Lack of Institutional Control?

H oover’s football program and Coach Rush Propst run amok—that is the story du juor. And it just got worse for Hoover, as the Birmingham News reported that Hoover High School failed to self-report two distinct violations of AHSAA rules.

First, the school knew about, but failed to report the JV football team played two ineligible players.

Second, a volunteer coach unethically watched the Vestavia Hills practice two days before the rivals met during the regular season.

Neither incident was reported by school administrators, according to the Birmingham News.

That raises the question, who is running Hoover High School? The academics or the football coaches?

The answer will be determined; however, most schools in the state have an overemphasis on football. The actions going on at Hoover are common in most school systems—where football coaches and players receive special treatment. Cheating is endemic in high school athletics, and the fines handed out by the AHSAA are just the tip of the iceberg.

As Hoover’s grade probe accelerates with the hiring of a retired federal judge to probe the scandal, there remain questions about how two Mobile area Auburn signees grades were changed.

Outsiders like to say football is out of control in Alabama, and scandals like this only reinforce such a notion.

Reporter fired

I’m working on an update to the firing of the Hoover Gazette reporter live on the Paul Finebaum Radio Show; however, I’ve hit a snag. I’d like to talk with Ford, but the people I know in Hoover can’t find a contact email or phone number for him other than his work info (and I’m sure he won’t answer his Gazette email or answer his former office phone), so if you know how to contact him, drop us a line at info@capstonereport.com.