A volunteer middle school boys football coach in Corbett, Oregon has been fired for planning an awards dinner for the 12-14 year old athletes at beloved breastaurant Hooters. The Oregonian reports that the trouble for coach Randall Burbach began when the school athletic director sent a letter to parents boldly saying that Hooters' "objectifies women" and that he spoke with many people in town who named Hooter's the worst place to take a middle school boys football team "outside of a bar, tavern, or strip club." The letter also says that athletic director JP Soulagnet asked Burbach to change the location of the event to no avail. KATU quotes Burbach saying on Monday: "Yes, this is worth losing my coaching job over."
Burbach told the Oregonian Monday, "I believe this is a fine venue ... It's not a strip club. If you have a dirty mind, you'll find dirt." Or women in tiny tank tops and bright orange shorts? A spokesperson from Hooters says that they host plenty of middle school and high school sports teams. (Though it seems sometimes school groups end up there by accident).
KGW reports that Burbach has been fired, in part because he refused to change the location of the awards dinner. Burbach tells KGW in the video below, "Not allowing myself to be bullied by the vocal minority is the example, is the war I want to win and is the only war I can win right now." But will those middle school boys get their chance for breasts and wings? For now it looks like yes: Burbach is still planning on hosting the dinner, it just won't be an official Corbett school event. Not only is the event still happening, but KGW reports that Hooters is even picking up the tab. Below, Burbach defends his decision to take middle school boys to Hooters for a school event:
Video: Oregon Middle School Coach Fired for Hooters Awards Dinner
· Hooters Middle-School Football Party Is On [Oregonian]
· Hooters Party for Middle-Schoolers: Corbett Coach Defends His Choice [Oregonian]
· Oregon Middle School Coach Fired for Hooters Awards Dinner [KGW]
· All Hooters Coverage on Eater [-E-]