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Reasonable Ignorance

The Coach Paris And Mike Episode

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips
Coach Mike received a $1,200 stipend through Apple Pay with no official paperwork.
The episode features an interview with Coach Paris Martin and Coach Mike, who coached basketball at Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago. They discuss their backgrounds: Coach P grew up on the low end and ran the Illinois Select Huskies AAU program, while Coach Mike joined him as an assistant. In their first year, they started with only three players and built a team that won a regional championship. The second year, they won the state championship, the school's first in 49 years. The central conflict is that neither coach received their stipends for two years, and they claim their background checks and paperwork were never fully processed by CPS, yet they were given keys and offices. Coach Mike received a partial $1,200 payment via Apple Pay without taxes or forms. The administration, including Athletic Director James Daniels and Principal Rashad Talley, allegedly assured them everything was under control but never resolved the issues. The players, like senior Eli Harris, express hurt over not receiving championship rings or proper celebration. Coach P started a GoFundMe to fund the rings, needing about $9,260. The coaches suspect the athletic director, who did not hire them, undermined them due to their rapid success. They describe meetings called 30 minutes before games and constant pressure despite winning. The episode includes calls from the audience and live comments, with hosts Jamal Shabazz and Magic Mike Walton facilitating the discussion. Coach P emphasizes his mission is for the players, not personal gain, and vows to continue fighting for them. The conversation touches on CPS procedures, the community gym at Phillips, and broader issues in Chicago high school sports.

As heard by us

A state championship frames a pointed conversation about pay, image, and support around a Chicago high school football program.

Reasonable Ignorance turns a state championship into a wider look at how coaches say they were treated after building a winning program at Phillips.

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Why you'd press play

You want the story around a Chicago state champion, including coaching pay, school administration, and what support looks like after the wins.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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