[RoShamBo]

You sound very believable, but you're incorrect in most of your assessments. Northern's coach has only been the head man here for 2 seasons, only playing Meece in both grades his first year. We've never led Meece by 50 (to Meece's credit). I believe 38 points in one game was the max. I know Meece was on the schedule a few weeks prior to the start of this last season, the same time in which your coach posted a "Looking For" game on the listserv for the same date we were scheduled to play. He never notified our coach from the way I understood it. Our coach contacted yours to verify, in which your coach used a lot of profanity and hung up. So honestly, it's not really fair in my opinion for you to get on here and bash our guy when yours is no better. Everyone knows there is a little tension, but I personally don't think our coach holds a grudge (we've been friends for a long time, he hasn't said anything about it to me since the game was unknowingly canceled), but I've seen first hand that yours does.

On a more important note, I appreciate your endeavors with the Air Force, as I'm sure a lot of others do as well. I have a cousin who was the QB for AFA back a few years ago and is currently serving in Afghanistan. Good luck with all of that man. Some things are more important than athletics.

Point taken, I do remember a halfback pass in the waning minutes of a game a few years back but that is beside the point. You may be right about what our coach has said to yours but I have heard bad things about Northern's coach in relation to our program as well, but that is also not the point. The point is that there is no place for such animosity between coaches at any level, much less middle school. Again I'm not saying that Max didn't do those things at all but I do know how he is with our kids (and Northern's in the all star game) and if he says it is not in our best interest to play Northern for this reason or that, I'm inclined to believe it.

Thanks for the good luck and well wishes by the way. My family has a small history of medical issues which has me slightly concerned about MEPS next week, but if all goes well I will be doing my PAST for Combat Control sometime in February. My father was in the Air Reserves, and I figured I owed something to the country that allowed me to pay for a high quality college education so I hope it all works out.

[Wildcat18]

^
With the recent alignment and the way things are now, i think it benefits schools to NOT play down in division.
For example, i see nothing wrong with Meece and Northern now as they have nothing to do with each other when it comes to state.

Putting in the system we have right now was really good for middle school football.

You're right about the alignment. It doesn't really help a D-1 school to play a lower division school. It actually hurts your point average (win or lose) and could potentially hurt your seeding for the playoffs.

Love the picture by the way. Brow-down! Go Cats.

[Wildcat18]

Point taken, I do remember a halfback pass in the waning minutes of a game a few years back but that is beside the point. You may be right about what our coach has said to yours but I have heard bad things about Northern's coach in relation to our program as well, but that is also not the point. The point is that there is no place for such animosity between coaches at any level, much less middle school. Again I'm not saying that Max didn't do those things at all but I do know how he is with our kids (and Northern's in the all star game) and if he says it is not in our best interest to play Northern for this reason or that, I'm inclined to believe it.

Thanks for the good luck and well wishes by the way. My family has a small history of medical issues which has me slightly concerned about MEPS next week, but if all goes well I will be doing my PAST for Combat Control sometime in February. My father was in the Air Reserves, and I figured I owed something to the country that allowed me to pay for a high quality college education so I hope it all works out.

The bad things you've heard about our coach are probably the exact same things I've heard about your coach, if I were guessing. I'm in the same boat as you. I've seen first hand how our coach is with some of the Meece players in the Kentucky East/West game. (Great players by the way, real good kids.) Stay positive getting through those medical obstacles. It's not a good feeling knowing something out of your control could possibly hinder your expectations. But it seems as if you have a good vision for what you want to accomplish and why. Best of luck with it all.

[Briar jumper bd]

With no offense meant to any other coach, I think Pulaski's middle school coach is one of the best I have seen at that level. I like his hard nose style and approach to the game. To shed some light on why it was said that Meece did not play P.C.. I was in the room when the conversation took place and it was said that P.C. Was recruiting our players. If that was the real reason or not idk. I also don't believe it's a recruiting violation until they get in high school so not really a big deal in my eyes because it goes both ways. My son plays for Meece and I know the kids don't back down from a challenge and would have gave it their all if they would've played. Pulaski was hands down the best team in middle school last year and as far as hold backs go, if they do not turn 19 before august 1st of their senior year, khsaa says they can play, end of discussion! Coach Foley has been respectful and classy when talking to me and my son and as I have heard complaints from parents about him, I also know how parents can be and I can only talk about my interactions with him, all very positive! If I can say one thing about posts on here, please keep them positive when it comes to the kids and be sure to differentiate between coach and players because when you say Meece, Pulaski or Whitley you are talking about the kids also and they read these threads also.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Good post.

[RoShamBo]

The bad things you've heard about our coach are probably the exact same things I've heard about your coach, if I were guessing. I'm in the same boat as you. I've seen first hand how our coach is with some of the Meece players in the Kentucky East/West game. (Great players by the way, real good kids.) Stay positive getting through those medical obstacles. It's not a good feeling knowing something out of your control could possibly hinder your expectations. But it seems as if you have a good vision for what you want to accomplish and why. Best of luck with it all.

I'll go on and apologize for my mistake I was not aware that Warren no longer coached middle school at Northern. I don't know the current coach on the same level as I knew him so I have nothing to say about Northern's current coach. The game I was referring to was a 60-8 win capped by a halfback pass in the final seconds in 05 or 06, which started the bad blood between the programs. All I have heard about the current coach are second hand opinions from both sides so again I'm sorry for my statement. I have respect for Pulaski's program as a whole and have enjoyed friendships with many Pulaski players and coaches over the years, including Coach Hines. I meant no slight to the program or the kids, but personal grudges between coaches is something I can not support in any way. Thanks for the well wishes, everything went well at MEPS so I'm good to go as of now!

[Football1]

Sounds like a great conference. Tough competition will prepare these teams for the challenges in post-season.

The issue of holding a kid back is simple. Older kids perform better in the classroom, in social settings, and yes in sports. Why in the world would you not want your son or daughter to not get an extra year (compared to their peers who graduate at 18) to learn, mature, and compete? Life is hard enough. That extra year means better grades, more college choices, and a more mature kid taking on the Freshmen year of college.

I know this is not popular among parents who have some philosophical reason against it. But that is your choice. Many of us have chosen to make the most of a public education and give our sons and daughters an extra year to prepare for life. That is our choice.

[Wildcat18]

With no offense meant to any other coach, I think Pulaski's middle school coach is one of the best I have seen at that level. I like his hard nose style and approach to the game. To shed some light on why it was said that Meece did not play P.C.. I was in the room when the conversation took place and it was said that P.C. Was recruiting our players. If that was the real reason or not idk. I also don't believe it's a recruiting violation until they get in high school so not really a big deal in my eyes because it goes both ways. My son plays for Meece and I know the kids don't back down from a challenge and would have gave it their all if they would've played. Pulaski was hands down the best team in middle school last year and as far as hold backs go, if they do not turn 19 before august 1st of their senior year, khsaa says they can play, end of discussion! Coach Foley has been respectful and classy when talking to me and my son and as I have heard complaints from parents about him, I also know how parents can be and I can only talk about my interactions with him, all very positive! If I can say one thing about posts on here, please keep them positive when it comes to the kids and be sure to differentiate between coach and players because when you say Meece, Pulaski or Whitley you are talking about the kids also and they read these threads also.

I agree, good post. Been friends with him for a long time. He's a great coach and will do anything he can for his players. Even outside of football season. You're right about the kids, they just play. They don't make the decisions as to what happens.

[Briar jumper bd]

When I was at Frankfort for the ky elite games, several PC and Southern kids were in our room and all of them were extremely respectful and just great kids to be around. They all represented their schools and coaches with much respect and thats a testimony to their coaches and parents! I'm not originally from Somerset so to see so many good coaches in the same area is really amazing. I would also like to add that Whitley Co.middle Coach is also a very good and classy coach! We played Whitley in a close one at Somerset and all the kids were very respectful and well coached also. There are not very many things left that teach kids about character and responsibility but football does that and coaches that take advantage of this deserves all the respect in the world.

[Micro-Brew]

When I was at Frankfort for the ky elite games, several PC and Southern kids were in our room and all of them were extremely respectful and just great kids to be around. They all represented their schools and coaches with much respect and thats a testimony to their coaches and parents! I'm not originally from Somerset so to see so many good coaches in the same area is really amazing. I would also like to add that Whitley Co.middle Coach is also a very good and classy coach! We played Whitley in a close one at Somerset and all the kids were very respectful and well coached also. There are not very many things left that teach kids about character and responsibility but football does that and coaches that take advantage of this deserves all the respect in the world.

Very well said!!! :Clap:

[Forever Maroon]

Just to clear up some of the non factual statements in this thread. We (Meece) don't refuse to play Northern because of their holdbacks. We refuse to play them because in the past their coach has made classless moves in games against our legitimate middle schoolers. Half back passes as time expires when you are up 50 something is not the way we play and is not something we want our kids to think is ok. Personal grudges between coaches has no place in middle school athletics, bottom line. Not saying that Max is a saint, but I fully respect and stand behind his decision to not play Northern. Do we back away from other teams with holdbacks?

nm

[Forever Maroon]

Just to clear up some of the non factual statements in this thread. We (Meece) don't refuse to play Northern because of their holdbacks. We refuse to play them because in the past their coach has made classless moves in games against our legitimate middle schoolers. Half back passes as time expires when you are up 50 something is not the way we play and is not something we want our kids to think is ok. Personal grudges between coaches has no place in middle school athletics, bottom line. Not saying that Max is a saint, but I fully respect and stand behind his decision to not play Northern. Do we back away from other teams with holdbacks?

I remember that night well. Northern beat Meece in the 8th grade game 60-8 and Meece returned the favor in the 7th grade game by the exact 60-8 score. Both coaches let personal issues get in the way and made it a terrible night for all involved. The games would be MUCH better if the coaches and parents would get out of the way and let the kids have fun! Several kids that played against each other that night were very good friends during middle school, throughout high school and are now teammates in college.
I do have a question about your "classless moves in games against our legitimate middle schoolers" comment. What made the Meece kids legitimate middle schoolers and Northern's not legitimate middle schoolers?