[Spoozer12]

I think I say it every year, but the expectations at Clay County are really hard to meet.

If being competitive and being a regional contender (not winner) every year are high expectations and hard to meet then what are the expectations?  I'd love to seen good ole Tony P begin losing to teams like Pineville and getting blowed up by 30 points most games or even get knocked out in the district multiple years.  People in Corbin would be losing their minds.....but you know what it most likely won't happen because he is a good high school coach and gets results from his kids no matter if they are the most talented or have no talent.....they are always competitive and a threat.  Every coach that Clay County has had in the past from Keith to today has been competitive and been a threat....until the Gray era.

Last year they lost in the semis to the eventual champ and lost to North by 2 in the district championship - people complained
I've watched these "State of Clay County Basketball" threads pop up every year and it's not just been Gray. People weren't happy with Marcum either.

I won't sit here and say that Clay doesn't have issues this season, but in my opinion the expectations in Manchester are always going to be unrealistically high because of the success in the Bobby Keith era and the state of Eastern Kentucky right now. There are a bunch of really big schools in the 13th now and you've got some right off I-75 that make things really competitive. I don't blame anyone in Clay County for wanting more than 3-10 right now, but unless I'm remembering wrong (always a possibility) these sentiments just aren't limited to this year or Glenn Gray.

You mentioned big schools, no one speaks about the economic situation in Clay, so many people are leaving for more opportunity, the Clay today is no where near the Clay of Bobby Keith nor even Robert Marcum with a much stronger economy feeding their programs.  Unless you're looking for Pills or well....... Pills (they do have an abundance of pharmacies) you'll need to go somewhere else, there is literally nothing there anymore.  The single biggest issue is feeder systems, until something happens and people start to stay, or move in and make it their home, you won't ever see a rebound, unless the KHSAA goes to a class system, where Clay would be playing 2A Basketball, in 4 class system 3 in a 6A.  Look for them to move to 3A possibly 2A in Football, Clay County is losing it's young productive families.    Just my take on it all....