Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Abe Scrap]

It was a male runner.

No Shirt No Service: High School Coach Jobless After His Boys Track Team Goes Topless

Sunday, May 8 2011 2:59 PM

We've all wanted to tell a jogger to put his shirt back on, but what happened recently in suburban Boston is a little different.

Westwood High track coach Tom Davis was fired last week because one of his runners decided to whip off a shirt during training on a 75-degree day. This wasn't a girl, by the way. It was a boy.

And the Westwood High athletic director, Karl Fogel, was so irate about it that Davis thought he was going to lay him out.

"I fully 100 percent was expecting to be swung at," the coach told NECN TV.

That wasn't the end of it. Davis was let go on the spot, in front of his team, and eventually escorted off school property.

"The kids on my team, it was terrible," Davis told the TV station. "Their faces, just pure disgust, pure fear."

The team was doing quite well this year under the second-year coach: one of the relay teams went to nationals less than two months ago and the outdoor team started off 5-0 this spring. But there was an undercurrent of tension at the school as Fogel told Davis that some members of the girls team felt uncomfortable when the boys ran without shirts. Davis even warned his team about possible punishment for not wearing a shirt.

Then, a week ago Friday, the situation boiled over, with Fogel going chest to chest with the coach, according to the Boston Globe.

"I can assure you that [the] decision to relieve Mr. Davis of his duties was not the result of a single incident," said Westwood schools superintendant John Antonucci in a statement, "but rather the regrettable outcome of an ongoing discussion."

Now that ongoing discussion has ricocheted all over the community. Davis said he was never given an official reason for his firing, and he is seeking legal counsel.

The Westwood team lost its first meet without Davis on Monday. He was replaced by the school's throwing coach.

[Konglishman]

Wow, back when I ran track and cross country, no one ever cared if one of us did that. So, it seems peoplle certainly have become hypersensitive these days.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Once upon a time, a long time ago, a group of friends were playing frisbee in a park in Estes Park, Colorado. One of the guys took his shirt off. Within minutes a cop was by to tell him to put it back on or he'd be fined. Given that most were in possession of various controlled substances, it was lucky the guy didn't decide to make a point about antiquated social attitudes.

These attitudes are not particularly new. Ever seen a 'No shirt, no shoes, no service' sign?

[caniff]

That guy was you, Ya-ta, wasn't he?

(I'm very clever to have figured that out)

[Ya-ta Boy]

^
Nope. Just one of the group. But I was getting my fair share of attention with my tie-dyed pants.

There was something else that made the day memorable, though. Kinda freaking out with the close call with the cop, Donna, Suzy, and I went into a cafe across the street for a fountain Coke. Donna couldn't handle the fizzing so was just staring at hers. The clerk noticed, walked down and leaned over to her and said, "It's talking to you, isn't it?" It was, but how did he know? We skedaddled out of there. Everything ended well though, because in the car on the way down the mountain the dj played a string of Four Tops songs. Apparently it was Levi Stubbs' birthday.

[caniff]

[Ya-ta Boy]

^
Philistine!

[jrwhite82]

I can see if the school made a decision that required all members of the sports teams to wear a uniform/proper attire during practices, meets and school events. And this coach continuously ignored enforcing the rule, especially after he was confronted about it with an official warning. Then this MAYBE could be justified (but doing it like that in front of the team is highly unprofessional and acts as a poor model for the students).

The way the article made it sound was that some girls complained, the school issued a directive to the coaches about it, and then the next time it happened the guy go fired. Which to me is ridiculous. But that might not bet he actual story here.

The girls have a right to complain about it. The school has their right to issue a decision about it. But to fire someone over it happening only once since the directive was issued is extreme.

[Fox]

So what happens when some girls complain about the male swim team going shirtless?

[caniff]

I'm betting Fogel just didn't like Davis, maybe because he was a new guy having a lot of success with his team - going to nationals and all that? Perhaps he saw him as a threat, who knows? Or maybe Davis is the kind of guy that can piss off the Pope.

We need more background here.

[Konglishman]

[Steelrails]

[Konglishman]

[Steelrails]

[Ya-ta Boy]