[Pulp Fiction]

Don't get me wrong, I've been on this site since 2008 and I don't understand it. For an outsider, I can only compare it to the same things that races say when they make the comment "you wouldn't understand"! I guess that is so and I guess that I live in a naive world, but I thought that we have moved on from segregating ourselves as a society and drawing attention to ourselves because we felt the rest of the world does not give us our fair due.

I hear a lot of pride in many of the regions, but this comes off to others as sounding like martyrdom??? Help the rest of us understand why this is such a sensitive topic. I'm being honest, because I honestly don't get it. Remember, I have family that lives their who have came from NKY, and I don't hear these same sentiments from them.

I'm in no way disrespecting, but I don't get it. Thus, every time I here these claims, I feel like I am missing something. If any other region of the state talked about themselves on this site, I'm 100% they would get roasted for it! I'm not sure why this thread was even started, I don't personally like it, but it feels like that the creator got the "RUB" he was looking for....

Dusty... As much as I'd like to give you a correct answer to the bolded section, somethings you just can't explain.

And I wasn't looking for a "RUB"... I just thought this would be a good discussion topic.

[Diogenes]

Don't get me wrong, I've been on this site since 2008 and I don't understand it. For an outsider, I can only compare it to the same things that races say when they make the comment "you wouldn't understand"! I guess that is so and I guess that I live in a naive world, but I thought that we have moved on from segregating ourselves as a society and drawing attention to ourselves because we felt the rest of the world does not give us our fair due.

I hear a lot of pride in many of the regions, but this comes off to others as sounding like martyrdom??? Help the rest of us understand why this is such a sensitive topic. I'm being honest, because I honestly don't get it. Remember, I have family that lives their who have came from NKY, and I don't hear these same sentiments from them.

I'm in no way disrespecting, but I don't get it. Thus, every time I here these claims, I feel like I am missing something. If any other region of the state talked about themselves on this site, I'm 100% they would get roasted for it! I'm not sure why this thread was even started, I don't personally like it, but it feels like that the creator got the "RUB" he was looking for....

SD - I'm not sure it's about pride, or even martyrdom. You can't make a comparison between regions with NKY and EKY. NKY is basically suburban Cincinnati. If you took the biggest cities in EKY - Middlesboro, Hazard, Pikeville, etc - they would be smaller towns in NKY, and NKY has cities these size every 5 or 10 miles apart, not to mention they're all within easy driving distance of Cincinnati and all that's offered there. You can't really relate to the isolation. There's no shopping malls in the east, no nice restaurants, no operas, no major universities. The "cities", which are really just small towns, are hours apart on bad roads, and the people who live in the areas around them live sometimes an hour away just from a Wal Mart on roads many city folk would consider undriveable. It is an effort for these people just to get to town, and to play football, it creates extra transportation issues if no bus picks them up and brings them home. There's deep rooted poverty. Look at the numbers who live below the poverty line. Consider that many families are now on their third generation of welfare recipients. It is hard to have pride and a desire to work hard and accomplish something when these are your role models. Obviously, there are now huge issues with drugs, prescription and otherwise, and teenagers are by no means immune to this. The tax bases are much smaller, and while some schools do have nice facilities, it pales in comparison to the resources available in the richer urban districts. We've always had to fend for ourselves as a region. The rest of the state (indeed the world) looks down on us. In the year 2012, when no politician or celebrity would dare use a racial slur, it's still just fine to talk about the "inbred shoeless hillbillies from the Kentucky mountains". We live in isolation with awful roads where no interstates are built. No good way to get in or out. I live happily now in Louisville and still marvel at how in 20 minutes I can be at a shopping mall or a concert or a nice restaurant. Growing up in Paintsville, I would have had to drive at least an hour to Ashland/Huntington to do any of those things. From somewhere deep in the mountains like Phelps, you're two or more hours from anywhere. There are so many things people from other areas take for granted that just don't exist in EKY. Other places may be rural, and may have poverty, but we also have our geography and lack of roads working against us as well. It may sound like a cliche, but until you have actually lived in EKY, it truly is hard to know what challenges you face out there.

[LWC]

To me the Mountains thing is a lot like New Yorkers. They may leave New York but you always hear the love for it. People say, "I'm from the Bronx", "I left Manhattan, but Manhattan never left me", etc....

[The_Rock]

There isnt a whole lot in South central and western Kentucky either, maybe the Cumberland Parkway and Bowling Green. I'd rather live in Eastern Kentucky than Lexington or Louisville any day of the week. You can keep your malls, your big roads, your so called fancy resturants. I love Eastern Kentucky. When we play up against teams that are supposed to beat us from Lex or the Ville and beat them, we have a strong since of accomplishment from it considering everyone from there thinks we dont have nothing.

[Pulp Fiction]

Just incase anybody is wondering.....

Highlands - No 'mountain' teams played in 2013, 2014 & none scheduled in 2015.
St. Xavier - No 'mountain' teams in played in 2013, 2014 & none scheduled in 2015.
Trinity - No 'mountain' teams in played in2013, 2014 & none scheduled in 2015.

[Pulp Fiction]

Belfry vs. Highlands needs to happen every season.

Pond Creek vs. Fort Thomas in a Home/Home series would be the KHSAA version of The Royal Rumble.

[samson81]

Pulaski Co. vs. Trinity or St.X in 2016

Somebody make this happen. :beg:

[killbilly usmc]

So sick of these "mountain" posts. You want to play the big boys? Make a run and do it in the playoffs. Otherwise it's like asking UK basketball to play Marshall at Marshall or Bama football to play at UAB.

I agree. I don't understand why the eastern fans keep coming up with these pipe dreams. Everyone needs to just be ok in admitting that far eastern teams, and far western teams just aint in the ballpark as Highlands, Trinity, and St X. Who wants to see 1st half running clocks.

[killbilly usmc]

Belfry vs. Highlands needs to happen every season.

Pond Creek vs. Fort Thomas in a Home/Home series would be the KHSAA version of The Royal Rumble.

Royal rumble? Belfry wants no part of Highlands, and we both know it. How many times in the last few years has Johnson Central spanked Belfry, then turn around and lose early in the playoffs to Covington Catholic a team which Highlands owns. Don't give me that crap either of well that 1 year we beat Highlands. Caldwell County beat Highlands the only time they ever played them, but lucky for them they havnt had to play Highlands since that 63 title game. Im a Mayfield fan, and by past record they have owned Bowling Green, but im not dumb enough to think that they would keep beating them if they was still playing eachother, same way I think Mayfield would have beat Danville most years if they had played recently.

[N-IT-2-WIN-IT]

I'm pretty sure several "Mountain" teams would love a Home/Home series against any of these 3 teams.

85% win percentage for the Bluebirds, no one else is close to the size of X or Trinity in the hills. They would love it but mountain teams not so much.

[Real Badman]

You will never see a program such as Xavier or Trinity come to the mountains. It is a waste of their time, and the team they will play.

[Pulp Fiction]

You will never see a program such as Xavier or Trinity come to the mountains. It is a waste of their time, and the team they will play.

Does anybody know (Schools, Dates, Locations, Scores) if Trinity or St. Xavier has ever played a game in "the mountains"?

[LaFlamaBlanca]

Gotta love when the mountain "smash mouth" football pride gets brought out, and how no one outside of the mountains understands it. I think that is a fair assessment; I don't understand why there is pride in continually losing to teams that have shown to adapt over the course of a game. How many times have we heard how great Johnson Central was, beating mountain teams 60-0, then getting to the playoffs and to get waxed by Highlands. The whole 'smash mouth football' mantra is that the players are tougher than those on a passing team. How many state championships has that won for smash mouth football teams?

I am singling out Johnson Central because I played against them in the playoff recently( within the decade) and we heard the same story before the game. How they were going to come in and run over our defense. When they weren't able to do so, they had no other weapons to rely on and just had no realistic chance.

In all honesty, I haven't really followed JC much since my playing days. It is in my opinion though that had they had even a marginal passing attack, that game would have been a whole lot closer. But hey, "smash mouth football pride."

[LaFlamaBlanca]

Also, as others have said, there is absolutely no benefit/ reason for Highlands to drive farther than Lexington/ Louisville to play a game.

[Pulp Fiction]

Gotta love when the mountain "smash mouth" football pride gets brought out, and how no one outside of the mountains understands it. I think that is a fair assessment; I don't understand why there is pride in continually losing to teams that have shown to adapt over the course of a game. How many times have we heard how great Johnson Central was, beating mountain teams 60-0, then getting to the playoffs and to get waxed by Highlands. The whole 'smash mouth football' mantra is that the players are tougher than those on a passing team. How many state championships has that won for smash mouth football teams?

I am singling out Johnson Central because I played against them in the playoff recently( within the decade) and we heard the same story before the game. How they were going to come in and run over our defense. When they weren't able to do so, they had no other weapons to rely on and just had no realistic chance.

In all honesty, I haven't really followed JC much since my playing days. It is in my opinion though that had they had even a marginal passing attack, that game would have been a whole lot closer. But hey, "smash mouth football pride."

This thread is not about JC.

The KHSAA scoreboard only goes back to 1998.... but since the 1998 season, neither T, X and Highlands have played any regular season games East of Lexington.

We all know those three teams play great out of state competition year-in and year-out... and we all know they have to play their district games. But there is no reason why at least one of the three can't schedule a regular season, Home/Home series with a school East of Lexington.
If money is the main reason why they don't want to travel to EKY...... With as many Bowl games that are played, I'm sure one of the companies can pay for one of the three to come to the Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Kentucky.

[Real Badman]

Money is not the reason. Louisville Trinity charges more for tuition than any college in the state, Xavier probably is much better. They is no football advantage for Trinity to travel 100 miles to beat a team by 99 if they want. These teams are seeking national spotlight, they don't care about winning Kentucky championships.

I would be willing to bet Louisville Trinity has never played a team East of I-75. Xavier might have played a few way back when.

[LaFlamaBlanca]

@Pulp Fiction I know this thread is not distinctly about JC, I was just using them as an example of the experiences I've had with smash mouth football.

As far as asking why haven't H,T or X played mountain teams, I will ask you why should they? What kind of benefits are there to playing mountain teams? The fans (outside of parents) aren't going to want to drive down there to see a game that will likely end up being lopsided.

Honestly, I think another issue with playing teams the run the smash mouth style is that there is a much higher chance of injury. When you have an offensive line constantly diving at the DL/ LB's knees, there is a much greater chance of suffering knee injuries. Heck, even as on offensive guard, I would often be dealing with a blitzing linebacker who, right before contact, would dive at my knees and try to take me out of the play.

There just really isn't any benefit to playing these teams until it is necessary.

[killbilly usmc]

This thread is not about JC.

The KHSAA scoreboard only goes back to 1998.... but since the 1998 season, neither T, X and Highlands have played any regular season games East of Lexington.

We all know those three teams play great out of state competition year-in and year-out... and we all know they have to play their district games. But there is no reason why at least one of the three can't schedule a regular season, Home/Home series with a school East of Lexington.
If money is the main reason why they don't want to travel to EKY...... With as many Bowl games that are played, I'm sure one of the companies can pay for one of the three to come to the Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Kentucky.

Yes there is a reason none of the 3 should schedule a game in eastern Ky. I don't see why yall don't get it. What benefit is it for say Trinity to schedule say Johnson Central who has been the best team in the east. The answer is Trinity would have a running clock by halftime. Would Belfry travel 4 hours west to play Todd County Central. No they would not because they want a descent level of competition.

[Memo Luna]

Even though 99% chance they would beat us at Log Mtn, it would still be fun playing a St X. :igiveup:

Would you slit the tires on their bus?

[Orange Blaze]

To think that teams in the east have a shot at beating any of the "big three" is ignorant at best. Recent history has shown that the best teams from this side of the state can't beat Cov Cath and Highlands and Highlands usually gets smoked by Trinity in preseason scrimmages.

The fact of the matter is that these programs are just better and there is no shame in admitting that. These are wealthy programs in urban areas that have access to better physical training and coaching that simply isn't available in the more rural parts of the state. These programs are also in the business of producing D-1 level athletes on a yearly basis whereas at a school in the east you might get such an athlete once every 10-15 years. This is primarily due resource availability and larger populations than you will find in Eastern Kentucky. I am from Eastern Kentucky and I am proud of where I came from but I am also realistic and willing to acknowledge that we are not even close to being on the the same playing field as the three elite programs in this discussion.

Also, I just want to add that I believe Trinity played Greenup Co. in the playoffs sometime in the 70's and won something like 28-0.

[KyRock]

Take away all the foreigners from Indiana, Ohio and elsewhere. The East play them alot closer IMO.

[Ring'Em Up]

This whole thread is such a disaster. A collection of myths and theories.....