Glenn Hills athletic director James Quarles was shocked to hear the news that his longtime friend Michael Curry was fired as the Detroit Pistons head coach Tuesday.

"That thing hurt me," Quarles said. "I'm one of the biggest Michael Curry advocates around here because of what he's done for Glenn Hills High School. He's one of those guys who hasn't forgot where he came from, not by a long shot."

Quarles arrived at Glenn Hills the year after Curry graduated, but he has maintained a close friendship with him because of Curry's continuing involvement with his alma mater.

"All throughout the years, he's talked about if we need anything at Glenn Hills, he's helped us," Quarles said. "He believed in giving back to Glenn Hills High School."

In 2005, Curry became the only player in school history to have his number retired.

Quarles feels Curry was made the scapegoat in Motown for the failures after the team traded Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson at midseason.

"The Iverson fit was not a good fit, without a doubt," Quarles said. "Getting rid of Chauncey Billups for Iverson was not a good move. Here again, that's not Mike's fault. All that was the fault of the big office."

Quarles says he plans to contact Curry by the end of the week and remains optimistic about his future.

"He's a young man that won't let nothing get him down. When he's been down, he always gets back up. That's been his whole career," Quarles said. "That was a situation he had always dreamed of, and I guarantee you it won't be his last chance."