What Really Goes on Behind the Scenes...

Okay, so I decided to stop being lazy and post my thoughts here (neg me if you want). I understand a lot of people, especially here, are sick of hearing this.  But, as long as it is in the "news" it's still news.  I am going to post my thoughts about a recent FreeP article as I typed it in my minor fit rage" (please excuse the typing errors):

"I have sat back and watch this story unfold, just knowing that it would go away. But, once again the FreeP has failed the general public. The FP continues to publish biased, off-based 'non'-news. First off, I am a former Division-I football player. I played and started many games for a Top 25 program. We won 2 Bowl Games while I was in school. With that I know exactly what it takes to play and be successful on the that lever. In addition, I also know the rules. I know that as a player there were many days that felt like we were at the Stadium ALL DAY...especially Sundays. A regular Sunday goes something like this...lift at noon (about 1 hour of actual lift time), meet at 2 (yes, it takes about 3 hours to watch the entire a game film), go to practice probably at 6 (quick practice about 1 hour only to get legs going again, walk through for upcoming week, and run for the errors in the game), dinner at 7:30 or 8 (home by close to 9 or 10). Yes, for 4 years I watched no NFL!

(cont.) But, I didn't care...I was winning football games! Now, that seems like a long day, but only a few of those hours actually count towards the weekly limits. As for off-season conditioning program, I can't think of one big-time University that wasn't not required to be there in the summer. In fact, I have dozens of friends that played college ball (yes, it's a small circle) and all had to be at there respective schools during the summer months. When my friends that played at UM would tell me that they could work out on their own, it was unbelievable (about 4 years ago). As players we would joke and call the reuirements "MANDATORY, non-mandatory". Yes, they always made sure to explain to us that everything was non-mandatory, but at the same time we knew it wasn't. Why? B/C, we wanted to be good, we were accountable to our teammates, our parents, our fans, and most importantly our university. In addition, we were refused to be out-worked. Heck yes, we did a lot of things

(cont)...that would be virtually unbearable to the average student, fan, out-of-touch news reporter, and 2nd rate scholarship athlete looking for a free ride. As a great coach used to say to me, "There is no such thing as free ride." College football should be taken as and treated as a full-time job. A scholarship equates up over $40,000 per year for many of these athletes.

I have so much more to say, but I sick of typing. I only hope that no one here is ignorant enough to think that RR is running a unethical program, b/c he EXPECTS (not require) his players to put in hard work. That is a sign of a good program. Some of his past players said it best, "The workouts aren't mandatory, but neither is playing time." Those who are there and putting in the work the coaches tell them that they should do if they want to be the best player that can, will be the ones you see Saturday afternoons playing and the ones walking across that big stage in April!