CANTON, Ohio There are new developments in the scandal that once crippled the Canton McKinley football team. "The football program, which has a long and proud history, is an important part of our school culture and our community," Talbert added in a statement that was read by Board President John M. Rinaldi Thursday. Pattakos has blamed an assistant coach, whom he believes wanted Wattleys job, for presenting an exaggerated version of the story to school officials and the player's family. We have a number of careers that have been destroyed here. According to Gilbert,Wattley on May 24 ordered the player to sit in a chair in the middle of the gym and consume an entire pepperoni pizza while his teammates andcoaches yelled at him. . I dont know what they would have thought, but what was going through my mind at the time was if I would have told them, they would have still had me come to the trainer, but I couldnt do nothing with my shoulder at the time. Further action may be taken on the employment contracts of the four oustedcoaches Wattley, Grimsley,McLeodand Sweat who hold other positions within the district, Talbert said. He didnt provide a reason why. NFL Scouting Combine quick hits:Andrew Berry feels Greg Newsome II is 'going to be a pretty big part' of Browns' future McDaniels, a Canton McKinley High School graduate, was all smiles as he . "We are confident that under Coach Hall's leadership, our football program will be in very capable and experienced hands and our student-athletes will have a rewarding experience," Rinaldi said. A. Mentor (9-4) [I:1] L. 21-34. London Fletcher ran up and dove and hit the back of my ankle. He has been Canton's AD for less than a year. Are you hungry? Solon defeated Canton McKinley 61-40 in the opener and then Midview followed suit with a 70-45 win over Archbishop Hoban.. Solon and Midview will meet up at Medina High School on Saturday, March 4th at 7 p.m. in the regional final with a spot in the . Kuberacki went on to a fascinating Air Force career that is its own story. Bulldogs logo for the Canton City School District in Ohio. After I got off the phone call, I thought to myself, like I cant like what they did to me was just too far extreme disrespect, so I just left it there.. Athletic Director Antonio Hall was hired as the districts interim head football coach for the upcoming season. I wasnt taking it, so then he just sat it down right beside me again. She ruled the alleged defamatory statements attributed to district officials either contained no false statements of facts, were opinions and judgment calls or had not been published. So do my clients.". The district has sent its investigation to the Ohio Department of Education's professional conduct division andthe Canton City Police Department for review. Now Kuberacki was Marietta's QB; McDaniels was a John Carroll receiver. They needed to get through to him some other way. Repository sports writer Josh Weir contributed to this article. Bottom line: Head coach . He always pushes the envelope forward. I said I dont eat pepperoni because I dont want to eat it because the grease is cooked in with the cheese. You can get anywhere . This is not something that he made up, Pattakos said. Its absolutely, totally ridiculous, Gilbert said. McKinley football player Mani Powellsaid he wants his coaches back. CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Former Canton McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley is still fighting to get his job back as the head coach of the Bulldogs. And then … they start telling everyone to get around the gym with the 45-pound plates, and then they start saying if I dont eat it, then the team will have to keep doing the punishment until its all gone. Other coaches involved have not responded to requests for comment or have declined comment. CANTON - The former McKinley High School football player who is suing the Canton City School District and his former coaches over alleged civil rights violations says the coaches likely. He said he has lost respect for the McKinley coaches he once admired. CANTON, Ohio The lawyer for a Canton McKinley High School football player has released video that he says contradicts claims that the student was not forced to consume a pepperoni pizza. A federal judge in U.S. District Court dismissed seven former football coaches from a lawsuit filed by a former football player and his family, citing insufficient evidence to support allegations that the player was forced to eat food against his religion. More on Canton McKinley football: Canton McKinley Bulldogs 2022 high school football preview. … It was nice seeing him, but like, what was going through my mind at the time was the disrespect that they put me through, he testified. "While on administrative leave, you are not to be on school property or to have any form of communication or contact with any Canton City School District student(s), parents, or staff member without expressed permission from this office," Canton City Schools Human Resource Director Deidre K. Stokes Davis wrote to Wattley. 7 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Superintendent Jeff Talbert said it was surveillance video that gave him the information he needed to make his recommendation. The weekly sessions are now monthly check-ins. His statements were supported by five McKinley football players who attended the school board meeting in support of their eight coaches. A high school football coach and six assistant coaches McKinley Senior High School in Canton, Ohio, have been fired after they allegedly forced a player to eat pork against his religious beliefs . I try to incorporate that with my coaches every day.. ", More Stark County sports from Steve Doerschuk: 'I know where to go and pour them': Fate of 40-year-old Hudepohl six-packs rides on Bengals winning AFC title, Super Bowl. Grimsley's attorney, Bartholomew T. Freeze, could not be reached Thursday. "The type of behavior was inappropriate, demeaning, and divisive.". Rose prefers Carr to Baker Mayfield based on pulling out wins in fourth quarters. Gilberts attorney, Stephen P. Griffin, declined comment. The students said the playerhas since apologized to them and to the coaches. Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. It says in the Bible that its unclean if you touch it, said the player who said his family attends the Gathering of Christ Church in Cleveland. Hall, who also serves as McKinley's athletic director,. He disputed Pattakos' statement that Wattley had offered the player chicken nuggets or any alternative food. McKinley went 14-6 in Wattley's two seasons as head coach, with a couple of second-round playoff losses and an 0-2 record against rival Massillon. If he refused to eat the pizza,the playerwas told that his teammates would be forced to perform additional drills and "there was a question of whether he would be able to stay on the team," Gilbert said. A few thousand watched the Marietta Pioneers nurse a lead against the visiting John Carroll Blue Streaks. He's only saidthe districts completed internal investigation has found that the coaches "engaged in actions that constituted inappropriate, demeaning and divisive behavior in a misguided attempt to instill discipline in the student-athletes.". "It's not going to get the coaches their jobs back. Their complex narrative is being analyzed around the country. It is a substantial piece of justice for the coaches that they are very grateful for.". The Rev. He saidthe video would not be publicly released due to federal student privacy regulations. I don't think that's going to happen now, with Josh there.". violated the player's constitutional rights, the districts completed internal investigation, interviews with five of the coaches and three players, Hebrew Israelites do consider themselves to be Jewish, was hired as the districts interim head football coach for the upcoming season, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Updated: Jun. Coaching career. "He's proven he's a hell of a coach," Rose said. "What is on that video shows that what happened on May 24 is an ill-mannered attempt to instill accountability and discipline in our students," Talbert said. Superintendent Jeff Talbert said surveillance video gave administrators the information they needed to warrant their recommendation to dismiss the coaches to the school board. Two days after Grimsley sent the message, the district suspended Grimsley, Wattley and six other assistant coaches while it investigated allegations of misconduct before firing Wattley, Grimsley and five other coaches on June 3. Its not like they put their hands on me, but they forced me to eat it, he said. "Josh took after his dad in every aspect," said Kinta Mitchell, a co-captain with McDaniels on the '94 team. He also had exceptional talent that few McKinley coaches have recently enjoyed. "These quarterbacks that get their teams deep in the playoffs all can score in the fourth quarter. Pro Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for . And then we walk out into the auxiliary gym and theres a pizza in the chair, and I think coach I think Coach Brodie handed me the pizza and I set it down. Attorney Peter Pattakos, who is representing former McKinley head coach Marcus Wattley and former assistant coaches Frank McLeod, Zachary Sweat, Romero Harris, Cade Brodie and Tyler Thatcher, notified the Stark County judge Wednesday that he was voluntarily dismissing the defamation lawsuit the coaches filed against Canton City School District leaders, a former assistant coach, a former McKinley player and the players father and attorney. (Former St. Vincent-St. Mary head coach Dan) Boarman showed me a lot, how to take care of kids and everything that comes with the kid not just the football player but the student, the person and the athlete. Josh Grimsley, Wattleys former defensive line coach who also works as a school resource assistant for the Canton City School District, was so bothered by the punishment that he sent a text message to his supervisor, Safety and Security Director Steve Humphrey, shortly after the May 24 workout ended. "Josh came out of the huddle, went up to the line, then stepped back. Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or [email protected]. Key players: P/E Horace Gillom, HB Tommy James, OL Jim Russell. June 5, 2021, 1:55 PM PDT. The player said he felt badabout eating the ribs after seeing news reports in 2021 that the ribs had been pork. Canton McKinley pizza scandal: Judge dismisses former football coaches from lawsuit. Traffic alert: Crash closes 224 West at Kenmore Leg in Summit County, Fan Expo Cleveland to feature 'The Office' cast, Christina Ricci and more as celebrity guests this March, FORECAST | Another surge in temps with highs topping 60 degrees, 3 skyscraper-sized asteroids making approach to Earth this week, Marcus Wattley and six of his assistant coaches were fired by Canton City Schools, Canton McKinley student allegedly forced to eat pepperoni pizza files a lawsuit against Canton City Schools in U.S. District Court, Attorney: Fired Canton McKinley head football coach Marcus Wattley never forced player to eat pork, Canton McKinley football coaches fired for pizza incident file defamation suit, Canton McKinley football coach Marcus Wattley, 6 assistants fired following misconduct investigation. It wont be the same without them, said Powell, a rising senior who is considered McKinley's top returning player. Other football players who were at the May 24 workout have saidthe coaches never forced the playerto eat the pizza and they gave the player the choice of eating chicken nuggets instead. McLeod on Tuesday said he believes the surveillance video clears the coaches. Assistant coachesCade Brodie and Tyler Thatcher, and assistant baseball coach Romero Harris, who hasrelated weight room duties, also were dismissed from the team, but they do not have separate jobs with the Canton City School District. HENDERSON, Nev. Growing up in Canton, Josh McDaniels vividly remembers seeing stenciled helmets painted on the double-yellow lines on his way to McKinley High School. School board president John "J.R." Rinaldi said Hall will continue to serve as the district's athletic director and will work with the district's administrative team to build his football staff. We hope that the district can acknowledge that, too, and bring everyone together.. Nobody is perfect, not even Coach Wattley is perfect and he knows that. After the hearings, Canton City Schools spokeswoman Lisa Reicosky said Superintendent Jeff Talbertis expectedto make a recommendation to the Canton City school board regarding their employment outside of their coaching positions. "This incident does not reflect the Canton City School District's culture of protecting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our students.". It has left one of Ohio's most storied prep football programs working quickly to reset for its upcoming season and the Canton City School District in limbo as it awaits word on whetherthe player's familywill file a First Amendment lawsuitand whether criminal hazing chargeswill be filed against the coaches. But of course, we don't know they acted as a group. Im not going to respond to every allegation that comes up because its like a moving target. 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