A Tale of Two Coaches

Dobyns-Bennett’s Graham Clark retires on the same day a law firm recommends David Crockett fires Gerald Sensabaugh.

Marky Billson, host of Tri-Cities Sports NOW

Earlier this week it was announced two prominent high school football coaches would likely not be returning to their teams next season.

One was coach was met with good wishes. Graham Clark’s tenure at Dobyns-Bennett has been successful and well received by both fans and media. Though Clark never returned the Indians to state championship status ( the dirty little secret there is that all of D-B’s football state titles were won before integration) he did win more football games than any other coach in the history of the school prior to his announced retirement.

And that school still has the Tennessee record for all-time high school football victories according to most sources, though Maryville is nipping at the Tribe’s heels.

One of Clark’s former assistants and players, however, was not enjoying a well-received departure. Though not officially terminated, law firm Ensley, Baker and Shade essentially came to the conclusion Gerald Sensabaugh was not a nice guy so he should be fired as David Crockett High School’s head football coach.

Graham Clark pictured with Gerald’s cousin Coty

The fact he’s the best coach the football program could ever hope to have and he had the Pioneers on their way to the best season in their history last year at 5–2 before they collapsed and lost their final four games with interim coaches is irrelevant.

Why, a former NFL defensive back used PROFANITY around his players! Horrors!

Now, for the record, I don’t condone such behavior. In fact, in another market I once talked to a very successful coach about his use of profanity around his high school athletes.

And after I appealed to his intellect, he stopped using it. Or at least when I was around.

But it’s not a reason to terminate a coach. And frankly, if the smoking gun is that Sensabaugh used profanity during a fiery talk on the team bus following a scrimmage after he said he hadn’t, my guess is he simply doesn’t remember it.

You’re talking about a guy who played a decade in the National Football League, where players complained when penalties for using slurs during a game where contemplated!

Not profanity; slurs! So do you really think whipping his team up into shape after a disappointing preseason performance by using some salty language is something the vast majority of players from the NFL are even going to think about for two seconds?

Sensabaugh in action with the Dallas Cowboys

If it’s that big of a deal, then talk to Sensabaugh after the incident. But Washington County Schools want to make this out to be grounds for dismissal, yet they allowed him to coach seven games afterwards.

If this is grounds for dismissal, why did it take seven games?

It is going to be very difficult for Sensabaugh to return to David Crockett. He has until Friday to rebut the law firm’s findings, but intentionally or not bridges have been burned.

How could Sensabaugh be successful after accusing athletic director Josh Kite of offering him drugs, and seeing Kite retain his position after an investigation?

That’s the thing that will do Sensabaugh in, because ultimately it is a “your word against mine” argument.

Still, consider the other circumstances. Sensabaugh comes into a sleepy, bible belt town. A year removed from the NFL, he issues public and valid concerns about the antiquated and counterproductive open classrooms in the school systems.

Furthermore, he’s young, has more money than his co-workers, is outspoken and black. He’s not only not from the old guard, he’s threatening to them.

There’s more talk about Gerald Sensabaugh being “rude” than there is the fact the school system is still using the open classroom structure which 35 years ago helped turn me from an honor roll student to a sixth grader who flunked science!

The bottom line is Sensabaugh is likely going to be fired after a successful tenure as a high school coach for speaking truth to power. And I don’t think that’s right.

And with rising junior Cade Larkins already entranced as one of the area’s best quarterbacks, would you rather have a former NFL player or a local yokel coach guide him to a potential college scholarship?

Dobyns-Bennett needs a new coach? Why not hire one of their own? Frankly the Indians have been down the last five years under Clark. They’ve lost their upper hand on Science Hill.

Why not hire someone who can continue the Dobyns-Bennett pipeline to the NFL because he’s been a part of it?

Besides, doesn’t Dobyns-Bennett always like to stick it to Washington County?

Marky Billson hosts Tri-Cities Sports NOW on 1420 NBC Sports Radio Tri-Cities, heard 12–2 p.m. ET and viewed online at the line above.