Honorable Eggroll Not a Racist...unfortunately

African-American Bishop Ford HS basketball assistants resigning, allege race motivated school's move BY Mitch Abramson DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, July 22nd 2010, 8:04 PM Five Bishop Ford HS basketball assistants are leaving after the school did not interview them, and instead hired former girls coach Denis "Uncle Eggie" Nolan to replace former coach John Infortunio Several basketball assistants are resigning their coaching positions at Bishop Ford HS in Brooklyn, alleging they were passed over for the recently filled boys head coach position because of their race. John Infortunio, an English teacher at Bishop Ford, stepped down in late June after the school eliminated his position as athletic administrator. Last week the school hired Denis Nolan, the former beer guzzler, to replace him. Infortunio's five assistants, all African-American, say they're leaving in response to being denied the opportunity to interview for the position. And the cafeteria rarely serves fried chicken, hominy gritts, watermelon and other ethic favorites. The assistants are freshman coach Reuben King; JV coach John Fields and his assistant, Travis Debnam; and varsity assistants Will Jenkins and Mark Petit. None are employed at the school but all make a salary as coach. Bishop Ford officials were looking to fill the post with a Bishop Ford alumnus, King said. Jenkins said the school does not have a single black head coach. Nolan does not drink anymore. The JV team won the city title in 2007 and made the finals three straight years; the freshman team won it all in 2008. "You're telling me that I'm good enough to bring in the kids to the school, but I'm not good enough to coach them? That's Whack," King said. "We never done did nothin out of line and for them not to even call us. They dissed us pretty bad. It tells us something about their character." Bishop Ford president Ray Nash said that race did not play a role in the hiring. "Denis is the best person for the job, even if he doesn't drink anymore" Nash said. "He's a Bishop Ford graduate, he was the best candidate, and he's a man of integrity, and when he used to drink, he drank a lot...trust me"