olddawggreen
07-15-2007, 10:43 AM
Another Interesting Article;
Football power in disarray after firings
By BEN VOLIN
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2007
MIAMI — Brett Perriman, Antonio Bryant and Vernon Carey are just three of a long list of Miami Northwestern Senior High football players who starred in college and later in the NFL.
The 2007 team, coming off an undefeated state championship season, could be the school's best collection of talent yet.
"They've got what, 14 or 15 Division I NCAA prospects?" said South Fork coach Dennis Lavelle, who coached at Miami-Columbus for 27 years and was a district rival of Northwestern. "They're returning everybody."
Off the field, however, it is a program in turmoil. The head coach is gone. So are all of his assistants. The principal resigned in March. The longtime athletic director did the same earlier this month.
Quietly, the players continue to work out in preparation for defending their state title.
"We don't even need a coach," junior defensive end Alex Johnson said Friday in the school's parking lot. "We just stand by each other."
Head coach Roland Smith, who compiled a 69-13 record in his six seasons, was dismissed from the team and school Wednesday by Miami-Dade Superintendent Rudy Crew. So was Smith's entire staff, and a total of 21 teachers, coaches and counselors who helped cover up a sex scandal involving Antwain Easterling, the team's star running back.
Crew announced the decision Wednesday at a packed school board meeting, opting to punish the adults instead of canceling the Bulls' 2007 season, which he previously had threatened. Instead, the Bulls were put on one year of probation, and each player must achieve a 2.5 GPA to stay eligible instead of the normal 2.0.
"I couldn't believe it," Johnson said of Smith's dismissal. "I thought they were lying until I heard it on the news that night."
Several upset players discussed transferring to another school Thursday, though FHSAA guidelines make that difficult because the players already have participated in summer drills.
Easterling, who scored 32 touchdowns last season, was arrested Dec. 7 on charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor. He admitted to having sex with a 14-year-old girl in a school bathroom after a September game.
The school board recommended a 10-day suspension, but Easterling, 19, received no punishment from the school. Instead, administrators allowed him to play in the state championship game two days later, and he rushed for 157 yards in a 34-14 victory.
The coverup was discovered in February, and in June, a Miami-Dade grand jury concluded that administrators "allowed for the glory of football to trump the needs and safety of a little girl."
Easterling completed a 26-week pre-trial diversion program, and his conviction did not go on his record. He was heavily recruited by Florida and Miami, but instead signed with Southern Mississippi.
Palm Beach Gardens coach Kevin Fleury, whose team won the 2005 Class 6A state championship, said "without a doubt, it was the right call" to fire the coaching staff.
"If that's what football is about in this state, then I'm going to resign right now, because it's not worth it," Fleury said.
Northwestern is an F-graded school located in the heart of the crime-ridden Liberty City neighborhood in northwest Miami. The freshman class of 2005-06 had 924 students, but only 430 students graduated that year. Female students said Friday they are in fear of sexual predators. Police officers often are stationed outside the school, and were present Friday.
Even with all of the challenges the school faces, athletics remain a serious matter.
Under Athletic Director Gregory Killings - a school employee for 23 years - the Bulls won three state football titles and five track and field titles.
A documentary about the football team, Year of the Bull, debuted in 2003, and the school has its own merchandising line. The 2007 Bulls have 14 players ranked by Scout.com as NCAA Division I prospects, and they are ranked pre-season No. 1 in the nation by one high school sports magazine.
"Football is king, and they've been good forever and ever," said Lavelle, whose Bulldogs never have faced Northwestern. "When we played them, it was as classy a program as you could imagine."
Crew and new principal Charles Hankerson - the school's sixth principal in three years - are searching for a new coaching staff with the season less than a month away.
The two have dodged interview requests since Wednesday's meeting, while Northwestern players and coaches offered stern "no comments" throughout Friday's conditioning workout at the school.
A school board spokesman said he received requests from 30 different media outlets Friday, including ESPN, Fox and USA Today.
"This one incident has been so overwhelming. It just doesn't want to go away," said Ildiko Matchus, a media specialist at the school who never misses a football game. "We're all just tired of it."
Football power in disarray after firings
By BEN VOLIN
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 14, 2007
MIAMI — Brett Perriman, Antonio Bryant and Vernon Carey are just three of a long list of Miami Northwestern Senior High football players who starred in college and later in the NFL.
The 2007 team, coming off an undefeated state championship season, could be the school's best collection of talent yet.
"They've got what, 14 or 15 Division I NCAA prospects?" said South Fork coach Dennis Lavelle, who coached at Miami-Columbus for 27 years and was a district rival of Northwestern. "They're returning everybody."
Off the field, however, it is a program in turmoil. The head coach is gone. So are all of his assistants. The principal resigned in March. The longtime athletic director did the same earlier this month.
Quietly, the players continue to work out in preparation for defending their state title.
"We don't even need a coach," junior defensive end Alex Johnson said Friday in the school's parking lot. "We just stand by each other."
Head coach Roland Smith, who compiled a 69-13 record in his six seasons, was dismissed from the team and school Wednesday by Miami-Dade Superintendent Rudy Crew. So was Smith's entire staff, and a total of 21 teachers, coaches and counselors who helped cover up a sex scandal involving Antwain Easterling, the team's star running back.
Crew announced the decision Wednesday at a packed school board meeting, opting to punish the adults instead of canceling the Bulls' 2007 season, which he previously had threatened. Instead, the Bulls were put on one year of probation, and each player must achieve a 2.5 GPA to stay eligible instead of the normal 2.0.
"I couldn't believe it," Johnson said of Smith's dismissal. "I thought they were lying until I heard it on the news that night."
Several upset players discussed transferring to another school Thursday, though FHSAA guidelines make that difficult because the players already have participated in summer drills.
Easterling, who scored 32 touchdowns last season, was arrested Dec. 7 on charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor. He admitted to having sex with a 14-year-old girl in a school bathroom after a September game.
The school board recommended a 10-day suspension, but Easterling, 19, received no punishment from the school. Instead, administrators allowed him to play in the state championship game two days later, and he rushed for 157 yards in a 34-14 victory.
The coverup was discovered in February, and in June, a Miami-Dade grand jury concluded that administrators "allowed for the glory of football to trump the needs and safety of a little girl."
Easterling completed a 26-week pre-trial diversion program, and his conviction did not go on his record. He was heavily recruited by Florida and Miami, but instead signed with Southern Mississippi.
Palm Beach Gardens coach Kevin Fleury, whose team won the 2005 Class 6A state championship, said "without a doubt, it was the right call" to fire the coaching staff.
"If that's what football is about in this state, then I'm going to resign right now, because it's not worth it," Fleury said.
Northwestern is an F-graded school located in the heart of the crime-ridden Liberty City neighborhood in northwest Miami. The freshman class of 2005-06 had 924 students, but only 430 students graduated that year. Female students said Friday they are in fear of sexual predators. Police officers often are stationed outside the school, and were present Friday.
Even with all of the challenges the school faces, athletics remain a serious matter.
Under Athletic Director Gregory Killings - a school employee for 23 years - the Bulls won three state football titles and five track and field titles.
A documentary about the football team, Year of the Bull, debuted in 2003, and the school has its own merchandising line. The 2007 Bulls have 14 players ranked by Scout.com as NCAA Division I prospects, and they are ranked pre-season No. 1 in the nation by one high school sports magazine.
"Football is king, and they've been good forever and ever," said Lavelle, whose Bulldogs never have faced Northwestern. "When we played them, it was as classy a program as you could imagine."
Crew and new principal Charles Hankerson - the school's sixth principal in three years - are searching for a new coaching staff with the season less than a month away.
The two have dodged interview requests since Wednesday's meeting, while Northwestern players and coaches offered stern "no comments" throughout Friday's conditioning workout at the school.
A school board spokesman said he received requests from 30 different media outlets Friday, including ESPN, Fox and USA Today.
"This one incident has been so overwhelming. It just doesn't want to go away," said Ildiko Matchus, a media specialist at the school who never misses a football game. "We're all just tired of it."