Watson dismissed as Knights President
Keith Murphy
Tuesday April 9, 2002
Watson was instrumental in Macon’s bid to host an af2 franchise. Watson’s abilities to put together a strong program are unquestioned. Signing local talent Kevin Porter as coach and director of football operations proved to be a masterful move. The strength of the supporting cast Watson assembled is proven, in many ways, by the fast start of the Cape Fear Wildcats which have former Knights’ assistant Chris Sigfried as head coach and former Knights’ standout player Troy Esprit as a part of the nucleus of that squad. Despite personnel losses including Esprit and Jamaal Garman (to the AFL’s Carolina Cobras) Macon rolled out of the gate with a decisive win over the Carolina Rhinos in week one. Even the Knight’s non-football personnel were scooped up over the off-season by other clubs; the list includes Media Relations Director Emerson Phillips who is also now an employee of the Cape Fear club.
Regardless of one’s feelings about Watson’s management style and philosophy; no history of the Macon Knights can be written without noting his important contributions to the team. When the Knights announce their new leadership they will be assuming the reigns of a strong team.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info
