[Hoot Gibson]

I have no problem saying JC is the "best team" in eastern Ky.. this year. They very well may be. I just have a problem with some that are using the excuse of not having titles because of who they have to play. Saying that they have a better program as a whole than Belfry at this givin time. I probably worded that wrong and really don't know how to word it correctly. JC's program has grown leaps and bounds in Matney's era and I'm surre will continue to grow. And I hope it does. I see alot of eastern Ky programs moving in the right direction. I'm glad to see for one. For us to be able to compete with teams like Highlands, Mayfields and teams of like. We have to copy them in a since. Build good feeder programs and incourage the kids to love the game again more than they love the computers.

My only objection to your post was the implication that Belfry is in a class by itself. If I were ranking "programs," I would place Belfry at the top spot among eastern Kentucky programs myself. State titles are hard to argue with, but a school can have a great program without having a state title on the shelf.

As for this year's teams, I don't think anybody can say for sure who is better until JC and Belfry meet each other on the field. Both teams are very young and both teams have a history of improving by leaps and bounds from the first to the last regular season game. I remember several seasons in the pre-Matney era where JC "won" scrimmages. By the end of some of those seasons, I was glad that Belfry was not on the schedule.

When a very long bus ride is involved, the value of having a common opponent like Harlan Co. is questionable. I remember the season in which JC totally dominated Central and then lost to Belfry. Central won a state title a few weeks later.