[16thregioner]

I guess this is a trend for Russell.

I didn't realize they haven't played Boyd since 2019 in baseball. Boyd took Russell's leading hitter in 2019. Boyd also just took their leading hitter and pitcher in 2022, though, so I guess not scheduling them didn't work.

Raceland has taken Russell's football players for years. I don't know why this recent haul would have caused them to shut down the series?

Ashland has never taken a Russell basketball player that I know of, although I guess Mays tried to get last year's player of the year. Ironically, Boyd took the point guard that would been playing with that said player of the year when he was a freshman...and now he's left Boyd for Ashland. I'm not sure how Russell allowed Boyd to remain on their basketball schedule after they took that player a few years ago? Doesn't follow the logic.

Bottom line for Russell is...get better coaches for the boys sports programs and you won't have to worry about who's on the schedule. Look to Mandy Layne as an example. She weathered the storm of Boyd's girls basketball West Virginia transfers for years and finally has gotten her "homegrown" program to the point where she beats the crap out of Pete Fraley most times they meet.

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I seen back in the summer that D&D out of Pikeville area says he is the best player since OJ.  Even bigger shoes to fill for this kid.

This is one of the problems with sports coverage in our area.  The coverage in our area between the Daily Independent, My Town TV, Kool Hits Sports, Twitter accounts covering 16th Region sports, D&D, and even these message boards is OUTSTANDING as far as getting kids notoriety and making games more interesting.  However, it also inflates the talents and abilities of players.  Even a mundane midweek volleyball game can be found being broadcast on the internet and get a full write-up in the newspaper with player names in the headlines.

Did D&D ever see OJ Mayo play?  He averaged 23 a game as a 7th grader and 27 a game as an 8th grader.  Won the 16th region as an 8th grader and was 1st team all-state.  16th region competition was a joke for him.  They're honestly comparing a freshman whose dad is worried about what talent another team here in eastern Kentucky might be accumulating to an NBA player?  I don't think OJ or any of his handlers cared who was playing for Ashland.  What a farce.

How many players from our area in the last decade went to play sports in college and actually played the full 4 years?  Not many.  How many were hyped up to be surefire college players?  A ton.  I'm all for dreaming big and I guess all positives come with negatives in life, but parents and players from our area need a serious reality check.