OAK RIDGE COACH SHOWS POWER?

[Centerfield]

I have never met the coach from Oak Ridge, nor do I know anything about him, but I am shocked that everyone is taking offense to his actions in this situation. One of the most important things a coach could ever teach a high school student/athlete is responsibility. Too many kids, do not learn this at home, so that makes it even more important for a coach to teach it. If the young man did not show up with the right socks, he must be held accountable for that. What if he graduated from high school and got a job working somewhere that required a certain uniform. If he did not show up to work in that uniform, he would be fired or SENT HOME AND NOT ALLOWED TO WORK THAT DAY. If the young man did not know exactly what he was supposed to have, he should have brought everything, so he would be prepared. It's better that he learn this on picture day, than gameday! because he certainly would not be allowed to participate without the proper uniform on game day. Maybe, this coach has put this young man in a position to be responsible enough that this will never happen to him again and the other players watched and learned too. After all, students have to start learning responsibility and being held accountable for their actions at sometime.

[Sequatchie]

Posted by Centerfield:

I have never met the coach from Oak Ridge, nor do I know anything about him, but I am shocked that everyone is taking offense to his actions in this situation. One of the most important things a coach could ever teach a high school student/athlete is responsibility. Too many kids, do not learn this at home, so that makes it even more important for a coach to teach it. If the young man did not show up with the right socks, he must be held accountable for that. What if he graduated from high school and got a job working somewhere that required a certain uniform. If he did not show up to work in that uniform, he would be fired or SENT HOME AND NOT ALLOWED TO WORK THAT DAY. If the young man did not know exactly what he was supposed to have, he should have brought everything, so he would be prepared. It's better that he learn this on picture day, than gameday! because he certainly would not be allowed to participate without the proper uniform on game day. Maybe, this coach has put this young man in a position to be responsible enough that this will never happen to him again and the other players watched and learned too. After all, students have to start learning responsibility and being held accountable for their actions at sometime.

 

 

 

What if the player didn't have the proper socks or could not afford them is there a special sock he is supposed to wear?:confused: How does he explain to family when they come and see him play why his picture isn't in the game program or team picture?

 

If other players and Coaches were outraged as was said the then they should have quit and let this coach see how he can coach without players!

 

This is Very Very !!

[ohreally]

Centerfield,

 

Teaching personal responsibility is admirable. However, the punishment should fit the crime. Perhaps we should start giving lethal injections to jaywalkers or kick all the players off the team who can't hang up their uniforms to the coach's expectations!

 

I hate to think what that player will tell his family when they can't find his picture in the yearbook or football program. "Gee, Mom! I forgot my socks so the coach sent me home!" What a wonderful high school memory for that player and his family!

 

Somebody pinch me so I can wake up and find this is all just a dream.

[Edited by ohreally on 8-4-02 8:24P]

 

[Centerfield]

If the student could not afford the right socks, then yes the coach should be ashamed of himself, the coach has a responsibility to work something out for a person in that situation. As far as the punishment fitting the crime, giving a lethal injection is a little too harsh for jaywalking, but not being in the team picture because you did not have the proper uniform is very fitting. If the young man did not have the proper socks, what should have happened to him??? Do you think he should have gotten a hug and kiss and told not to do that again??? What would he have learned from that??? I don't know any kid that ever learned anything from that. That is what is wrong with many kids today, they grow up being hugged and kissed everytime they mess up and then they receive a culture shock when they are thrown to the "real world" because nobody in the "real world" will give you a hug and kiss and send you on your way. Why do you think we have so many criminals? Slaps on the wrist obviously do not stop people from progressively getting worse in their crimes. Yes, not letting students participate because they don't have their uniform hung properly in their locker is ridiculous and being the only person with the wrong socks in a team picture is also ridiculous. As for what the kid should tell his family when he is not in the picture should go something like this, "I did not have the right socks and that is my fault, so coach would not let me be in the picture. I learned a lesson and it will never happen again." If the student was not able to have the socks for some unknown reason, then the coach should be ashamed of himself, but if the kid did not do what he was supposed to do as a member of the team, then he got himself into this mess. People should let coaches do their jobs, whether they agree with the way they do things or not. People criticize coaches for the way they do their jobs all the time, what if coaches started criticizing parents for the way they handle their kids??? Just let coaches do their jobs. Coaches don't tell parents how to raise their kids when they are at home, parents should not tell coaches how to treat their kids when they are on the field with them. The coach was hired to do a job and that is what he is doing the best way he sees fit, you may not agree with him, but causing a stink because you don't agree with the way he handled a situation is not helping. It is only helping drive the program in the ground which is helping nobody and is especially hurting the kids and community. Just let things go and bite your lip and see how things turn out.

[ohreally]

Centerfield,

You are right!

The coach was right and the punishment was fair.

The coach never has made a mistake and never will make a mistake. What made me think he had made a mistake in this incident?

The team, as well as the assistant coaches, were wrong to feel nausiated at the situation. Everyone is wrong except for the coach.

Sorry! My mistake for thinking the punishment could have been handled in a different manner.

[WillieTheWildcat]

I've have not been able to contact anyone who was at the Meet the Wildcats function on Saturday that knows anything about the incident as it is being described on here.

 

People THERE not knowing anything about "socks" and people NOT THERE posting like they know everything about "socks."

 

What is going on? For me, I'm not going to believe a word of this until I know more about this. I already know not to believe some of the people who post about Oak Ridge on here cuz they simply hate the Wildcats. This does not apply to catpack and catwatch. I respect what they are trying to do but disagree with some of the things they have posted.

 

Steve Palmer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:confused:

[catwatch]

Centerfeild... you most certainly have a right to your opinion BUT you have to know this "coach"

to understand the outrage. It is just another of many stories where it is ego and arrogance not

discipline. It could have been handled with extra running or anything else. It serves no purpose to give a

punishment that is a life sentence....PICTURES ARE FOREVER........

[2bear2]

Well said CATWATCH..........GO WILDCATS!

[boorelly]

My buddy is an Oak Ridge great. He coaches at Austin East with Stanton. He is a working man, single dad and high school football coach to a top program that he has played a major part rebuilding. He doesn't get time to get on line much to read some of this. His blood still has a little cardinal and grey in it. When I tell him about some of the things in the Oak Ridge post, he gets mad or just shakes his head. For you people who know him he is a competitor and never I mean never come down on something he cares about. When asked him about the sock incident he told me that he doesn't know much about OR football or news of things that happen. But he does know Coach Lussier. When I told him about a lot of you guys take on Lussier(negative), he agreed saying, "I can see him doing that or I can see him being that way". He also said that he never had much interaction with Coach lussier because first he didn't play his positions second he took care of business. Lussier never really had much to say to him but good job Graham or we need a play Graham. Graham was a worker and Lussier liked and respected workers. He said as a player he would hear his teamates say the same thing about Lussier that is being said now. But he also said as they became young men they repected Coach Lussier a lot more because of his ways. He said when he first got to high school Alfred Jones had a talk with him. He said coach Lussier is an ###### but remember this he will be the bnest caoch you played for. When you gfet older you will realize why he is an ######. It takes becoming a man and realizing you have responsibilities to take care of to realize what Lussier was saying the whole time. Gaddis didn't give that to you. When times get tough Lussier will not quit on you nor does he expect you to quit on him. Graham said Lussieer think no more or less of Graham ( 2 time All-State WR), Mike Caldwell (NFL star), Mike Gipson (drop out Florida), or the typical joe-smo who didn't play a down (Except against Karns and Campbell County everybody played against them). Graham take on this is first Coach Stevens hasn't heard anything about his brother being the guy in the socks. Second Coach Lussiier is one of the most respected coaches most wildcats have played for, he is just particular to detail. Graham said if this is true as a fan he needs to know first of all did the kids no not to wear but a certain sock. Second why didn't the coach just say either take them off or not get in the picture. Let me know and I will till my boy "G".

[ohreally]

I think this is a fabricated story just to get a thread going about Oak Ridge. The story is too unbelievable. It is impossible to get confirmation on stories made up on the internet.

[2bear2]

Posted by ohreally:

I think this is a fabricated story just to get a thread going about Oak Ridge. The story is too unbelievable. It is impossible to get confirmation on stories made up on the internet.

................................................................................

......................ohreally...I could not believe it either...this story was not made up. I heard it from six people who were there. They couldn't have made it up as they told the same story.

[Edited by 2bear2 on 8-6-02 1:30P]

 

[catbooster]

i am a senior player at oak ridge. I was present at picture day. the details of the incident are as follows: players were reminded of proper uniform (including socks) all week, proper uniform (including socks) was posted on the board in the lockerroom, socks were handed out to all players less than one hour before pictures were taken with uniforms and one out of over eighty players forgot them. I will also warn that the so-called "catpack" is a disgruntled group of parents of former oak ridge players whose chance to live vicariously through their children was fouled by lack of ability or deplorable attitude

 

Matt King #62 Oak Ridge wildcats