The Bama Thing
I'm going to air my displeasure with the "Cut" article. I realize Brian is no rock of journalistic integrity, and is open to express his opinion and presumptions about a certain topic. What irks me in this whole debacle is how willing many of the commenters are to just trust that when Brian titles the article "Cut," people believe that is what happened without reading the article or investigating it at all. No where in the linked article is the word "cut," "asked to leave the team," or "let go." For all we know he was told he really doesn't work into the starting line up any time soon, and rather than working to improve himself, he pulled a Mallett and decided to transfer. Claiming this kid was cut is just as factual as those claiming RichRod told Mallett he wouldn't fit in his system and would be finding other options. Neither are fact based. Both wild speculation.
From what I have seen, this kid was recruited out of Texas by Major Applewhite (now gone). He never stepped foot on the campus before signing with the Tide (leading me to believe he didn't think through much else), citing he just wanted to play for a great coach in Nick Saban. He couldn't make the field at his primary position (WR IIRC), then was transfered to a DB (again, IIRC) where he just wasn't cutting it there either. The kid was going to be relegated to the scout team for the rest of his time in college. I wouldn't blame him for being upset. The kid just wasted 2 years in a program he will never see the field for. Having already burned a redshirt year, he may have to waste another year on the bench if he wants to stay in the FBS. I wouldn't want to talk with the media either.
I'm interested to see what does come out in the media in the next 3-4 weeks. Whatever happened, it will be addressed somewhere, if by anything at least accident. I just don't think you can flat out blame Saban for this one. Things like this happen.
Disclaimer: I do think he did oversign, which I find morally wrong. I do not question that, but I will defend the premise that he is not necessarily the guilty party here.
want to say he's guilty or innocent until more comes out. I just think a lot of the commenters are jumping to the conclusion just based off Brian's opinion. I'm sticking with innocent until proven guilty, or at least some sort of substantial evidence comes out.
I did not say I particularly think Saban did not force him out, I'm just saying Brian's post comes off as "Saban cut him," and that what he wrote is just as much opinion and speculation as the stuff I posted. It shouldn't be treated as fact.
If that's how mine came off, apologies. I just don't think its fair to judge Saban for this when we know nothing. That is supposed to be my point.
(i can not write worth a damn today)
and I would say our commenters see RR as innocent but Saban as guilty of cutting. and my opinion, a small make up of public opinion, is innocent until proven guilty, or at least more facts than this show guilt. call it naivete, i just don't do it.
And yes, I see the problem you are pointing out in the same people from Bama calling out RR and defending Saban. I think deep down Todd has to know that there is probably something wrong. But like any homer, it gets spinned. His readership is not too different than mgoblogs. they want to hear positive. they want to hear we're the best and we run ourselves cleanly. so they spin and hope for the best.
Remember, RichRod said he recruited Mallet when he arrived in Ann Arbor, and said he met with him twice. Afterwards, while Mallet was still deciding, RR said that he had done what he could to "recruit" Mallet and it was left for Mallet to decide. This was in the press and on TV; Mallet never stated anything contrary to this. On the face of it, it would appear that RR would have preferred Mallet to stay.
But Saban need guys to go; and I think that Saban is SO SMART that he already knows who the next player is to leave the program and by what cause.
Just a guess, though.
RR uses "blue language"? On a football field?
A good friend told me a story at a Lions/Bears game he attendended in the 60's. The NFL and Lions were experimenting with a new device that picked up the sounds on the field, and they pumped this through the loud speakers to make the game more compelling to all of the fans in the stadium. Mel Farr had just carried the ball, and after getting up and on his way back to the huddle, a heated Dick Butkis was heard by everyone in the stadium yelling "Farr, you c@cksucker, you put that sh!t again and I'll rip your f*cking head off." Or something to that effect.
Such language on a football field.
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