There was a time, not long ago, when their football program was the envy ofevery high school in the Southland, a perennial power that competed for conference championships, qualified for the playoffs annually and developed some of the area's elite talent.

He could have remained in the state's third-oldest city, Edwardsville - where, by most accounts, he was greatly appreciated and admired for a job well done the past 16 years - and coasted into retirement.

He's been called numerous things by perturbed players, cranky coaches and fickle fans during his seven-year career as a minor league baseball umpire, many of the adjectives falling under the definition of an obscenity.