Washington's Lombardi receives support

CEDAR RAPIDS -- They don't feel the entire story is being told. They love Tony Lombardi and want everyone to know it.

"Football is an interesting game in that it's really tough," McCauley Todd said. "It's mentally tough, as well as physically. It's easy for kids to not want to do it. A coach is an easy person to blame (for that). I think it happens at every school. So I think this has been blown out of proportion a little bit in our case."

Todd was referring to an investigation the Cedar Rapids Community School District is holding after receiving written formal complaints from parents about the conduct of Lombardi, Washington's head football and baseball coach. The complaints allege numerous cases of verbal abuse and one case of threatened physical abuse against athletes, students and others on and off the football field.