WHO did Anthony Giancola PISS OFF???

This is DISGUSTING on so many levels. How many people KNEW this man had a short-term drug problem and got together with the vaunted Tampa Police Dept. to set him up AMIDST CHILDREN and haul him out of school in hand-cuffs; in front of young people who admired him??

(Job security for the dubious 'crisis' teams who will go and counsel children who love this man for something that ABSOLUTELY could have been handled with some finesse!!!)

NOT ONE OF THESE people thought they might have approached this man and said, 'Look, we know you have a problem and need help; we are offering you a chance before we take legal action.' It's not like he was out robbing places !!

IF anyone out there believes he should have been shown no mercy whatsoever -- I can almost go along with that --- BUT, why THE HELL did they not ENTRAP him at home ?!?!
(I just don't believe that crap about how the drug-dealer demurred and tried not to come to the school) (OH< and I also don't believe he said he wanted to fire up RIGHT THEN --- that's such bullshit --- principals are very busy that time of day -- someone is LYING)
I think you have to be pretty eager to f with someone to play dress-up and all. Did they have their 'fake' dressup children along, too? That's just EVIL. It smacks of meanness and deviousness, like they want to smush this guy like a bug.

He might be the world's biggest ass for all I know of him personally === BUT the bigger assholes are the people who took the time in the crime-ridden hell-hole of the shitty of Tampa to dress up as parents and play make-believe to take down a man in front of children who looked up to him. It's almost like he was raped at Gasparilla ! Instead of help, he got arrested. Oh hell, that's productive on sooo many levels.

How many cops? How many hours? How much of OUR money? (I'm counting five cops at least three hours to do the set-up and arrest -- and longer for mcelroy to yak to the news and then book this major criminal while the Gasparilla rapist runs around loose !)

How many times did this scenario have the opportunity to go another way? Let's see .... someone knows a man has a problem --- oooh there's nothing vindictive about 'tipstering' him, I guess. And then the bright one who thought the best thing to do NEXT would be to have him set-up with an undercover cop. And then the whole rest of the rigamarole.

A twenty dollar drug buy. BIG F'ING DEAL. They've got administration robbing the school system blind and no-one's taking those pork-wads out of there in handcuffs.
Instead they give them raises ...... WTF?!?!

I wonder who had interest in taking this man down? What vindictive a-hole and then a collective BUNCH of a-holes (under supervision) went along with finally giving the Tampa Tribune something to talk about ???

And, I guess this would be FOUR DAYS in a row no mention of the Mayor's race.

Sacrifice Giancola --- BUSINESS AS USUAL IN TAMPA BAY.

We're a national freak show.

Tampa ---- the National FREAK SHOW !!!

Business in Tampa Bay.

Too bad he's not the son of a prominent Tampa businessman. He coulda shot the guy and claimed long-term aggression towards him.

Sorry Mr. Giancola, what you did was wrong but not THAT frickin wrong.


The people who participated in this crap should be looked at very closely. Something way way wrong with this picture.

Maybe if he had sex with a student he could go ahead and head for the talk-show circuit. Hope Fitzgibbons picks this one up. Honestly, I think he's too handsome to be busted, don't you???

And here's a blatant character attack I found, just by way of tertiary hearsay.

(an excerpt)Authorities say Giancola told the officer that he wanted to purchase 200 dollars' worth of crack cocaine, but later decided he only wanted 20 dollars' worth of the substance. Students were still on campus when he tried to purchase the drugs.

(right -- I know alot of drug addicts who would buy LESS rather than MORE) for god's sake do they think we're new here?

After reading this my boyfriend asked me if I knew Giancola. HAHA. Nope, I sure don't. The name sounds familiar but I do not know this guy. I do know this: the entire story reeks of BULLSHIT and a setup and an assassination of this guy's character and self-esteem. I could think of fifty ways to arrest him rather than this scenario. Or, just help the man. What would be wrong with that????


UPDATE:

Here are the 'public reactions' from the St. Pete Times article:

makes me feel less alone in common sense ...

by melissa 02/23/07 10:32 PM
That was my principal he was mad cool not like thise othere teachers we got here.they need to give hem a second chance people make mistake and he made one.He was just addicted he can held hem self. I bet mr.king was that one who set hem up.
by scott 02/23/07 10:12 PM
I agree with mickee. How did the press get there so fast? Cops wanted a high profile bust to show how they are "protecting" the city. Look at how those cops in Ft. Lauderdale just got busted for protecting the "mob guys". The police here are a joke
by unknown 02/23/07 09:04 PM
we can not judge anyone this too can also happen to us it is just for the grace of God that i am not out there we all have problems of stressin our life sometime or other so lets just pray for the man we all make some kind of mistakes
by Connie 02/23/07 07:42 PM
Known Tony since middle school. I, now a teacher myself am so proud of him for his accomplishments. He is a kind and caring man. He has been admired for his courage, his faith and his love of family. This will bring the support of past friends! PRAY
by mickee 02/23/07 06:12 PM
cont., I guess authorities need this press to defend their abuse of authority. I wonder if they are going to investigate the tipster who had to have a connection with the supplier...
by mickee 02/23/07 06:03 PM
A man can do a million good things,and people remember and judge the one bad deed. I agree with Paul, this arrest could have been done very quietly away from the school, what where these authorities thinking (or Lack of thinking), this man was just a pawn
by VBGrad 02/23/07 04:42 PM
Very sad news for a school that always struggled with reputation problems. It was like that when I was there 1989-91 & this can't help. Hope the principal can get help he needs & his students will be deterred from making the same mistake.
by MiMi 02/23/07 04:09 PM
Educated white man in position of authority gets busted on school grounds for using addictive drugs.Rehab rarely works most 95% use again within days of getting out.What will he do for drugs next time.Poor him.Life is tough.
by Drew 02/23/07 04:08 PM
Now that he will lose his job, there is still hope - he can disguise himself by getting a sex change an go to work for the city of Largo.
by Citizen Americanus 02/23/07 03:34 PM
A person in a position of such hight trust cannot go unpunished. What he did is a felony. Forget rehab, we have prisons for people like this.
by Paul 02/23/07 02:55 PM
For Will..either you or the St.Pete Times has the facts wrong.The caption says he is being escorted INTO a police car. If this were at the police station as you say he would be getting OUT of a police car. Looks like the press was tipped off b4 hand.
by MiMi 02/23/07 12:41 PM
Well the legislature wanted to drug test students.I think administrators should be drug and alcohol tested.You just can't trust anyone.$400 a day habit?They must pay principals a big salary in Hillsborough.Where pray tell is the money coming from?
by cj 02/23/07 12:20 PM
rick..are kidding me...they saved his life!
by susan 02/23/07 12:04 PM
We need more mental health education and services throughout the country. This man was caught, how many out there haven't been yet?
by John 02/23/07 11:17 AM
This man shouldnt be shamed for an addiction he is struggling with. He is obviously a good man and should be helped as he has helped others in difficult situations.
by Hop 02/23/07 10:55 AM
Lets hope the courts put this man in rehab and not in prison.
by a parent 02/23/07 10:25 AM
Oh ya, the police ruined another persons life by taking the drugs out of the school that this 'victim' brought it into. Come on now
by Will 02/23/07 10:21 AM
For David - The press were not at the school, they were at the police station, after news of his arrest had traveled and gotten out.
by Will 02/23/07 10:20 AM
I went to Bogie with Tony and am shocked to hear about this. Just another example of the dangers of drug use and why we should crack down harder on the dealers and users!!
by Richard 02/23/07 10:12 AM
The war on drugs. Thank god it wasn't around in grandmas or great grandms time when they used to send the kids to the apocithary for snuff!! Yes it was coke for their sinus problem. What the police did with the cameras is a disgrace.
by Laura 02/23/07 10:02 AM
If it were any other profession, they would have left the news helicopter at the office. For someone with a clean record, sure is nice to see your life unravel on the 6:00 news. That drug destroys all it touches.
by Ken 02/23/07 09:59 AM
This was brazen of the Sheriffs to make an arrest on school grounds for a non violent crime. It is criminal. The LT in charge should be suspended.
by Jeremy 02/23/07 09:59 AM
I agree with Rick...obviously he has to be punished for what he's done, but media, cops, and sting operations for someone buying a $20 crack rock?!?! Sounds fishy to me...and now a good man will go to jail while the wrong ones will still be there.
by David 02/23/07 09:45 AM
So just exactly how did all that press happen to be there for a sting operation?
by Rick 02/23/07 09:43 AM
Drugs are bad! Drug dealers are worse, but, this guy is a victim. He was only hurting himself. Once again our police relish in the the fact they've ruined another person's life!! Way to go Tampa!!
by Carol 02/23/07 08:51 AM
As I read this story about an acquaintance of mine, I'm reminded how many people I've known personally that have fallen to this drug. I guess people think they can keep it under control. It's an equal opportunity offender. This is very sad, nice man.
by Susan 02/23/07 08:23 AM
I have known Tony for 13 years. Though his behavior cannot not be excused, he is not a monster people would love to portray him as. He is a wounded individual that sees his life in tremendous turmoil. He made a bad choice, we are not above judgement
by Lisa 02/23/07 08:23 AM
Best example of drug education these kids could have ever gotten...the consequences of trying drugs as an escape from problems and the consequences of an addiction-legal trouble, a ruined career and reputation, and a wake of relational turmoil
by Scott 02/23/07 08:20 AM
Principals, astronauts, priests, congressmen, celebrities .... where in god's name have all the role models gone?
by Maria 02/23/07 07:09 AM
I think he made a mistake people need to ask for help when life gets to stressful I feel very sorry for him..

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