Green Wave staying in the Palmetto StateBy Philip M. Bowman (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wade Spees John McKissick The Summerville football team will not play in the inaugural Texas High School Showcase presented by the National Football Foundation. The event will be held Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 at Texas Stadium, which is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Summerville football coach and athletic director John McKissick said his school decided to honor its contract to play Conway at home that weekend. The Showcase is organized by Intersport, which also helps produce the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge, and the Under Armour All-Star Football game in Florida. McKissick was an assistant at the all-star game and met Intersport's Nate Noel. Noel contacted McKissick about the Texas showcase. McKissick talked to Conway coach Chuck Jordan about getting out of the contract, and Jordan suggested that both Summerville and Conway play in Texas. "Nate Noel said they couldn't take two teams," said McKissick, who is ready to begin his 57th year as coach of the Green Wave. "We didn't want to back out after agreeing to play them. It's hard for them to come up with an opponent this late, so we'll play them in Summerville. It will be a good game. I don't have to travel across the country to find a good opponent." "Noel asked how long the contract is, and I told him for two years," McKissick said. "He told us to play in the Showcase in two years, but I told him I might be too old by then." McKissick turns 82 years old on Sept. 25 and he says his health is good. He said he recently underwent a colonoscopy. "(The doctor) took two or three polyps out, but every thing turned out OK," McKissick said. Summerville went 13-2 last fall, reaching the Division I-AAAA state championship, a 48-9 loss to Byrnes. Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com or at 937-5592. |
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Comments
This article has 31 comment(s)
Posted by MSC on June 27, 2008 at 12:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chicken.
Posted by CedarPosts on June 27, 2008 at 5:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's takes a lot to be a football coach for 57 years. You give your all, and when the team wins you give the players all the credit and when they lose you're always the goat.
A lot could be learned from Coach John McKissick, honor, integrity, wisdom, fairness and apparently his word is good enough.
Coaching a team at Texas Stadium would be a career highlight few coaches would pass up even if it meant breaking a contract. But to Coach McKissick a deal is a deal and that was that.
I'd guess the "contract" was nothing more than a handshake, with maybe a follow-up phone call to say "yup, August 30th, same weekend next year? ya got it" and a penciled in note in the small square that denotes another day in a coach's life.
Yes, you could learn a lot from "Coach".
www.cedarposts.blogspot.com
Posted by sbs920 on June 27, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
saves you a long distance butt whoopin .
don't mess with Texas 'dem boys are huge !
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Summerville was embarrassed on national television at the beginning of last season by a Florida team and embarrassed in the state championship game - and would probably be embarrassed out in Texas.
Coach McKissick has had it made up in Summerville with a huge amount of talent to choose from - should win a state championship every year with the largest school in the state. With a staff of 10 assistants he has done nothing more than "blow the whistle" for the past several years. There have also been some shady dealings regarding recruiting and playing illegal players - which made the news and caused some forfeits during the years. Mckissick always claimed ignorance of these things, but how naive do you have to be to believe that? Longevity is his biggest claim to fame.
Yes, he knows better than to go on national TV and get embarrassed again.
Posted by notafan on June 27, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No AJ Green, of course they are not going to travel and get their butts kicked again. Everyone saw what happened last year.
I can't believe it since McKissick's grandson is transferring to the school and already been appointed the starting QB. Anyone wonder why so many football players are transferring to Pinewood and other surrounding schools? Then after his grandson graduates he will most certainly be added to the coaching staff. Expeirience or not its all in the name.
McKissick is a medicore coach who has greatly benefited from the talent pool he was given at Summerville. A monkey could have won several state championships give the talent pool Summerville has.
Posted by OverHere on June 27, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"We were going to get whooped so we said hey why spend all that money...
Posted by yeahright on June 27, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
what a bunch of pathetic haters. If anyone should be getting blasted here it's Conway's coach trying to squeeze into the deal uninvited.
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't hate Coach McKissick - I have some pretty good witnesses to back up what I know about his programs. Both of my boys played for Summerville and overall it was a good experience. But it is a fact that the team was waxed in the state championship (which was an embarrassment to the whole lower state), waxed against the Florida team (which included the great AJ Green)- and Stratford has a much better coaching staff than Summerville.
Posted by PennyGirl on June 27, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A contract for a high school football game...man that's sad.
Posted by yeahright on June 27, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't speak for the "whole lower state". Speak for your own state: denial. you're a hater
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeahright - who cares what you think? Facts are facts - loser.
Posted by yeahright on June 27, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said...for a 9 year old. Get off Mommy's computer.
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You started the name calling - hater? I have lived in Summerville since 1979 and was born in Charleston in 1954 - why don't you grow up and realize that Summerville is not a squeaky clean program and deal with it. Stop being in denial. Facts are facts.
Posted by CedarPosts on June 27, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To quote John Wayne: "Those are mighty big words for someone with such a little gun."
Say what you like the guy has 556 wins, 130 losses, which makes him the winningest football coach in the nation at any level.
Tommy Knox up in Charlotte has the same group of haters, more wins in the state than any coach but someone always has an excuse for his success.
Posted by Realtalk41 on June 27, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I myself know quite a few kids who played for McKissick, which all were starters.One being family and the way the coaching staff handled these kids all 4yr starters is ridiculous.There,s no way with such talent that comes through his program that it only 1 or 2 D1 scholars every few years.
The coaching staff is weak and unprofessional, its about the Name instead about the talent and education.Now he brings in another grandson, which the first was a DUDD'Joe Call'. I,ve seen the JV qb that should be starting which is the truth, but he wont get that chance to shine im sure.
And to the McKissicks suck up before u even think its a hater thang,,MY fam. who played those 4yrs got a full ride academics/atlethics to play on , BUT it wasnt through JOHN of course.I t was help through coaches from GCH, and a coach who lefted SHS staff to coach else where.All im sayin is give the kids there shine that are to come, because without their play it would be NO McKissick.
Posted by Mayor on June 27, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Chuck Jordan is a piece of crap. What a loser! He is the south end of a north bound mule.
What a pathetic sportsman. Conway always was and always will be a horrible place to try to live. There is no excuse for an a hole like Chuck Jordan.
Does he think he's actually a peer of John McKissick? Not. He couldn't and can't and won't hold his spitoon.
To Realtalk41.. you are an example of SC education. Look at your writing skills. Horrible. McKissick has held back enough kids to get the big ones a year later than it should be, but, all in all, they haven't had that many really stellar players, except for AJ.
Realtalk41... Your GED counselor is calling and wants your certificate back.
Posted by prosperous_hb on June 27, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They changed their minds because that would have been a long ride back home from a nice Texas butt whipping.
Posted by notafan on June 27, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mayor- you don't always need to drink the koolaid McKissick serves. Think for yourself once in awhile. You may be surprised.
Mayor- so when did you play for Summerville? You must be one of the those guys still re-living the glory days of Summerville football. This may come as a shock to you but McKissick does not walk on water. He is a average coach that benefited greatly from the number of people at Summerville. And yes I graduated from Summerville and have several friends who played for McKissick. The man would not go out of his way to help anyone unless it was a benefit to him. I can't wait to go to the Summeville games this year and watch them get smacked. It will be fun.
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Cedarposts confirms my statement that what McKissick has is longevity, i.e., being at the school for 55 years. When you do the math that is an average of about 10 wins a year and when you count the regular season games and playoff games at the largest school in the state and the talent that he has, that is mediocre. I just wonder if the games that had to be forfeited were counted in the 556 wins........I agree with the comments on Joe Call - there were better quarterbacks on the team at the time. And Stanton Yarborough was held back even though he was on the honor roll - but bolted to Ft. Dorchester over a long hair issue.....
Posted by yeahright on June 27, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Averaging 10 wins a season for 55 years is mediocre? You just lost all semblance of credibility.
Posted by Mayor on June 27, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I played for Summerville my post here, would not be legible. All I said is Chuck Jordan is a piece of dog crap to stop a team from going on a trip of a lifetime.
I'm a Wando fan. Played for the legendary Frank Kush at Arizona State and that was enough for me. Have you ever been covered by Hall of Famer Michael Haynes, for 4 years? Not. Have you ever played in 3 Fiesta Bowls? STFU.
F Conway. F Summerville. F McKissick.
Posted by prosperous_hb on June 27, 2008 at 3:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember when one of my teammates hit Joe Call one year during a game and some other players overheard McKissick saying "Don't hit my grand-baby like that."
lol...He is one of the biggest cheaters ever.
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's 10 wins including all the playoff games, which would have been less than 10 wins for the regular season - Clemson ran Ken Hatfield off for averaging 9 wins........don't crucify me because I do not agree with you that McKissick is not so great a coach - just an old coach with a winning record. Remember he had a good lead on Gaffney year before last in the state championship game and blew it - he was outcoached. At least his coaching staff was outcoached, since I don't really believe he does too much coaching - just as Strom Thurmond didn't do much as senator his last few years. Like one poster said, you can drink the SHS Koolaid if you like, but SHS has not won a state championship in 10 years - 1998.
Posted by scblogger on June 27, 2008 at 5:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the press needs to get ahold of the story about McKissick's grandson automatically making the team,and being a starer?Thats just dirty politics and despite the Summervile "tradition" this shouldn't be the case...ever!
Posted by Nonsense on June 27, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And come on, we really don't need to know about his polyps - that is way too much information - should be between him and his doctor........
Posted by yeahright on June 27, 2008 at 10:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
amazing that this guy has gotten away with cheating for 56 years and won 556 games with his grandchildren starting games while better athletes ride the bench.
Posted by Realtalk41 on June 28, 2008 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HAHAHA ,Mayor i graduated from summerville,But i like the way you take up for ya grand daddy.Now go get his soap and bend over, u know the drill.HAHAHA,,,,,, Grad FROM wando=LOSERRRRRR
Posted by Realtalk41 on June 28, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Now back to the real poster,s.I agree with all you guys are saying,you can not win another championship with a playbook from the 60,s.With the talent SHS had the last 4yrs they should won atleast 2.
Posted by nocount on July 29, 2008 at 12:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All big public schools recruit players for any sport.The teaching of teamwork, personal responsibility, and hard work left the high school sports stage fifteen years ago with good parenting. It all about winning at any cost and inflating the ego of the coach. Like it or not, McKissick is a legend and his achievements can never be discredited. Summerville is good every year in every sport.
Posted by harrisbiz on July 30, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hey everyone,
quit being spoiled brats here. over the last 57 years he won
55 out of 57 state 4-A titles ( if less than 55 titles by
post here let me know). being a "class of '81" graduate
of summerville high school i'm proud of my * * * coach!
Posted by DoUrmbr8888 on August 19, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Go Greenwave!