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East Surry

ncball04

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2014
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I have been told that Coach Diamont was let go this morning as the football coach.
 
This is the word coming out of Pilot Mountain. An absolute cowardly move by the administration to remove a legend in the high school game in North Carolina. The parent have been whining and moaning since I was playing there because they always think they know more than the coaches on the field. They have finally convinced the administration to make the move. An absolute embarrassment and I for one am truly ashamed of the high school I graduated from. The administration should be ashamed of themselves and I hope there is a complete house cleaning.
 
Saw it coming. Hate it for the kids most of all.
 
Amazing. Has coached at the school for 32 years in 2 different stints. Since 1999 has had 12 seasons with 9+ wins. They ought to give it to the group of parents that wanted him out and see how they fare.
 
This is proof that if you have money and a loud enough voice you can undermine years and years of proven success. The press release said he retired, bull crap. He was forced out and the retired tag hung on it. Really disappointed in some people I had some confidence in but such is life. I'm sure they already have their man waiting for the right time to be named the new head coach, but I'd hate to have to call a play then look up in the stands for the thumbs up or down on wether the grape farmer thinks it's a good move. All the talking about the schools being for the kids and all about the kids, then they pull a premeditated stunt like today is proof that it's all a dog and pony show. My son has his senior year next year and for his sake and the other players I hope they do something right in this whole freaking mess. Still proud to be a Cardinal but I'm really embarrassed by how this whole deal came down.
 
Just like anything else, people will be outraged the next couple days and the level of scrutiny will be solely dependent on how the new regime performs this fall.
 
After hearing some of the things they have done over the years in regards to coaches such as the softball and baseball coaches, and now football, I'm not so sure I'd want to coach there.
 
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This is proof that if you have money and a loud enough voice you can undermine years and years of proven success.

No, it is proof if the people making decisions lack strength and character money can undermine years and years of proven success. Strong leadership would not have been bullied.
 
No, it is proof if the people making decisions lack strength and character money can undermine years and years of proven success. Strong leadership would not have been bullied.

According to you the principal must be yellow-bellied coward. If true then East Surry got screwed.
 
According to you the principal must be yellow-bellied coward. If true then East Surry got screwed.

I do not know if outside groups with money and influence forced this decision. That is what people are saying. The coach knew people were pushing for change and tried to head it off.

It may not have been the principal. He works for a superintendent and school board.
 
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When you don't play the right one at quarterback in the minds of some in the peanut gallery, heads will roll when the administration is as weak as east surry has shown over the course of the past few years.
 
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I think you are wrong on this. I don’t think the school administrators did anything, I think this is on the superintendent & school board members. The local winery owner has a lot of money, and school systems like money.
When you don't play the right one at quarterback in the minds of some in the peanut gallery, heads will roll when the administration is as weak as east surry has shown over the course of the past few years.
 
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Either way it looks underhanded. When the word at aunt Beas is that some players were going to sit out unless a coaching change was made, then every decision making adult in this process looks weak, shady and spineless.

And if someone in said administration benefits from this, then they will also look like back stabbers.
 
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I think you are wrong on this. I don’t think the school administrators did anything, I think this is on the superintendent & school board members. The local winery owner has a lot of money, and school systems like money.

Not only do they have a cronie on the school board who is basically being paid for with Wine Money, they have a cronie on the inside of the school who makes direct decisions regarding athletics. This was an inside job from the beginning and anyone who thinks differently is either blind or in the Wine and Cheese crowd.
 
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Character is obviously not high on the priority list on anyone who supports this move.
 
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Kinda funny that the new baseball field house was paid off Friday too. Too convenient if you ask me.
 
After spending some time talking to members of the community, and also even speaking to some players it seems as though the only way the program can move forward is to hire a coach who is supported by the community, not a coach bought and paid for with Wine Money. The overwhelming majority of the people I spoke with support Steve Whitt to be the next head coach, but let’s see if the ones making the decisions have the guts to make up for the wrongs they have done. If they choose to put a pawn in place as head coach this once storied program, will become a laughing stock of the area.
 
I agree. I know that Coach Diamont was at the end of his career but at least let him go out with some decency. He wasn't even allowed to speak with the players after he was told he was being replaced. Coach Whitt would be a great fit. We'll see if they miraculously stumble upon some reason during the selection process.
 
With 291 wins, and over 40 years under his belt, he deserved the right to choose when he walked away. The school can hide behind a bogus press release all it wants, and the athletic director can remain silent through the whole process which tells me all I need to know, but the truth of the matter is that he was unjustly fired. It is funny that a certain debt was paid off on Friday when the news broke; awfully convenient don’t you think. The kids, well except for a small group of kids whose parents happen to be responsible for Coach Diamont’s firing overwhelmingly support Coach Whitt and he would do a great job leading that program forward. The problem is, Coach Whitt would not allow parents to dictate the direction of his program, so the pawn of an athletic Director at East Surry will probably let the Grape Man pick the new coach. It’s an absolute travesty.
 
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Well you've said all we needed to know. No way they will hire coach Whitt if he runs a tight, controlled program.

This administration is weak and will bow down to the few who want their way. Glad I don't have anymore kids that would be involved in this and feel sorry for those who do and pity the fools who choose to attend this program.

They have just shown that they do not value instilling the characteristics of creating upstanding young men and will cowtow to big daddy's pocket.
 
That is what is really sad about all of this. At the end of the day, the administration, the people we put in control of the school and athletic department to protect and make the best decision for our kids have just made a decision to punish the children of the school and the football program.
 
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I think hiring Coach Whitt would be a terrible decision. I know very few people who would be in favor of that because of his dealings in the little league and middle school groups, that’s a complete daddy ball coach if there has ever been one. Coach Johnson would be a great coach, the kids really love him.
 
I think hiring Coach Whitt would be a terrible decision. I know very few people who would be in favor of that because of his dealings in the little league and middle school groups, that’s a complete daddy ball coach if there has ever been one. Coach Johnson would be a great coach, the kids really love him.

It’s obvious you have no idea how to build a true program. The whole point and purpose of building a program is to have your high school coach working very closely with your little league and middle school programs. That’s the only way to sustain success. Please if you are that uneducated, throw your computer away and stop typing useless nonsense. It is also very clear that you haven’t spoken to a wide variety of people in the community, let alone any of the players on the team. Guess what, it is more important to ask the players than it is to ask a group of parents with money who use it to wield influence.
 
East Surry last five seasons:
2017 9-5
2016 9-4
2015 13-1
2014 10-2
2013 11-3
 
After this debacle, they will never be on par with mount airy, who they already have an inferiority complex about.
 
After this debacle, they will never be on par with mount airy, who they already have an inferiority complex about.

Ummm yeah no complex here. Who knows, if the cool kids that call the shots now want him, they might just go throw enough money at Kelly Holder and get him in Pilot Mtn. Red would look good on him.
 
I think hiring Coach Whitt would be a terrible decision. I know very few people who would be in favor of that because of his dealings in the little league and middle school groups, that’s a complete daddy ball coach if there has ever been one. Coach Johnson would be a great coach, the kids really love him.
They may stay with someone currently on staff or they may completely switch gears and go with an outside candidate. If they stay on staff, Johnson would probably be the best choice. Johnson did a pretty decent job several years ago at Surry Central, competing against much more talented programs. Whitt didn’t have very much success during his previous stint as a head coach. I think he seems to be a decent position coach, but based on his track record I’m just not sold on his ability to lead a program. Who knows what will happen or who could possibly apply from the outside. I’ve also heard some of the “facts” being presented on here aren’t exactly true.
 
Coach Whitt was the JV head coach last year. Only lost 1 game to EW all year. Nw1A JV champs. So that ain't too bad. Coach Johnson has the head coaching experience from his time at Surry Central where he's was the AD as well. Coach Whitt and Johnson are the only ones left aside from the strength and conditioning coach Rusty Slate. Coach Johnson would be the natural choice and do an outstanding job. However, I seriously doubt he'll even be considered. I don't see him fitting in with the wine and cheese crowd that's calling the shots. It wouldn't surprise me if they went after Jimmy Upchurch from WS. A complete outsider might be the best for all sides. Someone who hopefully would not be swayed by either side of this crap storm that's brewing in Pilot Mtn.
 
The Upchurch hiring could be a possibility if they pursued him. From what it looks like at the middle school and little league level, the talent pool is awful thin over at king from what they have been accustomed to. And I'm sure those coaches over there know it.
 
I do not know if outside groups with money and influence forced this decision. That is what people are saying. The coach knew people were pushing for change and tried to head it off.

It may not have been the principal. He works for a superintendent and school board.

Very shady and crooked. I agree.
 
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