PRINCIPAL DEFENDS HIS TROUBLED SCHOOL.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE

Vernon ``Doc'' Simpson leans back in his chair as he sits in the principal's office at Montclair Prep of Panorama City and lets out a sigh. It's as if Simpson is resigned to the fact that years of good intentions will forever be overshadowed by the misdeeds of his athletic department.

Simpson has done the math and, as far as he's concerned the numbers never add up. When he wants to talk about the children of school janitors and lunchroom workers his private boarding school has educated for free over the years, others drudge up the recruiting scandal that banished his sports teams from postseason competition in 1991.

Simpson brings up the countless students Montclair Prep has sent on to four-year universities, but instead he finds himself addressing the logic of bringing back longtime football coach George Giannini, who stepped down in 2003 after the school's entire sports department again was banned from postseason play for one year, this time for violating undue influence rules.

Simpson, who has owned and operated Montclair Prep since it opened in 1956, brings up the school's gifted music students who perform each week at a resting home across the street, but soon the conversation reverts back to the Mounties' troubled past.

Simpson just shakes his head.

``Every time an article comes out, they make reference back to (problems in the past) and I know there are other schools that have had (the same problems),'' Simpson said. ``But the newspapers never seem to bring that up.''

Simpson is partially to blame, of course. He is a kind-hearted man who has devoted most of his 75 years to education, and that kindness can sometimes be his enemy.

``He's the type of guy who has trouble saying no to people,'' said a former employee in the athletic department. ``Coaches knew this, and sometimes they'd take advantage of it.''

No matter how hard Simpson tries, Montclair Prep's image has never fully recovered from the scandal in 1991, when the school was banished from the playoffs after admitting to recruiting several football players.

``There have been mistakes,'' Simpson said. ``But we have fired those coaches and they are no longer with us. They left the same year, but when (people) refer back to them, it reflects back on the school even though those people are long gone.''

Simpson is opening himself up to more scrutiny by bringing back Giannini. No one doubts Giannini's coaching ability - he has never had a losing season in 27 years, and his Montclair Prep teams have won three Southern Section championships - but the fact he was the coach during the 1991 scandal and also a central figure in last year's mess. It makes one wonder why Simpson would set himself up for more trouble.

Giannini was never implicated in either case. Key assistant John Hazelton took the fall in 1991, and Southern Section spokesman Thom Simmons said Giannini was ``not the lynch pin'' for last year's investigation that ultimately determined Montclair Prep was guilty of undue influence violations.

In fact, it was Simpson who reportedly threatened to kick a baseball player out of school if he also didn't play football, leading to the Southern Section's investigation.

However, Giannini's prominent role on the committee that determined the financial aid for prospective Montclair Prep students did come under question. Tuition at the school is $12,000 per year, according to athletic director Ken Smith, although students are eligible for financial aid based on need. The fact that some of those needy students just happen to be athletes, and that Giannini was a member of the screening process, raised eyebrows.

``We did express some concerns about the possible perception problems that (Giannini's role) could create,'' Simmons said.

Simpson reluctantly agrees.

``I guess I can see how people could have perceived (Giannini's role) as a potential conflict of interest,'' Simpson said, ``even though that was not the reality of the matter whatsoever. The fact is he didn't have final say. I did.''

Montclair Prep has since hired an East Coast-based company to handle financial aid applications, and Giannini no longer is part of the process.

Giannini said Thursday he is focusing on the future and does not wish to discuss the past. He said he stepped down last year to get away from coaching for a little while, but when Lance Fauria resigned after going 0-10 last season, Giannini eagerly accepted Simpson's offer to come back.

He isn't doing it to clear his name and doesn't feel the need to defend anything that went on in the past. He just wants to coach.

``The fact is I missed it,'' Giannini said. ``I'm a coach. That is something I love to do. I was ready to come back.''

Giannini continued working at Montclair Prep last year, overseeing the planning and construction of some new buildings on campus. He also coached the flag football team. But as far as Simpson is concerned, Giannini is back where he belongs.

As for creating better checks and balances to make sure coaches play by the rules from now on, Smith and Simpson say Montclair Prep is doing everything it can.

They point to hiring the outside company to screen financial aid applicants. In addition, Simpson and Smith promise to act swiftly if a coach steps out of line, as they did when the Southern Section uncovered problems with the basketball program during last year's investigation. Mounties coach Tyrone Fuller was asked to resign as a result.

``The coaches have seen we'll take a negative stand (on wrongdoing) and that affirmative action will be taken if something happens,'' Smith said.

Success in sports is still the goal, but Montclair Prep wants to do it within the rules.

``There's more to sports than winning or losing,'' Smith said. ``It's about teaching values and morals.''