[CoachJ]

If this is truly the coach then this is sad. As a coach you need to take the high road and understand that fans are going to disagree with many decisions that are made. Bottom line is that the Freshmen class made a statement when the majority did not play. They do not like the coaching staff. As they often say "changes are a coming".

As it is after school now and I have some time, I'll respond and actually agree with you on several things you said...

I am truly the coach. You are entitled to your opinion that it is "sad" for me to post something on a message board -- and I agree that it is indeed sad as I shouldn't have this much free time on the last Friday in November. But just like I told our team during the first drive at LCA last week, turnovers can spell doom for any team -- no matter how physically dominant you are.

But I will let you know that many MANY HS head coaches read message boards like this to monitor what their players are saying that they shouldn't and to try and parse out the occassional "legitimate news" about HS football that might apply to their program.

Many coaches actually POST as well -- they often do it in a "defensive" way in response to some kind of criticism posted about their play-calling, personnel decisions, etc.

Only about THREE besides myself though actually come out and say that they are who they are. I state openly who I am because it ensures that I cannot cowardly hide behind anonymity when I post; it makes me very careful and HONEST about what I post because I know that I will be held accountable for what I say publicly.

Further, I do choose to "take the high road" by RARELY ever posting anything (I think this is my 15th post or so in 3 years of being at Pikeville)...and I NEVER post in response to simple "disagreements" on my coaching decisions (otherwise, I'd have had to make about 500 posts ). I try only to post when there is something written THAT IS A FALSEHOOD that also disparages players or coaches on my team.

I did not respond to any kind of "disagreement" about decisions that have been made. Rather it was only to directly refute FALSE statements that seemed to be an attempt by one or two that always seem to post ONLY to if it will create negativity around our program. In this instance, it was that I "screwed over" one of my players for an award (when I had actually promoted him for it), that I "keep my players from playing summer baseball" (when I actually ENCOURAGE players to play other sports and actually POSTPONED 7on7 football to allow baseball/basketball kids not to have too many summer obligations), and that we practice "4 or 5 hours" (actually 2hours, 55 minutes on the LONGEST days we practice).

The REAL reason a lot of Frosh chose not to play this year: there's a lot of MISINFORMATION being spread on boards like this -- possibly in an attempt to spread negativity and KEEP players from wanting to play. Like it or not (and I don't), but kids read these boards. If people are going to spread MISinformation (like stuff about us making our youngest kids BOX against our biggest, strongest SENIORS or that we're AGAINST players playing summer baseball) on this board and kids can read it, SOMEBODY that knows the truth should refute it ON THIS BOARD.

Maybe responding with some TRUTH to these rumors and lies is why this week we've had about 20 9th-graders-to-be ( a GREAT class of potential football kids) come tell us they want to switch into a PE class where they can start lifting to get ready for next season (not to mention 5 of last year's frosh that chose not to play are telling us that they are probably coming out for football again next year -- it is not uncommon for Frosh to opt to sit out that first year in HS and then come out their Soph year. That would give us a Soph class of TWELVE).

It may be true that "changes are coming" -- and as I've said before, I care about this program enough that if the problem is ME and my requirement that kids not in another sport work to get better in the off-season, I will gladly step aside so someone that can do it better gets that chance (they did that at my former school where we averaged 8.5 wins a year for 8 years to now averaging 3.5 wins the last 3) -- but unless you're in the administration at PHS, it seems you would only want to post such a thing to further stir up even MORE negativity (the main thing keeping young players from wanting to play). Otherwise, this looks to be more "word on the street."

So I ask you, are you REALLY wanting what's best for PHS football...or do you have some OTHER motive??