UPDATE 2: Owner of Hoover Gazette explained reason for termination was due to Hunter Ford spreading a story without substantiation. “I told him not to make statements he was not able to substantiate. My concern is that I don’t want my newspaper or my son’s newspaper to be spreading rumor.”
UPDATE: Hoover Gazette Publisher fires Hunter Ford by calling into the Paul Finebaum Radio Network during the four o’clock hour!
The salacious details of an alleged affair involving Rush Propst is getting full treatment on Birmingham talk radio with the Hoover fiasco the centerpiece on the Paul Finebaum Radio Network.
The affair was described as an “open secret in certain circles for years,†said Hunter Ford on Finebaum’s radio show.
What circle?
High school football coaches and insiders.
This rumor/innuendo/fact/whatever was cited by one well-placed Alabama high school coach as a problem Propst would face if he made a move toward UAB or another college job—that was in December.
But no press outlet has touched the story, until….
The Hoover story began unraveling when Hoover’s AD Jerry Browning resigned earlier this month.
Ford alleged on the Finebaum show that as Browning was exiting town, the former AD was spreading rumors about Propst’s personal life.
Today, Ford raised questions about Propst dismissal from Eufaula. He said Propst was not fired from Eufaula for failing to win football games—Propst was fired for some off-the-field reason.
What Ford was trying to do was raise the question: Does Propst Have A History Of Sexual Dalliances?
Judging by Ford’s comments, it sounds like he may be close to printing a story.
While the sexual allegations are the most interesting, the academic questions are the ones that really matter.
And the academic questions will now be investigated by a former federal judge. Whatever the outcome of this investigation, Alabama high school athletics has suffered a serious black eye. First, two Mobile area football players get their grades changed, and now there might be academic problems at the most successful football program in the state—in way you slice it, this isn’t a fun time for football fans.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] Jun 22nd, 2007 by tidedruid The Capstone Report is shining again. This blogger puts me to shame when it comes to staying on top of big stories. He’s got all of the details about the Hoover Gazette reporter being fired about an impromptu phone interview on the Paul Finebaum radio show. He is a high quality writer. [...]
[...] UPDATE #2: Capstone Report has a post on the firing that says Ford was investigating Hoover High coach Rush Propst’s alleged affair, which Ford described as “an open secret in certain circles for years”. [...]