VA INTERMONT FIRES COACH, ELIMINATES TRACK XC

this was e-mail sent to us. sorry i'm not scott

that email was sent to those people who gave to the program. Its great news that those guys will be able to get out to nationals and compete! Just a little more cash and the trip will be set. Thanks to all those who gave! VIC has been the source of a lot of pride for the running community in Virginia... its a shame that the program will no longer be around.

To see some of the names of those who gave check out the snakesonaplanetonationals website. Flagpole Willy is NOT there because he is a selfish blowhard... but several well known people in the running community are there, thanks again!

How much did Cabada throw in?

sp!kes wrote:

that email was sent to those people who gave to the program. Its great news that those guys will be able to get out to nationals and compete! Just a little more cash and the trip will be set. Thanks to all those who gave! VIC has been the source of a lot of pride for the running community in Virginia... its a shame that the program will no longer be around.

To see some of the names of those who gave check out the snakesonaplanetonationals website. Flagpole Willy is NOT there because he is a selfish blowhard... but several well known people in the running community are there, thanks again!

Whatever dude. If you'd like to compare your charitable giving to mine from our 2006 tax returns, I'd be glad to do that. With all the things to fund in this world, giving money to college runners so they can go somewhere to race is WAY down the list for me.

I'm a little disappointed in Flagpole's indifference quite honestly but to each their own. No need for anyone to call FW names. If he'd rather give his money to an upper-middle class suburban white church so they can buy a new vestibule floor rather than send kids from war-torn countries and inner city ghettoes to nationals, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, who are we to judge?

Letter to the editor from that renown paper, Bristol News:

Shirking an obligation

Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 12:45 AM

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The sports cuts and firings at Virginia Intermont College have been bad news for many students, faculty, staff and community members who care about the school. However, the unfulfilled commitment of VI to 18 athletes who have qualified for nationals still looms like a cloud over Moore Street.

It is important to point out that, under the direction of VI’s administration, coaches were instructed to increase roster sizes, decrease the size of scholarships offered and increase tuition revenues. In the case of cross country and track, that is exactly what happened. Our roster grew to almost 50 with a significant decrease in aid, resulting in a record dollar amount in revenue.

What was offered to these students to get them to be paying customers? An athletic opportunity, of course. And not just an average one, but an exceptional one.

Every student on the Cobras’ track roster chose VI over every other institution for one reason – the chance to win a national championship. Virginia Tech would have been a less expensive choice with better living and athletic facilities. Choosing Virginia Highlands Community College would have saved individual students tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. But our athletes chose VI to work hard, to improve and to win.

The point is this. Virginia Intermont College has a commitment to its recruited student-athletes – at least for this year. In the same way that the administration wishes to honor its employment contracts with faculty for the academic year, it should honor its promises to its student-athletes.

Michael Puglisi was quoted in this paper as saying, "We notified the coach earlier this year that we wouldn’t fund that trip."

In fact, an e-mail was sent from athletic director Heather Conley on April 20 notifying me that the school would not fund the championships and it would be necessary for me to fund raise. That was one month prior to the date we would have been departing. Raising $20,000 in one month is a daunting task, but as the coach who recruited these 18 athletes, I had, and still have, an obligation to do everything I can to fulfill VI’s responsibility.

And it is not too late. My termination of employment does not equate to a termination of my integrity and my responsibility. And now, unlike before, I am free to appeal to the public. You can help. The Web site

www.snakesonaplanetonationals.com

is still generating online donations.

Twenty-thousand dollars is a high mark, but I believe we can do it. Please do what you can. You may well be funding Virginia Intermont College’s fourth, and sadly last, national title. Go Cobras!

Scott Simmons

Bristol, Va.

He was asked not to fund raise and was dismissed for not following orders. He makes the firing look like a good decision. Insubordination is insubordination whether you agree with his boss or not. He will NEVER find another job.

The world needs a lot more guys getting canned for doing the right thing, and a lot less of the pu$$ies who are afraid to "get in trouble".

ugly to the bitter end wrote:

He was asked not to fund raise and was dismissed for not following orders. He makes the firing look like a good decision. Insubordination is insubordination whether you agree with his boss or not. He will NEVER find another job.

Want to make a wager on that?

Did you miss the part where the athletic director Heather Conley told Coach Simmons it would be necessary for him to fundraise for the trip to NAIAs on April 20th?

ugly to the bitter end: Sometimes the right thing to do is insubordinate. You'll understand that when you grow a backbone.

Good for you Coach Simmons!!!

The school wanted Simmons not to fundraise why? I assume so that the problem at hand wouldn't get out and be such a big deal. If you admit that there's a problem then it makes the school look bad right.

Coach Simmons did what he felt was right, his job be damned and he should be commended for that. He will find another job and I'm sure he'll quickly build the program at that lucky institution into a serious contender at whatever level they compete in.

Good luck Coach Simmons.

is there a paypal link on there? I'd like to donate but I don't find the paypal link that it says is on there.

Send me an e-mail at Cerose88@aol.com and I can put you in touch w/ Coach Simmons (I was his asst. coach, see post #20 in this thread).

are you trying to call me out? your name is "whatever man". i'll send a check if there isn't a paypal. thanks though.

Yes, there's paypal, go look at the f***ing site already.

http://www.snakesonaplanetonationals.com/Snakes%20On%20A%20Plane%20To%20Nationals/OK,%20I%27ll%20Help.html

No I am not trying to "call you out." I was trying to help expedite your request in a timely fashion.

cool, just thought your name may have been directed at me. to the other poster, i have been on the site, see where it says to click below on the paypal button, but on my screen it appears nowhere. again, i'll just send a check to the address listed on the site and if i have a problem i'll call fernando.

also, to the other guy...don't be a dick, no need man, no need. later.

No problem...sorry for any misunderstanding, nothing was intended at all. If there is a routine hiccup in the site/pay-pal modality I'm sure F. Cabada can put you in touch with Scott. Thanks for your support too.