Grambling State Interim Head Coach Suspected of Falsifying Application


Mighty Hornet, maybe he could've handled it differently had GSU done an internal investigation, and the findings showed that he lied, and it would've been an in house issue. However, the board that governs GSU bought it to his attention, and at that point he had to play the hand he was dealt, he acted accordingly (IMO).

Being in a position of authority, with the ability to hire, or fire (albeit a small capacity), I truly understand his position, seeing that I'm a 3rd party contractor. If the boss is not pleased, they want to see your plan of action, and look for that plan to be in motion, all the while wanting immediate action.

Unfortunately for him, he's in a position of dealing with the press, and his coach is in the public's view. In a perfect world, he wouldn't have to go public, but this world is not perfect, and their positions aren't.

Had this been a regular teacher, professor, advisor, etc.....maybe this doesn't make news; just the street beat, but the hiring, firing, or forced resignation of coaches is NEWS.

Trust me, he would've had a day if that long to keep this situation a secret, or in house before the press would've gotten a hold it, and at that point you're at the presses mercy, having to answer questions that you wouldn't have to had answered had you addressed the situation head on.

You, and I know you can't give the press the upper hand, because they'll spin a story how they see fit, until the truth comes out, and now the finger is being pointed at you. In this situation, a possible cover up.

So my old nemesis, let's agree to disagree.

NICE
 

I believe the President did it this way to dispell any questions or doubts that this will or has been covered up in any way. It may not cast a good light on Spears, but the President is supposed to be above any questions. He is putting the weight on Spears to prove himself. If he doesn't, then his fate rests with the Prez.

If the Degree exists, than all doubters should be satisfied because it happened in the public. I think a lot of folks would have problems if they heard rumors about a lack of a degree, then rumors about trying to secure a degree, than a degree showing up. It's in the open now, the questions, and hopefully the answers.
 
the most interesting thing about this post is that it hasn't deterioted into smack as I expected. Why can't we have more sports debates like this......
 
mighty hornet said:
If the Prez gave Spears a week to produce the documents, what's the point of going to the media before that week is out, especially saying the stuff he is quoted as saying about how "disturbing" it is for him to "learn that Spears had not earned a masters degree." Suppose, (by some chance) Spears actually produce the degree. Then the school and the man will have been dragged for nothing.
Seems to me, school officials jumped the gun.
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Wanna give 4-1 odds that the president doesn't know the answer to this already? :read:
 
No this is on Spears..... if you do not have it, don't put it out there. To many people look for trash, so it's best to just keep your house clean.

But let me ask this question...... No AD, No Spears, then could Doug come back and pick up both? :lecture:
 
Nice,
I can agree to disagree....

but
:lol:
If GSU's Pres had fired Spears immediately when he heard of this, then so be it.
If he had not given Spears but 30 minutes to produce documentation, then so be it.

But he didn't. He gave the man a week. During that week's time, I don't see any need to go to the media with that story. And even if somebody else leaked the info to the media, and the media asked questions, a common sense response for GSU would be to say something along the lines that the matter is being investigated. There is nothing dishonest or underhanded about a response like that. Once the investigation was over (when the week's time had elapsed and if Spears had not produced), that's when the Pres. should've made his comments about being "disturbed to learn that Spears doesn't have a masters degree". It's less than honorable for him to make these comments before his own deadline passed.
 
He better be glad the degree isn't from UAPB because it will take at least a month to get a transcipt from UAPB.

Secondly, if he has a masters, why not simply go home, get it, and bring it back to the President? I mean, a masters degree is not like those chessy awards you get at work. Everybody knows exactly where their bachelors and masters degree physically are.
 
I can see and apprieciate the Pres making an official statement instead of letting rumors bound around. You can probably bet that folks at Grambling had already gotten wind of this, so better 1 official statement than 10 unofficial(from various unnamed sources) ones and a bunch of speculation. I think a week is fair. Obviously, thier is some problem. For example, 1 time my creditials were questioned, and when I got to the bottom of it, there was another student with my same name (Middle initial different) and our records got confused. I agree that in most cases, a quick trip home would suffice for a sheet of paper, but with modern technology were it is, things can be duplicated and altered. I would imagine they are requesting a transcript directly from the university, and that does take a few days.
 
Da_Sperm said:
He better be glad the degree isn't from UAPB because it will take at least a month to get a transcipt from UAPB.

Secondly, if he has a masters, why not simply go home, get it, and bring it back to the President? I mean, a masters degree is not like those chessy awards you get at work. Everybody knows exactly where their bachelors and masters degree physically are.
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Uuuh, I don't know where my Ph.D. degree is. :read:
 
To top it off...
He doesnt have to fire Spears. He can just give him a repremand or probation. But it looks like he has backed himself into a corner.

Oh well..
 
mighty hornet said:
If the Prez gave Spears a week to produce the documents, what's the point of going to the media before that week is out, especially saying the stuff he is quoted as saying about how "disturbing" it is for him to "learn that Spears had not earned a masters degree." Suppose, (by some chance) Spears actually produce the degree. Then the school and the man will have been dragged for nothing.
Seems to me, school officials jumped the gun.
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EXACTLY!!!!!!! I just hope that this does not damage Coach Spears any further or GRAMBLING STATE Univ. I do agree with those who have said that after that fiasco at G-Tech, all coaches (and anybody else) should have gotten their records in order. I hope that this works out well for the party's involved.
 
STRAWDOG said:
EXACTLY!!!!!!! I just hope that this does not damage Coach Spears any further or GRAMBLING STATE Univ. I do agree with those who have said that after that fiasco at G-Tech, all coaches (and anybody else) should have gotten their records in order. I hope that this works out well for the party's involved.
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For those who don't know Shreveport news channels are running this story all over the new and have been running this story all day. TV crews on campus interviewing the students and the players. This is the type of negative press that Gram did not need. News media have also been trying to reach Doug as well. Now the word is the issue will be resolved Monday. SMH
 
Suge said:
the most interesting thing about this post is that it hasn't deterioted into smack as I expected. Why can't we have more sports debates like this......
Click to expand...
I didn't expect it to turn into smack because, TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL, it was not about Southern. I agree that we should have more non-smack discourse on the Sports Board and I am GLAD that this one didn't turn out that way.

My parents live in Shreveport and they are Southernites, but interested in all HBCUs survival. They are LIVID at the way the Shreveport media has blown this all out of proportion and convicted the man. My father said they only give Grambling a blip on the screen all season long and barely announced Coach Spears appointed as interim coach, but noooooooooo this is "breaking news" now. :tdown:

Any, I see where the matter has be resolved favorably and that's a good thing!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? :jump:
 

Da_Sperm said:
He better be glad the degree isn't from UAPB because it will take at least a month to get a transcipt from UAPB.

Secondly, if he has a masters, why not simply go home, get it, and bring it back to the President? I mean, a masters degree is not like those chessy awards you get at work. Everybody knows exactly where their bachelors and masters degree physically are.
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I get my transcripts within a week of requesting them. :D

Man, I LOVE Miss Freddie! HAAYYYY Mrs. Johnson! :wavey:

Glad this all worked out for Coach Spears. :tup:
 
Seeing Spots said:
I didn't expect it to turn into smack because, TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL, it was not about Southern. I agree that we should have more non-smack discourse on the Sports Board and I am GLAD that this one didn't turn out that way.

My parents live in Shreveport and they are Southernites, but interested in all HBCUs survival. They are LIVID at the way the Shreveport media has blown this all out of proportion and convicted the man. My father said they only give Grambling a blip on the screen all season long and barely announced Coach Spears appointed as interim coach, but noooooooooo this is "breaking news" now. :tdown:

Any, I see where the matter has be resolved favorably and that's a good thing!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? :jump:
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I have been saying the same thing about Shreveports new media. When there is something negative about GSU, they are on it like flies on shat but when something postive happens it gets a mention and sometimes not even that. Glad coach spears made it through it
 
mighty hornet said:
If the Prez gave Spears a week to produce the documents, what's the point of going to the media before that week is out, especially saying the stuff he is quoted as saying about how "disturbing" it is for him to "learn that Spears had not earned a masters degree." Suppose, (by some chance) Spears actually produce the degree. Then the school and the man will have been dragged for nothing.
Seems to me, school officials jumped the gun.
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Some things need to be repeated.
 
EB said:
Some things need to be repeated.
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Maybe someone said they were going to the press with the story saying Spears was invalid and the Prez thought maybe it was not true. He gave the man a week to clear his name. Or not....
 
bottom line...Spears better win and win fast....if not, he's gone....obviously, someone has it in for him...

funny thing about it...it took six months to find out he did not file for graduation?
 
mighty hornet said:
If GSU's Pres had fired Spears immediately when he heard of this, then so be it.
If he had not given Spears but 30 minutes to produce documentation, then so be it.

But he didn't. He gave the man a week. During that week's time, I don't see any need to go to the media with that story.
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I think this is the part you are missing MH. It wasn't the pres. that went to the media. The story was going to break on Friday in papers. With or without comments from the pres. In his position he had to say something. Come on man, even a country boy like you can see that. When you are in a position of authority like the pres of a university, "No comment" just won't get it done.
 
Suge said:
I think this is the part you are missing MH. It wasn't the pres. that went to the media. The story was going to break on Friday in papers. With or without comments from the pres. In his position he had to say something. Come on man, even a country boy like you can see that. When you are in a position of authority like the pres of a university, "No comment" just won't get it done.
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I never said that the Pres should have said "no comment". I said that he should have said something along the lines of "The matter is being investigated." (public relations 101)seeing as how he had given Spears a week to produce the documents. Absolutely NOTHING wrong with that.

But he was quoted, (in a GSU press release, no less) as saying how "disturbued" he was to find out that "Spears doesn't have a master's degree."
Less than 24 hours later, Spears has produced.

now what say you Mr. President????
:scared:



btw, that damn newspaper really need to stop quoting that Earling Hunter character. From reading his quotes, it's obvious that he doesn't have "the good sense" (thanks rob)
:D
 
Might Hornet,

For whatever it is worth.

Technically, when the president made this comment Coach Spears did not hold a Master's Degree. It wasn't until further investigation on Coach Spears part, later revealed by the paper that he indeed had completed his Master's Degree course work, but had yet to have his Master's Degree conferred by North Arizona University.

Fortunately, based on the time framed given by Grambling State University's president, Coach Spears was able to confer his Master's Degree by completing the neccessary paper work. Once this paper work has been completed and only then does Coach Spears hold a Master's Degree.
 
the band fan said:
bottom line...Spears better win and win fast....if not, he's gone....obviously, someone has it in for him...

funny thing about it...it took six months to find out he did not file for graduation?
Click to expand...

I withheld my comments because when I first met Coach Spears everything he said was above board. As tbf stated "obviously, someone has it in for him... and I concur with this statement.

If someone want you on their team the situation would have been handle differently. This was a great situation for the President not only bring in a new AD, but provide the AD with an opportuntiy to bring in his own coach. I saw the best High School in Huntsville destroyed with some of the same type of logic. This is going to get interesting in the future. We need people who care about each other and know our history. I don't see this as we move forward, but it is something to think about. People don't need help when they are right, but how can we assist when they need assistance.
 
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