BREAKING NEWS: Marshall's Pickens relieved of duties
Ricky Pickens has been relieved of his duties as head coach at Marshall High. Pickens was in his second season coaching the Eagles. He led Marshall to a thrilling 36-24 win over Pasadena Poly that helped the Eagles snap a 33-game losing streak earlier this season.
"We agreed to release him due to personal issues," said Jason Taylor, Marshall's athletic director.
Pickens said Taylor was supportive in his decision to leave with two games left in the regular season.
"My mom is sick," Pickens said. "She's got some health issues and it's something I want to take care of. I didn't want to stay around when I wasn't going to be 100 percent. I had made a decision that I was going to let (Taylor) know by the end of the season, but I wanted him to have ample time to look for someone so we just made a decision to go ahead now.
"I would have liked to finished but it's taken a toll on me. My mom doesn't live in the city. She lives in Victorville. I have to leave and get across the freeway and fight traffic and it becomes an issue. (Taylor) agreed and said your family comes first. I didn't want to do it like that beause I love Marshall. The opportunity I had was phenomenal. I certainly wish them the best and I"ll always be a fan. I do want to coach again once i iron these things, and I believe i can do it somewhere when this is over."
In his nearly two years at the helm, Pickens compiled a 2-16 record as head coach.
Germel Ford will take over on an interim basis. Ford served as Marshall's linebackers coach. He teaches physical education at Marshall.
"We felt that was a great fit," Pickens said, "and i definitely support it."
16 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
 |
|
Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
pickens is a straight up liar i put in all this work in practice nd he promised the team if you work hard you will get on the field.I would only play wen it was 30 seconds left in the game dats BS I HATE coaches like him
I hope we are not talking about johnny Lopez who was Fired at Eagle Rock and Marshall.This guy is a walking time Bomb. He was let go By Gustin after the second game of the season a few years ago. I heard he was not allowed to work with High School kids.He was fired at Marshall for several reasons that he could not finish the season.He got in a fight with one of his own players,and was caught gambling behind the football field, what a joke of an individual, He made front news at the Daily News for getting beat up by his own players at Eagle Rock and how do go out on stress leave. I would be very concern to have my child around that man.
to observer I have gone to some marshall games and yes there is a coach that runs the pregame and directs the coaches and runs practice after school while pickens sat back and watched or talked on his phone. the kids call him coach Lopez he gets along with all the kids from middle school to high school he has worked at the school for a few years, my son is looking forward playing for him or the program if he is still around. my daughter played basketball for him and he was great.All his teams love him. My daughter told me that he was a head coach of a team in LA last year. Coach Lopez decided to help marshall because his son was going to play. glad pickens is gone Lopez should of got the head coach job.
my son goes to marshall and is in middle school, sometime I use the track and sit in my car and wait for my son. Mr. pickens was never at practice ,and from what my son says he ran off several kids from the program. marshall had a JV team for poly and the team beat poly. but after poly they all seemed to walk away. also during the spring and summer,up to now their was a latin looking coach which was running all the pratices and having those kids moving and working hard. for a while I thought he was the head coach until I was told that Mr. Pickens was the head coach. I know that this coach is still on the field coaching and it is not coach ford. My son also told me that this coach also has been a head coach at anouther school in the past and coaches the middle school girls basketball team. I dont know his name but why didnt he get the job I wish I remebered his name, I have to ask my son.
How did he get the job in the first place? They should have hired Chris Long the Head Coach @ Hoover when they had a chance to.
Very sad situation for all concerned at Marshall and PUSD. You'd think a school with over 1,000 students could support a strong team. They cancelled the JV game with Maranatha that was suppose to be played tonight because they don't have enough players.
LOL Viking fan, some things don't change.
I'm just sayin'
You're still not agreeing with me. that's someone different posting under my name. I don't know Pickens and have no opinion on this matter.
Eagle fan I personally asked Miller and Gustin a few time to get some help concerning this program 3 years ago as it was apparent they had no clue what they were doing. They acted as though they could care less about the program or the player so now you have this. When you have people making decisions who think they know what they are doing but don't know and refuse to get help you end up with one of the worst sports program around. They were told this would happen but just didn't care.
From a former Marshall Player, Pickens was the worst ever, its nice to be gone and have a real coach in college. I hate what has happened at that program, i heard now they have a navy seal, as a coach, with ten weeks of coaching experience, and he was the linebacker coach. What is wrong with marshall??????
Pickens never should have been hired in the first place, family problems, yea right. When you put someone in a head coaching position that can't motivate or teach what do you expect to happen? You get what you paid for. Marshall's administration has no clue to what they are doing. Who would take this job? It was said long ago on this blog how bad the Marshall's administration was concerning the sports program. As Viking fan stated and I rarely agree with Viking fan but the former principal, current vice principal and AD have made this program one of the worst in California. How long has it been since Tip left? But I'm just say’ in.
Our favorite well traveled coach Gamal Smalley is the HC with Muir's boys varsity basketball team, thus marking his 15,432nd coaching occupation after recent stints at Blair, PCC, and Ribet Academy.
I'm taking bets on how soon he'll "end up somewhere else" within the next two years. Meet me at the Mandalay Bay casinos' pony betting sportsbook.
If helped snap a 33 game losing streak, how is his record 2-16?
If helped snap a 33 game losing streak, how is his record 2-16?
He should have been gone last year but Gustin didn't have the guts to get rid of him. He was was not there last year and missed alot of practices this year.Marshall probably has one of the worst football programs in the state. There AD and Assistant principal dragged that program in the ground.
Good luck on finding a good coach, for that to happen they need some qualified people running that athletic program.
pickens iz a liar family problems yea rite he left these kids becuase they wanted him gone he just didnt want to tell them the he got fired i hate liars