Apology

[Truthforyou]

just got back from a good day of basketball. I left after spotswood beat northside. Enough for me and I really had no interest in the last 2 games.

If you have followed the last several weeks, you may know that I have said that Lee will win the state title. I have made it clear that they have the best players but are lacking at coach. I think the younger hatcher is over his head. He was an assistant with his dad and won some state championships, but it is obvious to anyone who watches a lee game that he had nothing to do with those wins. The Lee teams of the last several years look nothing like the Lee teams of the 40 years prior. He has a great team, and may win some games, but watching the play of the team you can tell there is no coaching going on.

That being said, I feel sorry for the younger hatcher. I have been attending local high school basketball games since I moved to the area 17 years ago and I have never heard 'fans' talk about a coach like I heard today. I sat in the middle of a group of Lee parents and they were very unhappy. I know that losing the game brings this on, but it was from the start. They talked about discipline, they talked about knowing the game, and they talked about not getting anything out of the players. But the thing they talked about for most of the game, which really scares me for the Lee program was the comment 'he wants to be friends with the players instead of being their coach!!' I am not sure what is going on at lee, but if the parents are saying things like that, they are getting that from the players and that tells me he has lost this program and will not be able to get it back.

Can they win the title? I have to say at this point no. We will know if what the parents say is true if what I believe to happen, happens. This team will get worse as the year goes on.

 

[Keith_Stone33]

just got back from a good day of basketball. I left after spotswood beat northside. Enough for me and I really had no interest in the last 2 games.

If you have followed the last several weeks, you may know that I have said that Lee will win the state title. I have made it clear that they have the best players but are lacking at coach. I think the younger hatcher is over his head. He was an assistant with his dad and won some state championships, but it is obvious to anyone who watches a lee game that he had nothing to do with those wins. The Lee teams of the last several years look nothing like the Lee teams of the 40 years prior. He has a great team, and may win some games, but watching the play of the team you can tell there is no coaching going on.

That being said, I feel sorry for the younger hatcher. I have been attending local high school basketball games since I moved to the area 17 years ago and I have never heard 'fans' talk about a coach like I heard today. I sat in the middle of a group of Lee parents and they were very unhappy. I know that losing the game brings this on, but it was from the start. They talked about discipline, they talked about knowing the game, and they talked about not getting anything out of the players. But the thing they talked about for most of the game, which really scares me for the Lee program was the comment 'he wants to be friends with the players instead of being their coach!!' I am not sure what is going on at lee, but if the parents are saying things like that, they are getting that from the players and that tells me he has lost this program and will not be able to get it back.

Can they win the title? I have to say at this point no. We will know if what the parents say is true if what I believe to happen, happens. This team will get worse as the year goes on.

Lee High currently has the worst fan base in the SAW area by a huge margin. I'm not sure how many football or girls' basketball games you've attended the past few years but I can assure you that the fans will disappoint you every time.

As for young Hatcher, he knows more basketball than I could hope to learn and he has his work cut out for him. Filling the shoes of a legend is tough enough, but filling the shoes of his dad makes it even tougher, but he signed up for it. Hatcher's players are a different type of kid from the surrounding schools. He's got good kids, but he has to coach a different demographic than the rest of the area minus Waynesboro. He's a heck of a guy, and I really think he does try to be a friend and a coach to his boys, as for some hes the only solid male role model in their lives. Most coaches have to wear a lot of different hats, but I think he's got the toughest bball coaching job in our area. I think he wants the kids to succeed and wants the best for them.

A common thought among parents and fans at Lee is that Lee has the athletes to contend for state titles in every sport every year. Years ago, yes, now, not so much. Recently, some of the better lee high players have transferred to other schools. However, the kids now are a different breed. In the 80s, 90s, early 00s some if the most competitive basketball was played on the courts of gypsy hill park or even montgomery hall. There were games going on all day in the off season, with former lee high players playing against/with players on the team. Now, kids dont work to improve like they used to and they dont work on their games like they used to, which makes them underachieve--resulting in parents thinking the coach sucks. Some of the parents need a reality check.

I do want to add this: you think the boys games are bad? Go to a girls game. They are even worse believe it or not. It will surprise me if coach Josh comes back next year and really really surprise me if he stays 2 more years. Ive never seen fans be so negative toward every aspect of the game until going to the girls games. And on the subject of girls games, the girls (volleyball and hoops) think the administration doesn't care about them at all, particularly because they only pull out one side of the bleachers for their games. On a positive note, our group of basketball cheerleaders is really great this year.

 

[Flexable]

The fan bases at most of the schools are just like Lee's. parents have tunnel vision and do not understand what it takes to coach. They all want to point out the negatives and blame the the coach for mistakes of the players. To have great success as a coach, you need to have highly skilled players with a high basketball IQ. That is what I saw from Spotswood. They were very well coached and had great skills and high IQ's. martinsville and NS had good skill and IQ's as well. Lee is very good but other than George, they don't have a lot of skilled players. Great athletes, but not highly skilled.

 

[Truthforyou]

Oh give me a break Keithstone!!! Next you are going to start using other code words like 'athletes' referring to Lee and waynesboro. We know what you are trying to say. The color of their skin. Since I've been here Ive heard those things being said. Are you telling me that those running backs at riverheads the last several years aren't athletic? What about Sullivan or Irvine at spotswood? Not athletic? As far as the girls team I'm not sure. I haven't seen them. Go to other places and listen to their fans. You been to any sporting event at fort the last 10 years?

I understand that coaches play with what they are given but Paul hatcher coached over 40 years and NEVER had a losing season or even a 500 season. The younger hatcher is in his 6th season and he is barely over 500 for his career. Did they get rid of a gym? Maybe they only give them 1 ball to practice with. Oh yea players have transferred. Ask those players or their parents why they left. And also, Paul hatcher had players transfer. He never used it as an excuse.

Nobody should be comparing the father and son I know. So let's compare him to other coaches. Dewitt? Edwards? Cullen? Burgess? All have or did coach vs the son. Compare those keithstone. And please let's not use those code words!!

 

[Truthforyou]

Oh BTW I did some checking. Are you taking up for the girls coach at Lee. Do you know that during a game he kicked over a chair, got a T for that, and then laid down in the floor during the game? Oh yea. That was the fans fault.

 

[Keith_Stone33]

Oh give me a break Keithstone!!! Next you are going to start using other code words like 'athletes' referring to Lee and waynesboro. We know what you are trying to say. The color of their skin. Since I've been here Ive heard those things being said. Are you telling me that those running backs at riverheads the last several years aren't athletic? What about Sullivan or Irvine at spotswood? Not athletic? As far as the girls team I'm not sure. I haven't seen them. Go to other places and listen to their fans. You been to any sporting event at fort the last 10 years?

I understand that coaches play with what they are given but Paul hatcher coached over 40 years and NEVER had a losing season or even a 500 season. The younger hatcher is in his 6th season and he is barely over 500 for his career. Did they get rid of a gym? Maybe they only give them 1 ball to practice with. Oh yea players have transferred. Ask those players or their parents why they left. And also, Paul hatcher had players transfer. He never used it as an excuse.

Nobody should be comparing the father and son I know. So let's compare him to other coaches. Dewitt? Edwards? Cullen? Burgess? All have or did coach vs the son. Compare those keithstone. And please let's not use those code words!!

There seems to be some disconnect between what I said and what you read, hopefully this response clears that up... I'm not referring to the color of their skin, I'm referring to the fact that there is a difference between the city kids and the county kids in this area right now, regardless of the color of the skin. Athletes come in all shapes and sizes. As for the 5 best male athletes I've seen in the SAW area this year so far: 2 are from Riverheads (Schaefer & Ridge), 1 is from Buffalo Gap (Weatherman), 2 are from Lee (Darius and Jarvis). During football season, I make my way to games all over the state, during basketball I tend to go to the home Lee game (girls or boys) as well as some others that look to be good, so yes, I hear all fan bases complaining, but Lee is the worst I've been around recently.

I'm not saying the young hatcher is or isnt a great coach or that he is anything like his dad, just that he does a better job than I would do, so I try not to be too critical of him since he's the one actually out there coaching instead of myself. I'm not trying to make excuses for him, I'm saying some of the better upcoming and former lee athletes have transferred out resulting in fewer athetes in the school. Lots of folks say lee has the best athletes in the saw area and I don't think thats the case anymore, due to work ethic, kids going other places, families moving to the county, etc.

Something that I think had a negative impact on the area basketball teams is the middle school/freshman teams no longer existing, but the powers that be thought it was the right move, so it is what it is.

All the coaches you mentioned have done well for themselves and i'm glad they've experienced some success.

I hope this clears up what I was saying a little bit.

 

[Keith_Stone33]

Oh BTW I did some checking. Are you taking up for the girls coach at Lee. Do you know that during a game he kicked over a chair, got a T for that, and then laid down in the floor during the game? Oh yea. That was the fans fault.

Again, going to try to clear this up... Coach Josh is a little different to say the least. I Was at the game vs fort where he kicked the chair and laid on the floor (which was a new one for me) and he didn't get a T for that, although he should have and I will not defend that type of behavior. Does he do some things I question? Sure. I don't think he will be around for Lee much longer, which will likely be a mutual decision.

 

[Keith_Stone33]

The folks at the girls games are negative about every aspect of the game, not just the coach, I just re-read what I originally typed and wanted to make sure that was conveyed properly

 

[leemen]

When someone trying to argue a point uses "color of skin" from the word athlete...I discredit that person immediately. First Keith never mentioned anything about the color of someone's skin. Quite frankly all this politically correct race/gender stuff is over the top....and I hope it doesn't come here too!

Now on the Hatcher. Lee is 13-3....13-3! Their losses are to Spotswood, Harrisonburg(a good team by the way), and Martinsville. The only game they truly lost was the Spotswood game from the standpoint of it being a solid loss. Lee was only down 7 late in that game though. Harrisonburg beat Lee by three in a game of runs that also had a crazy amount of fouls and the game was dominated by the officials. Take nothing away from H'Burg...they earned that win. Lastly Lee trailed Martinsville by three points and had a chance to tie...missing two three point attempts at the end. So....they are right where I kinda thought they'd be right now. That's why parent's who have no clue what's going on should not be taken serious. Their record and game against Martinsville doesn't look like a team that is getting worse. They have played a tough stretch and lost a couple. What happens in the postseason is what matters.

Hatcher is fine and he also has had a very hands on in the way administration to deal with. Lee's administration and the school system itself has become a big problem. Lee is a state title contender and nobody is going undefeated so...lets see how it plays out. It's easy to get bitter after a couple of tough losses. Those losses often build the toughness and character that is needed to win a championship. So...let the season play out and if Lee tanks then their will be questions to be answered. I don't think that team is going to tank and we will see a different Lee team moving forward.

Truthforyou...you seem to have some anger problems relating to some things at Lee. I' glad you're a passionate fan but...being negative about everything at Lee and calling out the coach of a 13-3 team that is easily one of the top 3 teams in the state 2A is a bit much. Those parents couldn't do a darn bit better and it's easy to eat popcorn and say a coach is no good. I wonder how many teams would love to have a 13-3 record around the state right now? I'm guessing quite a few.

Lastly at a program like Lee which is a traditional powerhouse...a good season is considered a bad one. Lee in the past few years where they may not have been a typical Lee team has still won Conference titles and made regional runs. Again...a lot of programs would call those great seasons. At Lee anything less than a final four is a failure...and that is a good tradition to have...but lets give a bit of a break here. One more time....13-3! That doesn't scream bad year or bad season....and the way those players fought back against Martinsville Saturday certainly doesn't scream anyone is quitting and going downhill.