OHS On The News

[802 Warrior]

Sorry 802, it wasn't an OHS person that started the last thread that was deleted. Their user name was a regular RHS poster, not a new one. It was definitely a Riverdale person and I am very certain that it was you. It was NOT TDC, hs sports fan, riverdale,riverdaleman, or Lost Old dad. If it wasn't you, it was I bleed Cardinal. And since I Bleed Cardinal hasn't jumped all over this one on this thread, and YOU have...well the evidence points to you. And "whoever" it was definitely said they knew Pico's family well and were close to the situation and had the inside on it. Now I am not accusing you of "convincing" her to go to the media like she did......but I think maybe some others are getting that VERY impression that you did a lil stirring of that pot.

 

GEEZ......I hope you are wrong about the WCmom......I do NOT want a male coming up to give me a kiss. Believe it or not....when I was Region on the T, I listed my email address several times in threads and I actually had folk send me emails from WC at that time thanking me for my support. I also regularly communicated with folk, including players and fans at Riverdale. Whether you believe me or not is no matter to me. I don't have the ability to post during the day because my work usually doesn't allow for that. I don't have to prove anything to you whatsoever. And I certainly do not have to pose as another person to give myself a pat on the back.

 

Now back to the topic........seems like the OHS team is healing and getting the focus where it needs to be. Sometimes GOD sends you the answer to your woes in the most unlikely way. And I think GOD is in the house at Oakland.

Ask the moderator who locked the post if he had any documentation on who started the thread...cause it was not me. I have met Pico a few times, never said I was very close friends with him. The gap in age is one reason but I just dont know the kid very well...and the first I had heard of this situation (the whole story) was in yesterday morning's DNJ.

[redcat13]

i don't know who's right or wrong here but i think if my son experienced abuse at the hands of a coach he would not be back playing for said coach. furthermore if i witnessed a coach abusing a player on my kid's team then he would not be back either. life is a little bit more important than football.

i don't think i would have waited until he got kicked off the team for something else before i waged a war at that coach.

 

You go Riddlers! Soem of these parents and players accusing abuse in August yet they have alloiwed thier sons to continue to play for the man into late September? Anybody else noticing that those complaining are mostly sophmore mommas whose sons are not getting to play for the first time in thier careers? Welcome to 5A football, weenies! Mrs. Nance said it best when she talked about her son's freshman accomplishments--it's all about her son not getting to play--not the team. It's a shame that this has gotten any press whatsoever. As for the few that are complaining, where are all the players and parents that support Ferguson? They were supposedly not allowed to speak to the media, or the media chose not to give thier comments equal time.

[gomabsilk]

and what I mean is that people act like a coach, who is always going to put up a "good guy" character in front of faculty & parents, can not do anything wrong. I don't think this is an act out of a player's parents getting mad because he does not start. but i know everyone of you would take action on a coach if your son or daughter made a very bad complaint about them(the coach). even if you found out later it was a lie, you would have done the right thing by investigating it. the faculty seems too careless of this situation. i think it will haunt them and then they will see how much a "good guy" this guy is.

 

 

 

First I will ask you like I asked the other poster that is taking up for the coach based on irrelevant facts...were you there to see what happened? If not, you can not say what happened. Im sure Coach Ferguson has been a positive guy for most of the 10 yrs he has been with OHS, but the question is...was he using excessive force on that day in August. This is not about what he has done the other years, its about that day. I don't care what Pico, Cord or any of the players have done...the coach is an authority figure and he need to conduct himself as such without abusing that power. Now, I will continue to say, if a woman who has nothing to gain-probably more to lose with her son being a member of the team, is willing to speak with the media and give her name, she may be considered a credible witness-unless proven otherwise.

Being around sports for most of my life, I understand why Pico and other players would stay on the team...because they want to play. Its that simple. You are talking about 15-18yr olds, they are not going to initially take a stance because of fear of loss of playing time or even loss of opportunities to further their football days past high school.

 

Im not going to say anymore about whether the guy is a racist or not, because I don't know. I hope he is not. But I will say that your comment about how he accepted Cord does not mean he definitely is not. The same way I said just because he has kicked a lot of blk players off the team doesn't mean he is. For racism to occur it doesn't mean it has a direct effect on every individual, there are those they may not be victims of it while others are.

[gomabsilk]

I really think that oland has covered most of the basics on this , but I would like to point out a few things.

First of all my son played for Coach Ferguson. Never did he exhibit any of the things that he is being accused of at any time....whether in wins or in losses. I have attended many scrimmages, football games, and practices in that time frame. In fact I have missed exactly ONE game and ONE scrimmage in the 10 yrs that Coach Ferg has been on staff. In fact, he is one of the reasons that I still support football at Oakland High School. So I feel like I can effectively ascertain the character of one Coach Ferguson. Coach Ferg is probably the most positive man I have ever known. He always has a kind word and an open door policy . In fact, maybe that may be his downfall....he cares too much for the players???

 

1. Pico made his choice to play on this team. He asked for a second chance when he was removed , and he got that chance. If Ferg was SO brutal on him that day in August, why was he STILL on the team on Sept 16th? If he was so scarred and scared, he should NEVER have been able to go back. And if other players felt that excessive forse was used........they would have quit that day out of fear that the same would happen to them. Surely someone should have seen that racial, abusive personality...so why did he still have kids playing on the team? And how can a lady in an Expedition in the end zone outside of a chain link fence clearly see what is going down at the far end of the practice field anyway? And can she show me where she tool Pico to the Dr that day in August you know when his eyes were rolling back in his head? I would like to see the PROOF. If she was so bothered about his health, then she would have rushed him to the ER, right?? so does she have the documented proof ?

 

2. If Pico was so dedicated to this team, he would have chosen to dress in his football uniform to escort the young lady at Homecoming. I have seen tons of players participate in Homecoming in their uniform. He CHOSE otherwise. A bit suspicious as to why this went to the news after he was booted and not before that time frame. I mean the so-called incident was in August. Because of the score...I think he should have known he would get some playing time in that game.

 

3. Ferg has been cleared by three separate bodies of power. I repeat THREE. That means NOT GUILTY.

 

4. If he has a history of abuse and cruelty, why has no one challenged him about it before? This is his tenth year at OHS. Surely...he would have flipped out sometime in that time span if this were something in his nature.

 

5. About Cord, he attended basically no practices this summer. Ferg was getting ready to kick him off the team because that violated the team rules. His Mother came to Ferg and explained a "situation" and asked him to keep Cord on the team. He complied because he cares about Cord. Now if he is the racist that you are implying and quick to kick kids off.....wouldn't he have used that opportunity and breaking of the rules to rid the team of Cord?

 

To sum up......I hate that all of this has gone down. I always enjoyed watching Pico play. I think he has gotten caught up in this by an over-zealous mother who has gotten others to try to ride shot-gun with her. The folk being hurt are the players on the team. That is what is so sad...and if we were 5-0 right now......how much do you want to bet that Pico's mom would never have said a word?

But look at the timing!!!! Why wasn't this addressed in August?

 

 

Well, I have a nephew on the team who was sitting right there also...but if we are going to go by the kids that were there, then why is everyone ignoring the possible victim, who is saying he shook him and pushed him?

 

As for the comment about Youree running. YOU MADE MY POINT!!! Why was he given the opportunity to run, but others were kicked off? Im just not willing to believe that all of the blk kids refused an opportunity to run to stay on the team. Now you sit back and think about what you just said.

[gomabsilk]

I will have to say that oland is right about coach ferg, he really is good to his players, i havent ever played for him, but i know players on the team now and players that played when ferg was just an assistant coach and they all say the same thing, and like let em play said, the little things like the helmet slapping or pad hitting is just football

 

 

I guess when its not your own kid, it is just a grab of the pads or "just football"...

[gomabsilk]

riverdaleman, I do happen to know who oland is and he does have many cousins who play football at various schools in this area. One is at RHS ( I mean dang yall have 100 to choose from), one is a freshman at Siegel, and one at OHS on varsity. But none at Blackman, Smyrna, or Lavergne. And I wish we had the other 2 cousins with us at OHS.

 

And yes......this was that situation before. And like I said...if I really thought my son had been abused, first I would take him to the ER to get checked out for his rolled back eyes....and to see if there were any bruises on his body....which she didn't do. 2nd...I would take out a warrant and have said person arrested. Which she did not do. Obviously she knew about the incident that night by her own admission as a parent called her . So then he should have been taken to the ER.....but he wasn't.......now who is negligent here? a good defense lawyer would have a field day on this one....

 

 

You say she didnt take out a warrant...well what does this quote from the article mean?

 

The sophomore's mother said she contacted Rutherford County Sheriff's investigator David Hailey about what happened, and she's waiting for a grand jury hearing to determine if charges should be brought against the coach.

[gomabsilk]

Look I don't have a dog in this fight but I read the DNJ today. If even I can pick up some contradictions in Ms Nance's story and those of her son's simply by what she said yesterday, then I would hope an officer of the law and the superintendent could do so as well. And it looks like they did. And there is definitely some back-pedalling going on. I would give you a link, but how amazing that this one didn't end up online that defended Ferguson by clearing him and showing what Pico told the school board.

I remember an incident awhile back with 2 black players and something about a workout sheet. Coach allowed them to run the bleachers or be kicked off. One ran and is STILL on the team and one walked off on his own accord. So guess your theory busts with that one, silk. Both were given the opportunity to run to stay on the team. Maybe your nephew FORGOT to mention that? Maybe some of these ohs people can give us the names of these guys.

,

 

 

If the grand jury is still reviewing the case then Coach Ferg haven't been cleared. Yeah he may have the support of his superiors, but that is only because they have to do that to watch their own backs, and not open themselves up for possible legal actions.

By the way, I know more about the incident of the running than you would imagine, and you may not know the full story. If you weren't one of the kids running, you probably don't know as much about what happened with that than I do.

[bubba71c]

i will make a prediction right now. this will never make it through the grand jury. no charges will come against coach ferguson. his name will only be run in the ground. this pico kid will play football some where else. with the facts given and gossip going on, this is the future of the case. you can bet on it.

[starzballa06]

I guess when its not your own kid, it is just a "grab of the pads" or "just football"...

considering it's coach ferg... it is jus a smack on the helmet or a hit on the pads, and if he cant take that, then he's not made for football, i mean i do not know this kid or anything about him, but i know coach ferg and people who have played for him, i know 2priceless knows oakland football probably better than anyone on here, just ask him what goes on

[starzballa06]

I guess when its not your own kid, it is just a "grab of the pads" or "just football"...

considering it's coach ferg... then yea it is jus a slap on the helmet or grab of the pads and if he cant take that then he shouldnt be playing football, but i mean i dont kno this kid or his mom, but i do kno coach ferg and people who have played for him, i kno 2priceless knows oakland football, probably better than anyone on here, so jus ask him and he'll tell you

[Thesportsreporters]

considering it's coach ferg... then yea it is jus a slap on the helmet or grab of the pads and if he cant take that then he shouldnt be playing football, but i mean i dont kno this kid or his mom, but i do kno coach ferg and people who have played for him, i kno 2priceless knows oakland football, probably better than anyone on here, so jus ask him and he'll tell you

 

 

if they know OHS football so much, can they explain why the coach can't get this situation under control?

do y'all really think a parent would go this far because of a child not playing? NO! i know of this parent and it's not about playing time. like i said we saw what happened to the other coach in this similar situation across town, so when the grand jury decision is over I guess we will see.

 

oh and she did take him to the ER.

 

 

 

and it has made it to the grand jury.

[bubba71c]

it doesn't take much to make it to the grand jury. I said it would never make it through the grand jury. My prediction is still that nothing will come of this. sort of like all of r'dales alleged recruiting scandals, it's all a bunch of smoke.