Winning in the Worst Way

Houston Christian's new headmaster, Steven Livingston, says procedures are now in place to make sure the school fully complies with TAPPS regulations. School staff is now forbidden to accept personal gifts from school supporters, he says.

The allegations are only rumor and innuendo, Bracewell says, so there is full support for Knapp.

"Do we have a rogue elephant on staff that the current board and headmaster are kinda winking at?" asks Bracewell. "No, we don't. Has there been one in the past? Gee, maybe, we don't know. We've heard all this stuff."

To the observation that the same elephant is still athletic director, Bracewell replies, "It's the same elephant. But its a new board, and a new headmaster, and he ain't behaving that way now."

TAPPS Director Ed Burleson says his association relies on member schools to police themselves, but that after Houston Christian is finished examining Knapp's conduct, TAPPS may have some questions.

Becky Phillips, whose son David is now at Second Baptist, figures it's just business as usual with a hear-no-evil, see-no-evil school administration.

"It's a Christian school," she concludes. "They should have been held to higher standards. We rear our children that way. The evidence was there, and they chose to just sweep it under the rug."

Detra Gobert, whose son Keith remains devoted to Coach Knapp, sees the Northwest Academy saga as a case of misplaced priorities.

"I think there are some great things about that school," says Gobert, "but I believe that Coach Knapp at some point lost sight and wanted to win so bad that that was what was important.... Winning became more important than honesty and anything else."