[2educated]

Yay Central High! Don't want to say (okay I do!) "Told ya so!!!!"
Great season Breathitt and you guys have nothing to hang your heads about. The team is full of good kids and they are well coached.

2 Things

1. Central is not "JUST" fast. It takes more to win than just an idea of genetically dispersed ability that is dormant and uncultivated. It takes sacrifice and discipline. Talent and speed alone have left many teams at home watching highlights of state championship games or watching other teams celebrate across the field. Credit must be given to the student-athletes who sacrificed and dedicated themselves for a team goal. Some schools are mentioned (County Schools/Mountain Schools) and descriptions that accompany are hard-nosed, tough, effort, and desire. Central is mentioned and description that accompany are fast, talented, gifted, and natural ability as if the kids from Central sit around all year and roll out of bed and win state championships. The kids at Central work every bit as hard as those kids at the Catholic Schools and at schools in the County and in the Mountains. I think it is a discredit and race-tinged to continue to promote the idea that other teams work hard and Central just has natural gifts.

2. Channing Fugate is a heck of an athlete. Even better in person than I saw on film. However, I believe perceptions of him are skewed because of the competition he plays and the ability that surrounds him. I believe he deserves some good looks from some good college programs. Is he the best back in the state? No. Is he in the top tier of football players in the state? Yes. It is tough sometimes to compare talent across such a large continuum. What you can compare is him to his competition and "hands down" he is the best player in his region. Across the board he is in the 75 percentile of players in the state. I think you put some players from Jefferson County in the Mountains and they would have similar numbers to his this year. I think you put Fugate in Jefferson County, he would be one of the better backs in the county, but not the best. He is good but sometimes limited vision and personal connectedness skews perspective. Let's not forget that Chance Hughes had 169 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns in the "Battle of 28's" as compered to Fugates 133 yards. Granted Fugate had tough sledding against the Central "D" but Deuce Finch played against the same "D" and had over 180 yards (FYI Central QB Chris King had 209 yards rushing against St. X). The point is Fugate is a good, athletic football player but let's not put undo expectations and weight on his shoulders as more than what he is.

See you next year! Is there already a three-peat buzz? Centralllll...Central High!