OT: Tide Clear Scholarship Room by Punting Thieves
Four players were kicked off the team for assorted forms of larceny
Pettway, Williams and Hayes are charged with two counts of second-degree robbery. Williams and Calloway are charged with fraudulent use of a credit card.
Williams confessed to robbing a student who was punched in the head and face and kicked in the ribs and back. He said Pettway and Hayes watched him commit another robbery from a nearby vehicle about an hour later.
Hide your kids Hide your wives
BONUS SEC COVERAGE: Per the WWL, Georgia has lost the 9th member of a 19 player recruiting class from 2010. Attrition exists outside of Ann Arbor. YAY!
February 27th, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^
I would rather Saban boot a player who broke the rules, than a player who didn't meet performance expectations.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^
But it had to be done.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:09 PM ^
but I don't recognize the other three. Surprisingly, the three I don't remember get the boot while Calloway gets to stay. Definitely done the Saban way. I just get the feeling that Dee Hart will not be with Bama next year.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
It says all four got the boot.
Dang it, Nick. if you had kept Calloway, I could have referenced
Jock Guide To Getting Arrested, Rule 1: Don't Suck
February 27th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
Eddie Williams was a 5 star, Pettway and Hayes were both 4 stars. All four were talented guys. I don't know how much they contributed in college.
February 27th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
Call me a cynic, but it's easy to make this move when the football team's at the top of the mountain and their recruiting machine is bringing in top recruits on an annual basis. Also, was this Nick's doing or the University's? UA couldn't take the PR hit that would've accompanied keeping these guys on, especially if they only kept the guys most likely to contribute on the playing field. They don't want to actually confirm to the world that they have a win-at-all-costs mentality.
February 27th, 2013 at 7:27 PM ^
I understand the Saban hate, but I seriously doubt these guys would have been kept around anywhere. They jumped a guy, beat him to a pulp, robbed him, committed credit card fraud, and at least one of them had also been carrying an illegal firearm at some point,
February 27th, 2013 at 1:47 PM ^
February 27th, 2013 at 2:00 PM ^
the ongoing discussion of Alabama during the offseason is always oversigning so I just ran with it. if i hadn't said THIEVES in the title, you'd have a point
February 27th, 2013 at 1:47 PM ^
Its good to see you again, Geaux.
And its good to see that at least Saban's practice is actually punishing players that should probably be punished this year.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:48 PM ^
But it was actually warranted.
February 27th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
February 27th, 2013 at 6:31 PM ^
Doesn't count: your mom is a bear, and doesn't even know what football, electricity, or Seinfeld is.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:49 PM ^
Terrible title. We all bash the coaches for being too lenient on players who violate the rules. So instead of appauding Saban for having a backbone you are making him seem devious by kicking off player who broke rules? Saban might be a douche but give the man credit this time.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:53 PM ^
It doesn't really require backbone to dismiss players for crime when you are 9 spots over the scholarship limit.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^
did i take credit away from him for kicking them off? did i label them as anything less than thieves, or even refuse to explain their crimes in my pull quote?
February 27th, 2013 at 3:33 PM ^
Yes. Yes, you did.
February 27th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
or are you going more for the "you can't put your finger on it" angle?
February 27th, 2013 at 10:43 PM ^
Your title leads with "Tide Clear Scholarship Room". That's strongly suggesting a purpose behind the dismissals that has absolutely nothing to do with doing the right thing. Claiming you aren't taking any credit away from Saban because you also give another reason for the dismissals is just silly.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:50 PM ^
Sadly, I read the title and immediately wondered who this Thieves kid was, what position he played and how highly he was rated.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Hey Blue Mike, is your avatar a thing that exists somewhere?
Or just a really awesome non-thing thing?
February 27th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
It is a thing that exists... on my hard drive. I cropped it from a wallpaper I made.
February 27th, 2013 at 7:10 PM ^
Fantastic. Please let us know if you make the wallpaper or this version available! ...if you haven't already.
February 27th, 2013 at 1:51 PM ^
Good for Saban.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:01 PM ^
To add to the troubles of Eddie Williams in particular, I believe there had been a story somewhere that said he was arrested the day before the robberies and attacks described in the Washington Post article for carrying a handgun without a license, and I think Calloway has been in trouble before as well, but for marijuana possession.
It is hopefully fair to say that what these players did should not reflect the values of ANY organization, to paraphrase Nick. Here is a slightly more detailed piece with some more of his quotes regarding this (LINK). Actually, it states that after their judicial review at Alabama, the four mentioned in the article are no longer enrolled there either.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^
I don't know. I bet Saban is actually thinking something more along the lines of, "if like 5 more of you could break the law, that'd really be doing me a solid."
February 27th, 2013 at 2:04 PM ^
Not fired in the truest sense, but...
February 27th, 2013 at 2:49 PM ^
For some reason I'm reminded of Gollum sprinkling the lembas crumbs on Samwise's cloak.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
This is just next level roster management by Saban. He's got a network of narcs following around non-performers.
This is meant as a joke.
Probably.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^
And completely separate from the post itself
Brent Calloway: 10 carries for 63 yds, 0 TDs
DJ Pettway: 4 TFL, 2.5 Sacks, 1 QB Hurry, 8 total tackles
Tyler Hayes: 10 Solo tackles, 14 total, 1 QB Hurry
Eddie Williams: No available stats
So Saban actually did lose a bit in Pett and Hayes, both Freshman
February 27th, 2013 at 2:21 PM ^
Saban's bible:
February 27th, 2013 at 2:23 PM ^
Dreaded double post. My bad!
February 27th, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^
Eddie Williams was a universal 5 star recruit, the other 3 4-star recruits (Calloway being a Rivals 100 guy). We can all snicker about how convenient it is for Saban to find room for his next class, but he lost some big time football talent with these guys. The crimes definitely warranted being booted though, just trying to say this wasn't about Saban booting some scrubs off his roster.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
Eddie Williams was a universal 5 star recruit, the other 3 4-star recruits (Calloway being a Rivals 100 guy). We can all snicker about how convenient it is for Saban to find room for his next class, but he lost some big time football talent with these guys. The crimes definitely warranted being booted though, just trying to say this wasn't about Saban booting some scrubs off his roster.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:15 PM ^
February 27th, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^
Agree with your point, but other than Calloway, I can't imagine these are players he would have wanted to kick off the team. One was an all freshman-SEC performer, another contributed on special teams as a freshman and a third was redshirted. Calloway seems to have fallen hopelessly behind in the RB depth chart, but I'm sure Saban and Co. at least had hopes for the future out of the other three. You are right though, in that this won't hurt Bama nearly as much as it would other schools.
February 27th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
It's fine to snicker about oversigning, sure, but this isn't a case where Saban is in the wrong. Booting these kids was warranted (at least the 3 that were part of the beating/robbery)....if he hadn't, I guarantee there'd be a thread about how could he let this slide, about how he only cares about football and winning. I'm pretty sure Saban was not eyeballing 4 freshmen with solid football credentials coming out of HS for St. Saban's Hospital or whatever pastures he's sending some kids out to in order to get his next class in. All that said, Saban still treats his football program like a ruthless CEO treats his/her business and it's not fair to the kids that just want to have an enjoyable college experience.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:54 PM ^
Was the best player of the group. Would have been a stud saefty, he redshirted because of depth. Hayes is the next biggest loss. Was a LB in the CJ Mosley mold. Smaller then they normally use, but very fast and can run the middle. Pettway and Callaway were most likely career depth guys.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:22 PM ^
I have tons of respect for Nick Saban. I really do.
Quote from him regarding those kids: "Some people learn by words, some people learn by consequences and some people can't learn at all."
February 27th, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^
Maybe my sarcasm meter is broken, but I can't tell if you're serious or not. Did he really say that? If he did, that is the frickin' epitome of "sad, but true".
February 27th, 2013 at 2:40 PM ^
"There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
Saban is a brilliant football coach and motivator, and obviously he's doing the right thing here. His penchant, though, for stretching the letter of the rules and as such ignoring their spirit makes him warrant every bit of the suspicion he gets for the way he manages the roster.
February 27th, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^
My eyes burn from reading the comments on al.com
February 27th, 2013 at 2:45 PM ^
February 27th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^
Now, I dislike the Dark Lord Nick Saban as much as the next guy, but that thread title is weak. That was very TMZ/Tabloid Magazine of you.
Maybe they were kicked off the team for being turds, not for clearing scholarships?
February 27th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
So if Saban doesn't cut them ... He's Satan, and $EC and blablaba
If Saban cut them ... He's Satan because he did this to get room to sign other players.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:18 PM ^
Well, when you say it like that... Yes.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:17 PM ^
Well, obviously Saban set them up on the crimes. Must've been a handful of the 3-stars that he overlooked when they signed their LOI (aka letter-of-you-can-try-out-for-bama). Now he looks like a Saint instead of Satan because he booted some "lawbreakers" from his team. It's the perfect scheme!
/s <-- Someone would miss it.
February 27th, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^
The part of the story everyone is missing, is Saban didn't dismiss anyone, the University kicked them out. Unless, I read it wrong.
University spokeswoman Deborah Lane said Wednesday that linebackers D.J. Pettway and Tyler Hayes, safety Eddie Williams and H-back Brent Calloway are no longer enrolled after a judicial review.