Tiger Pride

The Massillon community has a long and proud tradition of High School Football. It was born early in the last century, nurtured by Paul Brown during the Depression, and recognized 22 times as the Champions of Ohio. The Greatest Show on Turf, something the whole community can be proud of. Unfortunately, some members of the community don't hold the football program in high esteem, and a number of Massillon's Stark County Neighbors show animosity towards the Tigers. Jealousy? Maybe. We at the Massillon Review believe we may know the reason why some folks show disdain for the Tigers. That reason will be on display tonight, at 6:00PM, at the Massillon Middle School. It is the behavior of a number of "Football Boosters," and "Friends of the Program." Not all of them, but some of them.

These "Friends of the Program," act as if they own Massillon's High School Football team. They are the self proclaimed guardians of tradition. They know best. And what they think is best is that the position of head football coach and athletic director should be merged, and that the Assistant Athletic Director should be the Tigers offensive coordinator. Forget the other sports, football should be recognized as the top priority of the school district. Apparently, one school board member, Marshall Weinberg, believes this is such a great plan, that it could even reduce drug use in the community; recent issues, including an assistant coach and booster club member growing and selling marijuana, could have been avoided, if the football coach could report directly to the superintendent (The Independent, March 30, 2010).

The "reorganization plan," or "football first" was opposed by Superintendent Lisa Carmichael. The School Board voted it down, 3 - 2. Board members Gary Miller, Vicki Becherucci, and Tom Seesan voted with the superintendent, and voted the plan down. Certain members of the Tiger Football Booster Club, and a complement of "Friends of the Program" have directed their ire at Board President Tom Seesan. They are trying to get Seesan to resign, and have started a yard sign campaign to "Oust Seesan." They will be protesting Tom Seesan at the Massillon School Board Meeting, scheduled for 7:00PM tonight, at the Massillon Middle School. They will be starting at about 6:00PM.

The protesters will not include some of the more prominent "Friends of the Program," as they lack the testicular fortitude to do the work themselves. No, others will do it for them. What they hope to accomplish is to have Seesan resign, and appoint someone more amenable to the reorganization plan, someone like Ron Pribich, former Board Member, and confidant of Massillon's Mayor for Life. Pribich, who lost elections for the school board in 1997, 1999, and 2007, was appointed once, and was elected once, in 2003.

We hope Seesan sticks to his guns, follows his convictions, and doesn't quit. We believe he has more integrity than to be pushed around by a small group of people who care for little in the Massillon School District beyond what is best for the football team.

Some people, unfortunately, do not like the tradition that is Massillon Tiger Football. It isn't the coaches, kids, or administrators that have created this climate. It is the overzealous behavior of some of the "Friends of the Program," and it will be on full display tonight.