[Panther1]

All this "make it to the carpet" crap is EXACTLY why Pikeville was watching someone else in the 3rd round last year.

In the past, it made sense for Pikeville to think a lot about making it to Louisville. But things were different then.

Pikeville is NO LONGER the "Pike County All-Star" team like in the 80s. The rules are now set up JUST so they cannot get the best players in the county like back then. So, they can't win deep in the playoffs anymore JUST because their talent (especially big-kids) is heads and shoulders above everyone on this end of the state.

Now, they have to over-achieve and realize they are NOT guaranteed the 3rd or 4th round. They have to have AVERAGE kids work hard to become ABOVE-AVERAGE.

And then, above all, in the games, they have to EXECUTE better than the other team, regardless of who they are. They have to do things EXACTLY the way they're designed, they have to line up correctly on defense, they have to TACKLE when they get there (not overrun trying to "make the big hit" like time after time last year).

And most of all, they have to quit thinking 14 weeks in advance.

I like what Train said earlier, forget about the "carpet," think ONLY about the NEXT game!