have been good times as a member of Johnson Central's football team. People make mistakes, but hiring Jim Matney was no mistake. He and Bill Musick built JC into a very respectable program. Be happy that they did.