Apologies to Gordon

[Coach Burkhart]

I feel like I need to do this. I want to apologize to the administration, community, and most of all the kids at Gordon. This has been very hard on me. I had to choose family over career. My wife and children mean the world to me. I want to make it known that the Gordon people were very nice. Mr. Hough and Mrs. Campbell are class acts along with many other people. Gordon did nothing wrong. I just had to go back home (Richland Springs). My kids know nothing but being Coyotes. Gordon already has a head coach there. Jason Sizemore is one of the most outstanding coaches I have ever met. He is from Gordon, he loves Gordon and he is the best thing for Gordon. I hope the Board and Administration can see what they have in him. Jason is going to be one of the best coaches in six-man football. The talent at Gordon is unreal. The kids really work hard and are respectful. This was a very hard decision. All I know is that I don't know what is in store for my future but I do know who holds my future. I have hurt several people in my decisions in the last month and i am very sorry. Everyone has every right to throw me under the bus. I chose my family over career. Richland Springs has showed my family so much love and support. God has really put me in my place. I have learned that you need to take a good look around and see what He has blessed you with before you make crazy decisions based on how things are going on in your life. None of that matters when you see you are hurting your wife and children. You don't know what you have until it is gone. I have a lot of fences to mend on both sides. There are many wonderful people in Richland Springs and most of all wonderful kids. I want to wish Gordon good luck and and go win that state championship. You guys have the coach and kids to do it. Now everyone knows the truth and i pray that the town of Gordon and Richland Springs forgives me.

Jerry Burkhart

 

[Coach Fouts]

Very good words Coach Burkhart, I have met you a few times and been to your Clinic a few times and it is very obvious that you put your heart and soul into the program at Richland Springs. You should never make a leap that you are not comfortable with. I aplaud you for your efforts and keep up the good work wherever that may be.

Good luck and God Bless

Coach Fouts
Klondike

 

[Dogface]

Actually,
the only folks who will understand such a difficult decision
are the one's who have suffered through the same.



Now drop and give me 20!
jus kiddin'.

 

[coachcolt]

Coach,

Sometimes the grass isn't greener, I know that lesson as well. Very heartfelt words and your motivations are certainly for the right reason. Family is paramount, and we should never forget that. Best of luck, hope R.S. rebuilds with you. Still need to get together and play some poker again....

Coach Coltrane
Lazbuddie.

 

[KDUB-31]

And I am sure the rumor that RS just hired an assistant coach with two stud players had nothing to do with you decision either? Fact remains those boys at Gordon bought into what u said..."hold the rope" well I hope u apologized to each kid that you LIED to as well.

 

[CowboyP]

And I am sure the rumor that RS just hired an assistant coach with two stud players had nothing to do with you decision either? Fact remains those boys at Gordon bought into what u said..."hold the rope" well I hope u apologized to each kid that you LIED to as well.

Was this comment nessecary?

 

[Edward Golden]

Cowboy

Until you know the whole story, sometimes tough comments are appropriate...The Gordon FAMILY is hurt badly right now also.

 

[CT6MFL]

ohhhh their just venting.

 

[smokeyjoe53]

So if you are hurt, lash out and hurt someone else? Sounds like a real good attitude to have.......................................

 

[Shad Kline]

I have held my tongue up until this point. Mainly because most of the words I had would have been in anger, and I didn't want what I wrote to be construed as lashing out. I am extremely disappointed, that should go without saying. My biggest feeling of disappointment comes from the fact that these kids, who are good kids, just keep getting slapped down. I'm an adult, I can handle the fact that I was let down......again. But to have to watch the let down of my kids, and yes, I consider most of the kids in the entire town to be mine as well as the ones that reside under my roof, when it could have been avoided is heartbreaking. These kids DID buy into it. They were excited, which was a plus after dealing with the let down when their former coach decided to leave. They were showing up on weekends just to spend a little time with their new coach. They were working harder in the weight room. They were talking about all of the good things that were coming. Just to be let down......again. They didn't deserve that. The mistake was yours to bear, not these kids.

In a way, maybe we dodged a bullet. I for one would want a coach who actually believes the words that are coming out of his own mouth. "I'm excited to be here." "I can't wait to get up here." How many times did I hear those exact words? Now I'm wondering if you were trying to convince me or yourself!

Mr. Golden said it well, we are a FAMILY, and we will get through this, we will find a coach that we can believe in and will believe in our kids. We are strong, we are resilient, and we are Longhorns. That may not mean much to you, but it means the world to us.

As far as the other comments on here. I believe you have earned it. You should expect some to lash out, you should expect angry words, and you should expect ill feelings. And you should absorb it all, because you truly earned it.

I, for one, DO NOT accept your apology.

Shad Kline
Gordon Longhorn, class of '91
Gordon Texas

Edited: apology accepted, good luck coach B and RS.

 

[Misguided Rhetoric]

You just have to look at it from both sides. Which I am trying to do (some may disagree). Certainly a man has to do what is right for his family. No quibbles over this argument. But for a moment, take into account the teachers and administrators who took time away from their families during spring break, weekends, and after school hours to accommodate him during this process; think about the boys who had 'bought in' to the program he had promised; consider the other coaches (some newly hired) who had spent considerable time out of their own schedule with him in preparation for the upcoming season and may or may not have made life decisions based on HIS decision to be the Head Coach.

If a man's decision to act for his own family adversely affects numerous other families to which he pledged commitment, is this man's decision deemed honorable or merely selfish? I don't know the answer and certainly hard to place blame unless you put yourself in another man's shoes. Think it boils down to a life lesson frequently repeated to kids on a near daily basis: Don't make a commitment you don't plan to keep.

He is right, though. Whether it is Coach Sizemore heading the team or another individual, Gordon will be just fine. But I do think it is telling about his egotism that in the last of his many requests made to the Gordon School Board and Administration over the last couple of months, Burkhart issues a command on who Gordon should hire for the position he vacated....Thanks Jerry, but think they will take it from here.

 

[OrangeCCS]

Well, from what I saw from being at the Gordon Clinic this year is that there kids are ready and will win. They are loaded. I pray all parties will find comfort in the future.

 

[freeagent]

Having gone through a somewhat personally disappointing decision in the last few days which led to my no longer being involved in a school and a program for over 10 years, I think I partly understand what may be going on here.

I know the good folks at Richland Springs were disapppointed to lose their friend ... and thought that loss was a personal insult.

And the good folks at Gordon are disappointed to lose a coach... and two teachers ... they were looking forward to having as a part of their family. From the day I spent at the Gordon clinic, I could tell that the good folks there were looking forward to having the Burkharts join their community. Heck, I nearly came back from there suggesting to my wife (a high school math teacher) that we should move to Gordon!

Time will heal the wounds on both sides. And the sun will rise tomorrow, unless Someone upstairs has other ideas ... and then, this really won't be all that important, I guess.

 

[Dogface]

"The great irony is that the animus and personal ambition that often drive people to positions of power stand at odds with the humility required for Level 5 leadership. (I struggle with this). When you combine that irony with the fact that boards of directors frequently operate under the false belief that they need to hire a larger-than-life egocentric leader to make an organization great, you can quickly see why Level 5 leaders rarely appear at the top of our institutions." Jim Collins from his best seller "Good to Great".


Basically,
schools don't operate by sound business practices. The revolving door policy, failing scores, and financial shortfalls are undenyable evidence. Period.

 

[Broadcaster]

Ah, the problem with our federal government... Thanks, dog!

 

[KDUB-31]

to cowboy YES those comments were necessary! the truth needs to be told about this situation. Burkhart signed a contract with the school. he pledged his service to the district. to back out makes him a LIAR! there are two things in life i cannot tolerate that is a thief and a liar. In the two months prior to what was to be his first day, he was texting the Gordon boys and telling them how excited he was to be at Gordon, he was telling them that great things were on the horizon, telling them how committed he was and dedicated to seeing them be successful. these boys bought into that and dedicated themselves to working harder to achieve the prize. To drop them like a hot potato is going to play on their commitment. Gordon ISD did everything they could to appease him. he wanted to move his coaching clinic on short notice, they made it happen, the booster club worked their rear end off to feed the coaches. he wanted the HUDL program the booster club bought it, he wanted the weight room moved the moved it, he wanted the locker rooms changed they changed it, he wanted a new helmet logo, they changed it, he wanted new work out gear they bought it, he wanted a crap load of money for his salary they paid it. this is a slap in the face to every person who helped make him and his family feel welcome. i spoke to him at the clinic he said he was "excited to get started" his wife said " she could not wait to get here" His kids could not wait to be Longhorns according to him. So what changed? I do not know but what i do know is that I was taught and what i live by is " A mans word is his BOND". Burkhart not only gave his word but he SIGNED a contract, then pulls out of town in the middle of the night, what am i talking about you may be asking. At 9:30 on Sunday night (the day prior to his first day) everything was great, he told people he loved Palo Pinto lake and could not wait to sell his house in RS and buy a place out there, at MIDNIGHT he calls Mr. Hough the Gordon SUPT and told him " there are things he needed to think through" at 4 AM he text the principal and advises he will not be there on Monday. He loaded up his stuff in the middle of the night high tailed it out of town. Would not return calls or texts for two days. COWARD i say COWARD. I knew he would come on here and say it was for his family, etc and that may well be the case (I highly doubt it) but be a man and tell the Admin and not leave them hanging for two days. I WAS a big Burkhart fan, I hold nothing against the kids as RS i hope they have a huge amount of success but the fact remains that their Coach is a LIAR. Oh yeah so much for "holding the rope"

 

[Yamregit]

Dang K-DUMB,

go have you a beer and really let us know what went on!
This is getting entertaining!
By the way, what's the new mascot look like?
You have to admit, your old one was pretty weak!
I'm sorry for interrupting, keep it coming!

 

[They Call Me Coach]

I think that regardless of his change of heart every man has the right to change his mind. While it stings now for Gordon I believe with the talent they have Gordon will be fine. They have a long and proud winning tradition and time can heal the hurt that wa caused. I know Coach B has a lot to do to mend the fences with Richland Springs and it does not do the you men of Gordon any good for the adults to spit venom when it we be better to motivate in a positive to show people what Gordon athletics is all about.

 

[jimnedder]

I think most people know that his mind changedwhen the asst coach from Valley was hired. I will lose complete respect for RSISD if they bring Burkie back. Some in his family had some pretty poor things to say about the RS community.

Your word is your bond.

 

[Yamregit]

Some of the Gordon School Board has spoken.