CELEBRATION

Yet another year has slipped by and here we are preparing to enjoy another high school football season. The years have been good to me and as the future becomes shorter and the past evolves into more and more precious memories, I often think back to who has touched my life along the way.
My grandparents who remain so vivid in my thoughts, my parents, my aunts and uncles and my cousins all had a lasting effect on who I have become, be that good, bad or indifferent.
The individual who once said if you have three truly good friends you should consider yourself very fortunate, was wrong, or I am very naive.
My wife, my children, and my grandchildren took over my life and have made it even better.
If you grew up in Corbin in the 50’s, there was yet another individual who very well could have a profound effect on how you may have grown up as a person, and that was Ted Meadors.
This week as we honor the 1955 state championship Corbin football team, and the fabulous Bird family, I kept hearing the name of Ted Meadors come up as the unmistakable combination of respect and found memories poured from the mouths of those to be honored this coming weekend.
I listened as Bob Howard pointed out to me the great contributions that assistant coach Ted Meadors made to the ’55 team. Meadors was a great teacher of fundamentals, and an outstanding motivator, and worked extremely well with head coach Bill Tucker.
Coach Meadors had been the head coach of the tremendous 1939 Redhound team that went undefeated and here he was once again helping lead the ’55 squad to the same lofty level.
In 1960 the Redhounds were to record a third undefeated season in Redhound history and although Meadors was not an official part of that team, I am sure each member would attest that Meadors had touched them in a way that spurred them to that outstanding achievement.
From the first Saturday morning in the early fifties when I heard that deep voice ring out “All right you yard birds, line up”, Ted Meadors had a profound effect on the rest of my life.
Meadors taught you to be competitive, to play as a member of a team, to fear no one but respect everyone. Ted had time for everyone and always saw to it that those less fortunate were treated equally with everyone else. Ted always seemed to be interested if you had a concern and would help you solve that concern even though his time was spread among most of the kids in Corbin. What about a street or a gym or a wather tank or an underpass or something being named for Ted Meadors.
The Redhounds opened football season this past Saturday, and everything being equal, did not do badly. The Redhounds faithful never endures a loss very well, but that being said, I feel there were aspects of the game which offered hope as they season rolls on.
The Southwest Pulsar team seemed geared up to stop the fleet-footed Eric Blackwood and the ‘Hounds did not push the issue. They for the most part, chose to use Blackwood as a decoy. I am sure the offense will rev up in coming weeks as coach Steve Jewell teams always progress week after week until they reach their maximum potential.
I was really stunned with the Lynn Camp Wildcats being beaten so badly by Leslie County, I felt after looking at the experience of their players and size and the return of their outstanding running back, Jimmy Chaffin, that the Wildcats might have their best team ever. Maybe Leslie County is better than I thought.
Congratulations to the 1955 state championship team, and the fabulous BIrd family as they are honored this weekend.
A belated happy 80th birthday to one of my favorite Redhound fans Eddie Poynter and get well wished to his lovely wife Evelyn, who is faced with some health issues.