[Blue_Bird96]

My son is a Jr. now and these kids have played against each other so long he's got friends at JC and Paintsville you all have got great kids over there and great football hope we can bring 1A,3A,and 4A State Championship Trophy's to Eastern Ky, this year it would be awesome

Appreciate it Piratefan! Our younger players have been getting the chance to play Againts some Belfry football as of late! That can only help Paintsville in the future playing against a program with such a rich history of winning!! We could possibly be looking at 3 state titles coming to the mountains! 2 a strong possibility in Johnson! This is what we need to focus on! Something that has NEVER had a chance of happening,, EVER in johnson county! To most this possibility means more but to a few pride will always hang them up!

[swampdonkey]

We may want the tradition of it back but what if they played this Thursday and with how fired up the kids get Geordan Blanton takes a season ending injury? Or Preece? Or Kent? Or Morris? Could that happen in any game? Sure, but we all know how high emotions ran for the apple bowl! Would it be worth playing a game that doesn't need to be played in the overall scheem of things just because some don't like the series ending 20-15? I loved the apple bowl The history, the tradition and in the last few years we woulda had some wars but worth the increased possibility of Lessining either teams chance at a shot at a regional or state title? Just because the decision wasn't ours doesn't mean it wasn't a good decision! We only have 2 high schools in Johnson! Instead of jealousy "JV" "little brother" saying things like "oh they think their so perfect" how about getting behind each program! With only 2 teams both in completely different classes, surely we can support both respectively! I know I support Central! Why wouldn't I?

I agree. Also, Paintsville was simply unable to compete at Johnson Central's Level for the past 10 years, and don't get me wrong but how do we know Paintsville's program will continue to improve steadily as it has? I am a tiger fan through and through, but Paintsville having a competitive program for the past 2-3 years doesn't necessarily mean they will continue improving this way. I certainly hope that this is the beginning of winning programs return, but in a school that small, it is difficult to continuously have kids with comparable athletic ability to what Paintsville currently has. fingers crossed that it's a sort of snowball effect that will take hold in the program and allow its growth and improvement. Chirico seems to be the man to do it

[TigerBlues]

I agree. Also, Paintsville was simply unable to compete at Johnson Central's Level for the past 10 years, and don't get me wrong but how do we know Paintsville's program will continue to improve steadily as it has? I am a tiger fan through and through, but Paintsville having a competitive program for the past 2-3 years doesn't necessarily mean they will continue improving this way. I certainly hope that this is the beginning of winning programs return, but in a school that small, it is difficult to continuously have kids with comparable athletic ability to what Paintsville currently has. fingers crossed that it's a sort of snowball effect that will take hold in the program and allow its growth and improvement. Chirico seems to be the man to do it

About an honest post as I've seen for this Tiger program in a long time. Good one Swamp

[Eagle84]

No way would I put this overall series info and pic on the Internet when Johnson Central is trying to prove to the 4A world that they ARE #1 ! Shouldn't a little 1A school lose to a 4A school virtually every time? That shouldn't even be a competition should it? Oh but it was way more than that! The little 1A school as you politely stated above hammered the "mighty big brother" school 20 times! Just look at the barrel! There should not be that much Blue especially from such a little in significant little 1A school while facing such a POWERHOUSE 4A program as you've got there Pulp!

http://www.bluegrassrivals.com/forum/att...1474927595

[Pulp Fiction]

Give or take a few days.... this is JC's 46th year of having a varsity football team.

46 YEARS.... and we've only won the regional championship twice (2006 & 2015) and been to the state finals once (2015).



Paintsville went to the state football championships twice (1978 & 1985), but lost both games.

Now, let's look at something.......

Paintsville beat JC, 35-0 in 1978.
JC beat Paintsville, 17-14 in 1985.

Surely Coach Brugh knew he had top ranked team in 1978 and 1985... did he stop playing the Apple Bowl? No.



At the end of the day, this is what it comes down to.... Paintsville's football program was on life support. Paintsville had very Low numbers, the coaches couldn't keep up with the JC staff and JC was becoming a true football program.

[BigMelon63]

I played in that 1978 game. Brugh could have put 70 on the Eagles that year but chose not to.

[Blue_Bird96]

Give or take a few days.... this is JC's 46th year of having a varsity football team.

46 YEARS.... and we've only won the regional championship twice (2006 & 2015) and been to the state finals once (2015).



Paintsville went to the state football championships twice (1978 & 1985), but lost both games.

Now, let's look at something.......

Paintsville beat JC, 35-0 in 1978.
JC beat Paintsville, 17-14 in 1985.

Surely Coach Brugh knew he had top ranked team in 1978 and 1985... did he stop playing the Apple Bowl? No.



At the end of the day, this is what it comes down to.... Paintsville's football program was on life support. Paintsville had very Low numbers, the coaches couldn't keep up with the JC staff and JC was becoming a true football program.

Don't think any one is saying otherwise! Paintsville couldn't compete and therefore it was cancelled. Would it be smart to start it back up since it's dead? No! Can we now move on and be supportive of the others program or must we beat this dead horse every fall?

[Blue_Bird96]

If central went through a period of which they were doing all they could to get 14 kids on the field they very well may have pulled the plug on it as well and rightfully so. Most would have understood a decision like that just not sure why some don't!

[Fastball92]

Excellent points.

[Redneck]

2009
JC went 8-5.
District Champs & made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 4-7.
Lost in 1st round of playoffs.

JC wins. (16-20)


2010
JC went 10-3.
District Champions & made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 3-8.
Lost in the 1st round of the playoffs.

JC wins. (17-20)


2011
JC went 9-3.
District Runners-Up & made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 2-9.
Lost in the 1st round of the playoffs.

JC wins. (18-20)


2012
JC went 9-3.
District Champions & made it to the 2 round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 2-9. Fairview had to forfeit the original win, so the record was changed to 3-8.
Lost in the 1st round of the playoffs.

JC wins. (19-20)


2013
JC went 11-1.
District Champions & made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 8-4.
Lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

JC wins. (20-20)


2014
JC went 11-1.
District Champions & made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Paintsville went 10-3.
Made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs.

JC wins. (21-20)
I think it would have been a game through halftime. JC's depth would have got the best of Paintsville around mid 3rd qtr.
IMO, this would have been the best game of the series since the 2000 season. The 2002 and 2003 games were garbage (I know Redneck won't agree). Both sides were weak during those years. From 2004-2008, JC dominated Paintsville. This would have been the first game were both sides were competitive.


2015
JC went 12-2.
District Champions, Regional Champions, Semi-State Champions, Class 4A State Runners-Up.
Paintsville went 13-1.
District Champions, Regional Champions and first Semi-State appearance since 2001.

JC wins. (22-20)
This game would have been MASSIVE for Johnson County in general.
A 4-Star, D1/SEC commit vs. the 4A state contender in a cross-town rivalry game.
This game would have been close through late in the 3rd qtr. Kash and Kent would have kept Paintsville in the game. JC's depth would have begin to show in the late 3rd qtr. The score would have been around 49-21. JC would have got a few late TD's on a gassed Paintsville's D.

No argument from me about 2002. We had a bunch of Juniors that decided not to play that would have helped us tons, not to mention our returning RB who had overy 1,000 yards in 01 tore his ACL in our final scrimmage. Instead we ended up starting 6 freshmen.

[Pulp Fiction]

I played in that 1978 game. Brugh could have put 70 on the Eagles that year but chose not to.

The same way Matney could have hung 100+ on Paintsville in 2006.

[Pulp Fiction]

No argument from me about 2002. We had a bunch of Juniors that decided not to play that would have helped us tons, not to mention our returning RB who had overy 1,000 yards in 01 tore his ACL in our final scrimmage. Instead we ended up starting 6 freshmen.

JC went in to halftime of the 2002 game up 12-0.... ended up loosing 45-30.

Bill Tom Ross (rest his soul) didn't give a halftime speech of the '02 game. We sat in the corner of the endzone by the car wash.... some of the position coaches did some individual meetings but that was it. We came out flat and Paintsville came out ready.

That game still eats at me.

[Pulp Fiction]

There's no doubt that JC's rivals have changed since Matney has been at JC.

Ashland & Belfry have taken over those roles.

WE HATE ASHLAND!!!! THEY ARE CHEATERS!!!!
(The 2005 wide right field goal and the 2014 state softball tournament)
We've played Ashland every season in a District game since 2005 and once in the playoffs.
JC has a 11-6 record over the Tomcats.


I've heard the 1976 'The Kick was too High" story about fifty times from some of my family who played in that game. They talked worse about Belfry than they did Paintsville.
But over the past few years, 2007-present, JC and Belfry have played this game either as a 15 round Ali-Frazier bout or a glorified scrimmage. As Kenny Rogers said "You got to know when to hold'em, you got to know when to fold'em...." two best mountain teams just pounding on each other the week before the playoffs isn't a great idea if that team has state championship hopes. Belfry has won it 3 times since this series started back up, and JC has been to the state finals once. IMO, this game would be better about week 3 or 4.

[THOMCAT]

[quote=Pulp Fiction]There's no doubt that JC's rivals have changed since Matney has been at JC.

Ashland & Belfry have taken over those roles.

WE HATE ASHLAND!!!! THEY ARE CHEATERS!!!!
(The 2005 wide right field goal and the 2014 state softball tournament)
We've played Ashland every season in a District game since 2005 and once in the playoffs.
JC has a 11-6 record over the Tomcats.


I've heard the 1976 'The Kick was too High" story about fifty times from some of my family who played in that game. They talked worse about Belfry than they did Paintsville.
But over the past few years, 2007-present, JC and Belfry have played this game either as a 15 round Ali-Frazier bout or a glorified scrimmage. As Kenny Rogers said "You got to know when to hold'em, you got to know when to fold'em...." two best mountain teams just pounding on each other the week before the playoffs isn't a great idea if that team has state championship hopes. Belfry has won it 3 times since this series started back up, and JC has been to the state finals once. IMO, this game would be better about week 3 or 4.[/QUOTE]

Next season Belfry and Johnson Central both lose their week 2 games from what I hear, Belfry and Harlan County and Johnson Central and Lexington Catholic. In addition to Week 2, Johnson Central will have to replace Harlan County in week 4.

[hoghead]

these two teams do not need to be playing each other and they neither one have any thing to prove Johnson Central top 3 in 4A and Paintsville top 4 in class A. both have great teams. JC by 21+ friday but good luck to both teams

[ekywildcat]

The little 1A school as you politely stated above hammered the "mighty big brother" school 20 times! Just look at the barrel! There should not be that much Blue especially from such a little in significant little 1A school while facing such a POWERHOUSE 4A program as you've got there Pulp![/QUOTE]

An yet, we never took our ball and went home!!!

[ekywildcat]

No way would I put this overall series info and pic on the Internet when Johnson Central is trying to prove to the 4A world that they ARE #1 ! Shouldn't a little 1A school lose to a 4A school virtually every time? That shouldn't even be a competition should it? Oh but it was way more than that! The little 1A school as you politely stated above hammered the "mighty big brother" school 20 times! Just look at the barrel! There should not be that much Blue especially from such a little in significant little 1A school while facing such a POWERHOUSE 4A program as you've got there Pulp!

An yet, we never took our ball and went home.

[Blue_Bird96]

An yet, we never took our ball and went home.

Seems we missed the bus and didn't read the previous comments. Guess this is one of those that only see it one way! Nope you never took your "ball and went home" but as stated above, has Central ever went through a period as tough as what Paintsville went through? Barely able to field a team? Put 11 on the field and have 4 or 5 on the sidelines? The answer is No! That's not saying anything negative about Central that's a great thing for a program not to experience that issue! So like stated before, HAD Central went through a period like that, could it have been possible that they may have put off playing the apple bowl as well? I believe that 99 percent of most logical people could say, "yea that's possible" and understandable BUT as you show, we will ALWAYS HAVE THAT 1%!!
Since Paintsville hired Cherico and he has brought this team back and maybe even beyond, with his great coaching and philosophies, would it be benificial to Borge programs to start back, now that Paintsville's program is back to dressing 30-35 plus kids? I personally dont think so!

[Redneck]

This dead horse gets beat on at this time every year. Most people have let it go, but some just can't seem to. Personally, I wouldnt have cared to see it played all these years. Regardless of the outcome, the atmosphere leading up to it and during the game was one that couldn't be matched between and other rival schools in EKY. Not to mention the revenue for the schools. I do agree that neither team would've benefited from it. Like Pulp said, Matney could've hung 100 on us some of those years, and I'm actually surprised he didn't.