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20 JUN 04: UP THE EXPRESSWAY
You knew she'd leave town sooner or later. You just didn't know when, or where she'd go next. So it was no big surprise to learn Saturday night that Ashley Powell has resigned as Columbus High School girls' basketball coach.
Disappointing for ogling single guys, but not surprising....
But where Ashley Powell is going IS quite surprising. She's been hired as ladies' basketball coach at Manchester High School. Huh?! This doesn't make sense - but then, a former Alabama head football coach shouldn't have moved to a high school in Dothan, either.
(To make things more puzzling, Powell's assistant coach at Columbus High is moving to Manchester with her. What's going on here? Do the Muscogee County Democrats want EVERY incumbent in the school system to leave?)
Ashley Powell's piled up a good winning record at Columbus High, and took the team to the AAAA finals in March. So why move to a smaller, rural high school? Couldn't Ketia Swanier convince Connecticut to hire Powell as an assistant?
I honestly expected Ashley Powell's next coaching job would be at the college level -- either as an assistant coach at a big-name university, or a head coach at Division II or III. Either Manchester High is paying Powell a fortune, or she needs to fire her agent.
You may not realize Ashley Powell did NOT teach at Columbus High School. She was on the staff at Eddy Middle School, where she also served as a track coach. That had to be a challenge - considering the school "track" often is a mix of overgrown weeds and mud.
At least Ashley Powell isn't moving far away, by heading for Manchester High School. In fact, things may be easier for her there - since there probably are only a couple of singles bars, for men to approach her.
True confession: I've driven countless times on Manchester Expressway in Columbus - but I've never taken it all the way to Manchester. I've also never driven down Macon Road all the way to Macon. But I've noticed for some reason, Cusseta Road stops far short of Cusseta.
Now let's collect some other loose change from the weekend:
+ The National Action Network staged a protest march in Harris County. The civil rights group wants Sheriff Mike Jolley removed, for mishandling the disappearance of a man two years ago. Somewhere Ralph Johnson saw this, and grinned with satisfaction.
+ An estimated 20,000 people attended "Family Day in the Park" at Cooper Creek Park. But I never heard -- what was the big musical surprise? Did a band full of white musicians show up?
+ Instant Message to Cascade Hills Church Pastor Bill Purvis: Did I hear you right Saturday night on "Real Time" - that the movie "Troy" is "largely accurate?" Hasn't anyone told you the Trojan War was a legend, not a fact?
COMING THIS WEEK: A federal sex discrimination case you haven't heard much about.... but we'll change that....
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