LOOKING BACK

 The Corbin Redhounds are looking ahead as they prepare for their 89^th football season. The decade of the 20’s was not very eventful, but with the hiring of a young man named Nick Demes as head football coach, the decade of the 30’s was going to set the tone for the Redhound football program that we enjoy today.

The Redhound football program has produced many outstanding athletes and I have written of these legendary players and the feats they have accomplished.

This week however, I would like to throw some credit to some guys that have been over-shadowed.

Two players that I felt have deserved more credit than they received were Ronnie Hodge and Lanny Myers. Ron was the center on the 1957 Redhound team and Myers was the center on the 1958 team.

In basketball a couple of guys you seldom hear about are Derek Barton and Jeff Ely. Barton was an excellent point guard on the 1991 team. Derek was a very smooth ball handler, and could score the ball when needed.

Ely was a lock down defender and was one of the primary reasons the Redhounds defeated Clay County when Ely shut down the Tigers big scorer.

Derek Bennett was as athletic as any player who ever wore a Redhound uniform and he played in the same era as Barton and Ely.

The Redhounds have always had that strong defender. Garry Frederick could guard anybody when he played in the mid-sixties.

One of the more recent players who not only played as a defensive stopper, but also was in my opinion the most underrated player we ever had was Clint Cashen.

Two years ago Matthew Taylor accepted the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best player and he made the difference in the games.

The Corbin Redhounds and Bell County head basketball coach Lewis Morris have generated a good bit of interest over the years.

In Morris’ playing days at Cumberland High School, the Redhounds led by Tony Morton battled through six overtimes before Morris hit the winning shot for Cumberland.

The Redhounds of 2010 returned the favor by defeating Bell County of Coach Lewis Morris in four overtimes behind the play of Isaac Wilson’s 43 points.

Lewis’ brother, Richie, played softball on my team for about four years, and was quite a player.

About two weeks ago when I announced the Cincinnati Reds would break your heart, now they have won 14 of 15 games.

I pick baseball winners almost as well as I pick football winners.

I think I should write about the past and forget about forecasting events that are yet to happen. But, I won’t, it is too much fun.

I can usually be all right picking Kentucky football. Joker Phillips seems like a good man, and he is certainly dedicated to turning around a football program that competes in the strongest conference in the nation.

It all starts with recruiting. The coach must upgrade the quality of the young men he recruits. If you are not able to attract five star recruits to the University of Kentucky, you are not going to win.

I feel much the same about Derek Dooley at Tennessee. Dooley must show improvement if he wants to stay in Knoxville very long.

I was pleased to hear Nerlens Noel had been declared academically eligible to join Coach John Calipari and his teammates.