Crimson Tide Cabal – It’s Us vs. Them In the “Hazing” Incident

We don’t mean to come across crass. But, leadership inside Pottsville Area School District is clueless.

Not in the generic, “oh those dumbos are clueless” sense. This is worse.

The reaction to and fallout from the alleged Pottsville hazing incident show their priorities are way off.

They’re all so self-involved in their own personal goals, they really believe they’re a force in the community.

It’s more like a farce. Instead, they’ve completely abandoned responsibilities here in order to protect their own. And sadly, win a basketball game.

Pottsville Hazing Latest

Here’s a breakdown of some recent events to drive that home:

Suspended Students and Admin Back to School and Work

The students suspended for their role in the alleged “hazing” event in 2018 are back in class. That includes extra-curricular activities, too. The Athletic Director and Dean of Students put on administrative leave are back to work.

Pottsville Football Coach Tom McGoey Out

At the most recent school board meeting, the school said it was advertising for a new head football coach. That ends the Tom McGoey era in Pottsville football history. He was the person in charge of the team where this “hazing” incident is rooted.

“K.S.” Still In Court

The lawsuit has appalled some local residents. How could the alleged perpetrator have the audacity to file a lawsuit against the school?

We agree, partly.

One part of the lawsuit suggests that “K.S.” shouldn’t have been suspended because the alleged victim isn’t a student at the school. The policy the school says he violated is specific to school district students.

The suit also claims the school operated a kangaroo court to find “K.S.” guilty.

What a mess!

“K.S.” Back on the Court

The suspensions in the rear-view, Pottsville was ready to move on from the incident. After all, this was states.

Pottsville could have won the District XI championship playing upside down this year. There was definitely a push to get this whole situation “resolved” (and “K.S.” on the court) before the state tournament. Don’t let them fool you.

Maybe someone in that locker room thought that it wouldn’t be right for “K.S.” to play again this year. Some of our readers say those students shouldn’t play sports ever again.

The basketball team apparently felt the need to show “K.S.” it meant business and wouldn’t stand for his alleged fan dancing. During its state tournament run, “K.S.” came off the bench for Pottsville.

• If that was supposed to be a punishment for what was alleged … it’s just completely tone deaf.
• Or if it was supposed to be a punishment for the lawsuit against the school … we somehow have an even worse problem.
• If that was supposed to not be punishment to spare “K.S.” any hecklers during pre-game introductions, well that should tell you something.

We have a feeling it was a combination of the first two. Definitely, not the third.

The school says he did something very bad. But they couldn’t possibly lose the basketball tournament. They were going to need “K.S.” for that.

And that’s why we say the school and the so-called leaders inside it are clueless. They don’t get it.

This Isn’t About Sports

Details of the alleged incident are clear: Students sexually harassed a special needs man inside the Pottsville football locker room. One danced naked in front of him. The lawsuit alleges “K.S.” never made contact with the alleged victim.

OK … does that matter?

The school says “K.S.” also took a lollipop and put it on his anus and then forced the alleged victim to eat it.

Now, think about that symbolic benching. Who’s idea was that? Who thought that’ll teach him a lesson for what happened?

We think they should all be benched. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets.

This is hardly about sports, too. This is a culture problem within the school that’s infected the sports programs. It’s fueled by nepotism, friends helping and covering for friends, vindictiveness, and a callous ignorance to the public they’re supposed to serve.

No, this isn’t about sports.

AD Suspended for a Role in This “Hazing” Investigation Now Critical to Future

The school suspended Athletic Director Eric Rismiller for some role in this mess. At the last school board meeting, they instructed him to advertise for the next head football coach.

No, he won’t pick the next coach himself, but putting him in charge of the search? Odd.

But not as odd as his sister having a hand in that final hiring decision. She’s the school board president.

This is just one instance of nepotism in that school. There are PLENTY more. And each one more means it’s less likely you’ll ever get a straight story from anyone lingering around those hallways.

They know this. They don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. And they don’t care if you’re concerned about it.

The Real Pottsville Hazing

The alleged incident in that locker room is not hazing. That’s clear.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a hazing going on up there. It’s a cabal.

In real life and then echoing it on social media, it’s evident there’s a belief that what they’re doing is right and that we’re behind them.

The students involved in this incident are being hazed into believing what they did was OK. The whole district worked to get this resolved as quickly as possible.

And what’s most laughable from all this? They really thought they were going to win and they really thought we cared.

Who are these people? Was it SRO at these Tide games? Not from the evidence we saw. Hardly.

But if we say that the whole community is behind us, maybe that’ll make it true .. eventually.

Not everyone applies “win at all costs” to high school sports. We’re pretty sure this whole mess turned away more fans than it attracted.

But if you all say so, sure. The town’s behind you. Just keep telling yourselves that. Hit that Like button.

And Finally …

This cabal inside the “castle on the hill” is also a bunch of sore losers.

Where is this mentality coming from? Which “adult” first says this? Then they pass it on. Suddenly, it’s aged fine whine.

Public school is code for “we would have won if it weren’t for these private schools”. So pathetic.

Look at those Likes — 82 on Twitter in Schuylkill County is hard to get. It’s hard to get anywhere.

There’s a cabal of these people. Adults and students, all friends with each other — all liking each other’s delusional statements on social media.

And you know it doesn’t stop on social media. This is happening in those schools. Adults filling students’ heads with these excuses.

We feel for the students who had zero role in any of this nonsense. They’re being led by people who are absolutely clueless to their surroundings.

And we’re definitely worried about other potential victims in that school. If these same people are faced with another situation like this, they’re going to do the exact same thing.

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