The fall of a high school athlete is always tough for me to handle. I still remember my days as a player and the upcoming senior center who was suspended from the team for smoking cigarettes during the summer after being caught by our coach. I moved up on the depth chart, but to this day almost 40 years later it still bothers me that he didn't get to play. News out of Alcoa today was sad for me. Stefan Cooper of The Blount Today reports that one of the top players in the state, Brian Sommer, has been suspended from the top-ranked 2A Alcoa football team. The Blount Today report quotes Alcoa coach Gary Rankin as saying, “He’s dismissed from the team. He'll never play another down for Alcoa High School. Never.” Sommer had been suspended earlier this season for being late for school and missed the first game of the season, according to Maryville Daily Times sports editor John Brice. The Blount Today reports that Sommer, 18, of 3562 Wexgate Road, Knoxville, was arrested Tuesday at the school. The report says he was charged with simple possession of Schedule VI controlled substance. He was held in lieu of $750 bond pending a 9 a.m. Sept. 13 Blount County General Sessions Court hearing.
The story goes on to add that according to a warrant Alcoa police were requested by Alcoa High School personnel to do a K-9 “sniff” of vehicles in the parking lot. A K-9 drug dog was brought in and marijuana was found "all over the front and rear seats," according to The Blount Today report. Here's an athlete with the best part of his life in front of him. The senior is one of the top prospects in the state. Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina are just a few of the colleges who have already offered Sommer a scholarship. He was a member of our Varsity Sports Media's Tennessee Football magazine Phenoms and we featured him with a story in the magazine. I truly hope that this young man gets through this part of his life and gets back on the right path. The Blount Today reported that Coach Rankin said: “A lot of programs, and (Maryville coach) George (Quarles) and I talked about this the other night, if Maryville football or Alcoa football is not strong enough to hold you, I don't want you anyway.” The Atlanta Falcons will go on without Michael Vick and the Tennessee Titans will go without Adam "Pacman" Jones, who both have been suspended from the NFL for conduct off of the field. And I'm sure that Alcoa will go on without Brian Sommer. But, I do pray for Sommer's recovery and for him to return to the classrooms and to one day to utilize his talents again on the gridiron.
The story goes on to add that according to a warrant Alcoa police were requested by Alcoa High School personnel to do a K-9 “sniff” of vehicles in the parking lot. A K-9 drug dog was brought in and marijuana was found "all over the front and rear seats," according to The Blount Today report. Here's an athlete with the best part of his life in front of him. The senior is one of the top prospects in the state. Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina are just a few of the colleges who have already offered Sommer a scholarship. He was a member of our Varsity Sports Media's Tennessee Football magazine Phenoms and we featured him with a story in the magazine. I truly hope that this young man gets through this part of his life and gets back on the right path. The Blount Today reported that Coach Rankin said: “A lot of programs, and (Maryville coach) George (Quarles) and I talked about this the other night, if Maryville football or Alcoa football is not strong enough to hold you, I don't want you anyway.” The Atlanta Falcons will go on without Michael Vick and the Tennessee Titans will go without Adam "Pacman" Jones, who both have been suspended from the NFL for conduct off of the field. And I'm sure that Alcoa will go on without Brian Sommer. But, I do pray for Sommer's recovery and for him to return to the classrooms and to one day to utilize his talents again on the gridiron.
1 comment:
Alcoa is a 2A school.
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