rockhard

Wow.. shots fired

Passing? Lol ok.. Tobin Reid was the basketball coach at Brownsbroro 4 years before Smith took it over... All I know is I 100% agree with you on Brent Smith taking over the whole athletic program... I think he would do great

Please... please do a little yet THOROUGH research on this and when you have facts.. not assumptions but facts.. please come back and let us know. It won't be hard to find out.

I forgot to add delusional to my previous post. There was an additional AD/HC after Settle, 2 years before Hooker arrived at Brownsboro, one of which the Bears went 1-9 in football, no, things were not as "great" as implied Basketball 4 years prior to Coach Smith: 2 District Championships 2 Area Finals and a trip to the Regional Tny the year before Coach Smith took over, yes, basketball did win Coach Hooker & staff took athletes that chose to remain in football program after told they were going into the District of Doom by UIL, beat Henderson, Palestine, Chapel Hill placing them 3rd (ahead of CH) in one of the hardest districts in state putting them in the playoffs A little research into the "new hire's" background and experience perhaps would do a few of the posters on this thread some good.... or just stick to assumptions and speculations and let time prove you wrong Have a wonderful day boys :)

It is unbelievable how a simple thread can contain such large amounts of inaccuracies, misconceptions, and false information based purely on assumptions...

They do have it figured out. Take a look at most of the voters in the community who actually get out and vote.... they want to live in a district with lower property taxes, yet their kids are enrolled in other school districts... especially your older voters. You have people live in the LE community, but send their kids and grandkids to other schools... so no, they are not going to vote to pass a bond that would increase their taxes when their kids will not benefit from it... You also get the argument that LE has won 2 football state championships, more than any other school in the area, with the current facilities therefore it is difficult to convince the necessary people that a change needs to be made. People care.... just not the right people.

Liberty-Eylau is playing Van week 4.

Per UIL rules, had there been an "ejection", UIL would have been notified as well as report being sent. There was no report sent therefore there was no ejection. All football players plead their innocence anytime a yellow flag is thrown. The game was over so yes, they were sent to the locker rooms. Had this happened with one minute left in the first quarter, you would have seen those players finish the game on the field. You may stand by your statement, but I stand by the fact, they were not ejected.

There were NO players from either team ejected from the game by a UIL official... players were sent to the locker rooms with one minute left in the game...but they were not ejected from the game.

There were no players ejected from the game.

No I do not agree. Your opinion that Thompson could have handled the situation better is just that, your opinion. Someone on here commented that the "good ole boy system" will no longer be tolerated. That is exactly what this is. People on this board can say what they want, but this all started because some people in the community were mad and felt like few of their hometown boys were slighted and not considered for the job. When light was shed on the fact that Hooker was more qualified, more experienced, and more successful than any of those people, they realized they didn't have a leg to stand on so they turned their complaints towards the Sup. I also disagree with the comment that was made about having two equally qualified finalists. Yes, they are both coordinators, but I believe the success and experience Hooker gained from coaching in two State Championships and in playoff games against the Southlake Carrolls, the Ennis', the Denton Ryans, the Corsicanas at the 4A level gave him the edge - plus the fact that Hooker was the Head Basketball Coach for a very successful L-E team which meant his experience wasn't limited to just football. Thompson looked beyond the relationship and took all of these things into consideration when he made his choice. So despite what you would like people on this board to believe.. He did NOT just resort back to the days on the playground and pick his BFF just because he was his BFF. However, some in the Hooks community did take that approach and decided that if they couldn’t get who THEY wanted, than neither was the Sup ...completely put the program and its kids in the backseat. Pettiness cost Hooker this job, not the Sup, and there was no reason for it. To say this isn't the good ole boy system that is happening is a joke. A community not getting who they wanted therefore protesting a meeting and causing the board to cave into pressure...is the definition of "good ole boy system". Now, what the community also fails to realize is, that because of their actions, and the boards lack of support for who they hired for their district, all other repercussions this will lead to outside of athletics. How will the new sup ever be able to get the right people in to help make that change Hooks claim they so desperately want? Anybody with the level of experience needed to turn around a district that was academically unacceptable just two years ago, will look at what has just taken place here and say, no thanks. Again, we aren't talking about the community protesting not to hire because of any REAL issue that would be worthy of a protest (sexual misconduct, misuse of money, infidelity, abusive behavior) yet because they didn’t get their way and covered it up with trying to blame the sup. You were right about this not being Hookers fault, but ironically, he’s the only one that has to pay. I would also like to argue the comment that the only people that are upset are NOT from Hook’s.

You keep insinuating to the people on this board that the superintendent acted on his own. You yourself even said, Thompson went to his boss, the board president, and was given the ok on the recommendation of Hooker. IF.. there was a need for him to recuse himself, he should have been told to do so at that time. He was not told nor advised to do so. Very simple process. Leader wants to put something in place, asks his boss "is this ok", boss gives thumbs up, so leaders follows through. There is no grey area here. Thompson was the direct supervisor to one of his family members at Texas High so you are correct, he was not new to this. There was no talk of moving positions or laying anyone off and that situation worked out perfectly. Super at LE was the boss of his wife who was a principal at one of his schools. Another situation working out perfectly as he is now the Sup for a large thriving school district in the Dallas area. Point is, it is only an issue, because the people of Hooks chose to MAKE it an issue. In my opinion, you realize what happened was a mistake, and insead of admitting it was wrong, it's easier for you to just blame Thompson. bb

Ok so I said I was done...BUT, I just HAD to share this WONDERFUL article in the Texarkana Gazette written by Hooks VERY OWN Johnny Green. The only thing the article does not state is that Jason Hooker is the 7 year OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR for Liberty-Eylau and not just an assistant. That petinent bit of information is what seperated him from the other assistant coaches that applied. Great job Johnny! :) Back to drawing board for Hooks coach search By: Johnny Green - Texarkana Gazette Good parents want the best for their children, particularly when it comes to their educations. Toward that aim, many are willing to go the extra mile to insure their offspring are afforded every opportunity for the best education possible, including the best teachers—and coaches. In that vein, it is my hope that the majority of folks who showed up Monday night at the Hooks ISD school board meeting were parents or grandparents concerned with the future of student athletes at the school. It would be even nicer to believe all present had the welfare of the kids in mind although it’s doubtful that was the case. Hooks is no different than any other small community where the school is a common thread among its residents. There seems to be always a faction—not all of them parents—that seems never to be satisfied with any decision made concerning the school. For some that extends to anything happening within the community. Regardless of why they were there, their presence obviously had an impact on the board’s decision to reject Superintendent of Schools Ronnie Thompson’s recommendation for the position of head football coach and athletics director, which had been open since Jim Rice’s resignation several weeks ago. Thompson, a former assistant superintendent at Texas High, was hired only recently to replace Kathy Allen at Hooks. His first big task was replacing the popular Rice, who had been head or part of the Hornet athletic department for more than 20 years. From reportedly more than 100 applicants, his choice was Jason Hooker, a long-time assistant coach at Liberty-Eylau High School and Thompson’s brother-in-law. As a resident of Hooks, but one not privy to the political machinations of the town nor the school, I can only assume Thompson felt Hooker was the best applicant, and that he, Thompson, could convince a majority of the seven board members he was right. It’s probably safe to say that in most hiring situations at public schools, the superintendent’s recommendation is rubber-stamped by the board. Whether Thompson’s abbreviated tenure at Hooks ISD or the fact he proposed hiring a member of his family had anything to do with the 4-3 veto vote is known only to those involved. What is clear is the Hooker family has been unjustly put through the ringer, and the job of filling the dual position in the Hooks athletic department just got a lot more difficult. Sure, there will be some on the original list of applicants who will still be interested, but others will shy away because of what happened Monday night. My dealings with Hooker have been limited to the time he was named interim head boys basketball coach at L-E, but I do know of his reputation as an outstanding coach and person. I also know well, and am fond of, the family he married into. In my opinion, he would have been a good fit at Hooks. It’s not his fault he won’t get the chance, but there will be no doubt other opportunities for Jason Hooker. Hopefully, it will work out for the best, and Hooks will find the coach parents can put their trust and faith in.

"well iam preeeeety sure that 2 people on the committee had jenis as there #1 choice and the other one +the sup had him as there #1 to me that says that there were 2 #1 canidates" EXACTLY! So to say that Hooker was NOT their number one is a false statement... so you really should stop saying it.. As I stated before, there was NO actual number one.. therefore the Sup, based on his 16 years worth of knowledge on one candidate, and other information received, decided to take Hooker to the board.. Everybody knows these things are taken to the board WAY before a board meeting. It's not like Hooker was a surprise to the board.. give some credit.. no sup is going to take a name to be approved without checking with them first.. especially when he knew there were folks like you who were against it. But as one poster stated, herin lies the problem.. community gets what community wants despite committee, board president, and sup. And to quote the most infamous saying on this board... "you see where that has gotten you". I'm done.. I'm out.. will be sitting back watching, waiting for the 2-8 season to approach, and for the community to start grumbling again, and for the sup to say "hey, I had the guy to turn this around, but you didn't want him"

Preeeeety sure that's a NO. Actually, I'm FOR SURE that's a no....but let me get this straight... out of the FOUR on the hiring committee, are you trying to say that you were told Thompson was the ONLY one who had Hooker as their number one choice? Because if that is correct, then Thompson has WAY bigger issues than this AD/HC position.

This..is a lie.. and either you are telling it...or the lie is being told to you.

HE DID NOTHING WRONG! Why these few individuals insist that he did not meet with the board is insane. They do NOT have their facts. And if they were told otherwise, then they are being lied to. Thompson met with board memebers and was led to believe that they were on board and ok with the decision to hire Hooker, otherwise he would have never pursued. This message board has people ganging up on this Sup when he again, did nothing wrong. You guys on here have made it clear you and your community didn't want him, "if truth be told the community didn't want his tail either", so was he set up? Was he told he had support and the go ahead only to be taken by suprise at the board meeting? Hooker even went on his own and asked could he apply because some places have policies against things like this. He was told he had the "green light". Thompson really stuck his neck out there for Hooker knowing there would be grumbling about the bro-in-law thing and after the majority of the board saying they were ok, he went ahead and recommended him having confidence that he could turn that program around and maybe those few people could get over the relation. You guys are really ones to talk about morality and integrity the way you are bashing the new sup when...once again...he has done nothing wrong.

No can do kid. Best believe I'm sticking around to see how this three ring circus plays out.

Lol. This makes me giggle :) Sorry to disappoint, not Hooker, super, or wife :( But was one of the 40 or so that was looking forward to following Hooker down to watch some Hornet football. Oh, and you couldn't be more wrong about the super, considering we are talking about the same person. Good luck to Hooks with whatever they do, they are going to need it.

The Superintendant didn't do anything except recommend the most qualified candidate who has been HIGHLY sucessful in every district he has been a part of, basically what ANY superintendent would do in a normal school district, which is try to hire the best fit for his schools struggling athletic program.. How dare he, right? This superintendent even had an advantage on his decision that many many other sups don't have given the fact that he has watched this coach for the past 16 years and knows his ins and outs, how he handles the kids, how he deals with parents (he has coached his son for the past 7 years), how he deals with the community, how he deals with administration and others he works with, how he handles losses, how he spent endless hours working on getting some kids to major universities and then other kids who typically would be looked over, into smaller colleges, how he shares his faith in God with these kids and those around him. Most sups don't get to find these things out, or lack of these things till years into a job and potientially too late. You can listen to the false information floating around Hooks because there is definately ALOT of it, and you will run into what you call "two faced" people who are OBVIOUSLY telling side A one thing and then telling side B something totally different, but you can bet... the Super talked to the board memebers, and with the exception of a couple, was led to believe he had their support, but then apparently changed their minds. But hey, that's the point of open forums at board meetings right? To try and change peoples minds? It worked, you got your way and got Hooker fired before you ever even met him. Again, that is Hook's loss. Another bet is, your community will not survive if you do not start supporting and backing the people who are making decisions. Look where it has gotten you so far. Stop blaming the sup for trying better your district.

I have way more of an idea than what you know. What you may not understand is that there was a committe of 4, two for Hooker, the other two with Hooker as their second choice, therefore you cannot say he was not their first choice. There was no first choice. Do you seriously not think that the Super went to each board memeber BEFORE the meeting? Do you really NOT think had these board members given the Super any indication that they were being put "in a horrible situation", then the Super would have let Hooker know that it wasn't going to work out and keep from putting him and his familiy through hell? You people questioned the integreity, loyality, morality of someone that you have no clue about. And what you did know.. the state championships, the succcess as a 3A coordniator, the success at the 4A level, meant nothing. Everyone was too worried about the bro-in-law thing to even try and see what kind of job he could have done. The board did not vote on merit or for the most qualified applicant, which is sad for the athletic program because you are not going to get anyone better. If there was someone better interested, I'm pretty sure watching the debacle that just took place around there waned their interest. The kids best interest was NOT in mind... simply a small town getting your way. But hey, that's Hooks' loss.

You people have no idea what kind of mistake you just made.

LaMichael James, RB, Liberty-Eylau (Oregon) Charles Jones, TE/LB, Liberty-Eylau (Tyler Junior College) Deonte Bradley, OL/DL, Liberty-Eylau (Tyler Junior College)

LaMichael James, RB, Liberty-Eylau (Oregon) Charles Jones, TE/LB, Liberty-Eylau (Tyler Junior College) Deonte Bradley, OL/DL, Liberty-Eylau (Tyler Junior College)