Longley's tyranny has to end. He refuses to acknowledge players, coaches, parents or the communities concerns about how he is running the athletic department. His ego and arrogance are not what we need. We need leadership who does what's best for the students, school and town not what's best for his own agenda

How can we know what to think if we don't know the facts behind the firing?
What did the two players do? How were they disciplined by the coach? And what would the proper procedure to follow?

Look how Longley has handled all of his coaches and players. He makes threats, fires coaches, doesn't communicate well and only creates problems. Where is the Principal and Superintendent to do an internal investigation?

Rafferty firing for disciplining 2 players is a smoke screen for Longley trying to hire his friend. The players/parents are trying to voice their displeasure to Longley who refuses to talk to them. Thanks for ruining the athletic program Longley

Scuzzarella this is your guy...YOU fix it!!! We have had enough...FIRE LONGLEY!!!

Longley is also telling coaches and players they can't speak out or sign the petition...don't we live in a democracy? If they want to sign it or speak out doesn't that mean there are issues???

The fact that the whole town knows who Longley is planning on hiring should say something. When Rafferty was hired there was a long process to find the right guy, which we did. Team captains and players sat on a committee as well as many involved with town athletics. Rafferty and the other candidates went through many interviews. That seems to be the normal procedure for similar postions in the state. How is he going to hire someone without any of this happening? When did this become a complete dictatorship? There aren't any checks and balances any more?

FYI--The last game before Rafferty and his staff got here was called by the Refs in the 4th quarter. Thanksgiving 2000. A brawl erupted between the two teams before the game was over. Discipline, respect, and character are acquired traits. Rafferty and co. instilled these traits in their players. We would be very lucky at this point if Rafferty would accept us back.

For those of you supporting the coach: Some of you have made some statements that may be true but they aren't in the "public domain" so they can't be independently verified. Within your circle of local football folks, some of these statements might be public knowledge but they aren't otherwise widely known.

1) Other coaches have been fired. You could provide links to such firings. (Some aspiring journalists can try to verify the relationship between the AD and the former coaches - either positive or negative - on or off the record and publish it).
2) The coach was fired so that AD can hire a particular person.
3) AD is telling other coaches and players they can't speak out or sign the petition (maybe some aspiring journalists can take "off the record" statements or polling of coaches and players).

As someone not involved in this - solid information is lacking.

Demand the answers we all want tonight at the School Committee meeting 6pm NAHS Library

How many of you people have actually met coach rafferty, He is NOT a nice guy, not th type to ask you how you're doing if you saw him at Richdale. Also...the dude has never won a playoff game, has beat andover once, and masco a couple times. You think Masco has more talent than North Andover? No they have 10X better coaches thats why we lose to them every year.