Pac 12 #WeAreUnited Alleged fallout at Wazzu
https://twitter.com/TheoLawson_SR/status/1290044490749587456?s=20
Coach Rolovitch allegedly cleaning house of any SAs who are showing support for the P12 #WeAreUnited statement. Asked to clean out lockers, but seemingly stay on stay on s'ship technically?
No official statements from WSU that I've seen at this time.
This should end well. Sellers market
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
This will be messy. There are no solutions , only compromise.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
If you opt out, you should be asked to clean out the locker right?
Does merely sharing an open letter on Twitter indicate that you're opting out?
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:07 PM ^
Sounds like there is more to the story than a Sunday night tweet. I'll wait until the Monday news cycle before getting my pitchfork.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:22 PM ^
And I've got my torch in my yard already, I can grab it on a moment's notice.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:26 PM ^
The tweets surrounding this are in a very, very messy state at the moment, although USA Today and a couple other outlets have picked up on the story (or what is thus far known) already, so it is being monitored at the moment, if nothing else.
I guess if I am Washington State, I put together a statement on this ASAP whether this is in fact their stance or not and there is more going on. If it is indeed Rolovich's stance on the matter, then I guess the goal could only have been to do what the Huskies so deftly done in many seasons and walk into Pullman and proceed to mop the floor with the Cougars. I am sure Jimmy Lake appreciates the labor-saving effort, if this is indeed the case.
There is more to this story. Woods parents stretched the truth on this, or at least exaggerated. His family has sickle cell trait and because of that he was opting out of the season. Since practice is starting today then he need to stop all participation with the team and can no longer have access to the locker room due to team rules, and all things covid. If you're out, unfortunately you cant hang around anymore.
THEN supposedly he (Woods) brought up the player unity initiative to Rolo and while Rolo wasnt fully onboard with all the details of it...thats all he needed to say he got kicked off the team because of the unity pact.
I've heard there are other players on WSU that shared the player unity message and there have been no punishments.
You have a man crush on Jimmy lake or something? Leach could never beat UW because he never adjusted, he played his game 100% of the time, would never run the ball...and Lake, as the DC, knew what was coming. I'll take a gentlemen bet with you that Rolo will have WAY more success over UW than Leach...and while thats easy to say I dont see moppings on a yearly basis.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:26 PM ^
This seems bad from a PR POV for WSU... I can't, for the life of me, think it'll be okay to kick people off the team for requesting/demanding better working conditions.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:35 PM ^
But if you opt out, do you keep your locker and stay on the team? If you go on strike, you don’t keep coming to work. Sounds like the coach is saying they get to keep their scholarship this year but if you aren’t going to play get out of the locker room. That seems reasonable to me.
the players just got their hand called, now up to them if they were serious or not.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
This is according to the father of the player below.
One player opted out. He has an underlying health condition, (sickle cell) which makes him more concerned about Covid-19.
Rolovich accepted that decision, affirmed he would stay on scholarship, then asked if he was supporting the #Weareunited movement. When the player said yes, Rolovich asked him to clean out his locker and said he wanted him separated from the team.
So to sum up, no one has opted out because of the movement. And let's face it, that would be waaaay premature since they just made their demands known. No one has been kicked off the team or had their scholarship pulled. Rolovich did take a strong verbal stance, so let's see how he handles other players and how they respond.
But the movement is opting out. It is saying they won’t play unless demands are met. The demands are not met yet and the coach asked him to pack up his locker if he isn’t playing. Many/most of the demands can’t be met by the coach. So I can see why a coach would just say if you aren’t playing pack your bags, when things change (one way or the other) let’s talk.
The players are taking a stand, which is great, but don’t expect the coaches to just rollover in this one too.
They’re opting out if safety measures and some things are not met. That’s “if”. So the ball is in the NCAA and university’s court.
Also, coaches that don’t support the players in this are dumb. Rolovich will get paid regardless. He should be working with the players.
This feels like someone is over-interpreting a conversation. If a player is opting out of the season for health concerns, why wouldn’t the coach want him to clean out his locker and stay separate from the team? Something about this feels like an overly long game of telephone where, “Tell mom to buy milk from the store.” turns into “Hell bombs a liquor store.”
If you opt out, you should clean out your locker and not hang around the team at all.
You don't want to get THE COVID right?
Any UM player that supports this crap needs to head out permanently unless they have a good medical reason related to covid.
The other demands are absurd. You took the scholarship knowing what it can do for you, how it can help you in life, now get the fuck out there and play football. If you don't want to, then don't accept the scholly.
The working conditions are the best in the world. Better than most pro working conditions.
I really think the solution is to have minor league football.
Go make demands and get paid in the MiFL.
Leave the college game alone.
Logged in just to neg your horrible take. Shut up and entertain me, amirite?
My point is just don't accept the scholly then.
Go find world class coaches, facilities, nutritionists, physicians, S&C coaches etc. etc. somewhere else and see how much that costs you. LOL.
That's all provided to them. Not gonna say it's free because they are going to work their asses off but.
So is all you can eat food, best dorm on campus, and for the 98% who will not go pro in anything, an education at a University that actually means something.
And for those very few who have the chance to go pro?
They should say thank you for this opportunity to achieve my dream of being a pro athlete.
You don't show up with a list of absurd demands after you have accepted the scholarship.
August 2nd, 2020 at 10:49 PM ^
This escalated quickly. I’d sure like to know what Coach Rolovitch is thinking before lighting him up. He has come off as a reasonable guy in the past Sure seems like an overreaction, though.
August 2nd, 2020 at 11:23 PM ^
If we can't have football this year, I won't mind chaos.
Anything to shake up the current system that has created the lack of parity in college football - especially since OSU is in that elite group of playoff teams every year.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
There's more chaos to come when the NCAA & the Power 5 have it out this week.
Cue the popcorn.
August 2nd, 2020 at 11:51 PM ^
I'm thinking the story was embellished for effect.
However, it seems clear that all players who opt out are also being automatically banned from any team activities or perks, which seems reasonable.
Basically, you can keep the scholarship, and good luck swimming with the general population student body.
That’s where the slope can get realllllyyyyyy slippery. There have been instances at various schools where academic advisors have played a role in processing. we’ve seen the unc situation.
things could get really ugly when players keep their scholarships, but pushed into gen pop without a raft.
Agreed. Let's face it, at many schools, a majority of football players (but not all) would not have been admitted had it not been for football, including UM. Most depend on significant support from tutors and other scholastic 'help', along with direction to the "favorable" classes. If in the general student body environment and forced "to play school", yes, it would be ugly for some.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:06 PM ^
Right. I wish that I could find it, but there was an AMA with a SA academic advisor. They gave examples of how programs processed athletes. (obviously without naming names or schools). coaches directing them to put athletes in classes that they had no chance of passing or putting them in classes that wouldn’t go towards graduation.
This was even happening with non-revenue generating teams.
I’ve heard stories from professors at schools like ND and Penn. I’ve also heard the stories on the opposite end where coaches would pressure professors to not only pass athletes that Hadn’t been to class, but give them B’s.
and it’s not so easy to ‘do the right thing’ when non-compliance could cost you your job.
we all know Zoltan is a stud. But I had a former Michigan Econ professor and current Econ chair at a large D-1 university tell me that Zoltan was his best student
should they be anything special? Are they entitled to something other students are not?
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
My issue is that the coach made a clear distinction, it seemed, between Woods' stated reason for not participating this year.
From the ESPN article, this quote stuck out to me.
"That's going to be an issue if you align with them as far as future stuff," Rolovich said, according to the Morning News. "The COVID stuff is one thing. But joining this group ... it's going to be different. If you say, 'I'm opting out 'cause of COVID and health and safety,' I'm good. But this group is going to change how things go in the future for everybody, at least at our school."
That's not a coach applying some general "you're not participating this year so you can't be around the team", that's a "you can sit out because of X but if you sit out because of Y then I'm punishing you". I get a sense people will interpret that differently based on his/her own personal beliefs, but to me that seems pretty shitty to tell someone.
A coach assuming not simply authority but control. Young men concerned about their health. Can they work together to find a resolution? Or will the situation tumble into the usual internet angry opposition: he's a tyrant! they're ungrateful bums!
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:05 AM ^
everyone has right to be concerned about his or her health but it doesn’t mean that he is entitled to amenities associated with activities he chooses not to participate.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:56 PM ^
Well, and the athlete should not participate in any team activities if he/she is truly concerned with their health due to covid. So they need to not be involved at all.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
Sports used to be entertainment. Now it’s like watching a cable news channel.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:08 AM ^
very reason that i just cut my cable yesterday.
August 3rd, 2020 at 10:27 AM ^
Rolovich will not last long. Wazzu is already a place nobody wants to play at, what's he gonna do when he becomes the face of "rich coaches stealing money from poor kids?" He hasn't even coached a game yet.
August 3rd, 2020 at 11:14 AM ^
Was driving to the mountains yesterday and had ESPN radio on XM. They had some player from WSU trying to explain the article that the players published and their demands that they expect.
It was HARD to listen to. The kid had no idea how to answer the questions that were being thrown his way. It was BAD.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
"I can't legally kick you off the team because I disagree with your endorsement of...social justice, safe playing conditions, and health benefits, but get out and don't come back" is a unique way to kick off one's tenure at a new school.
Everything related to college sports right now is messy and I understand a coach disagreeing with this movement; I assume he'll walk this back somehow in the press but if he feels like this he might as well say it. But if he winds up being on the wrong side of history I don't want to hear him complain about negative recruiting or any other fallout from this decision. Woods was basically told "you'll be off the team as soon as I'm able to" because of his speech, and I assume that's a repercussion he'll live with. The same should apply to the coach.
August 3rd, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
The Dallas News has a transcript between the player and coach...
https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/2020/08/02/former-dfw-athletes-participate-in-pac-12-unity-message-kassidy-woods-allegedly-kicked-off-college-roster/
I had seen the transcript and what I guess we'll never know is if the coach would have pulled the access to the tram resources if Woods had said he wasn't playing because of COVID-19 and not added the letter to his reasoning. Personally, if a kid is worried about catching COVID-19 I wouldn't want to practice with guys on the team anyway because of the fear of exposure. But it does feel like since he was still on scholarship and, I assume, wanted to be part of the team the following year, he'd still want to be around his teammates, not unlike a kid who is out for the year because of injury.
The only thing that has changed since these guys accepted their scholarships is covid and it's potential affect on someone with underlying conditions. So if they want to opt out because of that then ok. They should gather their belongings and not be around the program at all.... in order to stay healthy.
These other 'demands'? No deal. Git yur shit and head out permanently. Those were not part of the deal when you accepted your scholly.
I'd rather watch 'no-name' 2-stars play college football than any of these entitled twits.
Fascinating times.
I think about how hard assess like Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler - both ardent political conservatives during their tenures - were able to keep their college football teams together and focused on football during Vietnam War, political upheaval, racial tensions, Black Panther and other social protests, etc.
Social media has pretty much changed everything. But I'm sure their merciless, unapologetic "my way or the highway" had a lot to do with the outcome.
August 3rd, 2020 at 11:41 PM ^
What is sa? What is s'ship? You already typed like 50 words, why not just type the rest?
August 3rd, 2020 at 11:54 PM ^
If you read the transcript, which was illegally recorded by Kassidy Woods of WSU, it sounds like Coach Rolo is telling Woods that he can sit out for covid and retain his scholarship, but if he sits out beyond that for political causes, there are no guarantees.
I have followed Rolo for years and he wants to do right by his players. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion.