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To: conservative cat
Ken is a great self-promoter. The members of the team he benched have few good things to say. He did have them sign a contract but they thought he wasn't really interested in their grades, but in himself.

I liked Damien, I had him in a unique teaching situation for a couple of days. Dad wasn't all that nice to him (smacking his head, etc). Damian received a West Point appt via George Miller, but sadly, dropped out after one year. I think he could not handle the academics. Too bad.

Ken's local business foundered, he had a sporting goods store. But he managed to get this movie about himself made. On one occasion I was waiting to speak with him but he took care of everyone else (even those who came later) first. I think I was the wrong color.

16 posted on 01/31/2005 7:33:21 PM PST by pbear8 (Lord, Our Creator, how Excellent Thy Name is in all the nations...)
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To: pbear8
I went to a junior high school in Staunton, Virginia - Shelburne Junior High - from 1970-1973 - 7th through 9th. We had a gym coach by the name of Hunter Talbot. I do not know much about his past - I believe he was ex Air Force. I know that he started at the school a few years before I got there. The school was on the west side of town, a rough area, and during the late sixties racial problems started rising up even in Staunton. Lots of fights before, during, and after school. What this coach did was start a sports program before and after school.

You usually get to school about 30-40 minutes before classes start. He would have the kids playing basketball in the gym before the first bell. In the afternoons, he started an intramarial program of what was in season - basketball, horseshoes, volleyball, etc. Kids could sign up as various teams, from the different grades, and play each other after school. He had a two-lose bracket system. You lost your first game, you got knocked down into the losers bracket. The next game you lost, you were knocked out. You had a champion of the winners bracket and one for the losers bracket. At the end, the two champions played each other in front of the whole school in the afternoon - as an assembly.

Racial tensions went down, fights went down. He figured, get these kids worked up they would be too tired to fight. Also, get them working together in teams and once they get to know each other, tensions would ease. He was right.

They should make a movie about him.

30 posted on 02/01/2005 10:18:34 AM PST by 7thson (I think it takes a big dog to weigh a hundred pounds!)
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