Pikeville's Ben Howard Resigns

oneijoe · 12-20-2009, 01:59 PM

From following the tenor of the posts in this thread, the situation sounds as though administration was left with no choice. It's sad to see a program with such a rich tradition fall on times like these, however.

Here's hoping the next hire fits and lasts many, many years.

TomSportsHack · 12-21-2009, 03:42 PM

cougarpride08 Wrote:Are they going to coach a school down in Florida? If so which one is it?

As was stated earlier on this thread, Hillard is apparently retiring:

Bobcat_Dad Wrote:Hillard will hang up the whistle once the 2nd semester starts in Jan.

I suspect Ben won't be coaching anything for a while.

hoot owl · 12-23-2009, 12:17 PM

Could Ben end up as the OC at Pike Central next season? That would be a heckuva tandem with Chapman doing the defensive work.

**EKUAlum05** · 12-23-2009, 12:25 PM

hoot owl Wrote:Could Ben end up as the OC at Pike Central next season? That would be a heckuva tandem with Chapman doing the defensive work.

At this point I think Ben's best bet is to try to get on as an assistant at a NAIA school or go out of state to coach.

The short stints at Pikeville and Shelby Valley will make it tough for him to coach in KY for a while at the high school level.

Big Five-0- · 12-24-2009, 01:18 AM

oneijoe Wrote:From following the tenor of the posts in this thread, the situation sounds as though administration was left with no choice. It's sad to see a program with such a rich tradition fall on times like these, however.

Here's hoping the next hire fits and lasts many, many years.

Thanks oneijoe. Same here too.

Big Five-0- · 12-24-2009, 01:38 AM

Hate to see him leave the area, but if i were him i would do just that. Hopefully he will learn from this one. Have the greatest respect for he and his family, but tough decisions had to be made. Disappointment is a hard thing.

johntom2000 · 12-25-2009, 03:17 AM

I played for Mac....Chris is a great person and was a great player. BUT....he isn't a coach. I am sorry folks...He ran into the mommy and daddy games at Central and barely came up with 4-6 wins. He the same offense (Wing-T) and showcased one running back (No Names) and got killed. Then he went to Pikeville and he got ran out because of the fact Belfry handed his a%& not only at Central but, at Pikeville as well. Chirs would be a good DB coach at best. People that supports schools like Pikeville does want to see W's not L's. Pikeville needs to rebuild from the ground up, get a coach in there that won't play the mommy and daddy games. Take PCC for example they finally got a coach that got some balls about him and look what he done at PCC. I agree with the poster about rebuilding a program of the future and quite trying to rebuild what Hillard did but in the late 80's and early 90's. Great history but, that shouldn't be a "point of focus" It is what it is....HISTORY.

GRIFFIN · 12-25-2009, 08:40 AM

:Thumbs:

GOLDFISH115 · 12-25-2009, 02:32 PM

EKUAlum05 Wrote:Until some type of concrete verification is given this will be marked as rumor and monitored closely.

MR. Moderator, this was on the WYMT news with a phone interview with Coach ben howard. This much is true, anything else is rumors and should be monitored closely.

GOLDFISH115 · 12-25-2009, 02:35 PM

hoot owl Wrote:Could Ben end up as the OC at Pike Central next season? That would be a heckuva tandem with Chapman doing the defensive work.

Coach Chapman does not need nor welcome that kind of tandem. IMO

GOLDFISH115 · 12-25-2009, 02:58 PM

hustle Wrote:you're exactly right! But that is never going to happen at pikeville.

you must be new to the adult version of high school coaching. That happens most everywhere in todays coaching world. Admin. New his resume' from the ground up and still hired him.

Harry Doyle · 12-27-2009, 06:10 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but while on topic of Pikeville and their district, who will get their job? Has the coaching turnover scaired off any big names? Is it wide open or are the Panthers going to hire from within?

Harry Doyle · 12-27-2009, 08:14 PM

Disregard part of my previous post, that was meant for the "class 1A district 8" thread.

Hustle · 12-28-2009, 03:21 AM

HAIL PIKEVILLE! Wrote:Ben made his choice and resigned. Simple as that. Ill be the first to admit that the administration are not to blame for this one. I wish Ben GODspeed in whatever he does next. Though I am disappointed in his choice. I still count him as a friend and he will always be a Panther. Thats all Im posting in this thread.

The Adm. is entirely to blame. They new the track record and I suspect may have even expected this. They made this hire because the "someone" that should make the hire has no backbone. A few parents made this hire.

Hustle · 12-28-2009, 03:27 AM

CoachM Wrote:Ben Howard is a good guy, the thing is that PHS is exactly where they want to be. the administration at the school is not very interested in sports at this point. The would just as soon see sports fold all together, in my opinion this is why Ben left PHS. I wouod like to wish him the best.

I think the administration is doing a wonderful job! They need to keep up the great work.

Hustle · 12-28-2009, 03:35 AM

Belfry Wins Wrote:To add one more thing, they are very few people who knows the entire details, I mean we all know what happen but few know the entire story. But I wonder if the entire story with every become public and maybe it's best it don't.
But hopefully for the kids sake and the fans they are able to get the right hire this time and get back on track.

It could be a great learning experience for the kids involved.

The Iceboxx · 12-28-2009, 04:39 AM

Any word on who Pikeville is going to hire, the sooner they get a coach the better for the off season work outs, and with spring ball coming up on us really fast.

**cougarpride08** · 12-28-2009, 12:55 PM

They will take there time no doubt.

Kosar · 12-31-2009, 10:44 AM

Where are you Jetpilot?

HAIL PIKEVILLE! · 12-31-2009, 01:35 PM

Hustle Wrote:The Adm. is entirely to blame. They new the track record and I suspect may have even expected this. They made this hire because the "someone" that should make the hire has no backbone. A few parents made this hire.

Ok I said I wasnt gonna post anymore in this thread but I gotta set you straight on something. If you pay attention to my posts at all then you know if I felt the administration were to blame I wouldnt hesitate to lay the blame at their feet. I still think this current administration might be the most anti-sports administration in school history. But in this situation they were left with no choice. Plain and Simple. You dont have to trust me on that you just need to look at my history and know that Ive never been afraid to tell them when I think theyre wrong. As far as a few parents were the ones that got Ben hired as coach. Youve got a true situation but youve got youre coaches mixed up. Pretty much the entire community of Pikeville wanted Ben as coach. But a couple of parents got Mcnamee forced out and got Jackson hired back in '05 which started this whole mess.

Hustle · 12-31-2009, 03:03 PM

HAIL PIKEVILLE! Wrote:Ok I said I wasnt gonna post anymore in this thread but I gotta set you straight on something. If you pay attention to my posts at all then you know if I felt the administration were to blame I wouldnt hesitate to lay the blame at their feet. I still think this current administration might be the most anti-sports administration in school history. But in this situation they were left with no choice. Plain and Simple. You dont have to trust me on that you just need to look at my history and know that Ive never been afraid to tell them when I think theyre wrong. As far as a few parents were the ones that got Ben hired as coach. Youve got a true situation but youve got youre coaches mixed up. Pretty much the entire community of Pikeville wanted Ben as coach. But a couple of parents got Mcnamee forced out and got Jackson hired back in '05 which started this whole mess.

Of course they made the right decision after the fact, they had no choice. I'm talking about the decision to make the hire in the first place. By the way I think Pikeville has got the perfect people in place to make the right decisions. Wasn't Keno Trivette the AD when Jackson got hired, and wasn't John Stratton the Principal? Completely different group of administrators. Pikeville's really struggled all around the board as far as athletics, if you ask me....except for cheerleading of course! Did you ever think that it might not always be the coaching that led to the "whole mess?" Jackson seems to be doing pretty well at Ballard!

RTP · 01-01-2010, 08:12 AM

Bottom line is....Pikeville will never ever be a power house again. Any kid that would pass up SV PC or Belfry to go to Pikeville to begin with somethings wrong.
Pikeville cant BUY another state champuonship they'll have to earn them for now on and that will never happen.

Xerxes · 01-01-2010, 09:35 PM

Just depends if they start recruiting again. Oil Companies and Banks may get interested. Who are they going to hire?

**Panther Thunder** · 01-01-2010, 10:09 PM

RTP Wrote:Bottom line is....Pikeville will never ever be a power house again. Any kid that would pass up SV PC or Belfry to go to Pikeville to begin with somethings wrong.
Pikeville cant BUY another state champuonship they'll have to earn them for now on and that will never happen.

Yea, those idiot parents who want their kids to be enrolled in a smaller school where they can get a better education and more one one help should be ashamed; when they could go to SV or PC and win a district title!

Big Five-0- · 01-01-2010, 11:30 PM

:1:

Panther Thunder Wrote:Yea, those idiot parents who want their kids to be enrolled in a smaller school where they can get a better education and more one one help should be ashamed; when they could go to SV or PC and win a district title!

:Thumbs::biggrin:

Big Five-0- · 01-01-2010, 11:36 PM

:biggrin:

RTP Wrote:Bottom line is....Pikeville will never ever be a power house again. Any kid that would pass up SV PC or Belfry to go to Pikeville to begin with somethings wrong.
Pikeville cant BUY another state champuonship they'll have to earn them for now on and that will never happen.

Thats one Christmas gift you didn't get and you never will , so just quit whinning about it and go to bed.:biggrin:

**Recznik** · 01-02-2010, 01:49 AM

I tell ya I don't think it's a long shot either but would love to see coach Jim Mckey come to Pikeville....IMO he's not going to have a chance to win a state championship with the likes of St. X and Trinity being there every year...But he does at Pikeville....:rockon:

palmer · 01-02-2010, 02:42 AM

Panther Thunder Wrote:Yea, those idiot parents who want their kids to be enrolled in a smaller school where they can get a better education and more one one help should be ashamed; when they could go to SV or PC and win a district title!

How do schools like Male and Manual and Dunbar rank among the state's best every year if you have to be small to be good?

Hustle · 01-03-2010, 12:35 AM

Pikeville sure has lost several kids to PC and SV as of late. Even a lot of the younger athletes are leaving for some reason or another.

Big Five-0- · 01-04-2010, 10:41 PM

Windsprint Wrote:Until i know the facts I will not speculate. I do know that Ben Howard has a great offensive mind and that he has the potential to be one of the best coaches ever. I also know that whatever his dad Hillard does--that he has touched the lives of many that will never forget him. I want nothing but the best for them both. They certainly contributed to the success of many eastern ky kids( mine included). So many times, people want to sit back and say this or that without knowing who or what they are of thtalking about. The truth may be that he is gone--if so, I along with many wish them both the best.Instead of getting on here and giving people **** that are going through trials and tribulations, we should be offering them caring and support. I choose to do the latter

Agree 100%. Very good post.Your right Hillard touched the lives of many young people in the Mtns.of E.Ky. We had hopes of the same for Ben, but it didn't work out. The Adm. had no choice. Wish the best for Ben & family.