[58fan]

I have been reading these posts for so long and they make me sick, everbody always trying to talk about the coaching staff, and the middle school coach bad mouthing the program on the hill. If he knew anything about football he would have been the head coach and Hillard would have made sure of this. Are you people saying that middle school football is the same as high school football????? Where are the players in this county??? There has never been a great team come out of this county since 95 when they won the region but then got crushed by Danville. Come on people think about it I know we all can blame the coaches but really think about it the players are really not that good up there. No speed at all but let me guess that is the coaches fault and heart that is what I would question and let me guess that is Whitakers fault to. If you people including myself think we can do a better job lets all go to the school board and apply for the jobs up there.

Are you serious, you do not have to apply for certain jobs in Letcher County!!!!:lmao:

[UKisN1]

10-3 to 3-7 is the players fault. Come on! 32 players at the end of the season. The players are in the hallways. If there is no speed then why do you run an offense that caters to it. You brought in the MS coach...that is what he does. Let's not sugar coat it. The MS program helps the HS program. Winning breeds winning. The heat is on and changes will be made without success. Ms. Craft does not take applications.

[Benchwarmer]

10-3 to 3-7 is the players fault. Come on! 32 players at the end of the season. The players are in the hallways. If there is no speed then why do you run an offense that caters to it. You brought in the MS coach...that is what he does. Let's not sugar coat it. The MS program helps the HS program. Winning breeds winning. The heat is on and changes will be made without success. Ms. Craft does not take applications.

KHSAA website has 51 players? What happened to 19 players?

[kentuckynole]

I have been reading these posts for so long and they make me sick, everbody always trying to talk about the coaching staff, and the middle school coach bad mouthing the program on the hill. If he knew anything about football he would have been the head coach and Hillard would have made sure of this. Are you people saying that middle school football is the same as high school football????? Where are the players in this county??? There has never been a great team come out of this county since 95 when they won the region but then got crushed by Danville. Come on people think about it I know we all can blame the coaches but really think about it the players are really not that good up there. No speed at all but let me guess that is the coaches fault and heart that is what I would question and let me guess that is Whitakers fault to. If you people including myself think we can do a better job lets all go to the school board and apply for the jobs up there.

11-2, 10-3, 10-3 and 3 regional runner ups in 5A in previous 3 years. Yes they have been terrible.

And like everyone else is stated there is never a job posted to apply for.

[kentuckynole]

KHSAA website has 51 players? What happened to 19 players?

I think most of them quit.

[cougarpride08]

To me if they are in the hallways and not playing, then what can you do to talk to them to come out? This falls to the coaching staff because I know some of them wants to play. People in Letcher Co when you see these kids out in town, ask them why they aren't playing? They don't care to you. I know some have told me.

[Coach Howard]

Mtntopblue,

I am the middle school coach and show me anywhere on here how I have been bad mouthing the high school coach. I do nothing but encourage my 8th graders to go out and play at the high school level for Coach Whitaker. Mike and I, at least I think have a pretty good relationship and talk frequently. Sure we do things a little bit differently and I do realize that what I do is at the middle school level and that's a long way from the high school level and it makes it a little easier for me to do the things I do. Do I agree with everything that he and his coaches do absolutely not but am I dumb enough to think that they agree with everything me and my staff do also absolutely not. I do nothing but support Mike and his staff. I was actually talking to Coach Perkins this week about how we can make sure we get all of my 8th graders out playing next year. I actually asked Coach Perkins to work specifically with a particular kid because I think he could be a great influence on him. I consider Chad Bates (offensive line coach) and Tony Sergent to be very close friends. Mark Johnson's son Logan played for me and I consider him to be a very close friend. I do not know Coach Beader very well or Coach Puckett but I hear nothing but good things about them from the kids and parents. Does this sound like I have a problem with the high school staff? All I want to see is the kids that I have coached perform at the level I know they can perform. We did not perform to the level that everyone expects and I don't know if that was the kids fault or the coaches but I know that it can be fixed because the talent and coaching ability is surely in place to win next year and nobody hopes for that more than me. I do not know who put that I need to be the new coach but I am very happy where I am at right now and that's sending players to the high school year in and year out that have a pretty good knowledge of the game and knows how to win and that losing is not an option. I think our success at the middle school level has been pretty good over the last 10 years and I am very proud of the kids that I have coached. And by the way Hillard and Mrs. Craft asked me every year if I wanted to move up and work with is JV and freshmen teams and I declined because I thought that I was was in the right position to help the high school team more from the middle school position and keeping the middle school feeder program rolling right along and I think we have done that. So Mtntopblue I take offense to you saying that I am undermining the high school coaches because to do that would mean that I was also undermining the kids that I have coached and I would never do that to them.

[UKisN1]

I am a supporter of both programs. Now let's move on to helping them improve instead of downtrodding either. We must work together to improve the overall status of our programs. We are all responsible for making football the very best experience for our students in Letcher County.

Very well said Coach Howard.

[cougarpride08]

Coach Howard
It was me who said that you would make a great high school coach, and I stand by my statement. I guess I am entitled to my opinion, and all it was is to complement you coaching abilities and how you manage yourself and how you take care of the kids that is under you. If you say you are happy as a MS Coach, then that is fine by me. One way or another, cougars will get back to winning and I hope it is this season coming up.

[mtntopblue]

11-2, 10-3 and 10-3. Lets talk about last year 5 of those games could have went the other way we had to come back and win those games. This year what happened? 1 not the best players in the mtns on the hill, I know we have some good players in the County but we are not in the same league like alot of the other teams in the area. You can not even to try and put us in the same league with a BELFRY a 3a school that dresses around 90 kids and yes I know Coach Howard we beat them in the MS but what I saw was they only had around 20 kids on that team. Perry Central we had no one person on our team that could run with there skilled kids. Harlan they where bigger and just man handle our kids if you where at the game you would agree but blame the coaches on that one. And no I am not taking the coaches side I just would watch them play and see they didnt have the desire they need as a player no passion for the game, that can not be coached either they have or they dont. Lets talk about the so called players walking around in the hall ways, I would bet my bottom dollar that those coaches up there have talked to them. The problam is that they are to lazy and will not put the time they need in to play football. And finally to Coach Howard if you are not talking about the coaches then you might need to watch who you talk to because I have herd this several times from other people at ball games that you are. If youre not I am trully sorry but there are people out there that say you are. Bottom line is that I know those coaches put 20 to 30 hrs a week during the season with those kids and that is not including there regular jobs, I think coaches Bates works at a mine, Perkins is a Trooper and Johnson works in Neon. The other coaches work for the school system that seems like to me those coaches really care about our young men in the COUNTY lets get behind this bunch and support our total program. GO COUGARS

[gUrU]

[quote=mtntopblue]I have been reading these posts for so long and they make me sick, everbody always trying to talk about the coaching staff, and the middle school coach bad mouthing the program on the hill. If he knew anything about football he would have been the head coach and Hillard would have made sure of this. Are you people saying that middle school football is the same as high school football????? Where are the players in this county??? There has never been a great team come out of this county since 95 when they won the region but then got crushed by Danville. Come on people think about it I know we all can blame the coaches but really think about it the players are really not that good up there. No speed at all but let me guess that is the coaches fault and heart that is what I would question and let me guess that is Whitakers fault to. If you people including myself think we can do a better job lets all go to the school board and apply for the jobs up there.[/QUOTE

It is coach Whitaker's fault when neither him nor any of his coaching staff have been there for the weight lifting program, not once this entire winter break. Coaches from before let the boys know that at 10 every morning the weight room was open for them.

The heart of the program is directly related to your head coach's attitude, and his stinks, no pregame pep talk, no half time pep talk, the players play dry and flat just like his attitude, were you there senior night? This is HIGH SCHOOL football and these boys need leadership and direction, they need fire and grit, they need somebody to be in the trenches with them, not walk off the field with his wife not speaking to a soul there.

Whitaker was announced as interim head coach year before last, it wasn't an adjustment year, it was a coach not willing to come to the high school level to coach, not willing to adjust to the talent that he had, and yes he did have talent.

If changes aren't made before summer practice the parents of LCC need to band together and demand changes for their sons, you only get four years of high school football, this traveling coaching staff has already taken one of those years from them, we need to make sure they don't take another. If nothing else, we can car pool across the mountain!!

[gUrU]

11-2, 10-3 and 10-3. Lets talk about last year 5 of those games could have went the other way we had to come back and win those games. This year what happened? 1 not the best players in the mtns on the hill, I know we have some good players in the County but we are not in the same league like alot of the other teams in the area. You can not even to try and put us in the same league with a BELFRY a 3a school that dresses around 90 kids and yes I know Coach Howard we beat them in the MS but what I saw was they only had around 20 kids on that team. Perry Central we had no one person on our team that could run with there skilled kids. Harlan they where bigger and just man handle our kids if you where at the game you would agree but blame the coaches on that one. And no I am not taking the coaches side I just would watch them play and see they didnt have the desire they need as a player no passion for the game, that can not be coached either they have or they dont. Lets talk about the so called players walking around in the hall ways, I would bet my bottom dollar that those coaches up there have talked to them. The problam is that they are to lazy and will not put the time they need in to play football. And finally to Coach Howard if you are not talking about the coaches then you might need to watch who you talk to because I have herd this several times from other people at ball games that you are. If youre not I am trully sorry but there are people out there that say you are. Bottom line is that I know those coaches put 20 to 30 hrs a week during the season with those kids and that is not including there regular jobs, I think coaches Bates works at a mine, Perkins is a Trooper and Johnson works in Neon. The other coaches work for the school system that seems like to me those coaches really care about our young men in the COUNTY lets get behind this bunch and support our total program. GO COUGARS

You really want to talk about our kids????? These kids put in an 8 our school day, and a 2 hour practice, on a carton of milk and a slice of pizza from the cafeteria, they give up summer break, and work their tails off to be let down by coaches. Yeh, some of the games could have went the other way if the coach hadn't choked. You shouldn't really be so jealous of Terry, he'll let you follow him around and take notes if you want on how to relate to get the best out of a kid, on how to see rough talent in a kid nobody else can see. And yes passion for the game is something you are born with but that passion has to be fed by personnel with the same passion. Pick a side and don't try to blame our players for something out of their control.

[kentuckynole]

11-2, 10-3 and 10-3. Lets talk about last year 5 of those games could have went the other way we had to come back and win those games. This year what happened? 1 not the best players in the mtns on the hill, I know we have some good players in the County but we are not in the same league like alot of the other teams in the area. You can not even to try and put us in the same league with a BELFRY a 3a school that dresses around 90 kids and yes I know Coach Howard we beat them in the MS but what I saw was they only had around 20 kids on that team. Perry Central we had no one person on our team that could run with there skilled kids. Harlan they where bigger and just man handle our kids if you where at the game you would agree but blame the coaches on that one. And no I am not taking the coaches side I just would watch them play and see they didnt have the desire they need as a player no passion for the game, that can not be coached either they have or they dont. Lets talk about the so called players walking around in the hall ways, I would bet my bottom dollar that those coaches up there have talked to them. The problam is that they are to lazy and will not put the time they need in to play football. And finally to Coach Howard if you are not talking about the coaches then you might need to watch who you talk to because I have herd this several times from other people at ball games that you are. If youre not I am trully sorry but there are people out there that say you are. Bottom line is that I know those coaches put 20 to 30 hrs a week during the season with those kids and that is not including there regular jobs, I think coaches Bates works at a mine, Perkins is a Trooper and Johnson works in Neon. The other coaches work for the school system that seems like to me those coaches really care about our young men in the COUNTY lets get behind this bunch and support our total program. GO COUGARS

First off paragraphs would help to understand this total mess of a post.

The only thing I understood was the players stink and there is not enough talent to compete with any area teams.

I guess that they could save over $200k in salary if they didn't have coaches because obviously they don't need them since that they don't have any talent to work with.

Don't really understand what 5 games you are referencing because the first sentence doesn't comprehend. Is it 5 games in 2009 or 2010?

[Mama Bear]

[quote=mtntopblue]I have been reading these posts for so long and they make me sick, everbody always trying to talk about the coaching staff, and the middle school coach bad mouthing the program on the hill. If he knew anything about football he would have been the head coach and Hillard would have made sure of this. Are you people saying that middle school football is the same as high school football????? Where are the players in this county??? There has never been a great team come out of this county since 95 when they won the region but then got crushed by Danville. Come on people think about it I know we all can blame the coaches but really think about it the players are really not that good up there. No speed at all but let me guess that is the coaches fault and heart that is what I would question and let me guess that is Whitakers fault to. If you people including myself think we can do a better job lets all go to the school board and apply for the jobs up there.[/QUOTE

It is coach Whitaker's fault when neither him nor any of his coaching staff have been there for the weight lifting program, not once this entire winter break. Coaches from before let the boys know that at 10 every morning the weight room was open for them.

The heart of the program is directly related to your head coach's attitude, and his stinks, no pregame pep talk, no half time pep talk, the players play dry and flat just like his attitude, were you there senior night? This is HIGH SCHOOL football and these boys need leadership and direction, they need fire and grit, they need somebody to be in the trenches with them, not walk off the field with his wife not speaking to a soul there.

Whitaker was announced as interim head coach year before last, it wasn't an adjustment year, it was a coach not willing to come to the high school level to coach, not willing to adjust to the talent that he had, and yes he did have talent.

If changes aren't made before summer practice the parents of LCC need to band together and demand changes for their sons, you only get four years of high school football, this traveling coaching staff has already taken one of those years from them, we need to make sure they don't take another. If nothing else, we can car pool across the mountain!!

:welcome:

[cherokee]

How is the Sizemore kid that transferred from Whitley doing this year. He should be a sophomore this year. Any chance he could start? He has a cannon for an arm.

The other kid from Whitley County Chaz Bryant was one of the top 3 or 4 freshman on the team, he also started jv a very aggressive and physical player. I don't see Sizemore beating out Logan Johnson, Logan is to athletic in the spread offence, but he may start as a safety.

[58fan]

What a freaking mess........................Harlan County is on their site looking forward to next year and well look at this one............................a bunch of crap

[Coach Howard]

58fan
That's what I'm talking about buddy. Thread's like this is a cancer to our program and a lose lose for us in Letcher County. Mtntopblue is trying to pull my chain and I don't care, even though I don't agree with everything that goes on I still support our boys 100% and I am behind the coaches and I am willing to help if ever asked. I just want our boys to turn the corner and get things back on the straight and narrow and get back to winning like I know they can. We have way to much talent to be losing regardless of what some people say, sure we may not have the speed that some teams have but we have always had more heart and determination and I know that is still there. And even though Mtntopblue doesn't think that winning at the middle school level is important I disagree, we have beaten the Perry's, Hazard's, Breathitt's, Belfry's, and even beat or played really close to the Harlan County teams and these kids know how it feels to beat those teams, I think that has to go a long way in getting this thing turned back around. And just for the record I do think that Coach Whitaker can win, he did it year before last when he was the offensive coordinator so why shouldn't he be able to do it again. I'm sure the first year of taking over was a rough one but I really do believe that we will be alright this year. And Mtntopblue I do agree with you, the Belfry team was not as big in numbers as in the past but they were still good, but the Hazard's and Perry county teams are the same ones that these kids have beaten for several years now and I know they can still do it again. I hope we have one thing in common and that's that we both are true Cougar supporters and if that's the case let's let this die. You know who I am but I don't know you, give me a call if you want to debate this a little more.

[Coach Howard]

Mama Bear,

Hands of lady, just joking, how have you been doing? Haven't heard from you lately. Congrats on the new facility, I hear you worked your butt off and knocked on every door over there getting the funds to make this happen. Your one of a kind and Harlan County is lucky to have you.

[Bear_Paw]

Mama Bear,

Hands of lady, just joking, how have you been doing? Haven't heard from you lately. Congrats on the new facility, I hear you worked your butt off and knocked on every door over there getting the funds to make this happen. Your one of a kind and Harlan County is lucky to have you.

People who do not know have no idea.

Man Honestly this other stuff...I feel so bad for everyone. I feel my post about the harp helped set this thread off and I had no idea this situation was this hot. For everyone involved I am truly sorry for tossing fuel. I hope for everyone involved there can a least be some peace and harmony. Coach Howard is correct this thread is cancer (no offense meant to anyone) and in my opinion should be closed.

[kentuckynole]

People who do not know have no idea.

Man Honestly this other stuff...I feel so bad for everyone. I feel my post about the harp helped set this thread off and I had no idea this situation was this hot. For everyone involved I am truly sorry for tossing fuel. I hope for everyone involved there can a least be some peace and harmony. Coach Howard is correct this thread is cancer (no offense meant to anyone) and in my opinion should be closed.

Don't worry you can go anywhere in Letcher County and hear the same stuff that has been posted on this message board.
There are only a select group of people that have not realized that most people in Letcher County are tired of 2 people making all the decisions for the county school system.

[cougarpride08]

When I started this thread it was just about the team.

[gUrU]

"Cancer" or not the truth is that this job was not posted. His resume is well below par compared to some of the others interested in filling the job. The numbers speak for themselves, less than 40 players, 3 and 7. We had a great system, we had great participation, we had great support, we are now made fun of. Million $ field, million $ jumbotron, all for show apparently, typical letcher county though, look at the school board itself...a joke.

I do hate it for the kids who read these posts but it was nothing that was in control of the kids, they did their best with what they were given to work with. Some of the seniors were excellent athletes during their first years of playing ball, the sophomore class was top in their conference and these kids only followed the direction of the coaches they were given. They gave 100%.

[cougarpride08]

OK guys. That is enough! Can we please talk about what is coming back, and who will be starters on the team. I really think that this thread shouldn't be closed but any other comment that is negative needs to be zapped. All I wanted to do is talk about the players and I got caught up in the moment. What kind of team do we have coming back? What will be the key players other than Logan? Who is going to work there tail off in the weight room this off season, and what is our freshman team going to look like? Let's start off by answering these questions.

[Mama Bear]

Mama Bear,

Hands of lady, just joking, how have you been doing? Haven't heard from you lately. Congrats on the new facility, I hear you worked your butt off and knocked on every door over there getting the funds to make this happen. Your one of a kind and Harlan County is lucky to have you.

I'm doing good Coach! I know the great job you do preparing the kids for the next level over there. I think sometimes people forget how important a job middle school coaches have getting the kids to come out and play, teaching fundamentals, and instilling an overall love for the game at that age so they'll move on to high school and be prepared to do what it takes. I know we sure do appreciate our middle school coaches over here. We only wish the best for the kids over in Letcher Co. and hope the ship is righted soon. I love watching these two teams battle. The Friends of Coal Bowl will be a great event for us to attend with our neighbors for years to come.


....and remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side....(But the turf may be!!!) I'm kidding! I'm kidding!!

[cougarpride08]

Coach Howard,
What kind of kids is coming up as a freshman and if you had to pick a pure dedicated athlete that will be a freshman who would it be? We would love to hear about some kids coming up as a freshman and what we could expect.

Mama Bear,
Can't wait to see the field when it is completed.

[gUrU]

OK guys. That is enough! Can we please talk about what is coming back, and who will be starters on the team. I really think that this thread shouldn't be closed but any other comment that is negative needs to be zapped. All I wanted to do is talk about the players and I got caught up in the moment. What kind of team do we have coming back? What will be the key players other than Logan? Who is going to work there tail off in the weight room this off season, and what is our freshman team going to look like? Let's start off by answering these questions.

Are you not paying attention????? At this point the boys aren't given the opportunity to work in the off season b/c they don't have a coach willing to do that with them. Nobody knows who will start or who will even return, if we'll have a freshman team or even enough to make a varsity team. We can put on our happy faces and pretend like its all good if it makes you feel better but the truth is there honestly may not be a cougar football team next year. So zap it if you want to but if you don't know it's broken you can't fix it and these points need to be made as well, it doesn't make us less of a supporter or fan of the players it just means that we are trying to stand up for the players and point out the deficits which were not all player related.

[Patriot]

Good Luck to our neighbors! What does the team have coming back?

[cougarpride08]

You have to start with Logan Johnson at QB. Who is going to be our star back this year? Taylor kid seems to be a good call.

[Paul Crewe]

Are you not paying attention????? At this point the boys aren't given the opportunity to work in the off season b/c they don't have a coach willing to do that with them. Nobody knows who will start or who will even return, if we'll have a freshman team or even enough to make a varsity team. We can put on our happy faces and pretend like its all good if it makes you feel better but the truth is there honestly may not be a cougar football team next year. So zap it if you want to but if you don't know it's broken you can't fix it and these points need to be made as well, it doesn't make us less of a supporter or fan of the players it just means that we are trying to stand up for the players and point out the deficits which were not all player related.

I have a question....do any of the new coaches even live in the community, or county for that matter? Can they even drive and open those things for the kids?

[cougarpride08]

^ That is a good question that only those coaches can answer. I had heard that Deleno Thomas was thinking about coming back. Is it true?