[Blue-N-Gold]

I think that the small schools are looked down on. Hazard, Buckhorn, JBS, Jackson City...the smaller schools are the underdogs and they have to work twice as hard just to keep up with the bigger schools. Being from Hazard I have always supported the smaller schools....I think we smaller schools need to stick together. It's harder for the smaller schools to have a team that can compete with the large schools and when you lose a lot of your players to graduation it takes longer to build your team back up. Hazard is lucky. To be a small school we usually have pretty good ball teams. We may not be the #1 team every year but we make the most of what we have and we play hard and that's what counts. Last year Jackson City had a very good year. They had an awesome season in basketball and they went further than they had ever gone before. I was very happy for them and actually felt bad when Hazard beat them in the regional finals. But to the people of Breathitt Co. they were still heroes. They were 14th Region Runners-up and they were given a hero's welcome when they went back to Jackson. It was their year to shine and I think everyone in eastern KY was proud of them. Now this year may be JBS's year to shine. I think that it is nothing less than incredible that a school the size of JBS has a basketball team with as much talent as they have this year. It doesn't happen often and after they lose the players they have now it may not happen again for many years. JBS has always been considered a school that everyone else can beat...and now suddenly they are beating everyone else. Of course some people aren't going to like being beat by a team that has never been able to beat them before and of course some people are going to be jealous of a small school beating all the "better" schools. Are the JBS fans making a big deal out of it? Of course they are and I don't blame them. They have a good team and they have every right to be proud of their team. You can tell by watching them play that they have worked very hard to get to where they are this year and I don't think anyone should try to take that away from them. Whether you like the Stepps or not look at the broader picture...a tiny school from the mountains of eastern Kentucky has a good basketball team that is beating much bigger schools..for that you have to give them credit. While they are on top...and it won't last forever, what goes up must come down...let them have the limelight. Be happy for them and wish them the best. I certainly didn't like seeing Hazard get beat by them, but I sure have to admire them for being able to do it...I just hope they don't do it again. lol