DominanceLost

Coaching? Other than the brain 'poot' at the end of the game, LA (and the coach) had done great. Great season for LA. The boys played their hearts out. Even though I didn't approve of the coaching change, Miller was able to hold the talent together for a great run. Maybe we will get over the 1st round hump next season. Again, great season LA. Train hard this off-season and get ready to do it all again.

Hate to say it, but good post. Congrats to Dekalb County for earning the win.

You are right I did misread your post. Sorry about that, hard to see that small phone. I have a basketball family? Thats news to me. I assume all your references to 'quitting' are pointed toward ex-coach Melton. I don't understand how winning the district every year makes you a quitter, but I won't argue with you there considering I haven't had my coffee yet. I loved the look on your face late in the 4th quarter. I couldn't tell if you had a mouthful of crow or if you just needed to go to the bathroom. Now on to the consolation game.

Honest people love and liars fear it. It is called 'Karma'. One of the strongest boys district in the state? I needed a good laugh. I am a 8AA fan, but we are not even in the top 5 for strongest districts. Either you meant that as a joke or you don't actually have any "BB knowledge". You can lie to yourself, but the scoreboard shows the truth. LA fell to Dekalb tonight for several different reasons. Dekalb flat out wanted it more to start with, but LA never had the right combinations on the floor at the right time. The season wasn't a total loss, we did get a new stereo out of it. Posted with Blackberry

LA was lucky to get out of Jackson County with a win. The Livingston bench must have felt the same way considering the way they were jumping and celebrating on the sidelines. Not every day you see a team that is suppose to be in the state tournament every year acting like that when beating a team like Jackson County.

Discussing the mistakes made in Overton County doesn't mean that we don't support THIS team. That would be like saying that just because you talk about the president means that you don't support America. I for one support this team, but I don't think that talking about the foolish coaching change has anything to do with still wishing the best for the team. It is a lot easier to say things like 'time to move on' when you are one of the ones that supports something that is in the wrong. Me saying that Coach Miller isn't half the coach that Coach Melton is doesn't mean that I don't want this team to be the best they can possibly be. Me saying this team won't ever be at the same level it once was under Coach Melton doesn't mean that I don't wish it still could be. Me saying this team has too much talent to lose to teams like Jackson Co. and Smith Co. doesn't mean that I don't cheer them on at the next game. Me saying Karma may act fast on LA doesn't mean that I want that to happen. Me saying I don't like Obama doesn't mean I don't support America. Pointing out the facts doesn't make someone a non-supporter or a 'downer'. It just means that they see things for how they are.

Did you seriously bring up win-loss records & win percentage? I won't get into the whole political thing again. Based on pure coaching Melton was the best. Anyone and everyone knows that. No point in bringing all that up again. I'm not going to do the homework for you, but go back and tally the margin of victory against district opponents while Melton was coaching and let me know what you find out. If saying we are under-achieving makes me a downer, then I don't care to carry that title. I enjoy the game of basketball more than most. It is everyone's political views that have messed it up for these kids.

That is true. Losing to Smith Co. is just as bad though, considering they have been beat 3 times this year by a single A team. No shame in being proud of the victories though.

Good to see LA take control of its own destiny. However, I am still saddened that we have been reduced to getting excited about escaping district games with a win and narrowly winning the district championship. That is assuming we win it.

You are correct about that. I was looking at the district standings here on the CoachT. The standings don't account for the Upperman vs. Smith Co game. Thanks. What is up with the wrong as usual comment?

Actually that post about the top 3 teams is currently correct. Those 3 teams are tied for first at this point.

An exciting game at LA just put Livingston, Upperman, & Cannon into a 3-way tie for first in the district with Smith County only 1 game out. Although Livingston should be undefeated in the district, it is what it is. If if comes down to Upperman and Cannon at this point, Cannon holds the tie-breaker. The LA @ Cannon Co. game may just be the game that decides who wins this district. Livingston has wore the crown for the last 5 seasons. If anyone is going to take the throne, now is the time.

Cannon has been getting better every year. Could this be the year they take the district?

Martin is a good coach. Sounds like someone's child isn't getting the playing time his parent thinks he deserves.

I consider myself a "naysayer". There is nothing for us to say. Livingston has lost their edge. I think that is easy to see. Us already being 3-2 in the district says it all. We still have a game left with Upperman and Smith Co. each. In case you forgot, they have both already but use once. Plus, we still have 2 games left against Cannon Co. A team that many considered a threat before this season ever started. This season has already been a disappointment. However, winning out and taking this district would make up for that. Players are saying that Coach Miller is now starting to try to change things and implement his own "strategy" and that they are getting away from the things Melton had installed. I couldn't think of a worse thing to do in the middle of the season than to change something they have been doing for the past few years...

Glad to see LA get a win, but nothing to be proud of really considering we were expected to win by 25+. The Clarkrange game will be similar. I don't think we need to be worrying about Jackson Co. Could LA beat them by 25+ as well? Yes they could. Will they? Probably not by that much, but LA will win the rematch (or they should anyways). LA needs to focus on keep its streak of district championships going, which isn't likely to happen. I good year for LA from this point on will be winning the district, where as in years past a good year was making it to the state tournament. Is this team capable of making some noise during tourney time? I think they are, but I doubt that they do. Word is that practices are no longer taken all that seriously at LA and that the fire and drive that Livingston was once known for is no longer there. Livingston no longer intimidates their opponents.

Upperman will be #1. Livingston should finish #2. 3rd is between Smith & Cannon.

You don't have to be a LA fan to know that this is the biggest mistake in LA boy's basketball history. Think about all those other district teams' fans that are loving the foolish school board right now. My point being, you don't have to be a fan to recognize stupidity (or corruption in this case).

Not sure what you mean by pushing the wrong button, but I meant to reply to your post. Several people have been asking what the director should have done instead of the idiotic thing that he did do. So, I just thought I would throw my 2 cents worth out there. I didn't realize that you just wanted only the Play4fun to respond.

MountainDewMan, maybe someone needs to fill you in on what Paul Harvey would call 'The rest of the story'.

I for one am tired reading stuff like your post. I understand the situation fully. My thoughts are that no one with an ounce of self-respect would have taken the so called indefinite suspension. The director never actually told Melton if or when he could come back, but the fact that there was nothing to suspend him over is what made it such a joke. So the guy broke a radio. If I was the director I would have made sure that he paid for it (which he did the next day) and make sure that I had a conversation with the coach advising him to be careful with school property considering this was the only incident in his career at LA. Three board members called/meet with the director and advised him of what he needed to do and he did it. If Melton would have taken the suspension they were going to replace him next season anyways with this as there justification. The deed is done. The sad thing is that the director and the board don't care about the students that it is affecting. They don't care that it demolished the LA boy's program. They are just happy that they got someone they disliked out and a good ol' boy in.

This is sad when you think about it. No offense to the rest of the district teams, but this district is now back to not even being considered a threat come regional tournament time. Teams/coaches in the other district all knew that the road to the state tournament went through Livingston Academy. Looks like that is no longer an issue without Coach Melton in the picture.

Smith County tied for 2nd place... No one saw this coming at the beginning of the season. All due to the shake up in Overton County.