Mark Dunn Article-Penny Record

[Guest BCNatureBoy]

Not even Dr. Jamey Harrison’s salary as BCISD superintendent would pay me enough to want to coach Bridge City Cardinal baseball. The day you get hired is the day you start losing the job. Exactly one week after the 2008 baseball playoffs ended BCISD ended the Cardinal baseball coaching career of Billy Bryant.

At the conclusion of his fifth straight playoff season Bryant was “reassigned†denying him his final year as head baseball coach. His fate was likely sealed before the 2008 baseball season even began. 

After nearly two decades of photographing local sports for The Record I have learned to recognize that there is often a more interesting game being played behind the bleachers than on the field.

As a photographer I have been a witness to and the recorder of many of the greatest moments in local athletics.  My portfolio spans many, many years. The “behind the bleachers game†was in-play long before Billy Bryant arrived on Cardinal Field. He is just it’s latest victim. It is a game, however, that Billy Bryant never understood and couldn’t play.

Amid undeserved criticism, even after advancing to the Region III final playoff series against the eventual state champion Jasper Bulldogs in 2007, Bryant remained unpopular among his critics. He had taken the Cardinals to the UIL State Baseball Tournament in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006 but couldn’t win enough popularity to overcome a wave of politically charged discord that eventually helped oust him.

“Parents expect you to start your eight best players-- and their kid,†Bryant once said.  And so it is in this strange little world where I have watched coaches and athletic directors come and go.

There is at least one good way to remove a coach with Bryant’s 151-32 five year coaching record. Praise his success and peg him as insubordinate. The matter is addressed through private school policy absolving the school board from taking action. The coach has the burden of defending himself to his superiors against a file of allegations. Bryant scored poorly.

The events became most interesting last week when Gabriel Pruett of the Orange Leader reported upon the same “rumors†we were receiving here at The Record. That there was a plan to reassign Bryant removing him as head baseball coach.

Meanwhile, Bryant wasn’t being told anything and school officials were questioning who was.

Anger was reportedly directed toward Pruett for spreading “rumors.†It was anger, however, that was misdirected. The media has responsibilities and policies too. Pruett did his job as a professional journalist in his reporting on the events as they unfolded.

By the middle of last week the names of possible candidates to replace Bryant was already circulating. Two names being floated were both former coaches at Lumberton and others were put forward as well. Bryant quietly waited to find out if the “rumors†were true.

“Rumors turned to facts,†Pruett reported three days later, on Saturday, breaking the news that Bridge City Cardinal head baseball coach Billy Bryant had been “reassigned.†It happened on Friday going into the three day Memorial Day weekend with no school or board meeting on Monday.

I respect my friends and colleagues at BCISD. Most have always known where I stood on the subject of Billy Bryant. Some of them I watched maneuver in the “behind the bleachers†game and attempted to drag me into it with them. But Billy Bryant is my friend too. I wasn’t afraid to stand up for him and I learned to respect the job he was doing for Cardinal baseball. He didn’t have to “rah-rah†to win baseball games. But his quite demeanor didn’t play well among his adversaries. Billy didn’t fit in.

Poor information opens the door to speculation.

I believe Bryant deserved better from BCISD. But he remained true to his employers. He did not comment or solicit help from friends and supporters before or after the events that denied him his final year as head baseball coach. And in that he has once again earned my respect- and hopefully theirs. I could not personally be so restrained. Like I said, the job doesn’t pay that well and I’ve been around the rude conditions they have to work in.

It is quite now behind the bleachers of Cardinal Field. The baseball season is over and Bryant’s replacement will be hired soon.

Meanwhile, ground crews are preparing Larry Ward Stadium for the 2008 football season following the worst  in Bridge City High School history. Athletic director and head football coach Cris Stump ended his first year a perfect 0-10 not counting the loss of Billy Bryant, unless one considers that a victory. If so, it’s satisfaction is empty and fleeting.  Revel in it quickly. The “behind the bleacher†game is already watching and always waiting. 

[77]

WOW! Nice job Mark.

[cardinal81o7]

sickening

[ALLABOUTSTATE4BC09]

I love how our hometown article trys to bring down last years FOOTBALL  Cardinals after going 0-10 in Coach Stumps first season....we understand youre mad about Coach Bryant being reassigned, but theres better ways to put down BC besides putting down these young kids that struggled last year...I would have to imagin taking pictures on the football field may be a little uncomfortable for Mr. Dunn after those statements

[Guest Bulldog]

I love how our hometown article trys to bring down last years FOOTBALL  Cardinals after going 0-10 in Coach Stumps first season....we understand youre mad about Coach Bryant being reassigned, but theres better ways to put down BC besides putting down these young kids that struggled last year...I would have to imagin taking pictures on the football field may be a little uncomfortable for Mr. Dunn after those statements

True...So true.....

[Shark]

Nice article.  Call it what it is.  There are men all over Southeast Texas that spend time each football, basketball or baseball season remembering their time playing ball back in the day.  Most of these men have a story about a coach.  When you win, the memories and stories are better.  When you lose, the memories and stories are not so good.  The kids in BC that play baseball lost a winner of a coach.

[EAGLE07]

I love how our hometown article trys to bring down last years FOOTBALL  Cardinals after going 0-10 in Coach Stumps first season....we understand youre mad about Coach Bryant being reassigned, but theres better ways to put down BC besides putting down these young kids that struggled last year...I would have to imagin taking pictures on the football field may be a little uncomfortable for Mr. Dunn after those statements

Valid statement....hard to argue that.

[3ABirdMan]

Whether you agree with the decisions of the BCISD Administration or not, THIS forum has rules, and EVERY POSTER, myself included, is expected to follow those rules....

Please keep the discussions to facts, and do not drag others into this issue..............

[Shark]

Bridge City varsity football record for the 2007 season 0-10, a fact.  The coach at BC is Stump, a fact.  Responsibility, accountability, burden and fault are words in the English language, a fact. 

[Guest Orangeboy]

Bridge City varsity football record for the 2007 season 0-10, a fact.  The coach at BC is Stump, a fact.  Responsibility, accountability, burden and fault are words in the English language, a fact. 

you so silly

[cardinal81o7]

still...dragging out what happened during football season was uncalled for.  those are two different sports w/ two different groups of kids and different opposition, did you forget that the football team lost 23 seniors a coach and a 3 year starting quarterback to graduation? the baseball team is different.  and i would expect mark dunn to realize that but i guess he was too stubborn and too concerned about his faithfullness to coach bryant that he forgot he still has to ask coach stump for a sideline pass come august.

if anyone out there really wants to know what some opinions are in bc about our former coach....just read the title of the mark dunn article " the thing about billy"  not "the thing about coach bryant" even mark dunn did it and he didnt even realize it.  and the title of the article says more than the article itself. 

"they want you to play the best 8 and their kid" ....duh.... this is true, i mean honestly who wants their kid to sit the bench? who doesnt want to see their child play? ofcourse parents are going to be supportive and want them to play its common sense.  but the context in which it is said is wrong and crutch for him to lean on and point fingers to these "politics" in bc.  this town is full of parents that know the game of baseball and know that their kid might  not always be the solution and can accept their role on the team starter or not. 

[jacf]

sickening

whats so sickening about it..the truth is the truth...people that has been in this town for many many years like mr. dunn as seen it all.....and like it or not in the good old days the supetindent ran the school district with little interference from the school board and the parents...the board is there to approve things and over see the super...and for the most part that is what most of them do...but htere are a few that think they run the school district and try to interfere in all aspects of the district..and that is not what they are elected to do..great article mr. dunn...sometimes the truth is painful for some

[Tigger]

Mark, I am proud of you and Gabe Pruitt for writing what needed to be said about the Billy Bryant issue.  I think only the coaches and their records was the thing being compared and not the football players.  If you honestly think Mark Dunn meant any different, then you don't know him very well.  He has done an awesome job over the years covering our BC playes in all sports.  Let's take it away from sports for a minute.  Would the district "reassign" lets say a math teacher with an average 97% passing TAKS score over the years and keep the reading teacher whose scores never reached a 60% pass rate?  It wouldn't make any sense.  The point being stressed in Mark's article was no matter the record - win or lose - if you don't play the "behind the bleacher game" you are OUT.  Billy only played the game that is ON the field.  I and many others thought the article was right on the money and were not offended by the truth.  Nor did we look for some way to make Mark Dunn seem unkind so readers wouldn't believe what he wrote.  The truth is what it is - in this case not BC's best side.  In such a small town, not everybody can speak out like they may like to in fear that what was done to Billy might be done to them or their child in some sport.  I've been in BC for over 40 years and had enough kids go through BCISD that this is not the first witch hunt to be seen. None were pretty to watch. This one wasn't either.

[24 over par]

i hope coach bryant lands within the district and bc has to face him for years to come

[injun]

I still have not heard the "Reason" that Bryant was reassigned...  I know you people don't really

believe that 1 person from the school board would have the power to get a coach fired....Especially 

  Coach "Billy Bryant" who you guys make sound like the greatest coach to ever set foot on a baseball

  field...You guys need to wake up , the guy obviously did something wrong..We will soon find out the

  true reason and I hope you all have enough guts to stand up and apologize to the people that you

  are blaming..(Although I know it won't happen )

[cardinal81o7]

well if that math teacher is teaching a bunch of asian prodigys im sure my black lab can run the ship.  and if the teacher has some serious out of the classroom problems, reassignment might be best.  does anyone realize that the kids from the last 5-6 years have won no matter what level they have played on and no matter who the coach was.  my group went to state as 13 year olds without coach bryant.  matt hicks and company went to the stinkin world series under a bunch of dads that have no coaching certification.  the same is true for most all the kids in bc for about the last decade...

injun you're right the truth might never come out because if it does it will probably be deleted. and yes im sure this didnt happen for no reason at all.

and thanks tigger for proving my point.  does the wo-s crowd call coach hooks "coach hooks" or "danny"???

[bcpatron]

Shame on you. Now look who is insinuating. With your statement it makes it sound like asian children are so good at math that they do not need a teacher. You also make it sound like these youth are so good at baseball that you can place them out there uncoached. Well that would be interesting to watch. Also Billy's name is just that. It is not William or Bill. I have seen Coach Hooks referred to as Dan because obviously Danny is not his name.

[MPrice]

this town is full of parents that know the game of baseball and know that their kid might  not always be the solution and can accept their role on the team starter or not. 

Cardinal 81o7 where have you been hidding???  This town is full of parents that think they know baseball and in their eyes "little johnny" is the best baseball player since Ruth....  Whether you like Billy or not, and im not a huge fan, he is a good coach and the fact still remains "they" hid and waited around every corner until they found enough evidence to take his job.  He was not political enough and put the  best nine on the field.  Believe it or not some parents don't like that!!!  I have coached ages 7-18 for the last 15 years in this town and believe me there are a bunch of "little johnnys"  I'm just glad there parents or grandparents are not on the school board!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[figureitout]

coaches are hired as educators not just as coaches.  there main job is not to coach the football team, the basketball team, or the baseball team.  extracurriculars are not a right they are a privilege, as is the ability to coach them.  i am a huge supporter of baseball and athletics in general, for whatever reasons coach bryant may not have been doing an adequate job in the classroom, who knows.

[Bears]

I think we have beat this to death, as humans it is in our nature to want to know everything about a subject or incident in which we disagree, and by all of the post we have some that agree with the move and some that do not. But one thing is for sure unless Billy or someone from the school board has a direct conversation or post on this board we will never know the entire story.....so let's move on.

Coach Bryant will resurface if "he" wants to continue his coaching and could probably pick his job, because he is a good baseball coach.

Politics are the way of life, some think they are wronged and others think they know better......in the end no one really knows anything

[bullets13]

coaches are hired as educators not just as coaches.   there main job is not to coach the football team, the basketball team, or the baseball team.  extracurriculars are not a right they are a privilege, as is the ability to coach them.  i am a huge supporter of baseball and athletics in general, for whatever reasons coach bryant may not have been doing an adequate job in the classroom, who knows.

in the real world this may be true, but not in southeast texas.  i don't think in four years of high school i ever had a class taught by a coach where i learned much (and i had SEVERAL).  There is absolutely NO WAY that he gets reassigned due to his performance in the classroom UNLESS they are looking for a reason to reassign him.  I assure you that if he was in the good graces of the top brass, his classroom performance would be irrelevant. i know nothing of this situation besides what's been on here, so i'm not defending either side.  This is just a general observation.

[mustang]

coaches are hired as educators not just as coaches.   there main job is not to coach the football team, the basketball team, or the baseball team.  extracurriculars are not a right they are a privilege, as is the ability to coach them.  i am a huge supporter of baseball and athletics in general, for whatever reasons coach bryant may not have been doing an adequate job in the classroom, who knows.

in the real world this may be true, but not in southeast texas.  i don't think in four years of high school i ever had a class taught by a coach where i learned much (and i had SEVERAL).  There is absolutely NO WAY that he gets reassigned due to his performance in the classroom UNLESS they are looking for a reason to reassign him.  I assure you that if he was in the good graces of the top brass, his classroom performance would be irrelevant. i know nothing of this situation besides what's been on here, so i'm not defending either side.  This is just a general observation.

You could not be more wrong in your assessment of coaches.  Some of my very best TEACHERS were coaches.  I had many coaches that taught MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, etc... And for the most part, they did an excellent job.  Was your English teacher a coach? 

You can state what your individual teachers were like but don't go saying "in general" that coaches are not good teachers because that is an outright LIE!

[Jasperfan]

well if that math teacher is teaching a bunch of asian prodigys im sure my black lab can run the ship.  and if the teacher has some serious out of the classroom problems, reassignment might be best.  does anyone realize that the kids from the last 5-6 years have won no matter what level they have played on and no matter who the coach was.  my group went to state as 13 year olds without coach bryant.  matt hicks and company went to the stinkin world series under a bunch of dads that have no coaching certification.  the same is true for most all the kids in bc for about the last decade...

injun you're right the truth might never come out because if it does it will probably be deleted. and yes im sure this didnt happen for no reason at all.

and thanks tigger for proving my point.  does the wo-s crowd call coach hooks "coach hooks" or "danny"???

That lies at the root of the problem, when you coached them they went to state. Well congratulations, but the competition level is different at the high school level. Kids mature differently. Just because a group of kids were the best at age 12 or 13 doesn't mean they will be the best at 17. The bottom line is this, BC has had one of if not the best program the last five years. Naming another 3a school with a better record over that time would be hard. It takes luck to win a state championship in high school and maybe these guys didn't catch the breaks to win one, but nobody will argue that you knew you had to bring your "A" game when you played BC. 

[Guest Bulldog]

We everyone want's to know so bad why it happen just go and ask coach Bryant why he lost his job or better yet he should come out publically and tell us all so we can end this subject and move on to the future........

[bullets13]

coaches are hired as educators not just as coaches.   there main job is not to coach the football team, the basketball team, or the baseball team.  extracurriculars are not a right they are a privilege, as is the ability to coach them.  i am a huge supporter of baseball and athletics in general, for whatever reasons coach bryant may not have been doing an adequate job in the classroom, who knows.

in the real world this may be true, but not in southeast texas.  i don't think in four years of high school i ever had a class taught by a coach where i learned much (and i had SEVERAL).  There is absolutely NO WAY that he gets reassigned due to his performance in the classroom UNLESS they are looking for a reason to reassign him.  I assure you that if he was in the good graces of the top brass, his classroom performance would be irrelevant. i know nothing of this situation besides what's been on here, so i'm not defending either side.  This is just a general observation.

You could not be more wrong in your assessment of coaches.  Some of my very best TEACHERS were coaches.  I had many coaches that taught MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, etc... And for the most part, they did an excellent job.  Was your English teacher a coach? 

You can state what your individual teachers were like but don't go saying "in general" that coaches are not good teachers because that is an outright LIE!

This is not how I meant this post to be interpreted.  In general, the coaches at my school were poor teachers.  I was not trying to imply that all coaches are bad teachers, or even that a lot of coaches are poor teachers.  I was just trying to show that there are coaches out there who are teaching simply because they have to, and they have no trouble finding and keeping jobs.  To suggest that Coach Bryant's position was in danger because of his teaching ability is laughable.  In a small town that is often fueled by politics, it is doubtful that a coach's teaching ability would play any role at all in his reassignment (especially if his 151-32 record over five years was inconsequential to his keeping his position).  As for the thinly veiled insult about my English teacher, it would be offensive if it had any merit at all.