Articles by Fletcher Long

About Fletcher Long
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

Slow Motion Replay: Danko, ‘Big Mo,’ and George Rogers Clark’s historic victory over St. Xavier High in 1991

March 17, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Their names, “Danko” and “Big Mo” Marty Joyce were once as recognizable around Winchester, Kentucky as the Beer Cheese festival and Ale 8. These guys led the Cardinals to a state championship victory in 1991 over Louisville royalty, St. Xavier High School. The stories about them are as famous as the stories about Hector, Paris, Achilles, and Agamemnon. There were over 11,000 fans at the game the night the Tigers from St. X fell to the Cardinals. No telling how many burglaries occurred that night in Clark County. Go back in time with us now and remember the night the Cardinals from Winchester literally shocked the Kentucky high school football world.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Ty Scroggins believed, and it made a Hell of a difference @FtbllHSC, @CoachDantzler, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

March 16, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Ty Scroggins had an incredible decade long run as the head football coach at Central High. In 10-years he won 10-districts, appeared in 8-semis, 7-title games, and won 5-titles. Scroggins left Central to be an assistant at St. Francis DeSales to spend more time with family and particularly his son. Scroggins made believers out of his teams, his players, his cohorts, even men serving in the administration of the KHSAA. Along the way, he made us all believers. Enjoy this look back at one of Kentucky’s all-timers, taken from us way too soon.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Remembering ‘Coach P’ from Fort Campbell @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @FC_FALCONS_FB, @NWvikingsFB

March 15, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

I grew up very familiar with Marshall Patterson. I was reared around the haunts of western Kentucky. Everyone around these parts knew who Marshall Patterson was. Patterson built the Fort Campbell High football program into a dynasty. His players were known for discipline, grit, determination, and toughness. If you were playing a Patterson coached ball club, you had better come ready for a physical, up-hill battle. This guy was the embodiment of coaches of his time, the championship winning ones anyway. Enjoy this look back at one of the true Kentucky greats.

Friday Night Fletch

Big Ass Fans salutes long time coach and educator, Dixie Jones, from Trigg County High as its Kentucky Comfort Creator of the Week @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @KyHighFootball, @TriggFootball, @TriggCoAD

March 13, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Today we wish to recognize and true fixture in the world of KHSAA football. This guy has 27-years experience at the helm of programs at Trigg County, Hopkinsville, and Madisonville North-Hopkins and infinitely more experience as an assistant coach throughout the commonwealth. Also noteworthy is his being the greatest of all time in the world of Kentucky high school powerlifting, which is one heck of a fun cover, by the way. Enjoy this feature about a true Kentucky icon and remember, with Big Ass Fans, let’s keep it comfortable out there Kentucky!

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Chasers: The baseball diamond is a great place to find football talent @evans02_mike, @Meloishim3, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @ChiefSmoke10, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @carlos_mason52, @HopkinsCentral

March 13, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

There have been plenty of football stars who also played baseball. We think, on the advent of the opening of baseball around Kentucky, Coach Manning would do well to scour the diamond looking for talent which might serve the football team well this coming season. This has been before tried and successfully. Enjoy the article.

Friday Night Fletch

Arion Roach, from Waggener High, is the Protein-packed Performer of the Week @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @WHS_Wildcats_FB, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball

March 12, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

’27 QB,SS had an all-state performance in spite of his team’s struggles in ’24 Arion Roach had an uncharacteristic performance in ’24 for a team which finished the year 0-10. The 6’1,” 195 pound sophomore with the 4.65-second, 40-yard speed, 475-pound squat, and quarter-ton deadlift, found a way to markedly […]

Slow Motion Replay: Dan Goble from Christian County High @minguabeefjerky @PrepSpin @KyHighFootball @Christian_Co270 @CountyColonels @BentzelChris @KHSAA @MaxPreps @kyhighs

March 11, 2025 Fletcher Long 11

Dan Goble deserved to be inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame for what his teams did on the football field. We helped spearhead this push for his induction and successfully. It is one of the noblest callings for which we have ever been summoned. We were honored to be invested in the search for justice and propriety.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Roy Walton, part psychologist, part magician, all football coach @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @TC_CommodoresFB, @YetteFootball

March 10, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

Roy Walton led a group of young football players who would be known throughout the commonwealth as “Roy’s Boys.” He coached five years at Lafayette and 25 years at Tates Creek. It was at Tates Creek where he would win his two (2) football Kentucky titles, one in 1972 and the other in 1978. Roy Walton was part psychologist, part magician, and all football coach. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Jon Collins, the “Johnny Appleseed” of the KHSAA @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @FDouglassFB, @TC_CommodoresFB

March 9, 2025 Fletcher Long 3

We call Coach Jon Collins “Jonny Football” around our offices. Partly it is because we can’t come up with a more perfect description than that and we are aware Johnny Manziel was similarly christened. Jon Collins has come to symbolize all which is fantastic about the KHSAA and its member institutions and coaches, be they head coaches or assistants. Once might say that he is an institution. We would say that. Enjoy a rare Sunday article we published just because…

Friday Night Fletch

Trever Hardesty from Muhlenberg County is the Big Ass Fans Kentucky Comfort Creator of the Week! @tjoinerfb3, @1027TheGame, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

March 7, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Greeneville, Kentucky has been described by one of our generation’s finest folk artists and song writers (John Prine) as “paradise.” We don’t know about that, but don’t dispute it, but we do know the Mustangs have some enviable, young talent to mix in with some big-time returners for the ’25 Fall season. One of those returners is Trever Hardesty who, we have been assured, will NOT come off the field next season. Today we celebrate Trever Hardesty as he earns the week’s coveted Kentucky Comfort Creator Award from Big Ass Fans. Enjoy this feature and let’s keep it comfortable out there Kentucky!

Friday Night Fletch.