[boxandone]

Here is what I remember, when previous coach at FC resigned, who was also the main reason why a major player left for Paintsville and another to Pikeville.  They had both left Floyd Central to go elsewhere prior to coach stepping down.  the program was left with a bunch of young middle school players and with a couple of upperclassmen that were role players at best.  Nobody with any proven track record applied.  No one wanted the job except Moore and some other people that hadn’t coached at the high school level for a while.  That’s when LC and BL had a bunch of COVID Seniors when the FC bunch from last season were fresh/soph.  District was very good every where else back then, wouldn’t have mattered who the coach was unless he would have brought in some players from somewhere.  When else has Fc been the favorite in the 58th?  You can tell when you walk in the gym at FC that athletics are not a high priority.  No banners about any of the volleyball district, regional championships, nothing on girls bball side, nothing on boys bball side.  FC had girl win 15th region POY award and there is nothing anywhere in school that I have seen to acknowledge it.  Basketball means something at Martin County, Paintsville, BL, among others.  You can see it all over the walls.  I attended the Allen Central throw back game the other night, sat in the end zone opposite FC bench, the parents and some of the community folks are a huge cancer to the boys program. Once the middle school kids became of age, promise started to show, then everyone came out of the woodwork wanting the job or feeling like they could do better.  Nobody wants to build it from the ground up, everyone wants to take over something with promise that someone else has put the work into.

[Yetty]

Here is what I remember, when previous coach at FC resigned, who was also the main reason why a major player left for Paintsville and another to Pikeville.  They had both left Floyd Central to go elsewhere prior to coach stepping down.  the program was left with a bunch of young middle school players and with a couple of upperclassmen that were role players at best.  Nobody with any proven track record applied.  No one wanted the job except Moore and some other people that hadn’t coached at the high school level for a while.  That’s when LC and BL had a bunch of COVID Seniors when the FC bunch from last season were fresh/soph.  District was very good every where else back then, wouldn’t have mattered who the coach was unless he would have brought in some players from somewhere.  When else has Fc been the favorite in the 58th?  You can tell when you walk in the gym at FC that athletics are not a high priority.  No banners about any of the volleyball district, regional championships, nothing on girls bball side, nothing on boys bball side.  FC had girl win 15th region POY award and there is nothing anywhere in school that I have seen to acknowledge it.  Basketball means something at Martin County, Paintsville, BL, among others.  You can see it all over the walls.  I attended the Allen Central throw back game the other night, sat in the end zone opposite FC bench, the parents and some of the community folks are a huge cancer to the boys program. Once the middle school kids became of age, promise started to show, then everyone came out of the woodwork wanting the job or feeling like they could do better.  Nobody wants to build it from the ground up, everyone wants to take over something with promise that someone else has put the work into.

I think that maybe the biggest question if Moore was to step down would the school allow an outsider to take over the job. Right now most the juniors I believe are 17-18 yrs old so there is some experience and with the sophomore starting he been playing since he was in 8th grade just not on variety. Then you got the freshmen who played jv last year as a 8th grader so he should have been able to step in and play some. To me it comes down to development and the program the coach is running. It is diffident if your new and just starting no way they can except you to turn things around over night. The thing is Moore had time to make a program that should be successful and keep producing players who can step right in variety once the starter has graduated or left.

[-STAT-]

This more than likely will be a long, drawn-out post so bear with me here.

Body language, attitude, those things say a lot about a team, especially when there are struggles & adversities, and Floyd Central are currently going through a lot of both at the moment. I was able to watch them twice last week, the double OT loss against Pike Central, and the loss to Knott Central. I will give them credit, even w/o Spriggs, they played with a ton of heart & effort against PC, down by 14 points midway through the 3rd qtr, they fought back and made a game out of it, just came up short. Now Saturday night when they played Knott Central, was a completely different story. This was the glory road game held at Allen Central, what should've been a great night, turned south pretty quickly with how this team played. KCC controlled every aspect of this game from the opening tip, wire-to-wire victory.

Despite the effort they showed against PC, and the lackluster effort shown against KCC, one thing that both games had in common, that not only I but several others noticed, was body language, that no one wanted to be there, and the basketball courts at FC and Allen Central were the furthest place from these kids minds. There were several instances in both games, where one of the players ran his mouth, not only to the refs or opposing players, but to the coaching staff as well. Out of all these, one instance in particular stuck out the most. It was around the end of the 3rd/beginning of the 4th, can't exactly remember when, but FC was just struggling to do anything on both ends. Have to remember outside of Spriggs, and Boyd that FC has a young team, some great young talent that if they could be properly developed, could cause problems for this area for years to come. Only problems I am seeing are within the team, one instance that stuck out is that one of the starters, James Samons started screaming at Alan Joe "you're gonna have to take him out he doesn't know what he's doing on defense", not just telling the coach which is bad enough, but screamed it and demanded it, and what happened next I couldn't believe what happened (even tho I should at this point) but Coach took the kid out! The kid I am referring to that was struggling defensively is the Howard kid, an inexperienced 8th grader, but he wasn't the only one struggling, KCC is a well-coached team who was moving constantly without the ball, a lot of screens & a lot of switches that really confused the defense, KCC got a lot of easy baskets around the rim, then the Napier kid caught fire from 3, but I am getting away from the topic, I guess times have really changed that much for a player to scream and try to tell a coach what to do, and they've REALLY REALLY changed that the coach actually done what the player said, then left the player in and what happened shortly thereafter? Gets popped with a technical, Alan Joe took him out and that would've been it, but he put the kid back in not long after! Few other players that showed negative body language, frustration and just running their mouths. Had a few conversations w/ some people after the fact, honestly feels like he is losing this team, even tho I mentioned the few players that are upperclassmen but just doesn't feel like there is any true leader on this team and it's really showing.

Also, another occasion I heard someone ask the HC, "when will Spriggs be back?" You can tell this team is lost out there without him, HC response? Rolled his eyes and said "probably won't be back" now that that for what it's worth, but I witnessed that occasion. If things don't change, these talented kids such as Buck, Howard who will eventually figure it out with experience, will leave and go elsewhere, mainly out of county which we've seen so much of over the years.

Of course, winning cures all, and there isn't a whole lot of that going on at the moment, and if things don't change, they're going to find themselves at the bottom of the district, especially with Lawrence, BL and the emerging play of Prestonsburg. I always tend to pay attention most to how a team plays, does their play reflect on coaching style? Things like that. One team that I've always said that plays to the identity of their coach is Lawrence Co, they play hard and are well coached. FC is the complete opposite, they just have no identity, no guidance or teaching of the simple things. I sure hope they can turn things around, but it's going to be tough to do.

[Yetty]

This more than likely will be a long, drawn-out post so bear with me here.

Body language, attitude, those things say a lot about a team, especially when there are struggles & adversities, and Floyd Central are currently going through a lot of both at the moment. I was able to watch them twice last week, the double OT loss against Pike Central, and the loss to Knott Central. I will give them credit, even w/o Spriggs, they played with a ton of heart & effort against PC, down by 14 points midway through the 3rd qtr, they fought back and made a game out of it, just came up short. Now Saturday night when they played Knott Central, was a completely different story. This was the glory road game held at Allen Central, what should've been a great night, turned south pretty quickly with how this team played. KCC controlled every aspect of this game from the opening tip, wire-to-wire victory.

Despite the effort they showed against PC, and the lackluster effort shown against KCC, one thing that both games had in common, that not only I but several others noticed, was body language, that no one wanted to be there, and the basketball courts at FC and Allen Central were the furthest place from these kids minds. There were several instances in both games, where one of the players ran his mouth, not only to the refs or opposing players, but to the coaching staff as well. Out of all these, one instance in particular stuck out the most. It was around the end of the 3rd/beginning of the 4th, can't exactly remember when, but FC was just struggling to do anything on both ends. Have to remember outside of Spriggs, and Boyd that FC has a young team, some great young talent that if they could be properly developed, could cause problems for this area for years to come. Only problems I am seeing are within the team, one instance that stuck out is that one of the starters, James Samons started screaming at Alan Joe "you're gonna have to take him out he doesn't know what he's doing on defense", not just telling the coach which is bad enough, but screamed it and demanded it, and what happened next I couldn't believe what happened (even tho I should at this point) but Coach took the kid out! The kid I am referring to that was struggling defensively is the Howard kid, an inexperienced 8th grader, but he wasn't the only one struggling, KCC is a well-coached team who was moving constantly without the ball, a lot of screens & a lot of switches that really confused the defense, KCC got a lot of easy baskets around the rim, then the Napier kid caught fire from 3, but I am getting away from the topic, I guess times have really changed that much for a player to scream and try to tell a coach what to do, and they've REALLY REALLY changed that the coach actually done what the player said, then left the player in and what happened shortly thereafter? Gets popped with a technical, Alan Joe took him out and that would've been it, but he put the kid back in not long after! Few other players that showed negative body language, frustration and just running their mouths. Had a few conversations w/ some people after the fact, honestly feels like he is losing this team, even tho I mentioned the few players that are upperclassmen but just doesn't feel like there is any true leader on this team and it's really showing.

Also, another occasion I heard someone ask the HC, "when will Spriggs be back?" You can tell this team is lost out there without him, HC response? Rolled his eyes and said "probably won't be back" now that that for what it's worth, but I witnessed that occasion. If things don't change, these talented kids such as Buck, Howard who will eventually figure it out with experience, will leave and go elsewhere, mainly out of county which we've seen so much of over the years.

Of course, winning cures all, and there isn't a whole lot of that going on at the moment, and if things don't change, they're going to find themselves at the bottom of the district, especially with Lawrence, BL and the emerging play of Prestonsburg. I always tend to pay attention most to how a team plays, does their play reflect on coaching style? Things like that. One team that I've always said that plays to the identity of their coach is Lawrence Co, they play hard and are well coached. FC is the complete opposite, they just have no identity, no guidance or teaching of the simple things. I sure hope they can turn things around, but it's going to be tough to do.

That the thing a coach would had told  Samons to stay quiet. Keep him out the game and during practice make him run. He is 16-17 yrs old I think  he should know better than using
that language toward your team mate creating a negative environment. The kid is in 8th grade expected to play varsity with no high school experience and that goes back to the coach not allowing development.

[15thregionwatcher]

Maybe culture.

During a game last year I heard a grandparent of a varsity starter and JV player yelling at his grandson to not pass the ball to a certian eighth grader during a JV game.

When kids hear that stuff at home your program won’t be successful. They are coming off a district championship and a finals where Moore out coached LC second half. He made adjustments that LC didn’t.

They have very little varsity experience and you can’t expect an eighth grader or freshman (buck is still 15btw) to compete against experienced players every night. They have competed with everyone in the region just haven’t pulled many out late. Once they figure that out, get Spriggs back, they will be fine.

Most of that roster has played less than fifteen varsity games

[Yetty]

Maybe culture. 

During a game last year I heard a grandparent of a varsity starter and JV player yelling at his grandson to not pass the ball to a certian eighth grader during a JV game. 

When kids hear that stuff at home your program won’t be successful.    They are coming off a district championship and a finals where Moore out coached LC second half.  He made adjustments that LC didn’t. 

They have very little varsity experience and you can’t expect an eighth grader or freshman (buck is still 15btw) to compete against experienced players every night.  They have competed with everyone in the region just haven’t pulled many out late.  Once they figure that out, get Spriggs back, they will be fine.   

Most of that roster has played less than fifteen varsity games

the thing is that goes back to development of course there going to be some who hasn’t played some varsity. With a good jv team the players should be ready to compete at a higher level once called up. It not a player fault if a coach all a sudden puts them in a situation they’re not ready for. Most them players have played for him and understand his system.

Cameron Pente, no problem.

Yup. Couldn’t stop him

not ready for.

[15thregionwatcher]

It’s nearly impossible to get varsity ready playing JV. Such a big difference in intensity, scouting, game plans, and on and on. Very few players step into a role their first year and succeed. Even guys with a ton of talent takes a while to get adjusted to the speed of varsity teams.

If your younger varsity player (freshman or sophomore) at JV your playing against kids your age, if not younger. When you get to varsity a sophomore is playing up two years of competition with better players and more physicals kids. Watch a JV game and a varsity game and see if you think they even play alike.

Jv is not best place to get varsity ready. The reason we play the tourney at end of season is to allow teams to figure it out. That includes players playing that level for first year.

Floyd will be fine. look at how much other schools struggled the first year those kids got varsity minutes. (JC prime example last year took until tourney time before they understood what varsity basketball is about)

Other than spring's who got a ton of minutes last year in their current role? Buck played against middle school kids a majority of the season.

[Yetty]

It’s nearly impossible to get varsity ready playing JV.  Such a big difference in intensity, scouting, game plans, and on and on.    Very few players step into a role their first year and succeed.  Even guys with a ton of talent takes a while to get adjusted to the speed of varsity teams. 

If your younger varsity player (freshman or sophomore)  at JV your playing against kids your age, if not younger.  When you get to varsity a sophomore is playing up two years of competition with better players and more physicals kids.  Watch a JV game and a varsity game and see if you think they even play alike.   

Jv is not best place to get varsity ready.  The reason we play the tourney at end of season is to allow teams to figure it out.  That includes players playing that level for first year. 

Floyd will be fine.  look at how much other schools struggled the first year those kids got varsity minutes.  (JC prime example last year took until tourney time before they understood what varsity basketball is about)

Other than spring's who got a ton of minutes last year in their current role?  Buck played against middle school kids a majority of the season.

After reading some of these post you got a coach who lets a player scream at him. Dictate who or who shouldn’t play so I think it more than just saying it hard to get ready for varsity. I’d say it more likely a lot of problems and more to come if this kinda stuff happens a lot.

[Blacksmith]

@-STAT- mentioned it in his post, I just thought Id relay what the announcers mentioned on the air last night, that players were "talking" at the coach and the coach was "talking" back at them.. Though it was clear they were just not talking..
Not piling on, just mentioning it because one member already did and that even the announcers mentioned it...
I hate it but it seems frustration is getting to be an issue.. I hope they can work it out soon.

[Yetty]

@-STAT-  mentioned it in his post, I just thought Id relay what the announcers mentioned on the air last night, that players were "talking" at the coach and the coach was "talking" back at them.. Though it was clear they were just not talking.. 
Not piling on, just mentioning it because one member already did and that even the announcers mentioned it...
I hate it but it seems frustration is getting to be an issue.. I hope they can work it out soon.

The coaching staff won’t be able to handle the problem unless they get rid of the players causing the problems in the first place if not then it will continue.

[Quincy]

To me it’s becauseof the coaches. In past years the middle school teams of Dace and may valley have been almost unstoppable and the result of them not being as good when they’re jr/sr is because the coaches do not develop over there. I feel this way about a lot of teams in this region. A ton of really really good potential in middle school and not being great in highschool. I think the only places that really develop their players is Martin co, pikeville, and Johnson Central. This is why they are always competitive year in and year out.

[DukeBoy]

None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable. Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

[Quincy]

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

[Yetty]

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

May valley coach larry mullins holds his players accountable for their actions and their decisions. Seen him bench his best players for because they said things to ref. He holds them more accountable. Most his bench players put in more work off court than most players should but no one see it

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

May valley coach larry mullins holds his players accountable for their actions and their decisions. This year alone they been beaten 3 times . 

[Cards2017]

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

DACE made a great run and got beat out in the elite 8. 
The mountains were represented well that year. Ashland was runners up and Martin County got beat out in the final four by Wayne County who had at least 1 varsity starter if I remember correctly. 
Carr Creek was also a really good team that year.

[P. Fanning]

I am surprised Larry Mullins hasn't moved up to a high school job by now. Great coach and better person.

[KyGymRat]

Hard to judge a team or coach on this season when your best player ain’t playing due to injuries. Spriggs back fully Floyd is a different team totally. Without him they struggle as would any team in the 15th without their best players.

[Yetty]

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

May valley coach larry mullins holds his players accountable for their actions and their decisions. Seen him bench his best players for because they said things to ref. He holds them more accountable. Most his bench players put in more work off court than most players should but no one see it

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None of their middle school teams have been unstoppable.  Need to play out of the county some and see how the rest of the state plays.

Dace got 4th in the state tournament a couple years ago with spriggs and boyd. And last year may Valley ran through everyone they played. Even teams in other county’s.

May valley coach larry mullins holds his players accountable for their actions and their decisions. This year alone they been beaten 3 times . 

I am surprised Larry Mullins hasn't moved up to a high school job by now. Great coach and better person.

Don’t think the high school ready for him. He is too old school for
them. He coach freshmen games and won  both playing middle school and high school players. He played a lot of high school players you hardly see getting any mins on jv.

[-STAT-]

@-STAT-  mentioned it in his post, I just thought Id relay what the announcers mentioned on the air last night, that players were "talking" at the coach and the coach was "talking" back at them.. Though it was clear they were just not talking.. 
Not piling on, just mentioning it because one member already did and that even the announcers mentioned it...
I hate it but it seems frustration is getting to be an issue.. I hope they can work it out soon.

I understand the announcers (I'd assume live & local here in Floyd Co) trying to put some water on this fire that's already started. 

I was a lot closer to the situation than they were and most were, and there's a big time difference between "talking" between a player & coach, and what happened in this moment, screaming at your coach to take another player out? Then the coach actually takes said player out? I've been around the game of basketball in many capacities in my life, and I have never seen ANYTHING like what I saw & heard. Several people around and behind me said the same thing, "I can't believe a coach would let a player talk to them like that" "well there's no way he would be on my team anymore, his ass would be on the bench, and then he'd be turning his uniform in after the game" a lot of those type comments, but the coaching staff never batted an eye. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.

At this point it isn't about X's & O's or consistency within the feeder programs, it's about trying to keep ahold of the locker room and trying not to lose this team. With or without Spriggs, the coaching staff has to do something before it gets anymore worse.

[Yetty]

@-STAT-  mentioned it in his post, I just thought Id relay what the announcers mentioned on the air last night, that players were "talking" at the coach and the coach was "talking" back at them.. Though it was clear they were just not talking.. 
Not piling on, just mentioning it because one member already did and that even the announcers mentioned it...
I hate it but it seems frustration is getting to be an issue.. I hope they can work it out soon.

I understand the announcers (I'd assume live & local here in Floyd Co) trying to put some water on this fire that's already started. 

I was a lot closer to the situation than they were and most were, and there's a big time difference between "talking" between a player & coach, and what happened in this moment, screaming at your coach to take another player out? Then the coach actually takes said player out? I've been around the game of basketball in many capacities in my life, and I have never seen ANYTHING like what I saw & heard. Several people around and behind me said the same thing, "I can't believe a coach would let a player talk to them like that" "well there's no way he would be on my team anymore, his ass would be on the bench, and then he'd be turning his uniform in after the game" a lot of those type comments, but the coaching staff never batted an eye. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.

At this point it isn't about X's & O's or consistency within the feeder programs, it's about trying to keep ahold of the locker room and trying not to lose this team. With or without Spriggs, the coaching staff has to do something before it gets anymore worse.

See that what should happen I don’t care if it is your best player he or she is done. This can cause a problem with in the locker room and players start disrespecting other coaches from other teams. If the coaching staff can’t fix the problem then maybe all of them should be let go.

[Jagsforlife]

At some point the coaching staff needs to be held accountable. We got it together last season and had a good year but I don’t get the feeling it’s going to happen this year. Healthy sprigs will make a difference I believe if he can get back healthy

[P. Fanning]

Seems odd nobody actually seems to know how long Spriggs is out. Kind of reminds me of NBA load management.