Kevin Price: Reggie Barlow did Carver a huge favor

With the world so connected through the internet and social media these days, embarrassing situations are out there for the whole world to see.

But given time, those situations can sometimes turn out to be positives.

Take Carver’s brief dalliance with Reggie Barlow.

Barlow, a Montgomery, Ala., native, had a stellar career at Sidney Lanier High before going on to play at Alabama State and in the NFL for Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay.

Barlow got into coaching after his pro career ended. He eventually became the head coach at Alabama State.

He coached there from 2007-14 and was the school’s all-time winningest coach with a 49-42 record.

The school offered him a three-year contract before the 2014 season. But it was never signed and for some reason — the school has never said — it fired him at the end of the 2014 season.

Barlow sued the school, but a judge dismissed the suit since the contract had never been signed.

Not a good look to sue our former employer, but if you feel like you have a grievance, then that is what the courts are there for.

While all that was going on, Barlow didn’t coach in 2015 and as of December of last year, he was still searching for a job.

Meanwhile, Carver principal Chris Lindsey decided not to bring back Joe Kegler as his coach after another blowout loss in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Carver is a big-time program with tons of talented athletes. There is no reason the Tigers shouldn’t be contending for state championships.

They certainly shouldn’t be giving up 70 points to another region’s 4 seed.

So Lindsey offered the job to Barlow in late December and Barlow accepted.

One of Barlow’s players at Alabama State was former Carver standout Isaiah Crowell. Lindsey said Barlow coaching Crowell was a consideration.

A former college coach accepting a high school job looks a little odd — coaches are usually trying to go in the opposite direction — from high school to college.

But Carver needed a coach and Barlow needed a job.

Barlow came to Columbus and met with the Carver players and parents in late January.

Little did Carver know what was happening at Lanier, remember Barlow’s alma mater.

The principal at Lanier decided to fire its coach, presumably with an eye on bringing Barlow home.

But Carver beat Lanier to hiring Barlow.

End of story — he is Carver’s coach, right?

Wrong.

Barlow started talking with the Lanier principal and accepted that job, leaving Carver after only a few weeks.

An embarrassing situation for Carver, right? Well, maybe not so much.

Lindsey regrouped and promoted Dremail King to replace Barlow.

So Carver has its coach and Barlow is back home at his alma mater.

End of story, right?

Not exactly.

Apparently, Lanier was not good enough for Barlow, either.

Virginia State introduced him as its new football coach on Thursday.

Lindsey and Carver have got to be sitting back laughing at how everything turned out.

This story was originally published May 5, 2016 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Kevin Price: Reggie Barlow did Carver a huge favor."