Brownwood to Pilot Point: Small Town Politics & Football
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Football is king, but crown is slipping
Pilot Point weathers UIL troubles, scathing e-mails, coaching turnover
10:49 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
PILOT POINT – Football is all that counts.
That's the theme of a January e-mail exchange between Pilot Point High School football coaches. It was part of a string of e-mails – some racist, some sexist, many anti-administration – that revealed the unseemly side of a program that has brought pride and conflict to this northeast Denton County town.
The program has endured a series of recent controversies, including the e-mails, published in a local newspaper; several University Interscholastic League rules violations; and a power struggle that resulted in the resignation of legendary coach G.A. Moore. The UIL plans an investigation that could result in significant sanctions.
Principal Steve Whiffen said that the emphasis on football has divided the community for years, and that anybody perceived to be an obstacle to the football program's progress has been subjected to vicious, personal attacks.
"Frankly, it's time for us to reassess our priorities as a community and as a school district," said Mr. Whiffen, who has been at Pilot Point for six years. "It's time for us to focus on kids and our mission of opening doors of opportunity for children. It is time for us to stop using children."
Mr. Moore, the state's all-time wins leader in football, was considered the program's savior when he returned to his alma mater three years ago after winning five state titles and his final 57 games at rival Celina. It was his third stint at Pilot Point, which Mr. Moore led to state titles in 1980 and '81.
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The e-mails
Excerpts published by the Denton Record-Chronicle of e-mail exchanges between Mr. Russell and his assistant coaches indicated a disdain for sports other than football. The e-mails were written after Mr. Russell, who declined to comment, was promoted Jan. 10.
Darren Hall and Mike Segleski, who is also the head track coach, sent e-mails encouraging Mr. Russell to fire several coaches. Mr. Friday was a frequent target of criticism. Mr. Hall, who also resigned, expressed disappointment about the success of Mr. Friday's girls basketball team in one e-mail.
Other material in the e-mails included racial epithets and sexual innuendo about students and derogatory comments about administrators and board members.
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Mr. Whiffen and Glen Ray, the vice president of the school board, said the recent developments are part of a disturbing trend. They describe a community divided between a local legend's loyal followers, including several players who won state championships under Mr. Moore, and an administration that was criticized for not granting Mr. Moore autonomy.
"It's just small-town politics," said Mr. Ray, a 1979 graduate who played in the marching band.
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The new Pilot Point
Much had changed in Pilot Point since Mr. Moore left in 1986. The school had moved from Class 2A to 3A. It no longer is a rural town known primarily for horse ranches and high school football.
New homes have been built, and new people moved in, many of whom were commuters with no local ties. Some are more passionate about fine arts than football, said Mark Foster, the school board president, who moved from New York in 1981.
"I think sports are an awesome thing because they teach discipline," said Amanda Watson, a math teacher whose son played football. "But I think we focus on the wrong things around here. I want my kids to grow up and be successful because of their education."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/043005dnspopilotpoint_.5db5a8a1.html
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Scandal shaving coach's state record
8 victories have been subtracted, and UIL is seeking more
10:49 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
PILOT POINT – G.A. Moore is losing his lead over Gordon Wood on the list of winningest football coaches in state history.
Mr. Moore surpassed Mr. Wood in 2002 with his 397th victory and had a 412-83-9 record when he announced his retirement from Pilot Point in December. Since then, Mr. Moore has been forced to forfeit eight wins, and more forfeits are a possibility.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/highschools/topstories/stories/043005dnspopilotsider.5db5bca0.html
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Pilot Point e-mail excerpts
05:13 PM CDT on Thursday, April 28, 2005
E-MAIL EXCERPTS
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story contains material that might be offensive to some readers. The following are excerpts of e-mails sent on the Pilot Point school district computer system over the names of members of the Pilot Point High School coaching staff and obtained by the Denton Record-Chronicle through a Freedom of Information Act request. The e-mails were written by Mike Russell, who resigned last week after being hired to become head football coach and athletic director upon the retirement of G.A. Moore; Darren Hall, an assistant football coach who resigned this week; Mike Segleski, track coach and assistant football coach; and Stephen Riddle, an assistant football coach. All the e-mails were sent since the beginning of the year. The Record-Chronicle did not change any grammar, capitalization or spellings. The newspaper has removed obscenities, racial epithets and the names of other coaches mentioned in the e-mail conversations. School officials redacted the names of students before releasing the e-mails.
Jan. 13:
Segleski: So what are you saying Hall?
Hall: School board members are the DEVIL reincarnated!
Russell: Heard GA [Moore] might run for Board here!
Hall: [Racial epithet] has my vote!
Russell: They also talked about his buddy the Old principal --- Would be a great pair - That meey/ting the other night only made the Natives more restless - They are now PISSED!
Hall: Let’s start over - completely! Fire everyone, except us [racial epithet]s, and rebuild with our kind of folk!
Russell: They plan to attack every week! - No rest for this board.
Hall: Any time frame on notifying the girls side of the "big" news?
Russell: Originally Friday - probably next Tuesday.
Hall: Sounds great.
Jan. 14
Russell: Where is Hall at?
Segleski: He’s on his bell to bell thing again.
Russell: Tell him it’s Friday.
Hall: I don’t like Friday - if ya know what I mean.
Segleski: You bringing the game of Yahtzee for you, goober and gomer to play on the way to Pottsboro?
Hall: It’s called "Who’s the Moron?" I’ll win cause I’m having to be around them - but they’ll be a close second.
Segleski: Ya’ll all going to be sitting in one seat?
Hall: BOYS< ya’ll have failed to realize that I’ll be on a bus with lots of young ladies. I’ll be busy impressing them with my Fully-Loaded - vocabulary.
Russell: They will hope Xxxxx misses the bus!
Jan. 19
Hall: Just start firing the "rusty" out of everyone. Get on a roll and piss’ em all off early.
Segleski: Yeah, just do it. We’re behind you.
Russell: You boys will probably start hiding when you see me!
Hall: If you notice, me and Seg are always going opposite of you in the afternoon. I can’t wait to get to b-ball nowadays.
Segleski: Did you just say that?
Hall: NO, I didn’t say I like b-ball just wanted to go over and stand watch. Russell could drop the big bomb any minute and any person around - I thought he might drop it on Xxxxx yesterday.
Segleski: Russell is going to start firing admin now too. Hey, can you get me fired from teaching and just let me coach?
Hall: The Grey Ghost is asking about coaching changes at PPHS on Allsports.
Segleski: Should we ask if he’s gay again or what he does with school board members?
Russell: Does he not have a clue who you are?
Segleski: No clue. He always as me have you seen what they are saying about me.
Russell: Poor guy!
Hall: He told Xxxxx yesterday that he didn’t think Xxxxx would ahve a job here next year.
Russell: Wonder why!
Hall: She had 20 questions for me this morning about it. I just gave a quick "Rusty" and grabbed my crotch and walked away.
Jan. 21
Hall: PP_BEARCAT just emailed me and said that Xxxxx was in charge of the girls and that Russell was in charge of the guys and he was told this by a school board member. Russell has nothing to do with the girls program.
Russell: WRONG!
Hall: That roundball stuff is gonna be hard to fill. You hear PP, you think football.
Russell: That is the way we want it - Just like the other night leaving - I heard Xxxxx say - B-ball doesn’t matter - Football is all that counts.
Jan. 25
Russell: Xxxxx came in today with his Graffitti Notebook I turned into Xxxxx last week - Complete with Gang Signs - Says he is now going to turn in his work so he can pass - Fat Rusty chance since he made 55 1st Semester.
Segleski: ditto for World Geography for him. I’ll have him for a 3rd go around next year.
Russell: We need to find a Baseball Coach - Know of any?
Segleski: All of my coaching buddies hate it as much as bball. If Hall doesn’t start taking to us, let’s give it to him.
Jan. 26
Russell (to Hall): Silicon Challenge - Can you tell a real pair from a fake one [Pictures of breasts].
Russell: My A/C is not working - would like to open door and air out room - too many Idiots going to lunch - Everybody stops and hollers ...
Hall: My air is set at 66!!!!!! The girls don’t like it. The guys do!!!!!!!!!!!! [Racial epithet] is about 6 points away from being mentally retarded.
Russell: Got my weekly headache today - GA showed up today ...
Jan. 28
Hall: Xxxxx took a starters pistol into his Supt’s office one day when he found out the Supt wanted to confront him on his off-season/powerlifting/track workouts that he had every day for every kid in athletics. He said he pulled it out and said "This is my
GD athletic program and I’ll run it is I see fit" Supt, thanked him for coming and said Keep up the good work!
Russell: What a great approach!
Hall: We are watching the sex video in class -- Got several fresh girls that are making comments about how it didn’t really happen that way.
Russell: Have them summarize their findings
Jan. 31
Russell: Xxxxx got her nails done Friday nite - The little Vietnamese girl that does them must be making too much money - She had her eyes done so that she had less slant - now she is going to have breast implants - Hunt would have wood!
Feb. 2
Hall: I know Xxxxx don’t like the work ethic -or like of-of these kids. He may just not be real happy about anything right now.
Russell: Need to get rid of this bunch - Also I know he wants the Girls – Xxxxx needs to change sceneries - Maybe Ponder.
Feb. 7
Russell: Tom and I can take care of the throwers////weight groups!////Big BUTTS
Segleski: So Xxxxx will be with you?
Russell: We need to call him little.
Feb. 8
Hall: Xxxxx, I regret to inform you that your daughter needs to apply at Hooters cause her talents don’t lie in the area of softball.
Russell: What? Will she be a COOK?
Feb. 11
Hall: for b-ball game vs. W’boro Bearcats -Love getting beat by the PotHead Bearcats.
If you breed the two you might get a decent athlete who likes to smoke the "Ganja from the Motherland" Wait a minute - I resemble that remark.
Hall: Xxxxx is sitting here-would you like to help him with his jump shot.
Riddle: Tell him nobody is watching.
Hall: Tell him that every game is against Pottsboro, and he’ll score 30
Riddle: Tell him the lights are off and everyone has gone home.
Russell: He showed up at 7:50-Hall talked to him-Came to me-He thinks he was still loaded-Very talkative and mouthy -Not like typical Xxxxx.
Feb. 15
Russell: ...GA also knows of a possible 6-3 soph from Frisco that may look at moving here.
Danny Joe David: Keep on Hall about his buddy. We got to get some athletes in here. ...
Feb. 16
Russell: Just got an e-mail from coach in Sherman-Old PP name-looking for a job-has three sons-Do not know ages.
Hall: We only have two more visitation days this month-Maybe wait til March-supposed to get 3 extra days then.
Russell: GA is fulltime recruiter -NO LIMITS
Segleski: Are we allowed to send him on the road or is this one of those months they can just come to our campus?
Feb. 17
Russell: He came by - not getting much help out of him on some things-mentioned that he did not want to run for the Board-told him about Calhoun not going to be here on Fri-Told him we were short handed-He said that he didn’t want to run or the Board because he might coach again-Said Denton Liberty had talked to him-I need to talk to Cloyce. ...
Feb. 18
Hall: I say we all go-one hand on your peckers, the other on a resignation letter-let them figure out how to put on track meets without coaches.
Segleski: My hands not long enough, it’ll take two where am I going to put the resignation letter
Hall: Tell the supt to let Corky run his own track meets-His girls ain’t invited!
Segleski: He won’t do anything to upset the Cork.
Hall: Let that pear-shaped little [expletive] to do his own thing.
Hall: May quit coaching and be a straight teacher-get involved in all these extra programs and be on all those committees.
Russell: I would haul PIG [expletive]-before I would be a full-time teacher for Xxxxx.
Feb. 21
Hall: Saw this posted on Allsports. Pilot Point one win away from Regional Tourny...I tell you what, if they get to the Regional Tourny, we need to get rid of that coach, that just proves that he can’t do his job...oops the School Board approved for his contract to be renewed... DANG, Guess we’ll have to sit through another WINNING SEASON next year.
Feb. 22
[After discussing Bremond opening]
Hall: BREEMONDD 1A in south central... Got lots of speed-good mix of white germans and dark [racial epithet]!
March 4
Hall: This ain’t gonna be a abd place when we get everyone fired or killed off.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/042905dnspoemails.2225133ad.html
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