befuggled

March 1st, 2009 at 1:00 PM ^

It's not like a Michigan QB like Brian Griese was arrested in 1996 for breaking a window in a sports bar. Oh, he did? And he led Michigan to an undefeated season afterwards? So, uh, does this mean Mallet's arrest is probably irrelevant to his future success as a football player? Really? Never mind.

sca1zi

March 1st, 2009 at 1:23 PM ^

I see the parallels you are trying to draw here, but they don't work. I know college kids drink, and I also know that UM has had it's share of troubles with alcohol. Griese, Grady, et al didn't have reported attitude problems at UM. I'm not the "bitter transfer" guy, but Mallett left in a very poor manner(see S Threet for the proper way). Karma is a mofo, and I find this humorous.

Magnus

March 1st, 2009 at 1:27 PM ^

How did Mallett leave in a poor manner? This is a serious question. I honestly don't remember him causing much of a ruckus when he left. I don't see how his departure was much different than Threet's, unless you're talking about his sideline tiffs with Carr and Manningham, which took place months before he transferred.

befuggled

March 1st, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^

Mallett (Mallet, Mallett, I never cared enough to learn to spell it properly) may be a douchebag. He probably is a douchebag. He definitely did something stupid. Enjoy it while it lasts, though. The kid may well turn into a decent QB, and there's even the possibility that he has the chance to demonstrate it against us in a bowl game.

MGoEOD

March 1st, 2009 at 3:09 PM ^

Mallett gave an interview to Sporting News this past week and was asked about leaving Michigan. Didn't seem so bad to me: Q: You left Michigan after Rich Rodriguez replaced Lloyd Carr. How did that go down? A: We met after (Rodriguez) was hired, and I think we both realized his offense wasn't the right offense for me. It was a mutual thing. After we felt each other out, we knew it wouldn't work. There were no hard feelings. http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=521908

Other Chris

March 1st, 2009 at 5:28 PM ^

So, without attributing to them words they didn't say, all I can recall is Mallett suggesting that Rodriguez didn't try hard enough to convince him to stay and his parents being available for quotes every news cycle. His dad especially left me with the feeling, posted here at the time, that he had been promised an NFL quarterback and by God he was going to do whatever it took to get one. EDIT: Found a quote I recall from last year that made me think the Mallett men were all douches, when RR stole their thunder by announcing Mallett was gonzo before the family had placed him: "Jim Mallett insisted his son has not made a decision. "Coach knows more than I do, I guess," Jim Mallett said."

cbuswolverine

March 1st, 2009 at 5:37 PM ^

If that's all you can find then clearly Jim Mallett is a horrible person. As soon as Lloyd Carr retired and Rodriguez was hired, Mallett's days seemed to be numbered because of Rodriguez's spread offense that has featured mobile quarterbacks. 'It just wasn't a fit and yet, it was a hard decision,' Jim Mallett said. "When he came home for Christmas, he told me and my wife that he really was falling in love with being at Michigan. 'Ryan wants to thank coach Carr, his staff and all the players for helping him have a great experience the past year.' http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3188170 Jim Mallett said his son had a great experience at Michigan. However, Rodriguez runs a spread offense that works well with mobile quarterbacks. Ryan Mallett is best suited for a pro-style offense. "Different system -- can't do anything about that," Jim Mallett said. "Had to find somewhere Ryan would fit in." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/Jan/18/michigan-quarterback-m… "I just felt forced out, not by any person, but by the system," Mallett said late Wednesday night. "I just don't think me and his system ... it just doesn't fit." Simply watching West Virginia play was enough to direct Mallett. "Looking at their game film, you can see what they're trying to do with (running quarterback) Pat White," Mallett said. "I didn't think I could do that the same way." "I wasn't in on any of it, and I don't want to put blame," said Debbie Mallett, who added that neither she nor her husband heard from Rodriguez. "I don't think it's the things Coach Rodriguez said, it was what he didn't say. You know how you watch someone, it's the things he didn't say, watching his body language ... that's the kind of impression Ryan got. "(Rodriguez) was saying all these things may come to pass. But Ryan didn't want to take the chance of it not happening." Though Ryan said he has no problem with Rodriguez, he did say there wasn't a lot of interaction between them with two phone calls and one in-person meeting. "I really didn't get to ask a lot of questions," Mallett said. "I have a lot of respect for what he's done, but for me to be successful right now, I have to go somewhere else." Mallett said he enjoyed the Michigan experience and said he learned a lot from his teammates. He specifically pointed to the Wisconsin game when it appeared receiver Mario Manningham was yelling at him. He said they weren't arguing and "people took it the wrong way." Advertisement As for leaving, he said he loves Michigan and his year there but the "whole thing is kind of hard." http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/SPORTS06/80110…

Other Chris

March 1st, 2009 at 5:53 PM ^

There was that, when he tried to deny Ryan was leaving. It was also when he later denied that Ryan was going to Arkansas, after Rivals reported he had enrolled (remember the story of the dorm room flood?). And it was the sheer bulk of quotes -- it just struck me as weird. Can you find a third as much from Googling Threet's dad? I'm not saying they were rivaling the Borens in the low-class sweepstakes, just that it seemed like a plan to get as much publicity as possible on the way out the door, and to spin it to his advantage.

Magnus

March 1st, 2009 at 6:09 PM ^

Nobody gave a damn about Threet leaving because a) he wasn't the second-best QB recruit in the country and b) he was leaving a program that was 3-9, not 9-4. Of course there aren't going to be the same number of quotes. Lots of people deny the truth of stories just because they're not ready for the questions that will follow. Let me be clear: I think Ryan Mallett is an asshole, but mainly because of his drinking habits and his attitude, not because of anything having to do with his transfer.

A tree

March 1st, 2009 at 7:43 PM ^

Ryan Mallet should have nothing held against him by Michigan fans except his reputation as an asshole at parties. It seemed like everyone had a story about him that year.

Tater

March 1st, 2009 at 10:30 PM ^

Mallett risked a 100k scholly and a chance to someday be an NFL QB because he was stupid enough to get caught drunk in public. The comment on the way out to the effect that RR told him he would play but they didn't trust him was enough for me to decide he was an idiot. RR did allow slow-footed Shaun King to break many of Tulane's passing records, but the Mallett family seemed to conveniently ignore that fact. Mallett had already tried to quit under Carr and he used RR as an excuse to quit again, for real this time. He was homesick and wanted to be closer to his Mommy; he found his excuse. QB's are held to a higher standard because they are expected to be leaders. No good coach is going to let someone who can't take care of business in his personal life lead his team at QB. Drinking in college is no crime in my book. I think a kid can party a little bit and still be a great football player. The problems begin when partying becomes more important than football. Mallett will now have plenty of questions to answer and will be expected to prove that he is more dedicated to football than he is to partying. It is no accident that Brian Griese didn't meet his potential until he decided football was more important than drinking. Between his inconsistency, his record of immature behavior at UM, and his current scrape with the law, Mallett is dangerously close to blowing his chance to ever start at a major college. I hope that the is somehow able to amalgamate his feces. It will probably be difficult with his overbearing "football parents" trying to run his life, but he can still do it if he really wants to. It would be a shame to see any kid piss away the talent Mallett appears to have.

Magnus

March 1st, 2009 at 11:13 PM ^

Mallett didn't risk his scholarship and his potential NFL future. One incident like public intoxication does not ruin a guy's entire career. It's not like he killed someone or molested children. You can't point to the Griese situation and say, "He was only successful because he stopped drinking." He was a SOPHOMORE when he got caught and he was fighting for playing time with Scott Dreisbach, who was also fairly talented. What are you trying to say? If he wasn't drinking before that, then he would have won two or three national championships? Unless you know him well (which I'm assuming you don't) and that he devoted his bar time to practicing his drops, then I think you're leaping to a conclusion.

dex

March 2nd, 2009 at 1:41 PM ^

Griese hardly stopped drinking. He had numerous incidents in the NFL that smelled strongly like a drunken accident. Like the time he "tripped" on his "dog" at the top of his stairs. Or when he "tripped" walking up a "steep driveway" at a buddy's house and knocked himself out. There is literally no evidence he stopped boozing and became a great QB.

jblaze

March 2nd, 2009 at 1:29 PM ^

at Mary Jane usage. Also, the police gave him a chance to get a ride home, but he was too messed up. "Mallett, according to the report, was given an opportunity to call for a ride home, but struggled to do so. He was unable to reach anyone and “appeared to lose focus on making phone calls to get a ride and would begin staring off into the distance.” It was at that point Mallett was placed under arrest for public intoxication." http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/sports_article.asp?aID=112814.72127.124…