Bauxite

[Beaver Fever]

Don't fool yourself, He won in A football using AAA players from surrounding schools. Even when they moved up to AA same situation.  Now they are playing with kids from bauxite and they can't compete. It's not the coach.

[cuckoobird]

Watsons record wasn't all at bauxite. He had one bad year in gillett and it was because a senior class gave up. The man can flat out coach, period

[minerjack]

Don't fool yourself, He won in A football using AAA players from surrounding schools. Even when they moved up to AA same situation.  Now they are playing with kids from bauxite and they can't compete. It's not the coach.

Don't fool yourself. Bauxite has always been filled with hard workers.  Not great athletes. And I've always said that the move ins from Benton and Bryant have skewered that image of Bauxite.

[KASH dba The Lumberjack]

Coach Prescott is a good guy and coach. He turned Des Arc into a pretty good program. What ever happened to a"rebuilding year"?

[Lumberjackfan1978]

Watsons record wasn't all at bauxite. He had one bad year in gillett and it was because a senior class gave up. The man can flat out coach, period

+1

[BM22]

Don't fool yourself, He won in A football using AAA players from surrounding schools. Even when they moved up to AA same situation.  Now they are playing with kids from bauxite and they can't compete. It's not the coach.

Don't fool yourself. Bauxite has always been filled with hard workers.  Not great athletes. And I've always said that the move ins from Benton and Bryant have skewered that image of Bauxite.

Some of Bauxites best athletes over the past decade have been transfers or move ins. Lol. Looks like the Miners could use some move ins right about now.

[Dayton Kitchens]

Wasn't Watson the coach who just before retiring said basically that 7 on 7 was a waste of time and just something most coaches did because they felt they would be criticized if they didn't?   

[BM22]

Prescott didn't win with talent at des arc, they won with hard work and effort and 3 or 4 plays ran out of a couple different sets.

I agree! Have watched some of his teams at Des Arc, give him time and he will have Bauxite up and running.  The kids leaving for Benton will be coming back when they realize that they aren't quite good enough to play in that league. IMO

No, they will come back when they realize that Benton Football was a one hit one year wonder and come back to bauxite to play.

Lol.... There was no mass exodus of players that left Bauxite to go to Benton. Look in the hallways at Bauxite and you will find those former players. Secondly, Benton is looking like more than a one hit wonder. Lol ..

[LIKE IT IS]

2014 Interim Coach Guthrie was told that 4 wins was not "good enough".
I guess 1 win is better.

Props to the Jr. High though - going undefeated. Too bad they play in a different conference.

[LIKE IT IS]

I REPEAT and ADD:
1) Coach Watson was a great coach at a 2A school having 2A-3A players - don't know how he would've done at a bigger school. (7-11-1 vs present 4A schools)
2) Coach Watson was rarely at school during off-season workouts the last 2-6 years of his coaching career.
3) Interim Coach Mike Guthrie turned the program around in a matter of 3 months - winning 4 games in 2014 - along with a brutal 2014-15 off-season football program.
4) Football players respected Coach Guthrie and assumed he would get the Head Coach title - as he was planning to incorporate new offense.
5) Bauxite hired Coach Prescott - who is a great coach.
6) IMO Coach Prescott's "off-season program" was a joke compared to Guthrie's....perhaps illustrated by the 1 win season -  compared to 4 wins by Guthrie.

[LizardAlum10]

I agree about the offseason workout! My fiance's brother played for him at Des Arc. There has been a world of change in their offseason workout. It's definitely much better with this new coach and the boys are happy to have him! I also believe it has kept the Eagles healthier this year! Prescott may be a good guy and all, but he needs to put some time into strength and conditioning!

[purpleswag]

I agree about the offseason workout! My fiance's brother played for him at Des Arc. There has been a world of change in their offseason workout. It's definitely much better with this new coach and the boys are happy to have him! I also believe it has kept the Eagles healthier this year! Prescott may be a good guy and all, but he needs to put some time into strength and conditioning!

I completely agree!! I mean if he would have had a better offseason you may have gone deep in the playoffs several times and maybe even played for a state title

Darn it! You did all those things while he was there......my bad 

[BM22]

Any confirmation that Bauxite has cancelled their spring game due to extremely low numbers?
I'm hearing they have around 16, counting the incoming sophomores! Wow!

[AirWarren]

Wow.

[Lions84]

Sad to see a once feared and respected program still on the skids.

[Beaver Fever]

I've heard possibly not fielding a team next season.

[BM22]

Sad to see a once feared and respected program still on the skids.

I agree. 10 wins in the last 6 years is indeed sad.

[BM22]

I've heard possibly not fielding a team next season.

Hopefully, they can get a few more to come out. The trend is not good at all:
Had 55 players in 2012, 53 in '13, 42 in '14, 22 in '15 and 16-18 projected in '16.

[AirWarren]

As big of a 4A school that Bauxite is....they for sure should be fielding at least 45 players every year.

[BM22]

As big of a 4A school that Bauxite is....they for sure should be fielding at least 45 players every year.

Yes, I agree. Pretty sure their enrollment is close to what Fountain Lake has. FL competes very well in 7-4A. They have to get those numbers up to 40-55 to even have a chance to compete in this conference.

[Lumberjackfan1978]

I hope they can get a few more players to come out, Bauxite was a quality program a few years ago

[minerjack]

The student body and "Miner Attitude" has been poisoned from move ins who know nothing of Bauxite history.  And what's even sadder is a lot of the 3rd and 4th generation Miners have become vulnerable and fallen in with the new student views and forgotten what they've come from. Coach Prescott is in a hole that he doesn't deserve to be in. He has Rison roots that are very similar to what Bauxite used to be and he constantly works tirelessly to do what it takes to get the job done.  But it's going to take the old Bauxite community to take back the town and school and help others remember what makes a Miner a Miner once again.

[purpleswag]

I think everyone needs to relax and wait. Anytime a team has been down like Bauxite has there are bound to be bumps in the road as someone comes in and tries to change the culture.

Prescott is a good football coach. I know because I played against his Des Arc teams and they were always a tough opponent. Give it time.

[whippersnapper]

I hate reading about this with Bauxite. My oldest brother and his family live there. The last time we talked he told me that my youngest niece wanted to play peewee football next year. He thinks she is mean and tough enough haha. He doesn't have any boys so he is doing his best to help.

[THE D.O.C]

It doesn't help that they're  sandwiched in between Benton and Bryant

[Beaver Fever]

That used to be what helped them, they would get several players that were average at Benton/Bryant and they would be good players in bauxites class

[AirWarren]

That used to be what helped them, they would get several players that were average at Benton/Bryant and they would be good players in bauxites class

That is certainly an opinion and an opinion is all it is at that.

Bauxite grew too fast. Bauxite was then placed in a horrible conference for a team that wasn't ready for that type of growth. Losing and the losing mentality takes over and football interest hits an all time low. You don't go from 2a to 4a football overnight and not have issues. Especially in the 7-4A.

[BM22]

The student body and "Miner Attitude" has been poisoned from move ins who know nothing of Bauxite history.  And what's even sadder is a lot of the 3rd and 4th generation Miners have become vulnerable and fallen in with the new student views and forgotten what they've come from. Coach Prescott is in a hole that he doesn't deserve to be in. He has Rison roots that are very similar to what Bauxite used to be and he constantly works tirelessly to do what it takes to get the job done.  But it's going to take the old Bauxite community to take back the town and school and help others remember what makes a Miner a Miner once again.

You keep bashing on these " move ins" for supposedly being the underlying problem of Bauxites problems and destroying or you say "poisoning" the culture or tradition. But by your own admission, the 2nd best athlete in the school's history was, in fact, a "move in". Truth be known, future "move ins" are going to be what digs Bauxite out of this massive hole that they are currently in. Dude, get a grip!

[BM22]

That used to be what helped them, they would get several players that were average at Benton/Bryant and they would be good players in bauxites class

Yep!

[AirWarren]

You keep bashing on these " move ins" for supposedly being the underlying problem of Bauxites problems and destroying or you say "poisoning" the culture or tradition. But by your own admission, the 2nd best athlete in the school's history was, in fact, a "move in". Truth be known, future "move ins" are going to be what digs Bauxite out of this massive hole that they are currently in. Dude, get a grip!

Another opinion.

That move in you're talking about, didn't even come from Bryant or Benton. He came from Little Rock.

What he is saying holds a lot of truth. Bryant and Benton Football is a joke. Always has been. Then those "jokes" move into Bauxite with their poor attitudes and further facilitate the problem at Bauxite. Throw in the fact that the "miner attitude" is being suppressed due to losing, mix it with Benton/Bryant lackies, and throw them in a conference with Nashville and you got a losing record year in and year out. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[BM22]

That is certainly an opinion and an opinion is all it is at that.

Bauxite grew too fast. Bauxite was then placed in a horrible conference for a team that wasn't ready for that type of growth. Losing and the losing mentality takes over and football interest hits an all time low. You don't go from 2a to 4a football overnight and not have issues. Especially in the 7-4A.

Public school growth is just a reality and schools adjust,  like Alma, Greenwood, Farmington, Pea Ridge and several others have. Fountain Lake has similar enrollment numbers to Bauxite. They have bounced back and forth between 3A and 4A the last 10-12 years. FL won a state championship in 3A in between their 4A cycles. They are doing very well in 7-4A I might add. So it can be done.

[AirWarren]

Public school growth is just a reality and schools adjust,  like Alma, Greenwood, Farmington, Pea Ridge and several others have. Fountain Lake has similar enrollment numbers to Bauxite. They have bounced back and forth between 3A and 4A the last 10-12 years. FL won a state championship in 3A in between their 4A cycles. They are doing very well in 7-4A I might add. So it can be done.

It can be done. But FL is a poor example. Because even while in the 4A, they continued to win for the most part. Winning cures all. Losing and a losing mentality has hurt Bauxite and it has been going on for a good run now.

[BM22]

Another opinion.

That move in you're talking about, didn't even come from Bryant or Benton. He came from Little Rock.

What he is saying holds a lot of truth. Bryant and Benton Football is a joke. Always has been. Then those "jokes" move into Bauxite with their poor attitudes and further facilitate the problem at Bauxite. Throw in the fact that the "miner attitude" is being suppressed due to losing, mix it with Benton/Bryant lackies, and throw them in a conference with Nashville and you got a losing record year in and year out. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I know he was from LR. Whether they're from Benton, Bryant or LR a "move in" is a "move in"... Lol. As far as Benton and Bryant football being a joke, well that is YOUR opinion. Nothing funny about that 1977 Benton team. All this about the  "miner attitude" being compromised or taken hostage is a joke. Bottom line, suck it up, get the numbers up, instill toughness and a solid off season program and they can compete in 7-4A. Mark my word, Bauxite is gonna need all the help they can get, including future "move ins". Lol

[AirWarren]

I know he was from LR. Whether they're from Benton, Bryant or LR a "move in" is a "move in"... Lol. As far as Benton and Bryant football being a joke, well that is YOUR opinion. Nothing funny about that 1977 Benton team. All this about the  "miner attitude" being compromised or taken hostage is a joke. Bottom line, suck it up, get the numbers up, instill toughness and a solid off season program and they can compete in 7-4A. Mark my word, Bauxite is gonna need all the help they can get, including future "move ins". Lol

Bauxite is the football town of Saline County. Don't think they need a guy bolstering a "1977 Benton Football team" to tell them how to get their program going.

[BM22]

Bauxite is the football town of Saline County. Don't think they need a guy bolstering a "1977 Benton Football team" to tell them how to get their program going.

IDK about that. Looks like they need alot of help to get their program going and back on track.

[minerjack]

I know he was from LR. Whether they're from Benton, Bryant or LR a "move in" is a "move in"... Lol. As far as Benton and Bryant football being a joke, well that is YOUR opinion. Nothing funny about that 1977 Benton team. All this about the  "miner attitude" being compromised or taken hostage is a joke. Bottom line, suck it up, get the numbers up, instill toughness and a solid off season program and they can compete in 7-4A. Mark my word, Bauxite is gonna need all the help they can get, including future "move ins". Lol

"Miner Attitude" is a Watson phrase. Take it up with him and his legacy if you think it's a joke.

[minerjack]

IDK about that. Looks like they need alot of help to get their program going and back on track.

So, im guessing your kid was a move in that ended up seeing Bauxite wasn't such a cake walk for him after all?

[SUGARTOWN]

So, im guessing your kid was a move in that ended up seeing Bauxite wasn't such a cake walk for him after all?

Looks to me like if you can walk and chew gum at the same time you'll be an asset to Bauxite football these days.

[BM22]

"Miner Attitude" is a Watson phrase. Take it up with him and his legacy if you think it's a joke.

I know that. Never said the phrase itself was a joke. I said that it was a joke how you said the moves ins were poisoning the culture of Bauxite. Lol..... Got the utmost respect for Watson.

[Jimbo Morphis]

I know that. Never said the phrase itself was a joke. I said that it was a joke how you said the moves ins were poisoning the culture of Bauxite. Lol..... Got the utmost respect for Watson.

so why are the kids not playing?

[BM22]

So, im guessing your kid was a move in that ended up seeing Bauxite wasn't such a cake walk for him after all?

No dog in the fight. Like I said before, my son is done playing ball and is a gym rat. Lol... He could definately handle the grind again though.

[minerjack]

I know that. Never said the phrase itself was a joke. I said that it was a joke how you said the moves ins were poisoning the culture of Bauxite. Lol..... Got the utmost respect for Watson.

It has poisoned the Miner Attitude. If multiple move ins didn't grow up being a Miner and they came after their 10th grade or even one or two years before. They aren't going to give many craps about what it means to be a Miner. Especially if they've come from Benton or Bryant.

[BM22]

It has poisoned the Miner Attitude. If multiple move ins didn't grow up being a Miner and they came after their 10th grade or even one or two years before. They aren't going to give many craps about what it means to be a Miner. Especially if they've come from Benton or Bryant.

Do you know what the percentages are of Benton/Bryant move ins that transfered before 9th or 10th grade the last 3 or 4 years? I would venture to say 75% played mini miner ball in elementary, 15% transfered in jr high and and the other 10% came in between 10th-12th. Don't forget that, in your own words, the 2nd best athlete in Bauxite history transferred from LR while in high school. Your obsessive negativity towards Benton/Bryant football is growing tiresome. Bauxite can only hope that they can attract more Benton/Bryant boys.

[Beaver Fever]

They really didn't jump from AA to AAAA. It was what amounted to moving up a class.  When they were AA there was only 4 classifications. When they added the new classes they became AAA, they were stilll playing the same teams they were just in AAA. Couple years years later they had a legit move up to AAAA. All in all it was a 1 class jump as far as class of teams they are playing.

[minerjack]

Do you know what the percentages are of Benton/Bryant move ins that transfered before 9th or 10th grade the last 3 or 4 years? I would venture to say 75% played mini miner ball in elementary, 15% transfered in jr high and and the other 10% came in between 10th-12th. Don't forget that, in your own words, the 2nd best athlete in Bauxite history transferred from LR while in high school. Your obsessive negativity towards Benton/Bryant football is growing tiresome. Bauxite can only hope that they can attract more Benton/Bryant boys.

Who said I was talking just about football?  I'm talking about the entire student body, BigMouth.  I'd like to know where you're getting your statistics, because I'm willing to bet over 3/4 of the move ins for the student body in the last 6 years have come from another Saline County school.  Football players don't have friends that are just football players. They're other students as well. And when kids get around other kids that think something isn't very important, they tend to listen to the negativity. One leads to many. And the domino effect happens.

Bauxite had a kid that moved in from Benton in '14 and played TE, FB, H back. New coach comes in and transfers because he doesn't want to play OL. Would have been the best OLineman on the team and maybe the conference. A real Miner would have set his pride aside for the team and switched positions. But, what does he do?  Moves back to the Benton school district to end up playing defensive line.

Rebuttal?

[minerjack]

They really didn't jump from AA to AAAA. It was what amounted to moving up a class.  When they were AA there was only 4 classifications. When they added the new classes they became AAA, they were stilll playing the same teams they were just in AAA. Couple years years later they had a legit move up to AAAA. All in all it was a 1 class jump as far as class of teams they are playing.

Bauxite was in fear of consolidation in mid 2000's.

[BM22]

Who said I was talking just about football?  I'm talking about the entire student body, BigMouth.  I'd like to know where you're getting your statistics, because I'm willing to bet over 3/4 of the move ins for the student body in the last 6 years have come from another Saline County school.  Football players don't have friends that are just football players. They're other students as well. And when kids get around other kids that think something isn't very important, they tend to listen to the negativity. One leads to many. And the domino effect happens.

Bauxite had a kid that moved in from Benton in '14 and played TE, FB, H back. New coach comes in and transfers because he doesn't want to play OL. Would have been the best OLineman on the team and maybe the conference. A real Miner would have set his pride aside for the team and switched positions. But, what does he do?  Moves back to the Benton school district to end up playing defensive line.

Rebuttal?

Lol..... Man, you got your panties in a big ole wad. Haha. Maybe he wanted to play on a winning team.

[purpleswag]

Lol..... Man, you got your panties in a big ole wad. Haha. Maybe he wanted to play on a winning team.

[/b]

Kinda proved his point here

[minerjack]

Lol..... Man, you got your panties in a big ole wad. Haha. Maybe he wanted to play on a winning team.

Yeah, maybe a little.  But, only because I'm passionate about my alma mater.  It's upsetting seeing what it has become because of what it used to be.  I've recognized the two things that has hurt the program.  All because the admins have opened the flood gates and let anyone and everyone that wants a sniff to come in. 

[LIKE IT IS]

It's truly sad that Bauxite may not field a team next season due to low numbers. The school board/superintendent obviously made a bad decision by not keeping Coach Guthrie as HC. It would have been fun watching Guthrie's Diamond-T offense this past season (with 35+ players no doubt) - knowing he is a disciple of "The General" Coach Campbell from Wynne. Players are not stupid. When players cry at a board meeting because Coach Guthrie was not named HC, something is drastically wrong. Great players become uncommitted and non-dedicated and good players choose not to play and/or transfer. It has nothing to do with work ethic or off-season workout programs. The new HC's off-season workout is a joke compared to Coach Guthrie's.

It's easy to have "Watson's Miner Attitude" when you're playing Cutter Morning Star, Bismarck, Mt. Ida, Mt. Pine, Centerpoint, Sparkman, and Caddo Hills as opposed to NASHVILLE, ARKADELPHIA, MALVERN, ASHDOWN, MENA, and ROBINSON. It actually amazes me that Bauxite only won one state championship with that roster and opponents in the late '90s.

I feel sorry for Coach Prescott. I'm sure he is a good coach but he should have done a little more research before accepting the job. The school board not only set the Bauxite football program back extensively - but perhaps set Coach Prescott's career back as well. Until the school board/community/old timers realize it's 2016 - instead of 1996, they will continue to be unsuccessful.