[papagrit]

You know, there are several schools that I've wanted to hate, but, I usually meet some friendly coach or player of a hated team down the road and like them and kind of forget transgressions or dislikes of teams that occured to me in the past. For instance, I've hated Boyle County with a passion in the past. The fans with those damn rattling cans in the stands, the uppity attitudes I have taken from a couple of them at baseball games and football games alike as a Rockcastle fan has ticked me off more than once. Of course the beatings didn't help anything pertaining to my opinion during football season.(respect) One time we were at a baseball game and a Boyle County woman was so obnoxious and taunting when Boyle was winning I about lost it. When our team pulled out the win in extra innings during that game and my son was pitching the final seven innings of ten, I wanted spout off myself. I kept my mouth shut though......and then watched another Rockcastle parent show their butt while ripping that woman. It's an ugly thing to see from either side and I'm glad I kept my cool. I'm certain that some other Boyle County fans present were thinking, "What a bunch of arrogant Rockcastle rednecks" after that game while watching that parent show her butt.
But, then you meet a few cool Boyle County coaches here and there during all star football games, a few "good guy" fans who are just supporters of their kids while getting your car fixed in Danville, or even online here, or during other football games where your teams aren't playing each other and you realize they really aren't any different with their kids than you are with your own. I ran into McDonald's for breakfast near Boyle County High two years ago on my way to Louisville and sat down to eat. Nearby was a crowd of old retired loafers wearing the black and yellow of Boyle County and we had a good football talk. They were good old guys who just loved football whether it was Centre or Boyle County and they wished me the best with my sons. I appreciated that.
So basically, there are idiots in every crowd, including your own home crowd, who are turning opposing parents and fans against your own team.(***Note that I didn't mention any name online here who acts foolish when posting as a supposed Rockcastle fan. LOL)
Another example of my change in attitude toward other teams; I hated Frankfort High and it's fans for years. I got karate chopped in the throat by a player during a game against them(1984) in Frankfort when I played. Someone threw a rock and hit me in the arm as we loaded the bus up after the same game and you just don't forget that stuff. Twenty-five years later, my youngest son was in an all star football game in Frankfort. I made friendly with several coaches and fans of Frankfort on the same field where that happened while our kids practiced and sort of put it behind me. I've also appreciated the viewpoint of a couple of Frankfort posters online here and with time you forget that bad stuff.
What's funny is, when I played football for Berea in high school, we played against Rockcastle and I hated THEM. We were in a pileup once on the field and someone stuck me in the leg with a pin! I reckon it sunk to the bone. I came out howling and cussing and looking around at the pile that I jumped out from the bottom of, but, of course you're not going to figure it out with that many people in a pile who the culprit was and I'm sure they just dropped the pin on the field. It sure made me hate Rockcastle County though at the time. I have had the good fortune to be able to tell both of my sons how Berea beat Rockcastle County my last two seasons. The second win came during Tom Larkey's first year as Rockcastle's coach in 1985.
What it boils down to is most everyone has a team they dislike for one reason or another. But, you have to remember that most of those teams parent's are probably about the same speed as you with their own kids. They've got buttholes for fans, and you've got buttholes for fans. They have good people and so do you. It's up to you on how you want to be remembered.
As far as Highlands, Trinity, St. X and those other perennial powerhouse teams go, I'm usually rooting against them for the underdog.....until they go out of state. Then they play for Kentucky and I'm just as much for them as I am against them when they play instate rivals. But I don't HATE any team in Kentucky, I just like some better than others.:biggrin: