If the principal has already made the decision, then it is very difficult for the superintendent to step in and backtrack it.  Superintendents usually will always back up their principals but this situation is unique.  Do we know if the principal consulted with the superintendent prior?

6 minutes ago, brooksville said:

“Championship Culture” ????

Well, if there was any chance of saving Sully, creating and selling a shirt like that is NOT going to help the cause. 

29 minutes ago, theguru said:

This makes a lot of sense to me and there almost has to be more to this than the general public knows about.

It also tells me Coach Sullivan doesn't want to reveal what "the more may be" and I find that suspicious. 

Add all that to the fact Coach Sullivan actively sought out other jobs last year and what you have is the AD, the Principal, the Super, (even coach himself last year) all wanting Sullivan out and Sullivan (and his wife on Facebook) offering nothing of substance in his defense. 

My guess is that getting an attorney and requesting a meeting with the Super was so that his side of the situation could be heard and mediated. Don't think it would be in Sullivan's best interest to come forward with specific details until all avenues have been explored or he has resigned or non-renewal is official. 

2 minutes ago, RRW said:

My guess is that getting an attorney and requesting a meeting with the Super was so that his side of the situation could be heard and mediated. Don't think it would be in Sullivan's best interest to come forward with specific details until all avenues have been explored or he has resigned or non-renewal is official. 

I hear what you are saying but once you are out, you are out. 

1 hour ago, theguru said:

This makes a lot of sense to me and there almost has to be more to this than the general public knows about.

It also tells me Coach Sullivan doesn't want to reveal what "the more may be" and I find that suspicious. 

Add all that to the fact Coach Sullivan actively sought out other jobs last year and what you have is the AD, the Principal, the Super, (even coach himself last year) all wanting Sullivan out and Sullivan (and his wife on Facebook) offering nothing of substance in his defense. 

Don’t overlook the fact that the Superintendent is brand new to this job and it might be tough for him to second guess or for that matter overrule the long term principal.

2 minutes ago, Oldercoach said:

Don’t overlook the fact that the Superintendent is brand new to this job and it might be tough for him to second guess or for that matter overrule the long term principal.

Good point, it makes more sense for a new super to back one of his Principals over a ball coach. 

52 minutes ago, theguru said:

Good point, it makes more sense for a new super to back one of his Principals over a ball coach. 

I heard the principal left before the game was even over. He needs to be fired!

I assume this non-renewal is for Mr. Sullivan's extra duty as basketball coach and not his teaching position. If he has been at Cooper since it opened he is a tenured teacher by state law, but as I remember extra duty positions are not covered as such. I would imagine that the principal felt he had just cause to make that move. The timing is just really odd. I have witnessed similar situations, but those decisions were usually made at the conclusion of a season rather than during the season. I believe we may have had a similar situation in the private setting this past year and the school involved seems to have moved on successfully. Good luck to Cooper in the Sweet 16. This is just a sad situation for everyone involved..... especially the players. Very interesting that boys basketball, girls basketball, and football have all had excellent seasons.......but the power of social media has led to people not being happy.

36 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

I heard the principal left before the game was even over. He needs to be fired!

Well do we know that he actually left? Or is that a rumor? Or as big a place as Truist is could he have been elsewhere in the building instead of front and center on the courtside? And if he had some kind of emergency or something else urgent going on and needed to leave, what then?

Or do we just yell, "Fire him!"?

On 3/19/2025 at 9:05 AM, nees1212 said:

We did keep an eye on the principal after the game.  He stayed off the court away from the team taking pictures on his phone.  We didn't see him walk onto the court to congratulate anyone as it looked like he was keeping his distance.  We left when they were getting ready to cut down the nets, so not sure if he came onto the floor after that.

40 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

I heard the principal left before the game was even over. He needs to be fired!

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Well do we know that he actually left? Or is that a rumor? Or as big a place as Truist is could he have been elsewhere in the building instead of front and center on the courtside? And if he had some kind of emergency or something else urgent going on and needed to leave, what then?

Or do we just yell, "Fire him!"?

I guess I am confused.  @nees1212 would you please help us out?  Or, anyone else in the know?

6 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Well do we know that he actually left? Or is that a rumor? Or as big a place as Truist is could he have been elsewhere in the building instead of front and center on the courtside? And if he had some kind of emergency or something else urgent going on and needed to leave, what then?

Or do we just yell, "Fire him!"?

I imagine he kept a very low profile because of the situation. If so..... great decision.

Purely hearsay, but from a reliable source. Maybe it’s been covered so forgive me if so. I was told last year Conner AD was all in on hiring Sullivan, but the Conner Principal shot it down. So to me there is some stuff out there the parties involved are willing to keep in house and go their separate ways.

1 minute ago, theguru said:

I guess I am confused.  @nees1212 would you please help us out?  Or, anyone else in the know?

I'm just trying to think from the other person's perpective a little bit...and I'm not trying to defend what the principal is doing here with Coach Sullivan, but...

I would assume that the principal is intelligent enough to understand that standing courtside at the regional finals with/near the team and the coach he is pushing out the door is going to draw a lot of ire from a lot of people there at the game who are already angry with him for dismissing Sully. My guess is that he's aware that keeping a low profile at the game rather than standing front and center is going to lessen the heartburn from the folks there, and it's also going to allow the kids on the team to enjoy accepting the trophy and cutting down the nets without having them or the people watching them getting upset over the principal's presence with them.

2 minutes ago, 9068 said:

I imagine he kept a very low profile because of the situation. If so..... great decision.

Exactly what I'm thinking, and I agree.

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I'm just trying to think from the other person's perpective a little bit...and I'm not trying to defend what the principal is doing here with Coach Sullivan, but...

I would assume that the principal is intelligent enough to understand that standing courtside at the regional finals with/near the team and the coach he is pushing out the door is going to draw a lot of ire from a lot of people there at the game who are already angry with him for dismissing Sully. My guess is that he's aware that keeping a low profile at the game rather than standing front and center is going to lessen the heartburn from the folks there, and it's also going to allow the kids on the team to enjoy accepting the trophy and cutting down the nets without having them or the people watching them getting upset over the principal's presence with them.

Right and they booed him at a prior game, correct?