DeKalb County relieves two of coaching duties after forfeits
Lithonia and Stone Mountain were found guilty of using ineligible football players by the Georgia High School Association on Thursday.
The two DeKalb County schools must forfeit a total of eight wins — knocking both out of playoff contention. Also, Lithonia head coach Earl White and Stone Mountain assistant Clifford Browning were “relieved of their coaching duties” related to the violations, according to DeKalb County spokesman Dale Davis.
“We take great pride in our athletic programs and are very disappointed to learn of these violations,” wrote Davis in a press release. “All appropriate steps are being taken to correct the violations and prevent this from happening again.”
The forfeits turned out to be good news for Miller Grove and Chamblee, which will play each other on Friday for Region 6-AAAA’s fourth and final berth in the state playoffs. Southwest DeKalb, Marist and Tucker — none of whom were affected by the forfeits — have already qualified for the postseason.
Prior to the GHSA ruling, Stone Mountain was on the brink of qualifying for the playoffs under first-year coach Dante Ferguson with a 6-3 record. Stone Mountain played one ineligible player and will forfeit wins over Miller Grove, Forsyth Central, Lakeside and North Springs — dropping the team’s record to 1-8.
Stone Mountain retained its 20-19 win over Cedar Grove on Aug. 28 because it said the ineligible player did not play in that contest.
Meanwhile, Lithonia was found guilty of using two ineligible players and will forfeit wins over Forsyth Central, Chamblee, Miller Grove and Lakeside, along with paying a $700 fine to the GHSA. Lithonia’s record goes from 4-5 to 0-9 under White, who was in his second year as coach.
Also, the Lithonia-Stone Mountain game on Sept. 25 will go down as a rare “double forfeit” — 0-0 final score, with both teams awarded losses in the head-to-head competition.
Neither White nor Ferguson could be reached for comment, while DeKalb County athletics director Ron Sebree declined to speak.
The GHSA and DeKalb County officials did not reveal the names of the ineligible players.
Anyone have any inside info?
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131 comments Add your comment
BlackAngel
November 5th, 2009
8:07 pm
Sad sad
city slicker
November 5th, 2009
8:13 pm
awww man i was proud for these two programs turning it around umm another sad story in dekalb first the mcnair situation now this
SportsFan31313
November 5th, 2009
8:23 pm
Very sad… I guess you already know by now. 6-AAAA.
Falconsfan99
November 5th, 2009
8:25 pm
As a high school coach, I get to see this stuff happen all the time. There is such a ludicrous amount of cheating going on in high school sports and the GHSA normally just turns a blind eye to it. It basically teaches our kids that cheating is ok. So, THANK GOD the GHSA is finally doing something about it. I just wish they would look into stuff going on in 2nd tier sports like baseball and soccer.
Some Sense
November 5th, 2009
8:52 pm
This is mismanagement characteristic of everything about DeKalb County schools.
Can you imagine being a first year teacher assigned to any DeKalb County school not named Chamblee or Lakeside?
Crime, mismanagement, cheating, fear…name it.
Dale Davis, come on. There is no pride in DeKalb County.
NotU
November 5th, 2009
8:54 pm
If thats the case you need to cancel the rest,Sorry gwinnett season’s over.Start with Buford.
Jonas Grumby
November 5th, 2009
9:06 pm
I’m glad the kids weren’t named, but why were they ineligible? Was it age, grades, illegal recruiting or what? If it was recruiting, the coaches in Columbus need to take note. The illegal recruiting there has long been out of control.
killerJ
November 5th, 2009
9:39 pm
Man,I Played For Sequoyah High School In The Late Seventies ,Never Heard Of Anything Like This When We Played.Am I Out Of Touch Or Have The Rules Changed That Much Since We Played?Hell, We Played With D,s And F,s.Ilegal Recruting?What? They Don,t Live In The County?Even So,There Not Killing ,Robbing Or Stealing For A Living.Give Me A Break!What The Hell Is Going On In our Society?………..????………!!!!!!
Played at Stn Mtn
November 5th, 2009
10:24 pm
I went to Stone Mountain High School and i think it was the 1990 football year that the samething happened. The only team to beat us was Dunwoody by 3 points. In the end we had to forefit 3 games and knocked us out of the playoffs…
....
November 5th, 2009
10:33 pm
IM A STONE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A MAJOR MISUNDERSTANDING AND GHSA NEEDS TO LOOK BACK INTO THIS
heartofdarkness
November 5th, 2009
11:51 pm
It was in Georgia that I first heard that old athletic canon, “If you’re not cheating, are you really trying?”
dekalb guy
November 6th, 2009
12:03 am
not sure of the reason exactly, but this i know for sure, a player can step onto two different practice fields in the same year, meaning practice or play for two schools.
Scott
November 6th, 2009
12:27 am
Killer J…..how could you have played for Sequoyah High School in the late 70s when that school didn’t exist at that time?
Raider
November 6th, 2009
5:55 am
If you want to see a program out of control as far as recruiting, just come to Dublin and check up on the Irish.
Paddy
November 6th, 2009
6:35 am
“Win if you can,lose if you must but always cheat”
Paddy
November 6th, 2009
6:40 am
My regrets to the authors from above; “Handsome” Johnny Baron, “Magnificent” Maurice and Don Eagle. They always claimed to have been undefeated.
Hope2013
November 6th, 2009
6:41 am
If that’s the case someone should tell on Columbia High School,because the are the world’s worst at this.Please check on them GHSA if you call yourself checking the schools out.
Hey, Scott
November 6th, 2009
6:55 am
There was a different Sequoyah High School back in the ’70s that was in Dekalb County – I played against them, too, back in 1970, from Clarkston High School! The current Sequoyah High School, to which you refer, is not in Dekalb County. There were other high schools around back then in Dekalb that are not there now, such as Peachtree High School, Henderson High School, Walker High School, Gordon High School, and Shamrock High School.
dawgma
November 6th, 2009
6:57 am
TYPICAL BUSH LEAGUE ANTICS OF POORLY RUN PROGRAMS. VERY DEKALB LIKE.
All of this recruiting...
November 6th, 2009
7:00 am
…goes back to 1969 when Dekalb County started the much needed integraton of schools – when they went to the “M to M” (minority to majority) concept with the cross town busing is when this really got out of hand. How do you think Dunwoody won all those titles with kids from South Dekalb County? They just never enforced it like they do now. Chamblee is still able to get away with it because they are a “magnet school for high achievers” (they just stretch the “high achievement justification to include athletes as well as educational prowess).
But, look at all the “city” type schools – Gainesville, Buford, etc – they still recruit big time yet the GHSA looks the other way – quite two faced, but the other coaches in their regions just accept it and try to coach their players “up” to compete with them.
FanOfTheGame
November 6th, 2009
7:07 am
Sorry to see this happen. I grew up in Augusta, GA in 70’s. It was common place for star athletes to live outside of the district. Cheating was rampant. I am sorry for the kids. It is a tough lesson to take.
rwdekalbfan
November 6th, 2009
7:08 am
Well stated ” All of this recruting”.
Native Atlantan
November 6th, 2009
7:52 am
Cheating goes on everywhere, it starts in the youth rec leagues and just goes to the middle schools then high schools then college. I don’t condone it which is why I got out of coaching because it was too hard to compete and maintain your integrity.
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
8:01 am
I don’t think any other county can get on this blog and try to act as if this type of thing dosen’t occur at their school’s……..namley gwinnett county(parkview, brookwood) who have crossed over the dekalb county line for years to get player’s to come to their school’s. It’s too bad it’s been allowed to continue in the state without the GHSA doing something about it…..until they do it will continue.
Paddy
November 6th, 2009
8:17 am
Someone explain to me; why is it against the rules to recruit? Or maybe better stated, why is there such a rule. Does not seem to be a big deal in the real world!
Native Atlantan
November 6th, 2009
8:28 am
It is against the rules because people buy homes in certain counties and neighborhoods so that there kids can go to those schools. The taxes in those districts are often times higher but the parents sacrifice for their kids. If your kid can play they, colleges will find him, trust me, regardless of if your team is 0-10 or 10-0.
SMHS ride or die!
November 6th, 2009
8:40 am
dawgma why speak negatively on Dekalb without putting it out there where u from??? You probably was born and raised in Dekalb, moved away and turned your nose up! It’s all about the kids!! Nothing’s wrong w/ Dekalb…..The whole story has not been exposed as of yet b/c it’s still being investigated!!
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
8:43 am
Okay lets look at the big picture, the use of ineligible football players. Who is to say these were recruited athletes?
The biggest problem with high school athletics here in Georgia and many other big producing high school football states are just that “athletics first” and “grades secondly”.
Georgia is well recruited by college football programs all over the country however so many of our athletes do not or can not qualify for college because they have not taken care of the academics first. We need to look at who is at fault first the athlete, parents and coaches. Why reward a kid that has not taken care of his business first his grades.
However agreed that GHSA is also a joke because they do know and hear about these recruiting issues but yet they tend to ignore those issues because these programs keep the name of Georgia football in the top five of the best states in the country for high school. The old boy network still at work in Georgia.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
8:44 am
Some Sense
There’s plenty of pride in Dekalb County. You can’t let two dumb coaching decisions affect the pride of a whole county. I grew up in Dekalb County, attended school in Dekalb County and I know there is a disparity between how schools in the northern end of the county are treated better than our schools on the southern end. Everyone knows the schools on the southern end of the county are predominately black kids. Its been like that since I attended those schools and I’m in my early 30’s. The fact is those decisions to play ineligible guys during the season is dumb and they deserve the wrath that was brought down. Now because they coached at a county school it’s going to bring some negative light to the county as a whole but overall I hope it doesn’t tarnish what the county has been able to do and produce in the past.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
8:55 am
And before I forget “Some Sense”, this types of things happens everywhere all over GA. I heard someone mention Parkview and Brookwood, yes they do it too. Caleb King at UGA is a prime example of that. He started at Columbia HS as a freshman and ended up leaving to go play at Parkview. We had a guy at our middle school(Columbia Middle) that was offered a scholarship to play at Marist once he left the middle school.
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
9:00 am
Decatur 4 life for you to say that there is disparity between North Dekalb and South Dekalb is a bunch of crap. North Dekalb does more with less because they take it upon themselves make do with what the county provides. Everyone knows in our county we have to share revenue and share stadiums with unsuccessful programs throughout our county.
dgroy
November 6th, 2009
9:04 am
DeKalb County Schools for the most part…..there are exceptions……their athletic program, their athletic facilities are the pits. My children went to DeKalb Schools but there is no way under the sun I would let them go there now. Ron Seebre is a joke as an Athletic Director……the halftime show that DHHS put on last year at football games was the most racist demonstration I have ever witnessed. DeKalb County……wake up idiots and do something.
Paddy……All Private Schools recruit (my opinion) but it is done in such a manner that it’s never caught. DeKalb County does it all the time too and it’s overt……it’s called M to M Transfers.
Annie
November 6th, 2009
9:06 am
This is a bad day for high school football everywhere. My heart goes out to the players who remain on the team after all their hard work to qualify for the playoffs have been stripped from them. The athletic directors at both schools and the DCSS athletic department needs to investigated for their lack of accountability for the schools and most importantly the players…I know several of the players at Lithonia High School who are quality players from the local youth football programs who were making a major difference in the HS program and for this to happen to them is so unfair. I can not imagine what the player’s parents are feeling right now but heartbreak. To all the Bulldogs and Pirates players keep your heads up!
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
9:08 am
Check us out for what. We never played a guy that started the season somewhere else. That’s what got them in trouble, if a player transfers we follow the GHSA transfer rules. If you look at us you better look at everyone else in the county and the state.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
9:15 am
Big Picture
Are you familiar with the schools on the southern end of the county. That’s not my opinion that’s the truth. Coming from someone that went to school in the county and now teaches in it as well. I see the differences now just like when I was there. If you don’t know about it you can’t comment on it as being crap.
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
9:16 am
Enter your comments here
Jay Jones
November 6th, 2009
9:16 am
Check out Stephenson Middele School they have players playing with very bad grades. Some have four f and its just a way of life to them. They are in the Championship this weekend so thats all they are concern about call the school check it out what about education first, education first education first.
Former lithonia parent
November 6th, 2009
9:18 am
I am a former Lithonia parent and I know coach white and coach browning. My son played at Lithonia and is in college because coach browning help my son when know else will. Coach White is a liar thief and he is not here for these children at all just out for himself I know he started this whole mess. Coach Browning is a good man he is here for these kids he has help so many kids get in school. He talks and mentors these kids. We need more men like coach Browning. I know God will see him through this.
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
9:18 am
Give examples of disparity. All the new high schools are being built in the South end of the county. Name the newest high school in the North.
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
9:21 am
dgroy – M to M is no longer a program in dekalb county it was terminated about 5 or 6 years ago. but the transfer of kids from south dekalb to north dekalb school’s still occur’s just in a different form. The county doesn’t provide bus transportation to kid’s not in the magnet program so if a parent want’s their child to attend…say Chamblee…they must transport the child themselves…….of course they must provide some false documentation.
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
9:27 am
Decatur 4 life, we are way off subject now. If there is any truth to what Jay Jones stated above about Stephenson Middle School there is our biggest problem not only in Dekalb county but in our state period. “Football First – Education Second.”
Big Picture
November 6th, 2009
9:34 am
SWD Panther a majority of the kids that go to schools like Chamblee do it for the right reasons and not football. As for providing false documentation I think you are reaching. The thing that is allowing transfers are “no child left behind” special transfer request because their home school is on the failing school list.
SNN
November 6th, 2009
9:36 am
Does anyone need to read further than Dekalb county? I don’t. Thugs breeding and raising thugs.
Tom T.
November 6th, 2009
9:38 am
If you want to get run out of town on a rail… at your next booster club meeting, suggest high school athletes, especially football players, have regular drug testing like the Olympics. All the hypocrites who are talking about ethics will be on you in a flash!
kc15aa
November 6th, 2009
9:51 am
Many of the posters on this blog have demonstrated that their education level, or lack there of is as low as some of the kids they try to berate at the schools. It is a sad day when grown-ups attack our youth and make such harsh comments that are intent on causing hurt, and then complain when the kids are not successful. What a great example you are setting. Regardless of who is at fault the schools and the kids involved must live on because this is not life this is football. Those of you who jump on a computer to fire attack after attack have demonstrated that ignorance is rampant and thank you for that because I have one less person to compete with when trying to get ahead.
unhappy dad
November 6th, 2009
9:58 am
I must agree with the former lithonia parent. Coach browning is a wonderful person. Coach white is a liar!!! Coach white charged all the kids 100.00 to get equipment to play in a spring game. Then lied and said it was apart of the dues.GHS needs to check into all of the states schools for that matter. All of the schools is allowing this to happen. The reason why this was leaked out was because coach Browning left Lithonia. Coach white from lithonia was upset, that alot of the kids wanted out of the school. They felt like coach white was a liar and didnt have the means to get the kids into college. i just feel sorry for all the kids that was put in the middle of this.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
10:02 am
Big Picture
I agree, that is a problem. Here at Columbia we preach student first then athlete second. What these kids need to understand is there’s a price to pay to be an athlete. Not only do you have to work hard on the field but you need to work especially hard in the classroom. You can’t do one without the other, it doesn’t work like that.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
10:08 am
Big Picture
I sent a response to the disparity question but it must have gotten lost after I hit submit. The disparity includes shipping high-risk students to the schools on the southern end of the county no matter where they’re from, slow pace on field construction and facilities, the list goes on
Tucker
November 6th, 2009
10:09 am
M to M finally phased out last year – the kids who were already a part of it still got to transfer.
SportsFan31313
November 6th, 2009
10:17 am
This very sad that it had to come to this. Wasn’t it punishment enough to just forfeit the games? Those Coaches had to live with that. But firing them was a bit too far.
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
10:20 am
Big Picture “no child left behind” doesn’t allow you to transfer to any school. The receiving must have an available seating and school’s such as Camblee and SWD which are magnet school never have available seating so in order to get your child in those school’s you either have to live in the district or provide false documentation to get into those school’s. I know parent’s that are doing it……..so it’s not a ‘reach’ as you say.
LivininATL
November 6th, 2009
10:21 am
Jay JOnes….hopefully changes discussed in this article will shift priorities a bit…”State changes no pass-no play rule for middle school athletes”
http://www.ajc.com/news/state-changes-no-pass-186316.html?printArticle=y
mike
November 6th, 2009
10:26 am
Why were these kids ineligible? Was it grades, age, out ofdistrict? We’ll probably never know.
NotJ: Buford HS does recruit, they are not part of Gwinnett County school system. Buford has it’s own school system, just like Marietta. For the record, my kids are at Collins Hill HS, where Darius Walker Dallas Lee, Cody Getz, Marshawn Austin, to name a few kid playing or played college ball would have gone to school. If you live out of the Buford City limits 2k gets you into Buford HS.
As gor Gwinnett County being done. 3 of top 10 5A schools are from Gwinnett, including 1&2. Thankfully Gwinnett doesn’t play each other in round 1 of the playoffs. Don’t be surprised to see 2 Gwinnett teams at the dome in Dec.
Not Disappointed
November 6th, 2009
10:44 am
this is sad for Ga High School sports and Dekalb County.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
10:58 am
Jay Jones
That’s the coaches fault, they have a responsibility to make sure all of their players have met the grade requirements and so on. It’s amazing to me that the coaches would give them a false sense of the how things really are. The coaches are the ones to blame and that’s why they were fired.
dgroy
November 6th, 2009
11:02 am
It is sad for DeKalb County but, when you have the School Board/Administrative Idiots they have, it’s understandable.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
11:10 am
dgroy
How is a coach that breaks the rules a “School Board/Administrative” problem. The “School Board/Administrative” staff isn’t present at these practices, the decision to play players that aren’t yet cleared to play
is an infraction of the rules. That doesn’t make any sense anyway why would you allow someone to play without having the proper authourization. You open yourself up to problems down the road by doing that. The coaches made the decision and they had to pay for it, that’s all
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
11:16 am
Not Disappointed – it’s unfortunate for dekalb county school’s and I’m glad something was done to shine a spot light on the situation. But this is a rampant problem in the entire state Georgia and it occurs in most city’s and county’s……most turn a blind eye to it unless something blatant like this happen’s…..but rest assured once the commotion dies down it will go back to business as usual for everybody.
Region 6AAAA
November 6th, 2009
11:39 am
kc15aa,
I agree with you. Its sad that you bloggers attack these two programs and Dekalb county. Especially SNN you sound very ignorant because the “Thugs” coaching these so called “Thugs” happen to be highly educated men who just happened to get caught up in messy “soap opera” crap. The programs all over the state are doing the same things and GHSA doesnt do anything. On the flip side. I guess its all part of the game. This MONSTER we call recruiting will never go away. Its up to the programs to make sure all of their players have “LEGIT” paperwork and leave no room for any questions. There is a right way and a wrong way to play the game. Its unfortunate that these teams must learn the hard way. Im pretty sure once we send at least TWO teams to the Dome this year. Everybody will say Dekalb schools ALL CHEAT. Thats whats sad.
Stone Mountain Mother
November 6th, 2009
11:45 am
Thugz “coaching” Thugz.
That pretty much sums up this debacle.
These players and coaches will likely all wind up sharing prison blocks one day together. You can count on that.
Crime does NOT pay, Children.
Degenerate wastes of flesh, all of them!
DUMPLING
November 6th, 2009
11:47 am
This kind of thing happens everywhere. I went to a High School in Texas where I knew football players who were given sports cars to play for teams. Not a good message to send to our kids. Coaches should know better. They care more about winning than teaching good values and honesty.
james
November 6th, 2009
11:51 am
most rules violations would be academics but more commonly, there are violations about legitamate moves from one district to another.
I CAN'T BELEIVE IT
November 6th, 2009
12:07 pm
People do your homework before you start making false statement about players and schools. First, The truth has come out yet because they are still investgating. Secondly, If STEPHENSON MIDDLE SCHOOL is using players that failing 2 or more class. You can call down to the DEKALB ATHLETICS and report them. Don’t get on line and start crying because they beat or knock your school out the MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAYOFF, because this article is about SMHS and LHS. Not STEPHENSON MIDDLE SCHOOL playing kids with failing grades. AND LAST, It is true about the north end of the county and the south end of the county. The north end has been getting special treatmen every since Mr. HALFORD was SUPERINTENDENT of DEKALB COUNTY. When Dekalb County hired Dr. JOHNNY BROWN as SUPERINTENDENT of DC, HE EXPLOITED the whole Dekalb County School System. First of All You wouldn’t need M to M if the teach of EDUCATION was EQUAL. Why do you think parents in the SOUTH DEKALB were sending their children up NORTH. Plus the TEACHER and STUDENT RATIO were a whole lot different. For instant the teacher ratio at SWD WAS 40-1 were at CHAMBLEE IT WAS 18-2. Mr. Brown saw this and the next thing we knew he was fired, but the COUNTY still kept him their payroll for his IDEALS. So it is a big different between the north end and the south end. Just think alot of them school would close down if the children in the south area would go their HOME SCHOOL.
Coach
November 6th, 2009
12:42 pm
I will Tell you this untill Dekalb County fires Ron Sebree and start to give the schools the the money they earn, Dekalb county will continue to have a bad name. I have live and Coached thier for years and It is so messed up
RC Cola and a Moon Pie
November 6th, 2009
12:45 pm
Our school hosted Stone Mountain in a pre-season game and I found the parents and kids I interacted with to be very nice. I hate to see situations when the actions of a few affect the circumstances of all.
Decatur 4 Life
November 6th, 2009
12:50 pm
Coach
It’s not Sebree’s fault, that stuff was going on before he got that job. It’s too convenient for people to crucify the head when that’s been the practice of Dekalb Athletics for a long time even when Sebree was just a coach.
Golden Lion
November 6th, 2009
1:01 pm
“Stone Mountain Mother” has got it right.
I was at a Tucker Middle vs Stone Mountain game at Adams Stadium back in ‘04. Stone Mountain put a beatdown on the TMS kids. These were the Tucker kids who eventually developed into the state championship team. Why? Because Stone Mountain’s team was obviously full of high school aged players. They were too big, too fast, too developed and too BEARDED to be middle schoolers.
And then, at the end of the game it got uglier. The Stone Mountain “thugz” started a fight, ganged up on a couple of players and emptied their bench. If not for the actions of the Tucker coaching staff who went onto the field and physically separated the teams and removed the troublemakers, it could have been quite a mess.
Oh, the Stone Mountain coach? Never left his sideline. Just let the thugz have their fun…and seemed to be enjoying his moment in the sun. And after all why not – it was probably the last time his boys would win a game like that. They didn’t have the grades and would soon be too old to play high school football.
Thugz coaching thugz.
Region 6AAAA
November 6th, 2009
1:26 pm
I hate it most for the kids that have to endure this CRAP. Dr. Lewis came to the schools today and it was all for the cameras. This thing is a big “Dog and Pony” show obviously because those same DCSS persons present for the conference today will be the same ones celebrating when one of OUR SCHOOLS go to the dome. Dr. Lewis was shying away from questions the entire time and even got ran out of Lithonia from what I understand. They came to the schools to basically tell the players and parents that there is no appeals process. GHSA granted the eligibilty to the kid in question to start off. This whole thing is political and I hope the kids see how the world “really” works. Everything is a game and you have to CYA when you play the game.
Stone Mountain DAD
November 6th, 2009
1:48 pm
UnHappy Dad I agree with you. I watch coach Browning with the players everyday. He has brought out nothing but the best out of my sons. He is a great coach. A lot of people here do not know what has happen here. People calling our kids Thuzs, When was the last time you went to the school and look around.The hold STM community has change. A sence of pride was restored.Everyone is so quick to tear do these kids. Thats all they are Kids. We had some grown folks that decided to play with fire.Golden Lion I Know about that game your talking about . You said Stone Mountain, It started with Tucker Middle coaches, now if your going to tell something tell it all.
The Kids at both schools did not deserve this. I look into the eyes of these young men and I’ve seen the hurt in there eyes.. And I tell them thank you for what you have done.
now my question to all you people that call the kids thuzs ( HAVE YOU LOOK THEM IN THE EYES). To God Be The Glory………
I CAN'T BELEIVE IT
November 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
STONE MOUNTAIN MOTHER SOUND LIKE SATAN TALKING ABOUT GODS CHILDREN LIKE THAT WISHING. GOLDEN LION DON’T THINK TUCKER IS ALL THAT BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOLS HAS SOME PROBLEMS AND ISSUES. SOME LET THEIR OUT AND SOME HIDE THEIRS. SO QUIT TALKING ABOUT THESE KIDS LIKE THIS ON BLOG JUST PRAY FOR BOTH SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING ARE THE PLAYERS.
Teresa
November 6th, 2009
2:29 pm
They need to look into each and every school. This is going on everywhere! They especially need to look into schools like Stephenson where several kids “share” the same address. I know of coaches asking teachers to give grades so a team can win. It’s really very sad. However, I am a parent of a Stone Mountain High player and it really is hertbreaking. They played so hard and well this year. These kids had nothing to do with the actions of these adults but now have to hang their heads in shame? Unfair. I hope they investigate ALL if the teams and not just make an example of these. If there is so much “pride” in Dekalb they will make all teams subject themselves to the aforementioned integrity.
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
2:50 pm
stone mountain mother,
You need to be ashamed of yourself. I doubt if you are who you say you are. A mother doesn’t speak like that.
Bill Kincaid
November 6th, 2009
2:56 pm
McNair situation? I went to Peachtree High School and we had a Coach McNair. I am very curious what happened and if this is the same McNair that gave me so much scorn for not being a jock. Can somebody give me any details? Thanks!
SWD Panther
November 6th, 2009
3:23 pm
Bill Kincaid,
that’s a reference to the NcNair High School football coach being fired a couple of day’s before the season started.
Golden Lion
November 6th, 2009
4:13 pm
Stone Mountain DAD & I CANT BELIEVE IT – I saw what I saw that day. Doesn’t mean Tucker was any better or without any blame.
I am glad you are angry. There is only one way that this kind of stuff gets cleaned up – by parents who demand better for their kids in their school community. So get angry and fight for it.
Piratefan
November 6th, 2009
4:20 pm
Golden Lion
You are a liar. Stone Mountain Middle School legitimately put the beatdown on Tucker Middle School back in ‘04. I believe the score was 26-8. Could have been worst because the refs called back at least two touchdowns. There were no bearded players and they were all MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS!!!! Not one thug among them, unless you consider black players “thugs”.
Next, when the game was over, it was Tucker Middle School players who walked across the field displaying bad behavior and attempting to start fights with the baby Pirates. What was worse, an assistant coach from THS wanted to start a fight with the head coach because he was upset at the lost. The school police had to restrain the THS assistant coach, who, by the way, was about to get into a fight with THS’ head football coach during the game. Talk about class. SMMS’ head coach displayed great restraint in not reacting to THS’ assistant coach’s monkey show. I would have slapped the fire out of him, but that’s just me.
You need to get your facts straight before coming on here. You never know who will be reading this stuff.
.......:)
November 6th, 2009
4:22 pm
I am a student at Lithonia Highschool and i think this isnt the teams fault so why punish them because the coach had enrolled students that were maybe 18 or 19 playing or not even playing just on the team…They werent informed so why punish them its stupid because the team actually did good this year better than last and to loose it all its dumb and a fine of 700$ for what may i ask???Let the LHS students know explain this to us GHSA
I CAN'T BELEIVE IT
November 6th, 2009
4:25 pm
nobody is angry about something that happen back in 2004.Its the name calling of our children when we get angry because they are our children or young men no matter what school they go to or the color of their skin. People forget these are young teenagers.
Stone Mountain DAD
November 6th, 2009
4:31 pm
Golden Lion did I say that I’m angry?No I did not. I just said that before you open something and speak on it,tell the whole truth about that 2004 Tucker and Stone Mountain middle school game. That’s Old Old history. Talk about your players last yr that stayed out side of Dekald, but use a dekalb address. No let’s keep that quite that’s Tucker the defending Champs.
GA Sports should and I mean Should look at each and every team roster and boy will there eyes be open.
StoneMountain Mother that’s kids. What do you know about the players? These kids are very crush. It was grown folks Men that got us into trouble. Its sicking to know that people bring up stuff after the fact. Talk about it then not now
stonepirate
November 6th, 2009
4:55 pm
thats not fair how stone mountain coach Dante Ferguson just started coaching at a high school in his first year and he brang this school a winning record. its a shame of wat der doin jus because lithionia doesnt have a chance 2 go 2 da playoffs that doesnt mean 2 ruin stone mountain’s chances
GA FOOTBALL FAN
November 6th, 2009
4:57 pm
Dekalb find something else to do . No other county is dumb enough to comment on this…nobody else.
Dekalb MOM
November 6th, 2009
5:46 pm
To the Dekalb haters:
Stop bashing the entire county…I suspect that this happened in other counties as well. Doesn’t make it right but this does not mean it is representative of the entire county.
rwdekalbfan
November 6th, 2009
5:51 pm
Does anyone know what prompted this investigation or why it was not discovered earlier in the season. Lets hope the Stone Mountain and Lithonia fans show up and support these kids in this final game. Both teams exceeded their preseason expectations and the fans and supporters should be there tonight in support.
Ms. Mitchell
November 6th, 2009
5:51 pm
Parents and others, it truly saddens my heart at some of the comments that have been left, I am a very proud Stone Mountain High school mom, Dunwoody High school mom and Towers High school mom. These young men did nothing wrong, they showed up for practice and played a good game and for some of you to leave comments that you have left (Thugz coaching thugz) is totally out of line and it is a horrible thing to say. These children are our future. Think about it what if your child’s school was going thru the same thing, and they just happen to look at this blog and read all of the horrible things, how do you think they would feel, I think that you should have a little compassion for these young men. Please parent let’s be the example for our children, they truly need us, let’s not turn this into a race war. Pirates, I am so very Proud of all you! Coaches job well done. Cheerleaders and Coach you were AWESOME! May Peace and Blessings be with all of us.
86
November 6th, 2009
6:38 pm
“I’m glad the kids weren’t named, but why were they ineligible? Was it age, grades, illegal recruiting or what? If it was recruiting, the coaches in Columbus need to take note. The illegal recruiting there has long been out of control.”
The rumor is that one of the players ineligible had played for both schools at one point
Get Real
November 6th, 2009
10:41 pm
What a bunch of idiots in Dekalb schools….typical for the clientele of those schools.
The Good Thing
November 6th, 2009
11:40 pm
The good thing about this is that Chamblee won tonight and i believe stone mountain lost to southwest dekalb, so all of this didn’t effect the playoff picture anyway. With that being the case the forfeits only effect a few numbers on a paper, and these kids can still be proud of what they accomplished on the field and learn from their coaches mistakes. hopefully both programs can rebound and continue improving, but do it the right way.
HMMMM
November 7th, 2009
12:26 am
It’s sad that everybody is on here chatting and no one knows what they are talking about. This is about one coach taking a kid from Lithonia to Stone Mountain with him, and then trying to say it’s about the kids!!! Yeah right. If you are in this for kids, why brain wash a kid into making a terrible desision like that. Can’t fault the coaches at Lithonia for reporting them. IT WAS WRONG!! Eligiility should be handled by Principals and Athletic Directors, not coaches. This stems from one coach doing something wrong at Stone Mountain and telling on Lithonia cause he got in trouble. Just was sloppy paperwork on Lithonia’s part. Good job on a great season to both programs.
Shibbermetimbers
November 7th, 2009
6:37 am
HMMMMMM
It’s a little more than that….and you need to check your facts. White was upset with the mother of the player for leaving. She was planning on moving anyway for personal reasons. They even offered the use of a vehicle to keep the player at Lithonia. Did you know that?
The mother registered the player in Stone Mountain. The school accepted the paperwork from the mother and that paperwork was used to certify the player and this was all done according to GHSA rules. He was eligible to play. Don’t know what happened after that. Maybe she gave the school a false address. I heard that White did some underhanded things to get back at the mother for moving the player and he had a long battle with one of his former coaches who is an assistant coach at Stone Mountain.
I also heard Lithonia had a player on their team who was a senior last year. Is this true, HMMMMMM? It was White who started this mess not Stone Mountain. More information will eventually come out. It’s a shame that players at both schools got caught up in the soap opera of high school football in Ga. I really hate it for our first year head coach. He walked into a mess trying to turn things around and did it only to have to face this situation because a bitter old coach was trying to get one last hoorah and get to the playoffs. It backfired and his coaching is over.
This thing has more to it. I also heard that the former head coach at Stone Mountain is still at the school causing trouble. He’s a bitter old man just like White. He still sore about being let go. Some of his former assistants are coaching at Lithonia. I smell a rat!
Maybe if the principal and athletic director at Lithonia would have checked the paperwork, they would have found that some of their players weren’t certified by GHSA. Is that the reason they were fined $700? Stone Mountain wasn’t fined and they still have their head coach! That should tell you something.
Red Elephant
November 7th, 2009
6:58 am
I am reading all these comments and cannot believe some of the grammar, spelling, sentence structure and overall thought process when trying to deliver a message. Is sum of yall gradated frum
3 third graded?
Shibbermetimbers
November 7th, 2009
7:02 am
Red Elephant
Is my grammar and spelling proper?
doc
November 7th, 2009
8:01 am
If anyone believes that this is the only case in metro Atlanta, make sure that you wait for santa clause at Christmas.
ificoulddoitagain
November 7th, 2009
8:09 am
Red Elephant…I was just about to say the same thing. I am appalled by the grammar in this blog. Embarrassing would be the best word to describe it.
Region 6AAAA
November 7th, 2009
8:51 am
I am also amazed at how people are so quick to get on the computer, with grammar like my son who is 2 years old. Some of you people better be glad that we dont know where you come from because that would explain a bunch. Some of you see this as the opportune time to rip Dekalb county schools and thats cool, the laugh is on us right now. This whole thing is about Lithonia’s coach being bitter that Stone Mountain, not only beat them, but was on the verge of clinching the playoff spot Lithonia wanted. Like a suicide terrorist attack, Their coach decided to take Stone Mountain down knowing he was going to be exposed as well. The sad thing is that he was only thinking of himself and not the children that worked their butts off to even contend with the playoffs. Lithonia has coaches from Stone Mountain’s old staff so it is also rumored that they dont want to see Stone Mountain successful because they were fired along with the head coach from last year. Its rumored that the head coach from last year could be a suspect in supplying the address to Lithonia as they hired a private investigator to see if the transfer, who WILL play college ball next year, really lived in the SMHS district. Its sad that grown men are so caught up in their egos that they forget that this is all about getting kids into college and making them better young men. Coach White will probably never be able to coach in Dekalb again and it serves him right. I really hope Stone mountain’s old head coach does not have anything to do with this. I heard he still works at the school and is known to HATE on the new regime there. I wish some ADULTS would get a life and stop trying to ruin careers of young men whose lives are about to take off. Its sad that people on here speak the way you do as well. Dekalb county is still a respectable county in the state of Georgia. ACADEMICALLY, you have schools such as LAKESIDE, CHAMBLEE, TUCKER, DUNWOODY, SWD, that are extremely successful, and STONE MOUNTAIN, in some areas. ATHLETICALLY, you have schools such as SWD, TUCKER, CHAMBLEE, STEPHENSON, MLK, TOWERS, AVONDALE and DUNWOODY that will be in this year’s football playoffs and LAKESIDE, MILLER GROVE that excel in other sports i.e. Soccer, Track and Basketball. You people must stop attacking Dekalb. All that happened was a bitter coach snitched on something that happens all over that state because he wasnt going to the playoffs. If you want to attack something I think we all should attack Lithonia’s coach for 1) Being a sore looser and 2) Turning someone in and not having his paper work in order. This is where this whole situation stems from. I got a feeling the Pirates will be back, but Lithonia has to bring in ANOTHER head coach and that my backfire for that program, at least in the beginning. I wish REGION 6AAAA well in the playoffs.
The truth
November 7th, 2009
9:13 am
Here goes….
The coaches from LHS and SMHS coached with each other last year and from what I here is was a difficult relationship. Coach Browning left LHS to become head coach at SMHS. Three players went with him. Players can only transfer school and play sports if their school did not make AYP. Both of those school made AYP. Because of that, the player that has transferred must sit out a year. No one sat out.
About two weeks ago, AJC published that the 4th seed would be between LHS, Chamblee, and SMHS. Due to the pressure, Coach White wrote a letter to GHSA saying that SMHS was playing ineligable players. They were inestigated. Coach Browning found out and decided to tell that LHS was playing ineligable players as well. They were investigated as well. Both teams were found guilty of this and had to forfeit games. No failing grades, no thugs, no payoffs, nothing. Now if you want to talk about recruiting, lets talk about how Parkview was an elementary school two years ago offering to move a parent to gwinnett for so that her son could play for them. All this talk about Stephenson Middle school and their failing football team. Please believe that Gwinnett is ALWAYS stepping over that county line to recruit those players making offers to the parents that they cannot refuse.
NGHS4STATE
November 7th, 2009
9:22 am
Ummmm yea… its called BUFORD. Look into them.
Red Elephant
November 7th, 2009
9:34 am
Shibbermetimbers:
Well spoken and delivered. No errors found.
Pirate Alumni
November 7th, 2009
10:05 am
If you want to keep kids in your school the remedy is simple. 1) Get QUALIFIED coaches and 2)Just WIN baby. Lithonia has a problem with both obviously. They wouldnt have to hate if this wasnt the case. This makes me upset and creates a rivalry that really isnt a rivalry because Lithonia hasnt beat Stone Mountain since the 80’s. I hope Coach White is fired from Dekalb all together. Cant blame Browning if the kid’s parents enrolled the kid in school. I believe our country operates under FREE WILL and nobody put a gun to anyone’s head. White will be Blackballed because everyone in GA does it. Who really tattles on someone like that. Only a HATER. Another “crabs in a bucket” situation amongst predominantly black schools. And for that, I HATE COACH WHITE FOR RUINING OUR SCHOOL’S SEASON. I HOPE HE NEVER FINDS WORK IN FOOTBALL AGAIN!
pirate student
November 7th, 2009
11:18 am
Instead of arguing and saying whose the fault it is remember these football players have done so much to get where they are and all of its gone because of adults. They play football because they love it leave them alone and move on the damage has been done.
golden lion
November 7th, 2009
11:18 am
too bad yall cant git into st pius