Wilson baseball coaches take their turn to talk

  A spokesman for Thomas J. Baia and William Atlas called the treatment of the two men in the center of the Wilson hazing case a "terrible rush to judgment."

   Two high school baseball coaches, who just like they had done numerous times before, accompanied their teams back to school after games on the team bus.

   Everything seemed normal. Some of the players spent part of the trip back to school singing a song from the cartoon "Spongebob Squarepants."

   Twelve days later, the coaches were arrested and charged with child endangerment.

   Fast forward 15 months. On Monday, charges against the two were dropped by the prosecutor.

   On Wednesday, complete with a trampoline, balloons and colorful signs, Baia's backyard was turned into the staging area for a press conference where the coaches would speak publicly for the first time.

   Both coaches showed emotion during their prepared remarks.

   Here's a snippet of what Baia said: "For the many years prior to April 17, 2008, I was the teacher who cared for and looked out for the little guy. I was the coach who kept around the players that nobody else wanted, gave that player a role and made him part of the team. In a determined campaign by law enforcement, I erroneously became the teacher/coach who willingly and knowingly allowed children to be hurt. That is a lie that I will not let stand."

   Listen to Baia's full statement here.

   You can also listen to Atlas' full statement here.

   Mike Paul, a college friend of Atlas', runs a public relations firm and calls himself the "Reputation Doctor." He has been serving as the coaches' spokesman, and also made a statement, which you can listen to here.

   Reporters asked questions of the coaches and Paul, which you can listen to here.

Comments

[Hodge]

I can't help thinking that if the students on that bus had been properly supervised--as in, required to stay in their seats and not allowed to engage in ANY "horseplay," this whole incident would never have happened.

[Hugh Duckwall]

..and in a perfect world there are no rushes in judgement by police, prosecutors,or any public officials that are also supposed to protect the welfare of ALL the citizens. The Wilson buses are as disciplined;as safe; as protected by the Wilson coaches as are any in WNY.Any remarks belittling the Coaches' efforts to supervise their teams' behavior is misguided , or if you will, pollyannish.

[Wilson-2/StatePolice-0]

Well said Hugh! The kids were acquitted of forcible touching. So, based on a court of law, they didn't so much as push anyone. Wouldn't it be pretty easy to prove that kids got beat up?? I do, and I don't think they did.