[lets roll]

So if it is so easy then why didn't McNamee turn it around? He won a lot of games over at Pikeville. Must have been a good COACH there. Theres lots of good coaches over on Pond Creek, why aren't they beating a path over to Central? Why hasn't Matney, or Hilton or Rains staked their claim up on Buckleys Creek? You have to understand what you are up against and the deck is definitely stacked against you at Central.

1. Your sandwiched between 2 traditional powers that are more attractive for a lot of reasons for your middle school players. The open enrollment policy in Pike County keeps the powers, in power. I mean honestly, if your son lived on John's Creek and was a good football player where would you send them?

2. Pikeville used to get talent from all around. Lets examine the Honaker twins for just an example. They lived there in Floyd County until coming into the 9th grade when they first enrolled at Pike Central and then later at Pikeville (the day before summer practice started). Obviously Pikeville was more attractive for those two particular athletes. And where again did the Harmon boy go to middle school?

3. A person who is not from the area doesn't know who his friends and enemies are and he will definitely have both at Central. So you say treat them all the same. That won't work in Pike County. Pike County is the most political place on the planet and if you are to suceed there you must be in with the right people. Poynter lost out because of that and McNamee too. What about assistant coach Josh Preece? Wasn't he to removed from his job basically over politics? And don't even get me started on Tussey.

4. Lets say you did get all your players that Pikeville or Belfry wanted. How are you going to match what Belfry gets out of Virginia and West Virginia? They built the school where it is for a reason and it isn't academics. Oh yea, there in your district.

5. Lets look at facilities. I haven't been to Pike County in a while but Id say that Centrals facilities are still 4th just ahead of Phelps. Why can't they play on plastic grass? Why hasn't a big coal company come in and built them a field? The reason is the powers that be don't really care about Central football. They always used to talk about a level playing field and wanting to flip a coin to see who'd win but everyone knew where their bread was buttered and it wasn't at Central.

I could keep going but lets look back at who would have more a fighting chance at Central. A person that is from there and would know these things or a person that is not from there and will get told everything in the world? And they will get told everything. My buddy spent many a day setting in the funny shaped PCBOE getting told everything that he wanted to hear. Nothing ever came of it. Its all about looks. The BOE wants to hire a big name coach so that they can look good. "Oh look we hired a former coach of Pikeville, he has a state title ring, he coached for a tradtional power, etc, etc. We did all of that because we want to flip a coin for who the best team in Pike County will be." Its all about the powers that be and the quicker you understand that the better off you will be.

My advice to Chapman if he does take this job is get ready for the knives that will be heading for his back at all times. Because there are an infinite supply of them and they come from all different angles.

Great post!!!

Not only will the knives come in the back some you will even see.

I think this is great, after what the the posse of Birchfield, Birchfield, and McCoy did. KNIFES SHARP HUN BOYS!!!:chainsaw: