Academic Magnet HS (SC) has gotten off to a fast 6-2 start, marking the second best record the school has ever seen. Which is why many people were scratching their heads when news of Bud Walpole's dismissal hit the news wire yesterday.
According to The Post and Courier, Walpole's dismissal stems from "inappropriate post game celebrations" that took place after wins.
The official statement from the district does not specify what those "inappropriate post game celebrations" entailed, but The Post and Courier points out that it's believed to have included the smashing of watermelons, which were then picked up and eaten as a celebratory post game snack.
Really? Fired for smashing watermelons in a post game celebration? I can't even say that without picturing Gallagher going HAM on some watermelon with a giant mallet.
But seriously, there has to be more to the story than that to justify dismissing Walpole.
Last week, school administrators met with players and interviewed them and by Monday a decision had been made to let coach Walpole go.
A petition to reinstate coach Walpole hit Change.org yesterday, and already has more 1,000 signatures, with just under 950 left to hit the goal. Many of the comments could not be more supportive of Walpole, who has been the school's head coach for a decade.
Wednesday update >>Coach Walpole has been reinstated