This just plain sucks. Why are these guys even around weapons? I mean really..... Weed...I guess is understandable. But why the guns? You need them for protection? You are like twice the size of most men.....I am guessing they didn't have enough to charge them with distribution. But come on guys. Cops are trained to go to public parks and behind grocery stores at 2 am. Have these kids not seen cops? They should have known they were sitting ducks parked in a city park at 2 am. Anyone there at that time is up to no good.
But is it not that same money they're making not getting put back into the program, academics, facilities, treatment etc? Yes, the coaches make a killing, but the University of Alabama can attest to the growth that same money can bring to the academic world and support us normal students and we work to progress. Ultimately we're all cash cows for someone bigger in line. So what is your suggestion, let these superstars play for two years and sit around for another year while waiting to see if their talents translate into the NFL? The whole training for a year does nothing to prepare these guys, because you ultimately have it or you don't. Training at this point will not cement a future in the NFL. There is no guarantee that Fournette will make it in the NFL. I think he will, but you can never tell. Why not push these guys to graduate and have a future after football. Yes, some folks are only worried about their team winning a Championship and don't give a damn about the actual University. To me, that's the problem with society today. It is a fact that NFL careers are short, so why not give these guys an opportunity to succeed in life rather than them fall into the exact lives they were trying to get away from when they were working to get to the NFL?
Yes, ultimately we are all cash cows for someone bigger in line... But our multi million dollar contracts waiting at the end of the year aren't based on our ability to avoid geting rolled up on in a dog pile.
You said it yourself - You ultimately have it or you don't. Cam Robinson and Fournette are part of that .001% of young men that are legitimately so physically gifted that as long as their healthy, they're going go "have it" enough to make a couple million dollars on their first contract. If you're looking at long term NFL success, you're looking at it wrong. A first round contract is retirement money if done right. Anything after that is a complete crap shoot whether the kid plays his senior year or not.
You say NFL careers are short and you're right. Why? Comes down to physical ability and health. Once you become damaged goods, it's hard to come back. Playing an extra year of college football is only risking your ability to be healthy before, during, and after the draft. No one here can argue that fact.
I completely agree with your synopsis that a huge problem in society is peoples inability to be and act more unselfishly. HOWEVER, in college football, these type of kids are absolutely being exploited for the gain of mostly greedy adults and risking their own health and long term job security and doing so.
Again, only a handful of guys that could do this each year and get away with it IMO, but it's something they should seriously consider. And I'd expect it to become a trend sooner than later.
I used to post frequently here and was even one of the founding members of this board....back in the day it was crimsontusks.com . I don't post a lot anymore, but follow you guys closely. Anyway, ROLL TIDE to those of you who don't know me. I'll preface this post with "It could be lengthy; you have been warned. This is my .02 and it ain't worth that."
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to Coach Saban ' s home for an event that was called COCKTAILS AT THE SABAN's. This event consisted of about 20 guys and they were all Money People. My buddy (that got me the invite) and I were the only 2 normal people around. Needless to say, I did more listening than talking. Though the overall experience was phenomenal.
Saban made it clear during the initial greeting that he would talk generally with us about football, but whould not speak specifics about any players or coaches at Alabama (or elsewhere for that matter).
I did ask him one question though. This was at the time Robbie Green has failed his 3rd piss test. My question was: Coach, what is your policy on kids that continually test positive for marijuana? Now, his reply completely changed my outlook and my thoughts of him personally. At that time, I was of the mindset that if a kid couldn't quit smoking weed long enough to play football and get a free education at the University of Alabama; then we didn't need him. Boot him and give that Scholls to someone that wants it. Saban changed this for me. He said (paraphrasing), I know you guys probably think I should just boot him off the team right? Well, I look at like this.... most of these kids come from broken homes, have never really had any source of discipline in their lives and are from extremely hard areas. Even in high school, their coaches let them cruise because they need them. If I kick him off the team, I am not only removing the source of discipline this kid has ever known from his life, but I am effectively kicking him out of school and sending him right back to where he came from. What are his chances then? So, if I think I. An reach a kid. If I think there is a chance, I will try. Of course it backfires sometimes, but at least I tried. (End of what Saban said). This completely changed my outlook on these types of situations.
Hoot and Cam are idiots, but how many of us were pretty damned stupid at that age? How many of us were given 2nd chances? Since my visit with coach.... I'll let him handle this. He cares about those boys and will do what he thinks is best.
RTR
BamaSon25
I'm calling bullshit.I used to post frequently here and was even one of the founding members of this board....back in the day it was crimsontusks.com . I don't post a lot anymore, but follow you guys closely. Anyway, ROLL TIDE to those of you who don't know me. I'll preface this post with "It could be lengthy; you have been warned. This is my .02 and it ain't worth that."
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to Coach Saban ' s home for an event that was called COCKTAILS AT THE SABAN's. This event consisted of about 20 guys and they were all Money People. My buddy (that got me the invite) and I were the only 2 normal people around. Needless to say, I did more listening than talking. Though the overall experience was phenomenal.
Saban made it clear during the initial greeting that he would talk generally with us about football, but whould not speak specifics about any players or coaches at Alabama (or elsewhere for that matter).
I did ask him one question though. This was at the time Robbie Green has failed his 3rd piss test. My question was: Coach, what is your policy on kids that continually test positive for marijuana? Now, his reply completely changed my outlook and my thoughts of him personally. At that time, I was of the mindset that if a kid couldn't quit smoking weed long enough to play football and get a free education at the University of Alabama; then we didn't need him. Boot him and give that Scholls to someone that wants it. Saban changed this for me. He said (paraphrasing), I know you guys probably think I should just boot him off the team right? Well, I look at like this.... most of these kids come from broken homes, have never really had any source of discipline in their lives and are from extremely hard areas. Even in high school, their coaches let them cruise because they need them. If I kick him off the team, I am not only removing the source of discipline this kid has ever known from his life, but I am effectively kicking him out of school and sending him right back to where he came from. What are his chances then? So, if I think I. An reach a kid. If I think there is a chance, I will try. Of course it backfires sometimes, but at least I tried. (End of what Saban said). This completely changed my outlook on these types of situations.
Hoot and Cam are idiots, but how many of us were pretty damned stupid at that age? How many of us were given 2nd chances? Since my visit with coach.... I'll let him handle this. He cares about those boys and will do what he thinks is best.
RTR
BamaSon25
honeybadger's new contract is worth....Not many examples of guys sitting out the year prior to being drafted and going 1st round, especially due to legal woes.
@rick4bama - what's the deal with your signature? Is it a story of someone you know? Sorry, I didn't quite follow. I'll admit, I'm usually the bulb that makes the others in the room look brighter, whether they are or not...
No this young lady is a true Bama fan and my granddaughter. She should have been walking across the field this Friday night getting her diploma. With the kids she has been in school with since kindergarten. But she got her G.E.D now, it not stopping her going to UAB to become a doctor. Sorry if what I wrote didn't make any scene sometime my writing is not the best.Not many examples of guys sitting out the year prior to being drafted and going 1st round, especially due to legal woes.
@rick4bama - what's the deal with your signature? Is it a story of someone you know? Sorry, I didn't quite follow. I'll admit, I'm usually the bulb that makes the others in the room look brighter, whether they are or not...
You say these guys are being exploited, but if I was given $40,000 a year in free education, room and board, all you can eat food, free clothes, and the opportunity to make millions at 20 years old, I'd say that's a pretty damn good compensatory package. Instead, most of us are saddled with twenty years of student loan debt ranging from $200-700 a month, that these guys will never see. Hell, I'm willing to bet people on this very blog don't make that much in a year, and here these guys are at 18. You also don't see MBA's or PhD's have the opportunity to make millions out of the gate after giving 10-15 years to academia. Not trying to sound agitated or combative, but they are given plenty. If they get hurt, hazard of the job and they should be well aware of the risk. The rest of us assume risk as well with the profession we partake in. Read what Marcus Lattimore just wrote about his injuries being the best thing to ever happen to him.
The cop tells them to look up before taking the picture. Don't know the purpose but watching some shows where they show real live bookings it seems that always tell them to look up.Whats up with tilting your head back and looking down your nose pose? Is it supposed to make you look tough, or is it an attempt to keep your nose from dripping because of the tears you've shed from realizing that you have just pissed away your potential career, and you now realize that you just might be someone's girl in Angola?