Congratulations Chris McNamee & Pikeville Panthers: STATE CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to Coach Chris McNamee & his Pikeville Panthers on their 2015 Class A State Championship victory over Beechwood!

Chris is one of best guys in coaching. We have been friends for a long time and coached together in the 2004 KY-TN All Star Game as assistants to Coach Tom Larkey. 

Chris frequently brings his QBs to my camp in February or June. It always means alot to me that he makes that long drive on a Saturday to help his kids and to help me and my family.

Most importantly, Chris is a committed follower of Jesus Christ.  I am thankful for those kids to have Coach McNamee as their leader.

God Bless the McNamees and Panthers. 

Merry Christmas!

Colossians 3:23

September 1970- Boyle County Rebel article in the Courier Journal

Trosper and I have been going through my Dad's old articles and putting them into scrapbooks. He had 5 copies of this article which was in the Louisville Courier Journal 4 days, before Robert Allen Yankey played his last game. That game was at Mercer County on September 24, 1970.  

He was proud of these guys and his team. He was proud of all of the guys he coached.

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Happy Thanksgiving to the Old Greyhounds, Royals, & Titans

My former Paris players have enjoyed commenting on an old picture of me and our QB, Cory Dumphord, that he posted on Facebook.  I am very proud of those teams and the guys I was blessed to coach.

Here is the message I sent to all of my former players:

Trosper and I have been working on scrapbooks since my Dad passed away on October 1st. What you are looking at here is 40 years of football, 1969 thru 2009. I started living with the digital collections finally in 2010.

These scrapbooks go Boyle to Mercer to Paris to Mason. It even has some KY-TN All Star stuff in there.

I just finished my 24th season as a head coach, almost a quarter of 

a century. 4 at Paris, 19 at Mason, and 1 at Mercer.

They will have to scrape me off the gamefield or practice field someday. I am addicted to football, practice fields, Steeler Left, and 11 guys running to the ball. I have been blessed beyond words to be with the players and coaches in black, orange, blue & red. If any of you guys ever want to come by a practice, workout , or game, I can promise you that your old coach will be very happy to see you.

For what it is worth, this Thanksgiving, your old coach is thankful for you. God Bless the old Greyhounds, Royals & Titans. - Coach Buchanan

Danny Weddle- Felici Felice No Excuse Award, 2015

Trosper making a silly face at his mom while Danny and I talk on the radio, Monday, 8/26/13. Danny is the one on the left with the hair. 

Congratulations to Danny Weddle on receiving the Felici Felice "No Excuses" Award tonight at the Mason County Royals Football Banquet. Danny has done the Monday McDonald's Radio Show every Monday during football season since 1998. He also came out to see me every Thursday for 19 years to do the pregame show as I am sure he did this season and the seasons before 1996. He does  a great job with his play-by-play and has got me through more rough post game talks than I can even begin to count. Danny is professional, polished, and highly-skilled at what he does. Congratulations Danny Weddle!

Finishing a Tough Season, A Good Season- Remembering my Dad

After starting the season 0-5, we finished the season with 6 straight wins including a district championship and two home playoff games. I was very proud of the toughness displayed by our kids and staff.

During the season, three of us lost our Dads. It was a brutal time but we fought through it together.

I really appreciate these two pieces that were done on my Dad. The first is by my long time friend, Larry Vaught. Larry's Dad, Bill Vaught, was the Sports Editor when my Dad was the head coach at Mercer County & Boyle County.  My Dad was crazy about Bill Vaught as a writer and friend. Larry has done a great job walking in his father's footsteps. 


The other piece was by Dorian Craft at WLEX.  Dorian did a wonderful job, like Larry, of communicating what it has been like to lose my Dad during a time I am following in his footsteps like I have this past season. 

Both Dorian and Larry are exceptionally talented and I am very appreciative that of all the things they could cover, they chose to tell this story about my Dad.  Dorian's story is at the end of the Sports segment that is on this link.

Larry Vaught's column

WLEX Sports- Dorian Craft

Happy Thanksgiving and make the most of the time you have with your family.

Foreigner Concert- October 2015

Once again, my wife knew exactly what to do and it was great. Outside of taking care of family concerns after my Dad passed away and coaching our team, I can barely tell you what is going on in the rest of the world, outside of watching the Mets beat the Cubs Tuesday night with Trosper.

Stephanie bought us tickets for the Foreigner concert at Centre College last night. It was really good. Those guys did a great job. I was very disappointed they did not do Headknocker - Foreigner (click this link to hear one of the greatest songs of all time),  my favorite Foreigner song, but it was still great.

As it worked out, I watched the Boyle County Rebels practice Wednesday afternoon before the concert. Jeff Hester, their DC, mentioned he had been to see Foreigner in 1982. Of course, he also had me show Coach Mike Settles the picture of Jeff and I from the opening game of 1982 for Garrard & Mercer. Jeff was a captain for Garrard and I was a captain for Mercer. We were both skinnier back then and we had hair. Don't ask me who won. I would rather not discuss that.

A few thoughts from the concert:

1- Those old guys with long hair, playing their guitars, singing, playing the drums,  reminded me of Coach Roger Gruneisen. If he had not been a football coach, I believe he would have been a great rock star. Roger would have loved the concert and worked it into a pregame speech today.

2- John Combs & Caroline were there. JCB learned to love this old music, riding with me to school and practice when he was growing up.  I am glad he loves the same music I love and that is a bond we will always have.

3- I couldn't help but think of growing up in Harrodsburg/Mercer County, playing HS football here, and of course my Dad, as I listened to those old Foreigner songs from the late 70s and early 80s.  Paris & Maysvlle/Mason County were great and I would not trade those experiences for anything, but I am really glad to be home and it was time for me to come home.

The kids in our lockerroom right now are having a great HS football experience. Going from 0-5 to being undefeated district champions and hosting every playoff game in November is a tremendous accomplishment for those guys they will remember the rest of their lives.  Our guys came off of losing 13 of 15 games over the past two seasons to win a district title. An incredible accomplishment and a testimony to their toughness and perseverance, and to their coaches as well.   I am excited about the remainder of our season. I am also glad these kids will always be able to look back on this season, be proud of what they did, and use this experience to help them always believe they have better days ahead of them as long as they continue to fight and do their best. I am thankful I get to experience this with the guys that play football in my hometown.

My wife Stephanie always knows what to do and she is the one that keeps the wheels on for our family. She was the reason I was at that concert last night.  I can't imagine anyone married a better person than I did, and by far the only person that would choose to put with me and have the ability to deal with me on a daily basis.

If you hear a good Foreigner song on the radio today, try to imagine Jeff Hester and me with hair.  :)

John William Buchanan- Obituary

John William Buchanan- Obituary

Life on this earth will never be the same. We had my Dad's funeral today. He has been the rock and the steady presence in my life for 50 years. My first and happiest football memories were with him when he coached HS football. I will miss our times together and especially our conversations. But, I am relieved and happy for him that his suffering is over. Because of Jesus Christ, I will be reunited with him and I look forward to that day.