If you have been a Branded Sports follower from the beginning you know that we are huge fans of Last Chance U on Netflix. You would also know that we are big supporters of the Independence DreamU Pirates and of course their head coach Jason Brown.
If you are not familiar with Coach Brown, he is a tough son of a bitch. He is a white guy who played football in Compton and who everyone respects. Doesn’t matter if you are white, black, purple or orange.
He treats every one of his players the same…
Tough.
Yes, he has a mouth on him but guess what most coaches do. So what he is tough on his players… He coaches in JUCO where he is coaching players that have the potential to go pro but are literally on their LAST CHANCE, and he is there to not only save their football career but maybe their lives.
Coach Brown has recently been in a lot of “hot water” for an apparent text message exchange he had with a player. He apparently sent a message that was extremely hurtful and unacceptable.
The interaction was with a foreign player from Germany. I am not going to repeat or post the alleged message from Brown to this player. (If you would like to know what it was, it is very easy to find on the internet.)
However, after about a week of questions and investigations Coach Brown announced on Monday that he was stepping down as head coach of the Independence DreamU Pirates. And that is a very sad thing for the program and the players he could have saved from their last chance.
Coach Brown brought the Pirates from years and years of misery and losing to prominence again. Securing their only ever bowl win and making countless upgrades to the facilities at the school. And, he always did everything with his players and his team in his heart.
That is so obvious from the outpouring of love from former players, parents and coaches after he announced his resignation.
To Coach Brown& Indy staff, can’t thank you enough for the second shot i was given. A lot of people unfortunately never saw Coach Brown for who he is when the cameras off.. He looked out for us like we were his kids. Thank you for letting me be apart of history, love ya slap🐐 pic.twitter.com/FxpB6NnJdc
— nino (@ninoalibegic) February 25, 2019
When I hit rock bottom & society tried to turn me into something I wasn’t, I got a call from coach Brown & coach Martin who gave me the opportunity to keep my dream alive when others looked the other way. Been coached tough all my life & @INDYHEADCOACH1 the perfect example of it pic.twitter.com/ulbsvNHknt
— Dior Johnson🔋 (@Dior_J9) February 25, 2019
@INDYHEADCOACH1 why is the media trying to put this type of image on you like that ? Appreciate you for the opportunity but I still want my round with you…tough love is the solid truth
— T H R E A T🕺🏾 (@dontrell_55) February 25, 2019
Thanks for giving us a chance pic.twitter.com/5MhFGa3qeF
— TheRealEmmitG93 (@TheRealEmmitG93) February 25, 2019
@INDYHEADCOACH1 influenced a bunch of people that had nothing gave several players a second opportunity including myself. nothing but respect and if i had the opportunity to play for him again i would tough coaching is real coach some can handle some can’t it’s all love coach 💯
— JB (@juranimal1) February 25, 2019
Y’all just don’t know the good that this man has done for me he gave me an opportunity to continue my career , believed in me since day 1 and get an education and play D1 ball stay up @INDYHEADCOACH1 ☝🏾
— 𝙳𝚃𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙳𝚃™️ (@DTPLAYINGDT) February 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/loguhn/status/1100088686711111681?s=21
I’m saddened by the pain my ICC Football family is going through with the resignation of Jason Brown @INDYHEADCOACH1. I enjoyed being a part of the last three years. Thanks for always treating me with respect and allowing me to be a part of it. Much love from the”White Jay Jones” pic.twitter.com/sG96pNtKKI
— Jay Jones (@jmjonesatc) February 25, 2019
Those tweets don’t even scratch the surface of the outpouring of love and support for coach Brown. The man has touched so many lives, influenced so many kids. And… Made sure they made good on their Last Chance.
IF what was said to have been said is true, of course I don’t condone it or think it is anywhere close to acceptable. But I guarantee either does Coach Brown.
It is just said that we live in a society where a human isn’t allowed to make a mistake any more. So many people are out for blood, and they got it in this case. But the only people they are hurting are the kids at Independence that right now probably feel even more lost than they did when they hit rock bottom.
I hope coach Brown lands on his feet and coaches again. Not for him, but for the countless number of young men I know he will help. I played sports my whole life, and I never wanted a coach to be soft on me, I wanted the toughest coaching they could give… Because that meant they were trying to get the best out of me.
We will continue to be following you where ever you go coach. Never let this bump in the road stop you from doing what you were born to do…
Help others achieve what they never thought they could when they were at rock bottom.
-Kmess