Chasing Ghosts: The Haunting of Ironton football

[79Tiger]

It is apparent to me that hiring protégé's of the Lutz/Burcham era is not going to work at IHS. They need someone from outside the program to come in with new ideas and a new philosophy. There has to be some quality assistant coaches in the area or even head coaches that would welcome that opportunity. Until that happens, I don't foresee the Tigers having anything near the undefeated seasons they were accustomed to for so many years.

[laser breath]

I never thought I'd say this but it's time to either tear down tank or move the field to somewhere else. Let's face it, it doesn't have the appeal it once had. It's an old building. Build some excitement for these guys, Update the facilities.

[bigdogtaz]

One thing I think Ironton fan's and other's seem to be doing is overthinking and searching for blame, its pretty simple in the past Ironton had Coach Lutz , he won games made playoff's and a couple titles. That was the draw to the tank for athletes in the area, several transfers from other area school's kids wanting to play in a winning program put big numbers on the side lines more players to develop, along with Coach Lutz that is gone. now Ironton has to build from within, become more the norm in high school football but their fans can't accept that. no coach or staff is going to walk in and develop playoff caliber team in a few years, I'm not an Ironton fan, but because it was a sat game was there and starting with Ironton's second possession heard people calling out the coach upset he wasn't running the team their way kinda sad, support the team encourage the players who worked hard for this season. Celebrating and reliving the past has its place but its not while these young men are working on their future

[farmer]

One thing I think Ironton fan's and other's seem to be doing is overthinking and searching for blame, its pretty simple in the past Ironton had Coach Lutz , he won games made playoff's and a couple titles. That was the draw to the tank for athletes in the area, several transfers from other area school's kids wanting to play in a winning program put big numbers on the side lines more players to develop, along with Coach Lutz that is gone. now Ironton has to build from within, become more the norm in high school football but their fans can't accept that. no coach or staff is going to walk in and develop playoff caliber team in a few years, I'm not an Ironton fan, but because it was a sat game was there and starting with Ironton's second possession heard people calling out the coach upset he wasn't running the team their way kinda sad, support the team encourage the players who worked hard for this season. Celebrating and reliving the past has its place but its not while these young men are working on their future

Why would someone really want to come to Ironton?
When Lutz left the first time the fan support has not been close to the same. Even Triplett did not take the job but the players talked him into it. Fans support became more critics and bashing. Some have never gotten past that. The negative statements have come into the heads of the players. Which has made it hard to come together in the way the teams had done in the past. The easy choice is to say go outside to find a coach. No matter who the coach is or will be the support has to be there. As well as the Head Coach is In CHARGE.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

BIGDOGTAZ.--------- to say ironton won a couple of titles is quite an understatement. yes they won a couple STATE TITLES still twice as many as anybody in these parts of the state. but they were in like 8/9 state title games. not to mention winning so many league titles in the seoal, okac and ovc. and all the undefeated seasons even as an independent. the regional titles. the semi finals and all. as well as sending tons of kids to play college football. all the individual league honors, poll championship titles. coach of the year titles several times. amongst other things. so to say they won a couple titles may be a lil light.

that is history I understand, and they are not matching that now. they are however to date unbeaten in ovc play. and are mightiliy struggling right now to find an identity. and not winning ooc games at all. getting throttled in playoff games. and with only seven seniors, they will be taking some lumps to bigger schools. but it's true kids are staying put at their schools now. and I think the county teams are fast approaching to the point of catching the tigers.-------------- and as far as out of town coaching. that may be the way to go, if they ever make a change. look at wheelersburg's coach. he is from the Gallia academy system. but that ain't a decision I have anything to do with.

[bigdogtaz]

Brag about the past all you want. that was then this is now, and I have seen you post about how the weak OVC teams are, and that they are always one and done when they do manage a playoff game , and now you boast of winning it? as far as tons of kids to college ball they may have went but not that many stayed, but isn't about them, go back and look Lutz didn't start out a winner and his early success had some to do with Saint Joe giving up its football program with those kids choosing to play for Ironton , and as the years passed more transfers coming in to play whether to play for a winning program, parent's ego or for more exposure again that was then and this is now, as I said that draw is no longer there and close as this area's schools are the school who develops that draw will become dominant team, my opinion that's what's happening at the Burg. But my point being that without that draw Ironton football is just another area team that may take the OVC. for now but are going to struggle in their non league schedule especially with all the negativity from the fans, it's sad but you guy's actually think some coach is going to stroll in and return your dominance overnight. Ironton has a decent team with players playing up to their ability, support them cheer for them pray for the best. but these kids deserve better than a fan base full of excuse's and blame that are expecting them to live up to the Ghost of the past. Ironton fans may have to learn to accept that striving to win the OVC may be as good as it gets for a while

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I can't disagree with most of your post taz. and I absolutely used to say the ovc was weaker. I didn't want ironton joining originally. everybody here knows that. and admittedly I may have been one of the last folks from town to realize what was actually happening at ironton. as far as bragging about the past. that's cool n all. but that ain't the case now. it makes more sense to me now. especially with adding gahs, and Portsmouth. and the county schools are catching up with ironton. but no one here is gonna convince me we don't still have the horse to pull this wagon right there in ironton high school to make ironton football great again. so if it's mostly coaching, then so be it. but the kids have to be as motivated as the coaches. I could not make this statement before, but now I can. I have no trouble with ironton's schedule now. it includes wheelersburg, Ashland, and Russell, ky. Portsmouth, gahs, and all the original members of the ovc who are quickly catching up. so if you're looking for me to bow down about previous statements. that ain't happ'nin. everybody here knows I was against the ovc in the beginning. but that now it's a horse of a different color. I hardly think saying as of now they are unbeaten in ovc play is a chest beater. but it's getting there now. the ovc is every bit as deep now as the soc. if not deeper.

[efarns]

Ghosts are probably in your head. Nothing wrong with appreciating a classic car, but it has nothing to do with your current one.

[Westfan]

You can't live in the past. History is great, but history is history. Lutz is gone. Until Ironton fans accept that it will never improve. It's different now. The jobs are gone, enrollment is down, and the game has changed. The talent is barren compared to the past, and kids aren't transferring in. Many past Ironton games on the youtube. Watch a couple of them and look at the difference in talent. Lutz was a great coach, but honestly my mother could've won 6 games with the talent he had.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Ghosts are probably in your head. Nothing wrong with appreciating a classic car, but it has nothing to do with your current one.

I heard that.i got married when I was 19. and I had a shiney blue 68 chevelle with a 327 in it. with a pioneer stereo, am,fm, 8 track, a power booster. and bout the biggest car speakers you could get back then, 4 of em.chrome crager wheels,chrome side pipes. black vinyl half top.and an interior that was nearly perfect. I was only married 2 years. I could not get along with my wife's boyfriend, and we split up, no younger baits. just a springer spaniel. and the mrs. had a 53 rambler that I just put 500.00 in fixing up , 4 new tires, it ran like a sewin machine. so we go to dee-vorce court, and the judge gived her my 68 chevelle I'd had since I was 16, and gave me her rambler. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I sure miss them cars.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

You can't live in the past. History is great, but history is history. Lutz is gone. Until Ironton fans accept that it will never improve. It's different now. The jobs are gone, enrollment is down, and the game has changed. The talent is barren compared to the past, and kids aren't transferring in. Many past Ironton games on the youtube. Watch a couple of them and look at the difference in talent. Lutz was a great coach, but honestly my mother could've won 6 games with the talent he had.

yer mother would be somebody I could chat with all day then fan. sounds like our kinda lady. and you are absolutely right. and by my own admittance I were too stubborn to accept it. --------------------------------------------- the only thing I have a problem with that sticks in my crawl. fer 40 years all you hear was ironton was the Lawrence county all stars. when I was there in the 70's but there were no transfers playing then to my knowledge. in fact it would have been unthinkable. but it did happen some time afterwards. and I took my own 2 boys there in junior high myself.------------------------------ but still to this day I hear that reference.and I'm cool with that. but you don't hear people say that about the burg who is doing the same thing now.

[79Tiger]

If I am not mistaken, the first person I ever heard of that transferred to IHS for football was Mark Snyder and that was in 1982. There were no transfers from other schools that I can recall at all during the 70's and I remember those teams well, having played in '78 and '79. As far as the comment above that Ironton benefitted from St. Joe dropping football, please provide proof of that because I know of none. Baseball was the big sport at St. Joe for years and still is. Most football players also played basketball and baseball. There weren't many St Joe athletes that were football only that I can recall.

[TheFlyingDutchman]

Most Catholic kids left after 6th grade or 8th grade so not really considered transfers. Very few left after ISJ dropped football after the 92 season.

[79Tiger]

Most Catholic kids left after 6th grade or 8th grade so not really considered transfers. Very few left after ISJ dropped football after the 92 season.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the information. The only athlete that I knew that transferred from St. Joe while I was at IHS was Carlo Gleighcauf and he transferred for academic reasons, not sports. He only played basketball at St. Joe

[79Tiger]

Most Catholic kids left after 6th grade or 8th grade so not really considered transfers. Very few left after ISJ dropped football after the 92 season.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the information. The only athlete that I knew that transferred from St. Joe while I was at IHS was Carlo Gleighcauf and he transferred for academic reasons, not sports. He only played basketball at St. Joe and at Ironton.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

yes I have no knowledge of anyone coming in back in they day.

[TheFlyingDutchman]

A steady stream of Catholic kids started leaving St Lawrence and St Joe in the 1980's and IHS benefited from that. None that I know were recruited, just playing for Lutz and playing for State Championships and playing in front of 7000 at the Tank was enough. St. Joe lost not only a ton of great athletes but great kids also. Hard to blame them for leaving but we sure missed them.

[79Tiger]

St Joe has produced a multitude of great all around athletes over the years. Being in the same city as IHS, they often tended to be overlooked but I always admired those that attended St. Joe, not only for sports, but academics as well.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

A steady stream of Catholic kids started leaving St Lawrence and St Joe in the 1980's and IHS benefited from that. None that I know were recruited, just playing for Lutz and playing for State Championships and playing in front of 7000 at the Tank was enough. St. Joe lost not only a ton of great athletes but great kids also. Hard to blame them for leaving but we sure missed them.

I can certainly understand the kids wanting to play. and missing the loss of saint joe football as well.

[EagleFan89]

anyone have link to season W/L records for Ironton (for all 100+ seasons). Thought that was posted on southeasternohiopreps.com at one time.