No.7 baseball team in NJ fires coach for cursing

[EStreetJoe]

The subtitle for this thread should be ... another day, another crybaby parent gets a coach fired

http://www.nj.com/hssports/baseball/ledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/117859832490710.xml&coll=1

H.S. coach fired after comments
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
BY BOB BEHRE
For the Star-Ledger

Don Bosco Prep baseball coach Leon Matthews was fired by the Ramsey school yesterday after parents complained that he belittled a player after the team's first loss of the season.

At a school known for its nationally ranked football program, Matthews, in his fourth season, turned the baseball program into one of the best in the state.

Don Bosco is 14-1 and ranked No. 7 in The Star-Ledger Top 20. Last season Matthews led the team to the Bergen County Tournament title.

Pitching coach Bobby Jones, a former Mets pitcher, was also fired, Matthews said.

Nunzio Campanile, the private Catholic school's ashistant athletic director and ashistant head football coach, answered the phone in athletic director Frank Rezzonico's office early yesterday afternoon and said he was told to direct all calls to the school's principal, John Stanczak. Messages left at Stanczak's office and his home were not returned.

Matthews, who said he was fired in a meeting with Stanczak and Campanile, acknowledged he has used vulgarities in front of his players but not directed at them. Matthews said other coaches at the school have used similar language.

The incident came after the team suffered its first loss of the season Wednesday, a 3-2, extra-inning game to sixth-ranked St. Joseph of Montvale.

Matthews, who is not a teacher at the school, said some players' parents complained to school officials that his postgame conversation with the team involved obscenities and personal insults.

"We had a short, one- to two-minute huddle after the game, and all I told the kids was that they played a good game and to keep their heads up.

"A parent told the school that I told one of my players that he 'sucks.' Anyone who knows me knows that those are not words I speak. That is not my character."

Matthews threatened to sue over the firing.

"A few parents went to the school and made accusations, and the school is believing them," he said. "It's just a matter of people who are mean-spirited. It comes back to playing time and the positions their kids play. It's the star system for their kids."

Matthews was not permitted to coach the team's subsequent games on Thursday against Pashaic and Friday against Ridgewood, both victories.

Complicating matters is the fact that Matthews' son Jaren plays first base for Don Bosco. He's a lefty power-hitting senior committed to Rutgers this fall and has drawn the attention of professional scouts.

"It's tough for Jaren, but he knows what's going on," Leon Matthews said. "Certainly he's affected by this, but they don't care."

 

[Ace]

I don't like crybaby parents who look to get even over playing time. But when one person says he never said something and more than one other person says he did, I'm betting the guy really did say it.

I don't care if a coach cusses, but telling players they suck is wrong and bad coaching. I'd fire his ash, too.

 

[SoSueMe]

"It's just a matter of people who are mean-spirited. It comes back to playing time and the positions their kids play."

That's probably true and about all I need to know.

 

[outofplace]

I don't like crybaby parents who look to get even over playing time. But when one person says he never said something and more than one other person says he did, I'm betting the guy really did say it.

I don't care if a coach cusses, but telling players they suck is wrong and bad coaching. I'd fire his ash, too.

Kinda flimsy evidence to fire a guy on. Maybe a suspension to quiet the parents and a very strongly-worded reprimand letting him know he'll be canned if he says anything like that again. But unless you have a witness that was actually in the huddle, a player, willing to accuse the coach, it just sounds like giving in to whiny parents to me.

 

[Ace]

I don't like crybaby parents who look to get even over playing time. But when one person says he never said something and more than one other person says he did, I'm betting the guy really did say it.

I don't care if a coach cusses, but telling players they suck is wrong and bad coaching. I'd fire his ash, too.

Kinda flimsy evidence to fire a guy on. Maybe a suspension to quiet the parents and a very strongly-worded reprimand letting him know he'll be canned if he says anything like that again. But unless you have a witness that was actually in the huddle, a player, willing to accuse the coach, it just sounds like giving in to whiny parents to me.

What makes you think they don't?

How many times have you quoted a person that says he never said something?

All the time, right?

A coach on a rant is likely to forget he told little Johnny that he sucks. But I doubt L'il Johnny will forget.

 

[Cosmo]

Man, fork that.

 

[EStreetJoe]

Parents getting involved aside....Is it a coincidence or something more that involves the coach getting fired after the team's first loss of the season?

 

[outofplace]

I don't like crybaby parents who look to get even over playing time. But when one person says he never said something and more than one other person says he did, I'm betting the guy really did say it.

I don't care if a coach cusses, but telling players they suck is wrong and bad coaching. I'd fire his ash, too.

Kinda flimsy evidence to fire a guy on. Maybe a suspension to quiet the parents and a very strongly-worded reprimand letting him know he'll be canned if he says anything like that again. But unless you have a witness that was actually in the huddle, a player, willing to accuse the coach, it just sounds like giving in to whiny parents to me.

What makes you think they don't?

How many times have you quoted a person that says he never said something?

All the time, right?

A coach on a rant is likely to forget he told little Johnny that he sucks. But I doubt L'il Johnny will forget.

Maybe they do...but if I read your post correctly, you were ashuming the coach's guilt just based on parents saying he said something out of line. I know I've seen a few coaches railroaded out of jobs on bullship like this. I ashume you have, too, if you ever covered preps.

 

[Ace]

Not successful ones. Parents bench all the time. I ashume that an AD wouldn't pull the trigger unless he had some proof.

And my experience is that when people say they didn't say something -- they probably did.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

If you can't take being sworn at, maybe competitive sports aren't for you.

 

[outofplace]

Not successful ones. Parents bench all the time. I ashume that an AD wouldn't pull the trigger unless he had some proof.

And my experience is that when people say they didn't say something -- they probably did.

I have seen it with successful coaches. Often. All it takes is a few parents with an agenda. Maybe a board member whose little superstar never got enough playing time.

And your ashumption that people are always lying when they deny they said something...well, we're just going to have to agree to disagree there.

 

[Ace]

Not successful ones. Parents bench all the time. I ashume that an AD wouldn't pull the trigger unless he had some proof.

And my experience is that when people say they didn't say something -- they probably did.

I have seen it with successful coaches. Often. All it takes is a few parents with an agenda. Maybe a board member whose little superstar never got enough playing time.

And your ashumption that people are always lying when they deny they said something...well, we're just going to have to agree to disagree there.

I didn't say they are always lying. I just think the odds are that they are covering their ash or don't even realize they said it or that it was taken the way it was.