[Diogenes]

I agree somewhat with that but I played way before Bill Mike ever became coach at Paintsville. Actually I played against Bill Mike. Over the span of my 4 years playing in high school we were defeated by Paintsville only one time. I played at a time when it was utter dominance by Johnson Central teams over Paintsville teams, but it was still a very intense rivalry even with those results, so it has not always been a reason of Bill Mike being the coach as a basis for an existing rivalry. Seeing that the two schools are just about a half mile apart and each team is comprised of friends and family members that occasionaly change uniform colors it will always be a rivalry. It cant help but be one

My point was that BMR is such a polarizing figure in the rivalry. Anytime in the last 20 years that JC and PHS have taken the basketball floor, BMR has been the most important person on the floor. You either love him or you despise him, but you cannot ignore him. He was the reason for much of the intense passion on both sides and for many reasons. It'll always be a rivalry, I agree, but it loses some luster without his presence.