They said previous methods of discipline had failed to reach the player. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - New developments occurred this week in the pizza scandal involving a former Canton McKinley football player and his coaches. and last updated 6:19 AM, Jun 02, 2021. 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. Canton City Schools SuperintendentJeff Talbert reiterated the statements he gave Wednesday when he announced the coaches would face further discipline. Gilbert has said the player was told that if he didn't eat the pizza, that his teammates would be forced to perform additional drills and that the player's status with the team was in question. Updated: Jun. They needed to get through to him some other way. He said hes asked God for forgiveness for eating the pork residue. 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 . 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. He blamed the district for conducting a rushed and incomplete investigation, noting that Wattley was interviewed for only 18 minutes and that only three of the 40 players present wereinterviewed. I try to incorporate that with my coaches every day.. So I just went with it and went to the contest, the player testified. ", "It's (the dismissal) not going to fix the damage that has been done," said Peter Pattakos, the attorney representing the coaches. A federal judge said there was insufficient evidence to support allegations that the player was forced to eat food against his religion. McKinley's Harold Fannin is the Federal League Player of the Year,. McDaniels kicked in addition to playing quarterback at McKinley when Miller coached the Bulldogs' defensive backs. Talbert said it was the surveillance video that gave him the information he needed to make his recommendation to fire Wattley and his assistants. He was one of several football players who attended the disciplinary hearing Monday to show their support for Wattley. More on the McDaniels family: Canton council approves street name change to honor McDaniels football family. Every day . Video that shows the events that led to 7 McKinley High School coaches being removed. 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. Video showed the moments the player claims the coaches forced him to eat a pork-based pepperoni pizza after showing up later to a non-mandatory practice. An attorney representing Marcus Wattley told 3News Investigates that there's more to this story that hasn't been told. All rights reserved. Anna players and coaches pose with the Division VI state championship trophy following the team's 48-14 win over New Middletown Springfield on Friday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. I love them, they know that. 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 wasnt about that (a single missed workout). "This young man is one of the most talented members of the team and he's let the team down, not showing up to practices, not communicating with his team, not fulfilling the role of a team leader," attorney Peter Pattakos told 3News. Pro Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for . McLeods disciplinary hearing with school officials over his job as a safety and security liaison was held earlier Monday. 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. This community deserves afull and thorough investigation and its obvious that this hasnt happened, said Pattakos, as he pointed to the players. Explore the benefits. We feel that he overreacted.". On a sunny September Saturday in 1997, secrets of the future whispered like ripples as Josh McDaniels played a college football game on the Ohio River. McLeods disciplinary hearing with school officials over his job as a safety and security liaison was held earlier Monday. There's nobody more tenacious. With Josh going there now, Carr staying is a done deal.". . CANTON, Ohio The Canton City School District has fired head high school football coach Marcus Wattley and six of his assistants following an investigation into misconduct against a player. More:Canton McKinley High School football coaches to face further discipline, possible criminal charges. 8/19. . Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or [email protected]. Gilbert has said the family has agreed to meet with district officials before pursuing a lawsuit. 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. It wont be the same without them, said Powell, a rising senior who is considered McKinley's top returning player. The Canton City School Board held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss the incident that occurred . Deservedly so. "It was a situation that deserves to be investigated so we're going to investigate it," Talbert told The Repository. Melt Bar & Grilled closes 2 Ohio locations, Ohio Gov. One of the state's most successful coaches . He is McKinley's fifth head coach in 10 seasons. 1940 Massillon Washington High School. Superintendent Jeff Talbert called the actions of the coaches "inappropriate, demeaning, and divisive. CANTON, Ohio With an attorney by his side, the father of a junior at McKinley Senior High School shared his anger after he told News 5 his son, who is a . Example video title will go here for this video. I knew about Josh then, and I followed him over the years.". They needed to show him what it was like to be the only man eating in a room full of hungry, working men. Ed Gilbert, the attorney representing the player and his family, told 3News in a statement: "We feel the court made a clear error here. I just dont understand why after I said I dont eat pork, they didnt take it (the pepperoni pizza) away. CANTON A shortened fall camp and two abbreviated scrimmages left Mentor football coach Matt Gray a little unsure what he had in his 2021 football team heading into the season opener Aug.. Updated: 1:20 p.m., Thursday, June 3, 2021. His statements were supported by five McKinley football players who attended the school board meeting in support of their eight coaches. Before a playing run in the Canadian Football League, Hall spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, whose head coach was Tony Dungy. They said the player chose to take off the pepperoni and eat it. In an online post that accompanies the transcripts, Pattakos writes thatthe players testimony, along with testimony from his father, another former coach and affidavits from his former teammates, prove the coaches never knowingly violated the players religious beliefs, a key contention that elevated the story to an international level and is the basis for the players federal civil rights lawsuit. "He's been the best offensive coordinator in the NFL, I think. I told them that I was smoking marijuana because I didnt want them to know that I was smoking Black & Milds because I thought Black & Milds was worse than marijuana, the player testified. The sprints werent working, Pattakos said. 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. "They are not Christian or Muslim. 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. A jury trial in Stark County Common Pleas Court is set for Sept. 19. Its unclear from the players testimony whether the other coaches heard the player talking about his religion. 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. The lawsuit also names Canton City Schools as a defendant. The first NFL game action of the 2022 season will feature the debuts of a couple of head coaches.The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that the Jaguars and Raiders will square off in the Hall of . Attorney Pattakos released the following statement on behalf of Marcus Wattley late Thursday night: "We asked the district to postpone their decision for at least one more week to allow for this matter to be fully and fairly investigated, including upon full consideration of the testimony of the numerous Canton McKinley football players who witnessed this event and were at tonight's board meeting wanting to tell anyone who would listen that the story being advanced by the alleged victim's father and attorney is not true. Canton Former Canton McKinley football coaches dismissed from federal lawsuit alleging they forced player to eat pizza A federal judge said there was insufficient evidence to support. A district investigation found the charges against the coaches to be true, and Superintendent Jeff Talbert called their actions "inappropriate, demeaning, and divisive." Four young men in this program have been shot in this last calendar year alone, Pattakos said. But they should have known that he didnt eat pork, he contends. "This report is under investigation, in accordance with our district policies," Canton City Schools told 3News. Tournament Game. 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. Hall, who also serves as McKinley's athletic director,. Reach Kelli at 330-580-8339 or [email protected]. The attorney alsoblamesthe Canton City School District for conducting a rushed and incomplete investigation, an accusation the district denies. Here's what we know nowabout the May 24incident along with what's next for the fired coaches and the Canton McKinley football team: Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the player and his family,believesthe school district violated the player's constitutional rights when the coaches punished the playerformissing a May 20voluntarystrengthening and conditioning practice to nurse a slight shoulder injury he received during a priorpractice. The attorney for that Canton McKinley football player made wild accusations of anti-Semitism that caused these coaches to be terminated, lose their jobs and be smeared in the local,. 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. He always pushes the envelope forward. A federal judge filed an order Thursday to . I will defer to Judge Haupt and her able staff to handle. Its unclear whether the player told the coaches about the yardwork. Attorney Ed Gilbert, who is representing the 17-year-old football player and his family, said Thursday that he agrees with the school board's decision to dismiss the coaches, but added, There is no joy in seeing this. Nobody is perfect, not even Coach Wattley is perfect and he knows that. Judge John Adams found there was not enough evidence to support allegations made by legal representation of the student-athlete. Kuberacki went on to a fascinating Air Force career that is its own story. He was asked to accept this form of a lesson. Box Score. He said the student had stopped regularly communicating with his coaches, had left workouts early, and had been acting disrespectfully to coaches. That's why he is going to be successful in Vegas. A federal judge filed an order Thursday to dismiss the seven former football coaches from a lawsuit claiming they forced the player to eat pork against his religion. Talbert said counselors will be available for the football players Friday. I just always told them whenever they bought food and stuff, I told them I dont eat pork and left it at that, he said. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - New developments occurred this week in the pizza scandal involving a former Canton McKinley football player and his coaches. Attorney Stephen Griffin, who represents Gilbert in the coaches defamation lawsuit, declined to respond to Pattakos online post. McDaniels is a significant donor. We wont stop fighting until we get them back., More about McKinley's new head coach: Interim McKinley Bulldogs football coach Antonio Hall will look to 'put our kids first'. He went on to play at the University of Kentucky and in the Canadian Football League with Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatchewan. Bulldogs logo for the Canton City School District in Ohio. Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler in Seattle, last offseason engineered his way to Denver (and to a new . 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. Nordonia, 11-13 last year, was looking to also avenge a 58-42 loss last year to McKinley as a 19th seed in the . 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. He has been Canton's AD for less than a year. Dude I don't coach at McKinley nor have I ever but I think you feel like you was entitled t to his job smh he was qualified to be the head coach . CANTONWhat Canton City school officials called a misguided attempt to instill discipline has led to the firingof McKinley High School head football coach Marcus Wattley and six of his assistant coaches. As of Monday, both investigations were ongoing. ", Reach Steve at [email protected], This article originally appeared on The Repository: Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels stirs reactions in Canton, American football coach and executive (born 1975), 'I know where to go and pour them': Fate of 40-year-old Hudepohl six-packs rides on Bengals winning AFC title, Super Bowl, Canton council approves street name change to honor McDaniels football family, I don't think they gave him enough time in Denver, McKinley won a rematch in the playoffs two weeks later, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels stirs reactions in Canton, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. Wattley was hired at McKinley in 2019 and McLeod has been coaching since 2004. McKinley's Harold Fannin Jr. runs after a catch against GlenOak at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. The weekly sessions are now monthly check-ins. Monica A. Coleman, a theologian and professor of Africana studies at the University of Delaware, said someHebrew Israelites do consider themselves to be Jewish. … Physically harming is a lot different. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. School officials told The Repository this week that the school will review its entire athletic program. Attorney Edward Gilbert, who is representing the 17-year-old player at the center of the controversyand his family, on June 14 released the surveillance video that was taken on May 24 when the family says Wattley and his staff forced the player to eat an entire pepperoni pizza against his Hebrew Israelite religious beliefs as punishment for missing a voluntary workout. (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. He always tries to make the people around him better. I was hoping David Carr would come to the Browns. "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. Rose views McDaniels as a coach's son who paid attention and absorbed every lesson. At the next days workout, the player said coach Harris told him that he was going to have to apologize to the team and he agreed to do so. We feel the coaches knew what they did and the judge wanted us to be specific. Im not going to respond to every allegation that comes up because its like a moving target. 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. Bottom line: Head coach . There was no intent (to cause harm), Pattakos said. He also said he wasnt missing workouts due to using marijuana as the coaches have suggested. "This incident does not reflect the Canton City School District's culture of protecting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our students.". 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. More about Hebrew Israelites: Canton family's faith at the center of McKinley High football coach abuse allegations, I miss my boys. I learned from a great man how to coach football. The Canton McKinley grad could be looking at drafting a new quarterback with the No. "These quarterbacks that get their teams deep in the playoffs all can score in the fourth quarter. Grimsleys message advised Humphrey that he had concerns with how the student was treated. But the player testified that Wattley told him that if he walked out, he couldnt come back. 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. According to his deposition testimony, the players father first introduced the family to the Hebrew Israelite faith in 2013. It remains a tragedy that these good men lost their jobs over this but with todays ruling theyve at least received some small measure of justice and they are extremely grateful for that.. On 10/28, the McKinley varsity football team won their home playoff game against GlenOak (Canton, OH) by a score of 40-22. Team Statistics. 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." … I was yelling at him, I was telling him I dont eat it because of my religion, the player said. Hall was a star offensive tackle on the Bulldogs' 1997 national championship team and later earned All-SEC honors at Kentucky before stints as an assistant coach at GlenOak, McKinley, and St. Thomas Aquinas. He said coach Brodie told him to take off the pepperoni. Key players: P/E Horace Gillom, HB Tommy James, OL Jim Russell. I don't think that's going to happen now, with Josh there.". June 5, 2021, 1:55 PM PDT. We begged Canton City School District officials to slow their rushed and flawed investigation to account for the truth but they wouldnt listen. 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