[PC_You_Know]

So when are they going to announce Mike Roberts as the new head coach up there anyway???

I'd say it's definitely between him and Hampton.

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

I'd say it's definitely between him and Hampton.

Its Roberts IMO. If they were going to take Hampton back they wouldnt have jumped through the hoops they did in order to get Roberts a job up there. IMO this has been the plan for some time up on Robinson Creek because Id been hearing these rumors since last september. Saunders just showed what a class (minus the C and L)act he is by waiting till right before school is going out with passing camp and off season weights coming up before quitting.

[Notorious]

Alot of people are judging this man. I played at Valley and played under Derek Potter and Greg Napier, and I would have to say I woulda loved the chance to play for Saunders. The man would light a fire under the kids. And cares about every one of them like there his own. Hes improved the program and done a wonderful job at Valley. I told my cousin today about this and he was very upset. He loved playing for Saunders. And he stated if it was Valleys decision then its a huge mistake. Obviously it wasn't Valleys and I wish Saunders luck where ever he may go. A very good coach. Every one gets on him for the cussing he does. Bobby Knight did the same stuff and he is considered one of the best ever.

[RTP]

Alot of people are judging this man. I played at Valley and played under Derek Potter and Greg Napier, and I would have to say I woulda loved the chance to play for Saunders. The man would light a fire under the kids. And cares about every one of them like there his own. Hes improved the program and done a wonderful job at Valley. I told my cousin today about this and he was very upset. He loved playing for Saunders. And he stated if it was Valleys decision then its a huge mistake. Obviously it wasn't Valleys and I wish Saunders luck where ever he may go. A very good coach. Every one gets on him for the cussing he does. Bobby Knight did the same stuff and he is considered one of the best ever.

Notorious you seem to be one of the few who has a grasp on reality..It's FOOTBALL! not band or the chess team good coaches win games great coaches win championships which if he'd stayed there he would have...As for the comment that he left at the end of the school year he left when a great opportunity came a long...Gretna is a football school unlike Valley where the roundball rules which thats great if thats what ya want but in time I think you could have had both.....I loved to **** him off and I did a few years back but I have nothing but respect for his coaching and motivating to get more out of less..Best of luck to Valley I hope you get a quality coach and win games.

[TheCandyManIsBack]

Alot of people are judging this man. I played at Valley and played under Derek Potter and Greg Napier, and I would have to say I woulda loved the chance to play for Saunders. The man would light a fire under the kids. And cares about every one of them like there his own. Hes improved the program and done a wonderful job at Valley. I told my cousin today about this and he was very upset. He loved playing for Saunders. And he stated if it was Valleys decision then its a huge mistake. Obviously it wasn't Valleys and I wish Saunders luck where ever he may go. A very good coach. Every one gets on him for the cussing he does. Bobby Knight did the same stuff and he is considered one of the best ever.

You also have to consider, Bobby Knight coaches college men, not young high school boys. Freshmen come in at about 13-14 years old, they don't need to hear cursing like that all the time. They hear it enough from their friends, they don't need it from someone who is supposed to e helping in mold them into men.

[Big Five-0-]

You also have to consider, Bobby Knight coaches college men, not young high school boys. Freshmen come in at about 13-14 years old, they don't need to hear cursing like that all the time. They hear it enough from their friends, they don't need it from someone who is supposed to e helping in mold them into men.

:notworthy

[hootie]

Kevin was a good coach. He did things that was different. I do know this that Hampton is not being considered for the job. He left to be with his family. The school that he coaches at now has won the last three state championships, and has tons of talent. Sounds like to me he is a great situation.

[BlackcatAlum]

Please watch what you say in this thread.

Thank you,
BGR Staff

[blue60]

Valley has alot of taletnt in the feeder programs . Hope they find a good coach.

[Chuck Taylor]

Wouldn't Roberts be a para professional head coach?

[ONE TOUGH COOKIE]

What are the facilities like there at Valley?

[new o]

Saunders was the best coach SV ever had as far as X and O's.H is toughness and foul language was something most of the young boys at SV could not handle. Why? Because most of them have been pampered at home. Life is tough get used to it. It will be very interesting to see who the new coach is and how he handles having 16 starters back from last years team that took a very good P-burg team to the wire.

[hootie]

By the way, I bet you are one of those that talked about Kevin like a dog behind his face. I have heard everyone of those players talk bad about him, and then when he is gone you love him. That makes know since to me. I wish all the SV football players the best of luck, and I hope SV gets the most qualified person they can find. Not the person who knows the board member the best. GO CATS!

[TheCandyManIsBack]

By the way, I bet you are one of those that talked about Kevin like a dog behind his face. I have heard everyone of those players talk bad about him, and then when he is gone you love him. That makes know since to me. I wish all the SV football players the best of luck, and I hope SV gets the most qualified person they can find. Not the person who knows the board member the best. GO CATS!

That would be rare.

[Wildcat FB Parent]

:argue: IMO Coach Saunders is leaving because he was sick and tired of the constant battle to get the support he needed for the program from administration. He struggled for some time to try and get adequate coaching staff. Sometimes I wonder if all of this wasn't the fear that the growing popularity and success of the football team was a threat to the bball reputation and everyone knows the worship of the round ball at valley. He is obviously an outstanding coach with high honors to have been chosen for a team with the winning stats of Gretna. It is a very sad situation that he did not get the support he wanted and deserved at Valley because he has really developed some outstanding athletes there and could have coached several of those boys into State Championships their Junior and Senior years. Hopefully, the SBDM council and FD Johnson will show some respect for the boys and their dedication to the program and hire someone that they can respect and perform for. Not someone who has turned their back on the boys or someone because of their political pull. As far as Saunders- the majority will miss him and those who don't should know that he is the one who has won this battle as he has moved back to the state where he began his career and for once he is inheriting a winning team not developing a team from the ground up. If I were him I would have one last thing to say to the naysayers...:moon:

[winner]

ok At this moment the head coaching job is undecided but its between a few ppl hampton, roberts, branham, and maybe one more...As a football player at valley hampton has been with me since i was in 6th grade and next year being my senior year, i wouldnt want to do it without him.. I know that hampton is very interested in the job and i know of alot of ppl that has already told him they wouldnt care to help with the team including roberts if he dont get the head coaching job, most of the other men applying for the job dont have the help that hampton would have and i really would like for hampton to be there with me for my senior year

also we need to get something figured out because we have passing league coming up within the next couple weeks and its going to be hard to do with no coach =/

[winner]

And being one of the senior most of the players look up to next year YES WE DO WANT HAMPTON AS HEAD COACH!!

bj roberts speaking here

[EKUAlum05]

Sounds to me like Saunders is actually going to a much better position.

No matter what he did at Shelby Valley the sad fact is he would only be the third most heralded program in Pike County at best, and even if he took SV to a State Semi-Final he still wouldn't get the same community and administrative support as the basketball program.

[winner]

By the way, I bet you are one of those that talked about Kevin like a dog behind his face. I have heard everyone of those players talk bad about him, and then when he is gone you love him. That makes know since to me. I wish all the SV football players the best of luck, and I hope SV gets the most qualified person they can find. Not the person who knows the board member the best. GO CATS!

OK if ur going to sit there and call me and my team back stappers dont even wish us good luck.

[Wildcat FB Parent]

i am hearing the majority of the boys do not want hampton and def not branham

[winner]

Sounds to me like Saunders is actually going to a much better position.

No matter what he did at Shelby Valley the sad fact is he would only be the third most heralded program in Pike County at best, and even if he took SV to a State Semi-Final he still wouldn't get the same community and administrative support as the basketball program.

Very True and i just got off the phone with saunders the school hes going to is i belioeve 5A and has won the past 4 out of 6 state champion ships. The school is closer to were he lives. Hes never even got to see his soon play football besides on tapes and now his son might even move to play under him. As sad as it makes me with me being a senior next year im sure this makes his life alot easier and better getting to finally watch his son play some ball so GOOD LUCK COACH!!

[Wildcat FB Parent]

I hope that each and every player lets their opinion be known. They all need to stand up and speak their mind about what they want and who they do not want. Hopefully many of them won't have to make the choice to leave SV.

[Real Badman]

ok At this moment the head coaching job is undecided but its between a few ppl hampton, roberts, branham, and maybe one more...As a football player at valley hampton has been with me since i was in 6th grade and next year being my senior year, i wouldnt want to do it without him.. I know that hampton is very interested in the job and i know of alot of ppl that has already told him they wouldnt care to help with the team including roberts if he dont get the head coaching job, most of the other men applying for the job dont have the help that hampton would have and i really would like for hampton to be there with me for my senior year

also we need to get something figured out because we have passing league coming up within the next couple weeks and its going to be hard to do with no coach =/

Well from the conversations Iv had with Bobby Branham in the past, last year was his LAST year of coaching. Now I cant speak for him but just from previous conversations with him. I dont know out of the other canadiates for the Valley job, but to my knowladge Bobby Branham is the only one with HC experience (BL, ER) just IMO.

[winner]

I know of a few players wanting to go somewhere else depending on who the coach will be next year, i know hampton would love to have the job and out of everyone he deserves it the most and i also talked to saunders about one of his friends from virginia that would love to have the job thats a great coach and runs the same offense as saunders but good or bad im here for the ride =]

[Wildcat FB Parent]

Saunders said Mark Palmer would be an excellent choice and that is who he recommends.

[winner]

and u are exactly right =] saunder told me he runs the same wing t offense as all the players have been runing since high school so my bid is on him or hampton

[Wildcat FB Parent]

I have heard that Hampton has said either head coach or NOTHING at all. Hopefully the best choice for the team will be made. Hampton and Brahnam left a lot of the players with no respect for either of them. The team really can't afford to take the step back to build that trust back (if they would even try). Maybe Palmer will impress those that matters most and step to the plate. I have no doubt that the SV Football team can and will have a winning year if they stick together and someone doesn't take head coach that will destroy the teamwork they have.

[winner]

Well bobby yes will have a hard time getting the repect back but me being a up coming senior me and a few other players know the entire story about hampton quiting or even if u call it that no one knows the truth about the besides a very small amout of ppl including me and a few other players.
And hampton is very close to all of the players so it wont be hard for him to get his respect back i promise

[The Claw]

If the job is announced state wide, SV may get a very talented coach from another area.

[The Claw]

This is not college. Players do not pick their coaches. Most coaching positions are filled politically in this area. Unfair but true. I guess it all depends on if someone's friend, nephew etc., wants the positon. If so, that will be your new coach.