blevins1491

I'm late joining this conversation, but would someone answer this question: if Coach Lennon did these horrible, unlawful things, and so many people apparently saw them happen: why hasn't a warrant been issued for his arrest? If, and until, someone comes forward with some proof, and he is suspended, or fired, or arrested, frankly, this stuff is hard for me to believe. This is against the law folks...IF it happened.

Yes, McClendon is cleared to play, thanks to LFO in Georgia, which did not respond to TSSAA's calls. They could have told the truth about McClendon's 10 days of spring practice (not 2, which was Signal Mountain's tall tale) but LFO showed a lot of class. Even though McClendon, his mother and Signal Mountain officials badmouthed LFO for two weeks, saying that teachers ignored him and students picked on him (!), and that LFO's tests were too hard for Tim to pass, LFO is giving Tim a free ride by not ratting him out. So good for McClendon. He gets to play. A good night for the kid and for Signal. (Of course, the truth took a beating in all this, but that's high school football, right?) And we now know that Signal Mountain gives tests that everyone can pass, and then graduate, not like mean old Georgia where some effort and knowledge are evidently required.

Tim McClendon will play, because LFO, the school he has lied about and trashed, has too much class to tell the truth to the TSSAA. In addition to all the other whoppers that have been told by the kid, his mother, his "mentor" and his coach, is the one about him participating for only 2 days in spring practice. Everyone at LFO (and their opponents) knows this isn't true. Spring practice lasts two weeks. He was perfectly healthy, and participated every day, all the way through the game. He told TSSAA he was only there 2 days, magically under the 3 day limit. Good rehearsals, Signal legal team! So I guess this healthy, full-time enrolled student showed up at practice the day before the game. I guess Coach Windham said, "Welcome Tim, good to see you. Sorry you missed the first 8 days, but go ahead, practice today, and you'll start tomorrow ahead of the guys who've been here for a week and a half." Yeah, I guess that's what happened. But LFO, knowing that Signal's fans would probably retaliate by destroying their school's property in the middle of the night, is quiet. Despite being hammered in the media as a bad school that mistreated poor lil' Tim, LFO will silently refuse to respond to TSSAA, and the lyin' Signal football program will be intact on Friday night. All in the name of academics, honesty and good sportsmanship of course. Go Illeagles!

Winners and losers: obviously Signal is a loser as a result of this scandal/fiasco. Principal comes out of it looking like a snoozing caretaker, the AD like a powerless bystander, Coach Price like a scheming madman, and "mentor-teacher-coach" Shane Roberson like a traveling sideshow. Some people think Tim McClendon and his mother look like angels for seeking a good education, but the evidence of inconsistency and "leaving LFO to get a good education" are not credible. Why would you leave a fine North Ga School with a good reputation "to get a better education" and then say "the tests at LFO were too hard, so we needed to get him into Signal." Wow. Signal parents & boosters also look bad for their hollow "Blind Side" claims that they're only interested in helping a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks. So much so, they bent every rule and used every bit of central office persuasion and legal firepower to do it. Yet they've been unable to come up with the name of one non-athletic, non-NCLB, out-of-zone "hardship" student they have pulled the same strings for. This was only about football, both to the student, who left an 0-10 football team for a state champ in the middle of summer, and to the coaches/administrators/boosters. Thank you TSSAA for stopping this crap before it got out of hand any further (and no doubt at Signal it would, if it hasn't already in another sport or two). As for the winners: first and foremost, schools that follow the rules. And yes, there are some hard-nosed principals and coaches who actually take this stuff seriously. And also, two schools in particular: Lakeview Ft. Oglethorpe, which has stood by, and watched, in a classy manner, as McClendon and Signal have used LFO as a scapegoat, implying that it's unsafe and provides a poor learning environment. That's BS and everyone knows it. Also Cleveland High, one of the great untold stories in this case. Cleveland's coaches and players spent a great deal of time, money and energy between McClendon's 10th and 11th grade years, taking him to football events, feeding him, practicing him, you name it. He had agreed to attend Cleveland (like his brother, who's there now). The notorious "mentor" then swept him away to LFO, much to the surprise of Cleveland, and the rest is history. Cleveland hasn't said a word, and I admire them for that. But it does serve as another example of the incredible "back-to-school shopping" this family has done, with the "help" of the so-called mentor. The result speaks for itself. As someone else pointed out, Tim's a kid, probably a good kid, who's been victimized by the awful advice of many adults in his life.

Here's a final: TSSAA 6, Signal Mtn Illeagles 0

I'll say this for the McClendon family: they give a whole new meaning to the term "back-to school shopping!"

Just heard a waah-mbulance headed up the mountain... But seriously, I think we'll see some new faces on the hill in the near future. Maybe in the principal's office, maybe the AD, and surely the ol' ball coach. And of course the "mentor" will take his unlicensed teachin' travelin' coachin' show to some other gullible school.

Hey, who knows? Signal could win, and indeed set a precedent. That would mean in the future, unlicensed, uncertfied "teacher-coach-mentors" can pack up, go to a new school in a different county and state each year, with a load of star athletes from faraway places in the back of the truck, and set up a football team! (Oh wait...that's already happened)

If your attorneys did their comedy routine in Murfreesboro for free: you got what you paid for.

It's impressive to me that Signal's pep squad has so much time to post here. As we all know, they spend most of their waking hours scouring the Brainerd community (and many other out-of-zone areas) for students who just want a safe school and a better education. And it matters not if they play football. They're just trying to make the world a better place. Now let's join hands and sing. Ah, Signal. Your open doors and selflessness are indeed impressive. Do you all have to make an appointment to convince the county to grant all these academic hardships, or can you just walk in any time? Please share all the stories of the out-of-zone, non-NCLB non-athletes who have been granted hardships to attend Signal. We'd love to read them.

Of course Signal's high-priced attorneys and PR team have put a fictional spin on all of this. The student couldn't pass Georgia's Gateway test? Talk to ANY high school teacher in Georgia. They'll tell you. It's almost IMPOSSIBLE to fail. And if you do, they will keep giving it to you until you graduate. The Signal spin is total, complete fiction. But then again, that's consistent with the way they run their football program. Deception, lies and poor sportsmanship.

Rule? What rule? We're Signal Mountain. We don't need no stinkin' rule.

Questions, questions. Where does player's momma live this week? Does Signal routinely hire teachers who are not certified, and have been fired from other counties? Or do they only do that if they're shopping around linebackers? How many colleges are going to be impressed by the player's statement that he wanted out of Georgia because the tests were too hard? How great is it that you don't have to be able to read & write to graduate from Signal Mountain?

Wait, what? Signal Mtn had a Hwy 58 kid on the roster too? Heck, let's just settle this once and for all, and make it all legal. Rename Brainerd "Signal Mountain East," Howard can be "Signal Mountain Downtown," Central can be "Signal Mountain 58," Lookout Valley can be "Signal Mountain West," LFO can be "Signal Mountain Georgia." Then, EVERYBODY can play for Signal Mountain!

I'm amazed at some of the posts I read from Signal Mtn supporters. This whole smelly affair is laughable. 1. Student attends (since 8th grade) Orchard Knob Middle, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (GA), Hixson, Howard, Brainerd, LFO (again) and now Signal. His home address: never changed. Always in Brainerd area. 2. During same time period, Teacher-coach "mentor" teaches at Orchard Knob Middle, Sequatchie County, LFO and now Signal. He was not rehired in BOTH Sequatchie and Catoosa Counties. 3. Somehow, this uncertified "teacher" miraculously gets hired in summer 2011 at the great Signal Mtn High School, the world-class school of excellence. I wonder if there were more qualified, certified applicants? 4. By coincidence, just two weeks after LFO spring game in which student played, this uncertified "teacher" just happens to bring along this 6-3, 230 pound football standout, who "fears for his safety," and "can't get a good education" at LFO (an outstanding school with great test scores...but a not-so-great football program) 5. The "teacher" goes to central office, requests and is granted a "hardship" for this athlete, I mean football star. School Board member for Signal Mtn. is Chip Baker, a Signal football parent. 6. Two weeks after LFO spring game, student writes on his Facebook page, "I am going to Signal Mountain to play football." What? I thought it was about reading and math. Meanwhile, the Signal faithful post on Internet boards that the student "is on track to graduate with honors from Signal Mountain." Which would come as a huge surprise to people at his previous schools, who say he rarely came to class, was usually tardy when he did come to school, and reportedly didn't earn many credits. Frankly, it's hard for me to sympathize with Signal, for its brazen disregard of rules and sportsmanship, or this student, who despite being far more physically gifted than many inner-city students, has allowed himself to become a pawn of ill-advised parents, "mentors" and coaches, who have jeopardized his future. There are needy students with far fewer "mentors," advantages and supporters who will graduate in 2012 because they have attended their zoned school, showed up for class, and not tried to circumvent the rules.