[Stardust]

Almost seems to be a case of mental burnout. How many games have the Johnson brothers and Pittman played the past three years? More than 100? What do they have left to prove? As defending state champs, they're taking everybody's best shot this year. Hopefully they'll refocus when the districts/regionals roll around. I think it was around '96 (someone correct me if I'm wrong) when the Bulldogs went undefeated in the 9th in the regular season, then got bounced -- I believe in the district opener! -- by Holy Cross. But that's when they were strictly run-and-gun.

That is very fair and very real. But you can always play with effort. I'll challenge any team to play with the one thing that I will hope for always and that is Pride.

I'm not saying Holmes is done, not saying that at all. Just have said my observation of a team and how they played on night and have made assumptions of having seen them and put together that along with the games against other teams of late and made my own observations.

I've said it at the beginning of the year and I'm not backing off of it, Holmes is the most talented team in the state. I truly believe that. I just can't fathom playing without pride and effort. This would be like UK knowing they are a top team in the NCAA tournament coming up and then just backing down the effort because they know they are in the tournanament and playing with no conviction.