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Pike County Classic could be coming to end
Published 10:48pm Wednesday, August 22, 2012Charles Henderson and Pike County have taken a hiatus before and according to Charles Henderson head coach Mike Dean the two teams could be on the verge of doing so again.
“Nothing against Pike County but we want to be playing in the Champions Challenge next year,” Dean said. “If we are, that means we are one of the top teams in the state.”
The Champions Challenge is a preseason event hosted by the Alabama High School Athletic Association that pits the tops teams from each classification, most of which are state champions from the previous season, against one another in Crampton Bowl in Montgomery
Dean said that the Trojans aim to be an elite program and to do so requires them to play larger schools.
“To be a top program you have to beat larger and more elite programs,” he said.
“No disrespect but I want to play 6A schools. We want to be back in 5A in a couple of years and playing and beating the best teams in the state. I know (Pike County Classic) means a lot and some people won’t like want I’m saying but it’s the reality. We want to be at another level. We want to raise the bar.”
Pike County and Charles Henderson have not played in the regular season since 1999. The team then began playing the series during the sanctioned jamboree week. The first known meeting between the schools was in 1946.
Charles Henderson is 26-10 all-time versus the Bulldogs.
This year’s contest will be played in Brundidge tomorrow at 7 p.m.
ROTFL! Is there ANY limit to the TCS ego trip?
They brag on their website about having an “A+ school system” when they do not even meet the minimum standards of AYP. A 64% graduation rate would be laughable if it weren’t so sad. Source: http://www.alsde.edu/Accountability/Accountability.asp
Childrenatrisk.org, which ranks schools in Math and Science preparation, recently ranked Charles Henderson High School in 343rd place out of 348 public high schools in Alabama. (Lower than Pike County H.S. or Goshen H.S., though they did not do well.) Source: http://childrenatrisk.org/2012/02/2012-alabama-science-and-mathematics-school-rankings/
Now they want to play 6A schools in football. Of course, that WOULD give them an easy out to make excuses when they get their backsides handed to them week after week. Regardless of a perfect or a winless season, they will still declare themselves “CHAMPIONS”.
“It’s a GREAT day to be a Trojan.”
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Ok, so what has happened to tradition. To begin with. CHHS were the first TROJANS in Pike County. Then all of the sudden Troy State ends up taking that name. CHHS is built on a solid foundation of tradition for their education. But when you start messing with something that has been worked on to establish for decades then, you get what you ask for. Change isn’t always for the better. I am a firm believer of putting people in the postions of leadership that have fought through the rants. So, who in the TCS is a leader that came up through the ranks of this organization? I believe, NONE. I have been involved with this school system since I started school in 1969. Believe you me, my parents fought hard to help make this a great school. They sacraficed blood, sweat, tears, and a ton of financial support to have it where it is today.
So, who cares what the ranks of the football team or classification of the schools are. This a community people not a big deal to have a friendly game of football. I for one would love to see CHHS and Goshen play ball. We should be a community working for the better of this community and the people that are in it.
We should do what we need to do to keep it that way. Wake up people. This isn’t about football! Those that come in from OUT OF TOWN will never feel what we as TRUE TROJANS feel no matter how long they stay here.
This applies to all of the school. The Blue Machine was destroyed years ago when it was decided to change the fight song. It was written to be played a certain way and it should have stayed that way. Horrible change to begin with. Then to change the style of uniform to look like Troy State. Really, CHHS is not a Troy State prep school. Get real, we should be original, which we once upon a time were. But to keep changing just to be changing makes it harder to keep taking what is pushed down our throats. CHHS Trojans stand up for tradition and community support, whatever it takes. Don’t conform to the changes that those that don’t know us or what we are to be what they want us to be. SICK OF THE CHANGES!!!
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“They sacraficed (sic) blood, sweat, tears, and a ton of financial support to have it where it is today.”–trojan81
Unfortunately, some investements are a losing proposition.
“We should do what we need to do to keep it that way.”–trojan81
What do you want to “keep”, the poor academic performance of the school, or the hype that tells everyone how great things are, evidence notwithstanding?
“Those that come in from OUT OF TOWN will never feel what we as TRUE TROJANS feel no matter how long they stay here.”–trojan 81
Perhaps you would support a passport sytem to enter the Independent State of Troy Alabama? Unfortunately, there are too small minded people here who think that there is something special about being born within the city limits of Troy. Get over yourself.
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So, according to Omelas and trojan81 we should always just put the bar 4 inches above the ground? When you set your standards LOW you are always mediocre. Common sense, people–set your goals and standards HIGH and you will succeed.
As for Omelas, it is so obvious that you are someone spurned by the TCS system. Did you get pink slipped before making tenure? Or, did you interview and never get hired? It must truly SUCK to live in your world. You write like you are living the life of the child in the book from which your name comes. When life slaps you in the face you rise above it. You just keep complaining and blaming others. I think you picked a perfect screen name. Instead of constantly bashing the city school system with unqualified opinions and baseless figures, why don’t you give good PR to what you believe in? Or in your world of misery do you just not know how to be positive about anything?
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” Instead of constantly bashing the city school system with unqualified opinions and baseless figures…”–StevenTyler
My figures are quoted from objective sources. They are also properly cited so you can see them for yourself. The 64% graduation rate is the 2011 graduation rate posted by the Alabama State Department of Education website. The ranking of 343rd out of 348 Alabama public high schools is taken from Children at Risk, a Texas organization that ranks schools in Math and Science preparation. Now, where are the baseless figures?
As for “unqualified opinions”, what qualifies a person to hold an opinion? You come across as being a bit anti-1st Amendment. Does freedom of speech only apply to those who agree with you?
“When you set your standards LOW you are always mediocre.” I agree with you there. There is a huge difference though, between setting high standards, and in setting low standards and claiming you are setting high standards.
When a high school performs so poorly that 36% of the students either drop out or fail to graduate because they can’t pass basic proficiency in Reading, Algebra I, Biology and History, it can’t truthfully claim to set a high standard.
All the hype to the contrary, CHHS is failing in its basic purpose. Now, they are hyping their sports program like they hype their academics. The sad thing is, even if they are successful in their sports program, the athletes who get scholarships will struggle, even with tutors, to stay eligible to play and to graduate from a university.
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For the record, the reports actually shows a 70% graduation rate at CHHS (which is still too low) for all students. Also, TES and CHHS met AYP goals. CHMS did not meet goals in one category, Special Education Reading.
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I stand corrected on the graduation rate of 70% for all students.
Look more closely at the CHHS accountability report, and see how many areas they did not get red boxes for because there weren’t enough students in that category, or because of statistical confidence interval. They have SEVERAL negative proficiency indices.
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Look who is back. Negative Olmelas or your nickname around town Sour Omelet. Take a hike with the negative comments. I said before the majority of people know who you and frankly do not care for the negative comments you post. Are you petrified that CHHS has set the standards higher than your personal expectations? Dean needs your support so stop your crying and support the system.
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You “don’t care for” my negative comments, yet you offer nothing to refute the facts I present. In other words, the truth hurts. Your nickname for me, Sour Omelet, shows a lack of creativity, but is otherwise not worthy of comment.
Andy Kaufman, who created the character whose name, Tony Clifton, you have appropriated as a screen name, died more than 25 years ago. He, like you, refused to accept reality and wasted the last days of his life fighting a losing battle against an advanced and very aggressive lung cancer. Some might romanticize that it was a valiant fight. But, in reality he could have enjoyed or done something productive with some of those last days instead of losing that time in denial of reality.
Those who claim to espouse the opinions of others without citing objective sources are merely engaging in bandwagon propaganda, and are demonstrating that they have no facts of relevance to offer.
And the comment that, “Dean needs your support…” tells me that you are likely either a coach or former coach. You said nothing about the students and their needs. You are clearly focused on the coach and the program. The coach and the program are supposed to be there to benefit the students, not the other way around. But, the high school coach mentality is that students are there to support them and their athletic programs. I hope you have no direct affiliation with the school, or we know where part of the problem lies.
As for the standards set at CHHS, I would love to see REAL change for the better, there. I would like to see real academic change, not teacher ego trips, and extra-curricular activities that meet the needs of students rather than puffing up the chests of knuckle dragging coaches.
“I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf.”–Tug McGraw, asked whether he preferred grass or Astroturf
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To sour omlet . Thank you with the history lesson of Andy. And no, I played in the band thank you very much. I have included statistical data for you. Number of idiot remarks made by sour omlet directed to schools or city related events: 356 number of citizens who care for you or the stupid remarks : 0 Go beat your drum elsewhere you crazy nut .
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Awwww, Tony. You hurt me so bad. LOL!
So, how many of my 356 “idiot remarks” have you factually refuted with proper citation?
Answer: Zero.
So, what did you play in the band? Besides the drum major, I mean?
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I truly hope that PCHS rolls all over CHHS tomorrow night, because of these comments. Of course CHHS will probably win many games this year because they are one of the(if not the) largest 4A school. But they have struggled in 5A the last few years so I don’t see them beating 6A schools like Prattville or Hoover! But I will get off my soapbox. I pray the tradition doesn’t go away. It means too much to the community.
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As a former member of the Blue Machine & Sound of the South, I just hate to see the number of band members deminishing like they have over the past few years at CHHS. Back in the day, we were a force! Regardless of the outcome tomorrow night, I hope everyone will be safe! DURING & AFTER the game! Go Trojans!
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Why would everyone not be safe after the game?
……….Oh. Nevermind. There are some Cro-Magnons out there who think that a game where a bunch of sweaty boys in spandex wrestling over a ball is something to get in a tizzy over.
Hopefully, common sense will prevail. If it does not, then I guess we can view it as an opportunity for Darwin to improve the gene pool. SEE! I can say something positive!
“One plus one is two and C always comes out to A and B. One plus one always be two.”– Delonte West
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“…a bunch of sweaty boys in spandex wrestling over a ball is something to get in a tizzy over.”
Dude…Freudian much?
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That is a good point.
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Yet Delonte West still somehow managed to make $1.1 million more than you did this year.
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I wonder if he will be one of the few pro players who doesn’t blow through it within 5 years of retirement.
Very few have the education and business sense to manage what they get.
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“Why would everyone not be safe after the game?” -Omelas
To me, safety during and after the game is a big area of concern.
During my time at CHHS, we traditionally alternated playing the game in Troy and Brundidge. The week leading up to that game was always a heated one with member of each school pulling pranks on and vandalizing the other school. Both schools were at fault for this. As a former member of the Blue Machine, I attended the Pike County game every year but only once did that game occur in Brundidge. The year I attended the game in Brundidge, the band went, we were courteous to all, played during halftime, and when the game was over and we were all trying to load up on the busses to come back to Troy, some very disrespectful PCHS attendees decided that it would be lots of fun to throw rocks at the Blue Machine. We were outside the busses and there were several people and instruments struck with the rocks. Due to this issue and possibly other issues unknown to me, the game was not held in Brundidge during the rest of my years at CHHS. I do not know when CHHS started playing in Brundidge again, but I am sure it was not while Mr. Thomas was the director of the Blue Machine. I realize that this was a long time ago and it is not the same group who attend these games, but I am sure there is still a large amount of animosity between the two schools and violence is definitely an issue that could arise.
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Actually there isn’t but it is comments and attitudes like these that keep a pot stirred! The games have been played alternately between Troy and Brundidge for over five years now and there have been no problems between people. Oh but there are always rumors and BS floating around the week before especially when the game is to be in Brundidge because of junk like this. Yes there was one incident many years ago and the students involved were disciplined and the police handled those who were not students. If there are problems before or after the games it is usually adults who don’t attend either school anyway!
How about instead of getting crap started to cause conflict people let the teams and the TRUE fans enjoy the game!
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I meant that was a good point about him being broke in five years. Hit the wrong reply button.
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