[MHS Parent4Life]

I really don't want to talk bad about any of the kids. All I'm saying is if they want something more out of this season, they're going to have to start giving more. Some are giving maximum effort and preparation. Others aren't. That has to change.

[Gitback Coach]

I really don't want to talk bad about any of the kids. All I'm saying is if they want something more out of this season, they're going to have to start giving more. Some are giving maximum effort and preparation. Others aren't. That has to change.

Never fear! Your superintendent is on the case, I'm sure.

[Number One Fan]

Very disappointing loss. I'm sure the coaches and players are even more disappointed than we fans are. I will start my thoughts with a couple of excuses in Middlesboro's defense...1) Not having Seth Barton hurts badly on both sides of the ball. 2)Being Elliott's first start, I'm sure he had some jitters. 3) A week long fall break is a nightmare for football coaches.

All of that said, this team could have Mike Ditka at the helm and if the kids don't execute, they still wouldn't win. It's as simple as that. While I won't call any of the kids out by name, there are SEVERAL who need a reality check and I hope they got it with this recent skid. If you are supposedly the best back/player on the team, you don't miss practice. Period. No excuses. I don't care how strong some of our lineman are, you can't play standing straight up.

A lot of these seniors need to stop playing entitled and start playing inspired if they want to be around very long come playoff time.

I have 100% faith in this staff to make the proper personel decisions to put us in the best position to win. They have the opportunity to watch and analyze these kids more than any of us do.

It does not take one kid to make that big of a difference in a game if you utilize what you have on the bench. This senior crap has killed this team. You are right, being a senior does not give you entitlement. You are also correct in missing practices. Like I have said in earlier post, he can walk off, cuss coaches and not one thing is done. These seniors have been treated like gods and now it has went to their heads. But you can blame your super, they are all Martin's friends kids.

[pjdoug]

sad story.

[Trashtalker]

Well boys 3 weeks ago everyone was bragging on the super and new coach!!!! Now they let 3 get away from pikeville probly gonna be in the 1a state finals 2 union va which is ranked 2nd in there class in VA 3rd LCA with a freshman qb and missing best athlete on the team in BARTON. So if Pittman misses practice you don't take away some of his handoffs? How does that help you build a program for the younger kids? I myself won't count this
Jacket team out 6-3-1 With home field playoffs and by that time Barton will be back. And there hard to handle by then. As for you not rooting for the team as long as the super is in. Remember this when you Lay down tonight. Coaches put there lifely hoods on the line coaching 13-17 year old KIDS. Yes KIDS are playing this game. IF YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON KIDS THEN DO IT NOW DONT WAIT!!!!

[MHS Parent4Life]

I have faith that Coach Massengill can get the best out of these young men and help them achieve their goals for this season. It's gut check time for these seniors.

[4ever witness]

How is this side of the district gonna end up? Like seeding wise?

[RoShamBo]

How is this side of the district gonna end up? Like seeding wise?

That is very much up in the air. In the pre-season Middlesboro felt it was theirs. Now we know that is definitely not the case. LCA has been average this season but now are sitting in pretty good position. Danville would appear to be the front runner based on how they have looked this season and then how this game turned out, but they were a holding penalty away from losing at home to Somerset tonight, and Somerset is still looking for their first win. We're just going to have to let it play out. I will say that if I'm Prestonsburg looking over to our district, I'm liking the way things look right about now.

[Number One Fan]

Well boys 3 weeks ago everyone was bragging on the super and new coach!!!! Now they let 3 get away from pikeville probly gonna be in the 1a state finals 2 union va which is ranked 2nd in there class in VA 3rd LCA with a freshman qb and missing best athlete on the team in BARTON. So if Pittman misses practice you don't take away some of his handoffs? How does that help you build a program for the younger kids? I myself won't count this
Jacket team out 6-3-1 With home field playoffs and by that time Barton will be back. And there hard to handle by then. As for you not rooting for the team as long as the super is in. Remember this when you Lay down tonight. Coaches put there lifely hoods on the line coaching 13-17 year old KIDS. Yes KIDS are playing this game. IF YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON KIDS THEN DO IT NOW DONT WAIT!!!!

No one is turning their backs on these boys. And you can try ages 18-19. Most of those seniors are holdbacks. They are not concentrating on the juniors, sophomores or freshman. Which thank God we have a freshman at QB now. I would never brag on the super, never have. He is out for his friends children. I think Coach Massengill plays exactly who the super tells him to. There are wide receivers that should be running backs, they are not using this talent. But you have to play the supers choices. It kills me to watch Middlesboro lose, especially when the coach makes bad choices of who plays. Grow some and tell Steve Martin this is your team. I think I'll stay home and catch sports overtime. Tired of watching good players get the shaft, and everyone thinking Barton is the only way to win. Ridiculous. Pittman is 10x the player Barton will ever be, but he has an attitude and shows up when he wants to. You are not setting a good example for the other players, but they wouldn't get by with the antics Pittman pulls.

[Craze JACKET man]

Jmo, after watching the last 3 weeks, our kids just show up and play.. I don't think they are focused and bitting at the bits to beat opponent. Pittman is a gamer and may be the only one that goes a thousand miles ahour.
I hate to say this but, if we would approach ever game and practice like we do Bell, how good could we be?

[Craze JACKET man]

Bell week

[William Muney]

Here are my thoughts.

You can't have kids missing practice no matter how talented, it destroys team chemistry. The ones that do show up everyday lose confidence in the coaches and teammates. 1 kid gets away with murder while others don't.

The supt messed up, that is clear. Should have left Frazier alone.

The jackets put too much focus on winning the Bell game. It is a huge bragging rights game but in the big picture has very little meaning.

Edwards is 1 of the true leaders of the team. He should be the QB.

[baseball1974]

Well boys 3 weeks ago everyone was bragging on the super and new coach!!!! Now they let 3 get away from pikeville probly gonna be in the 1a state finals 2 union va which is ranked 2nd in there class in VA 3rd LCA with a freshman qb and missing best athlete on the team in BARTON. So if Pittman misses practice you don't take away some of his handoffs? How does that help you build a program for the younger kids? I myself won't count this
Jacket team out 6-3-1 With home field playoffs and by that time Barton will be back. And there hard to handle by then. As for you not rooting for the team as long as the super is in. Remember this when you Lay down tonight. Coaches put there lifely hoods on the line coaching 13-17 year old KIDS. Yes KIDS are playing this game. IF YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON KIDS THEN DO IT NOW DONT WAIT!!!!

LCA and Union, VA are two very mediocre football teams. Also, Union has never been ranked that high. They were at #6 in 2A before Gate City embarrassed them and now they are barely in the top 10 in 2A. Virginia also does rankings within the different regions of the classes andUnion is only ranked #4 in that . So their not even one of the better teams in their region and not even close to being one of the best in 2A. LCA has been beaten badly by a few teams including Paintsville beating them by two scores. They also let a very bad Nelson County put up 27 points against their defense, which is two scores more than Middlesboro put up against their defense. Oddly enough Whitman rushed for more yards against Middlesboro. The only reason I am pointing these things out is because the pressure that's been put on these kids is obviously getting to them? The expectations were so high that nothing short of a state title would be sufficient. Middlesboro has had a good descent high school football season and their players have all worked hard. I'm sure the record could be better but I think most teams can say that? They still have a chance to make a statement in the playoffs, but I think they need to know their going to be supported regardless if they do or not? These are teenagers that play because they have fun doing it. Once that having fun part goes away they show it by showing up to games and going through the motions. They have been beat by mediocre teams, and I agree I think their better than those teams, including last night's game. In all reality they should be a one loss team and as soon as they weren't they realized how quick people turn on them. I hope everyone rallies around these kids and let then know their going to be supported unconditionally? I also think the coaching staff should sit the Pittman kid down and make him apart of the solution rather than the problem? He needs to be in a leadership role and he needs to hear it from his coaches that the rest of the team looks up to him. Whether they look up to him or not doesn't matter. He just needs to think that and maybe he will begin to alter his behavior? If he thinks the coaches need him to be a "coach on the field," then he may take a more responsible approach. The kids I've had in the past with that type of behavior have all responded to that way of going about things. I think that's the only way they will turn things around in time for the playoffs.

[BigDawgPrez]

IMO, the biggest difference in this Middlesboro team is the line. Last year they had a fierce line. Whether it's the coaching or players I don't know. They have the majority of them back don't they? Last year the line coach was always getting the crew pumped up and actually coaching. This year they just sit there and watch the game. That may be what it is. But I have no idea what the problem is in the crater.

[JumperPride1]

I'm still not gonna count this team out by the way remember folks last year Somerset was the 3 seed in this same district and didn't have quite the season they thought but we saw what they did come playoff time.. Thats who this team reminds me of. We just got to find what the problem is now and fix it fast...

Somerset was a three seed but the district had a three way tie for first with the top 3 going 2-1 and beating each other. Boro certain is the most experienced and arguably talented group in the district. We'll see how this shakes out