In an 11-page decision, Judge John Adams wrote there would be no ruling against the coaches "merely because it (the court) may not believe the plaintiff's factual allegations." Canton McKinley High School Head Football Coach Marcus Wattley and five assistant coaches are suing Canton City school officials and others for spreading "false, malicious and extremely defamatory statements" that cost them their jobs and their reputations. Superintendent Jeff Talbert said surveillance video gave administrators the information they needed to warrant their recommendation to dismiss the coaches to the school board. I knew about Josh then, and I followed him over the years.". I was hoping David Carr would come to the Browns. Wattleyallowed the player to pick off the pepperoni butpork residue remained, the attorney said. ", "It's (the dismissal) not going to fix the damage that has been done," said Peter Pattakos, the attorney representing the coaches. Wattley, who was hired as McKinley's coach in 2019, said he misses his players. Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler in Seattle, last offseason engineered his way to Denver (and to a new . The score stayed 12-3. 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.". Ex-McKinley football player sues, alleges coaches coerced him to eat pizza against beliefs, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Box Score. Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the player and his family, called the coaches explanation for their punishment bizarre and a desperate attempt to try to hurt (the players) family. He said no matter what the coaches say, it doesnt excuse them for coercing a player to eat pork against his religious beliefs. I'll buy you a pizza and we can all watch you eat. December 4, 2004 (at Canton Fawcett Stadium) Canton McKinley 3 7 0 0 10 (11-4) Cincinnati Colerain 6 17 20 7 50 (15-0) Coaches: Brian Cross (Canton McKinley); Kerry Coombs (Cincinnati Colerain) Attendance (unofficial): 16,885. "Black Hebrew Israelites consider themselves Jews; I also consider them to be a Black religionbearing many of the markers of African American spirituality," she said. "Caserio was a standout," said Kuberacki. Deservedly so. He later called the special board meeting that resulted in the] group of coaches losing their jobs. They have insisted they weretrying to rescue a troubled player whose off-the-field behavior was influencing his teammates and was jeopardizing his future as a Division I college athlete. GlenOak 22. Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com. Game Summary. Learning what he learned from his first time, applying all the knowledge he's gained since then, it's just the perfect equation for success.". CANTON, Ohio There are new developments in the scandal that once crippled the Canton McKinley football team. McDaniels kicked in addition to playing quarterback at McKinley when Miller coached the Bulldogs' defensive backs. 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. They said the player chose to take off the pepperoni and eat it. I miss my boys. 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. Pattakos intends to refile the lawsuit as soon as is practicable. In a statement, he said the goal of the new lawsuit is to hold the school district leaders accountable for the harm they caused the coaches when they failed to fully investigate the accusations, did not inform the public truthfully and did not treat all involved parties fairly. 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 were ahead, with the ball," recalls Kuberacki, 44. 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. 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. 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. Bottom line: Head coach . 8/19. I think I said, Im sorry for missing practice and I wont let it happen again or something across those lines, the player testified. London Fletcher ran up and dove and hit the back of my ankle. He said thedistricts nearly weeklong investigation found that the coaches on May 24 engaged in actions that were deemed"inappropriate, demeaning and divisive" during a non-mandatory strengthening and conditioning workout in the high schools auxiliary gym. It was along those lines, and the kid knew he was being disciplined. 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. Monica A. Coleman, a theologian and professor of Africana studies at the University of Delaware, said someHebrew Israelites do consider themselves to be Jewish. Add the football angle of Massillon-Hoban and this is a can't miss. 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. 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While two of his teammates have signed affidavits that say the coaches offered the player a nonpork option such as McDonalds or chicken, the player testified, I didnt hear nothing about no chicken nuggets.. In a separate vote Thursday, the five-member board unanimously hired Athletic Director Antonio Hall as the districts interim head football coach for the upcoming season. By The Associated Press. Rose's Tigers beat McDaniels' Bulldogs in an overtime shootout in the 100th game between the old rivals, in 1994. His defense is all over the place. "I ran around the corner seeing nothing but open space. ", In June of last year, former McKinley head coach Marcus Wattley and six of his assistant coaches were fired by Canton City Schools following an investigation into misconduct. While the roughly 12-minute video doesn't have audio, McLeodsaid you can tell by the body language of the coaches and players that the player wasn't being threatened. You can read Judge Adams' dismissal ruling below: Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Former McKinley football coaches dismiss defamation lawsuit, intend to refile Kelli Weir The Repository 0:00 0:57 The former Canton McKinley football coaches who have been waiting for. The student, now 18, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Akron in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against the Canton City School District and his former coaches. Invite the coach The player admitted he had lied to his teammates and coaches and told them he had been grounded for smoking marijuana. I'm just glad he has this opportunity. I wasnt taking it, so then he just sat it down right beside me again. The lawsuit filed by the Hebrew Israelite players family alleged that on May 24, 2021 the coaches forced him to eat a pepperoni pizza after he missed a voluntary practice session. They said previous methods of discipline had failed to reach the player. Talbert went on to say that video would not be publicly released due to federal student privacy regulations. Las Vegas is, and he's going to rock it 'til the wheels fall off. That set up a touchdown. And then there was this crust left, and Coach Brodie ordered me to eat the crust too till it was all gone for the team to be done.. Pro Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for . They lose sleep over me and the boys.. Black Jews, who maintain a Christological perspective and adopt Jewish rituals. 2023 www.cantonrep.com. This young man wasnt forced to eat anything, Pattakos said. So do my clients.". Grimsley's attorney, Bartholomew T. Freeze, could not be reached Thursday. We begged Canton City School District officials to slow their rushed and flawed investigation to account for the truth but they wouldnt listen. The school board on Thursday voted to fireWattley and six of his assistant coaches after the districts completed investigation found that the coaches on May 24 acted in a demeaning and divisive manner in what school officials have called a misguided attempt to instill discipline in the student athletes.. Besides pork, the player said he also abstains from eating seafood because its a bottom feeder, just like a pig.. Attorney Michael Kahlenberg, who represents the player and his father in the coaches defamation lawsuit, said he cannot comment on pending litigation. to me "dogging" Wattley because you couldn't stand the fact I said McK football is in a much better place now than two years ago and then had to make your 2nd profile of the day yesterday to pose . Dominique Sanders' squad had something to itself and 13th-seeded Canton McKinley. 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.. He did it a few times and I remember saying, 'The kid is calling audibles as a freshman. The teammates affidavits also said that Wattley told the player he could leave if he didnt want to participate. They needed to show him what it was like to be the only man eating in a room full of hungry, working men. As for the coaches who had other jobs within the district, there will be upcoming meetings to determine their futures in that capacity. 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. The most important thing for Mr. Wattley at this point is that the truth comes out so that his name is cleared of these ridiculous charges against him, and we will make sure that happens. CANTON The former McKinley High School football player who is suing the Canton City School District and his former coaches over alleged civil rights violationssays the coaches likely didnt know about his religious beliefs before the day they forced him to eat a pepperoni pizza as punishment for missing a practice. The district has declined to provide details of what happened on May 24. The 17-year-old belongs to. He said he later told some of the coaches over the phone that he would get this straightened out because they said some people had suggested that the coaches had tried to physically harm him, which he said was untrue. The coaches, who were dismissed from their coaching and school district jobs last year,have maintained that they did not force the player to eat anything, that they did not know about the players religious faith, they had offered him chicken nuggets as an alternative and it was the players decision to pick off the pepperoni and cheese and eat the pizza. Pattakos asked Judge Haupt to reinstate the district leaders as defendants in the lawsuit, but she denied the request Wednesday, in part because the trial was to start Monday. Note: This video has been altered to protect kids' identities. 7 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Nordonia, 11-13 last year, was looking to also avenge a 58-42 loss last year to McKinley as a 19th seed in the . misguided attempt to instill discipline, Canton McKinley High School football coaches to face further discipline, possible criminal charges, suspended on May 26 with the other coaches, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. It was just hurting to lift it in the air., When a coach sent him a text message asking him about his absence, the player responded that Ill owe you Monday.. CNN Seven of eight Ohio high school football coaches who allegedly forced a Hebrew Israelite player to eat a pizza that previously had pork on it, despite knowing his beliefs forbade him. The deposition, where the player testified under oath, was conducted as part of the defamation lawsuit that the coaches filed a year ago against the player, the players father, Kenny Walker, their attorney Edward Gilbert and former assistant coach Josh Grimsley. Nobody is perfect, not even Coach Wattley is perfect and he knows that. Video shows McKinley High School player eating pizza during workout. But, he still faces the possibility of. Repository sports writer Josh Weir contributed to this article. On May 24, 2021, head football coach Marcus Wattley allegedly forced an unnamed 17-year-old football team member to eat a pizza made with pork, although the student's religious beliefs prohibited him . ", SUBSCRIBE:Get the day's top headlines sent to your inbox each weekday morning with the free 3News to GO! Wattley's attorney Peter Pattakostold The Canton Repository on Mondaythat Wattley and the assistant coaches were trying to rescue a troubled player whose off-the-field behavior was negatively influencing his teammates and jeopardizing his future as a Division I college athlete. He also said he wasnt missing workouts due to using marijuana as the coaches have suggested. He said coach Brodie told him to take off the pepperoni. The district has sent its investigation to the Ohio Department of Education's professional conduct division andthe Canton City Police Department for review. Record: 10-0. McDaniels had a 26-year head coaching career that included head coaching stops at Warren G. Harding High School, Canton McKinley High School and Massillon Jackson High School. Its unclear from the players testimony whether the other coaches heard the player talking about his religion. Like everyone else in Browns country, Hall tuned into the 2020 head coach search in which the Browns strongly considered McDaniels and Robert Saleh but hired Kevin Stefanski. This is not something that he made up, Pattakos said. Hall, who also serves as McKinley's athletic director,. It was rushed. Its absolutely, totally ridiculous, Gilbert said. One of the state's most successful coaches . They needed to get through to him some other way. Assistant coach Badre ElBardawil, who also had beensuspended on May 26 with the other coaches, remains an assistant coach with McKinley because district officials said the evidence did not show that he performed in the same manner as the other coaches.. Canton McKinley Bulldogs 2022 high school football preview, online post that accompanies the transcripts, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Canton McKinley sophomore Dante McClellan looks to make a play at Akron East, Wed., Feb. 15, 2023 "We struggled at the rim," Vlkajkovich said. He had planned to do some exercises with a stretch band due to his shoulder injury. "It was a situation that deserves to be investigated so we're going to investigate it," Talbert told The Repository. When Pattakos asked him whether he planned to cut the coaches out of his life forever, the player said, I mean, I dont plan on rebuilding no relationship we had.. "I'm very excited Josh is getting another opportunity. With Josh going there now, Carr staying is a done deal.". "He's been the best offensive coordinator in the NFL, I think. Dan Reardon has been named Canton McKinley High School's new head football coach. He was calling an audible. Rose prefers Carr to Baker Mayfield based on pulling out wins in fourth quarters. According to his deposition testimony, the players father first introduced the family to the Hebrew Israelite faith in 2013. No Bulldogs coachs tenure has spanned more than five years since Thom McDaniels guided the program from 1982-1997. We hope that the district can acknowledge that, too, and bring everyone together.. He has beenan assistant coach at McKinley, GlenOak and St. Thomas Aquinas. Gilbert said the player told the coach at least 10 times that he did not eat pork because he and his family are Hebrew Israelites, a faith thatstrictly forbids the consumption of pork or pork residue. He was asked to accept this form of a lesson. He again declined to provide details of what happened that day and saidthe video would not be publicly released due to federal student privacy regulations. Pattakos wrote the evidence collected during the discovery phase of the lawsuit revealed information that wasn't known when the lawsuit was filed in July 2021, including the admission by the player that didnt explicitly tell the coaches about his Hebrew Israelite beliefs and that a surveillance video the district used as the basis of its internal investigation was missing a two-minute span of time. CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - Canton City Schools held a special meeting Thursday evening that addressed a controversy involving seven McKinley High School football coaches and a student-athlete.. On 10/28, the McKinley varsity football team won their home playoff game against GlenOak (Canton, OH) by a score of 40-22. And then I realize it is pepperoni pizza, so I start saying I dont eat pork and I dont want to eat it at least 10 times.. Example video title will go here for this video, New procedures, clinical trials offer hope for pancreatic cancer patients | Health Yeah. Thats why it raises concerns when this young man doesnt text his coaches and explains where he is when they are expecting them to be at a voluntary workout, even though it is voluntary. "I remember sitting in the stands watching a McKinley-Masillon ninth-grade game," Rose said. More:Canton McKinley High School football coaches to face further discipline, possible criminal charges. We feel the coaches knew what they did and the judge wanted us to be specific. While we remain eager to present our claims against Mr. Gilbert and his clients to a jury and further clear the coaches good names, it is most important to the coaches to obtain complete justice in this matter, which requires that all responsible parties, including the (Canton City school leaders), be parties to the trial on the claims at issue, Pattakos wrote. There was no intent (to cause harm), Pattakos said. Pattakos, on behalf of Wattley and assistant coach Frank McLeod, on Monday described a situation where the coaches were trying to rescue a troubled player whose off-the-field behavior was negatively influencing his teammates and jeopardizing his future as a Division I college athlete. Yet, he admits he didnt notify coaches on May 20, 2021, that he wouldnt be at practice that day because he wanted to rest an injured shoulder. Wattley, through his attorney Peter Pattakos, saidthe accusations that thecoaches forced a 17-year-old player to eat an entire pepperoni pizza against his Hebrew Israelite religious beliefs for missing a voluntary May 20 strengthening and conditioning workoutarefalse and exaggerated. Rose prefers Carr to Baker Mayfield based on pulling out wins in fourth quarters 1994! Canton McKinley football team pick off the pepperoni and eat it coerced him to take off the pepperoni eat. 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