NCAA / College Football 2012 Discussion

JaMarcus Hustle

Probably a bit early for general discussion, but the first big story of the year is upon us. Bobby Petrino has been sacked by Arkansas following motorcycle-gate - that is, hiring his 25 year old volleyball playing mistress ahead of 159 other candidates for a job, and then crashing his motorcycle 4 days later with her on the back. He then told the university and the media that she was a stranger who had came across his accident and called an ambulance. The truth emerged, Petrino was exposed and now he's been sacked. It would be funny (well, it is anyway...) if it didn't damage one of the best programs and teams in the country. There'll be plenty of top candidates for the job, but boy what a way to lose your job!

adrian522

Pics?

JaMarcus Hustle

adrian522 wrote:

Pics?

Onecoolcookie

Arkansas will suffer without him but they weren't left with much options really, he'll be a big loss to QB Tyler Wilson who was progressing well under him

JaMarcus Hustle

In other major college football news, Matt Barkley tweeted me last week. Needless to say, life is all downhill from here on. :pac:

Paully D

adrian522 wrote: »

Pics?

She was definitely with him for his good looks anyway :pac:

OAOB

Couldn't care less about Petrino after him walking out on the Falcons, very disrespectful to the players he left behind

eagle eye

Wtf is this thread about in the middle of April?:D

JaMarcus Hustle

Fantastic read hear about USC wide receiver Marqise Lee who along with Robert Woods is one of the reasons Matt Barkley decided to stay in college. Would definitely recommend you give this a read if you have 10 minutes to spare.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/story/_/id/7828482/the-rise-usc-trojans-receiver-marqise-lee

UCD AFC

Great article, the fact he wasn't mentioned in the recruiting class struck me as one of the great things in football - even with such in depth scouting and rankings you find guys out of nowhere (undrafted into the nfl etc. )

JaMarcus Hustle

Looks like we could finally get an announcement on the revamp of the National Championship this week. The major proposal is that each year, two bowl games between the top 4 ranked teams would serve as semi-finals with the winners going into the National Championship. I'd be happy with that, although the pipe dream is obviously a full blown playoff system which is still probably years away.

UCD AFC

I think that's a step in the right direction, and agree with them that if they do move to a full playoff system, they take slow steps and see how everything pans out. Even the two semi final bowls would add more prestige to the National Championship - hopefully getting rid of the possibility of the best team not being there!

Am I right in saying that any changes will not come into effect until 2014 season? Thought I saw that on twitter...

Amirani

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Looks like we could finally get an announcement on the revamp of the National Championship this week. The major proposal is that each year, two bowl games between the top 4 ranked teams would serve as semi-finals with the winners going into the National Championship.

Would be something I guess. What exactly is stopping the introduction of a playoff system at the moment? Bowl games could feasibly still exist as they are.

deisedude

Money. The bowls bring in huge money. NCAA must feel playoffs wont attract as much revenue

NiallSparky wrote: »

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Looks like we could finally get an announcement on the revamp of the National Championship this week. The major proposal is that each year, two bowl games between the top 4 ranked teams would serve as semi-finals with the winners going into the National Championship.

Would be something I guess. What exactly is stopping the introduction of a playoff system at the moment? Bowl games could feasibly still exist as they are.

Justin10

Would I be right in thinking that the Big colleges have guys pumping money in and in return there best success and return on their money is by the system in place?

CoachTO

Rochey18 wrote: »

Would I be right in thinking that the Big colleges have guys pumping money in and in return there best success and return on their money is by the system in place?

Yeah the Booster Club. But if you ask them they will tell you its a charitable donation to help improve the athletics department and help them pay expenses etc etc

CoachTO

Definition of an Idiot:

Injures himself in his senior year and get a medical redshirt so he gets to play one more year and now gets kicked off the team

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/5/1/2991579/montel-harris-dismissed-boston-college-football

CoachTO

Seems the word Idiot and good Running backs in the NCAA are rife at the minute. Hopefully this doesn't affect Montee Ball and Wisconsin this Sept but damn what an idiot. These schools have gone very strict with their student atheletes getting into trouble and charged.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-05-05/wisconsins-montee-ball-arrested-on-trespassing-charge

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was arrested for trespassing after he refused to leave the porch of an apartment at the annual Mifflin Street Block Party, the Madison Police Department confirmed to the Wisconsin State Journal and WISC-TV.
Ball was given a $429 citation and released, according to WISC-TV. Both news outlets report that Ball was cooperative with police, but the property owner did not want Ball on the porch.
Montee Ball was the Big Ten's offensive player of the year in 2011. (AP Photo)
The popular event is held the first Saturday in May, but unlike last year, drinking was not allowed except on private property, the paper reported. There is strict enforcement this year against underage drinking, capacity on properties and the selling of alcohol.
Police reported that as of shortly after 2 p.m., there had been nine arrests and up to 155 people had been cited and released. Only one person as of early afternoon was taken to jail.
Ball was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and was the Big Ten player of the year. One of the nation's premier running backs entering the 2012 season, Ball tied Barry Sanders' NCAA record with 39 touchdowns. He led the country in rushing with 1,923 yards.

UCD AFC

Damn, was just watching a Wisconsin game from last year there yesterday, was thinking how talented he is.

phatkev

Yet another case of college players being idiots

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1173108-colorado-state-football-stars-expelled-from-school-after-brutal-beating#page/1

Three Colorado State football stars have been expelled from the university for their role in a terrible beating of four students last month, according to the Rocky Mountain Collegian.

School athletic director Jack Graham addressed the situation in an email:

As AD, I want to make it absolutely clear that we have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior by our student athletes. Our football coaches led by Coach [Jim] McElwain cooperated fully with the police investigation and we acted immediately to suspend the players from the team indefinitely—a suspension that is now permanent. ...

The Department of Athletics is fully supportive of the University's processes for addressing this type of incident, and while the results of such processes are typically not public, there is an exception when the allegations concern violence, including assault offenses. For that reason, I am able to report now that players Mike Orakpo, Nordly Capi, and Colton Paulhus have been expelled from Colorado State, effective Monday May 7.

JaMarcus Hustle

Wow. Mike Orakpo was pretty highly rated too - he's Brian Orakpo's brother.

UCD AFC

Oh, not gonna link an article but basically Sammy Watkins (who was best freshman WR last year) at Clemson was caught with weed - hopefully he keeps himself out of trouble after this.

JaMarcus Hustle

This could be the most bizarre story you'll read thus offseason. It's cost Ohio State their highest rated recruit because he's creeped out over the whole thing.

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2012/5/3/2997917/twitter-sex-offender-bdubstriviaguru

CoachTO

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

This could be the most bizarre story you'll read thus offseason. It's cost Ohio State their highest rated recruit because he's creeped out over the whole thing.

http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2012/5/3/2997917/twitter-sex-offender-bdubstriviaguru

Talk about mad and weird. Out of curiosity dude what prospect did they lose havent read that bit yet?

Heffo001

CoachTO wrote: »

Talk about mad and weird. Out of curiosity dude what prospect did they lose havent read that bit yet?

Alex Anzalone, not their highest rated prospect but one of the most highly regarded MLB's in the country. Hasn't completely ruled out Ohio State yet but Florida, Penn State, Notre Dame and a few others are all back in the equation now. I know his Notre Dame recruiter flew out to his high school the day after to meet with him.

Another lower rated 3 star recruit actually de-committed from them the day before although this was before this new came out and he wasn't in the picture in question so I'm not sure whether or not this had anything to do with his de-commitment.

JaMarcus Hustle

Another one bites the dust. Jazz Reynolds - who looked like Landry Jones go to guy in the run-in last year - has been suspended indefinitely by Oklahoma along with 2 other receivers and a safety.

Ares

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Another one bites the dust. Jazz Reynolds - who looked like Landry Jones go to guy in the run-in last year - has been suspended indefinitely by Oklahoma along with 2 other receivers and a safety.

What do people think about this. There seems to be a crackdown on bad behaviour from the various schools. Personally I think this is an excellent thing. If a person is getting a full athletic scholarship to the institution then they have to abide by whatever rules are deemed appropriate.

Fail to abide by said rules and your out on your ear. I think its good to see. Guys will start to get the message and adjust their behaviour accordingly.

UnitedIrishman

On the bad behaviour thing, think it's a good move by colleges. Players need to be more responsible. Funnily, I remember watching a game late one night when I was back in college, Setanta showed games on a random enough basis, and LSU were playing - a guy Ryan Perriloux was playing one of his first games coming on for another QB who turned out to be Matt Flynn.

Went looking for him recently and found that he never did much bar make a fool of himself and get handed suspensions all over the place.

Last spotted trying out for NY Giants, pretty unsuccessfully.

Many of the veterans on here remember him and was he highly rated?

CoachTO

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

On the bad behaviour thing, think it's a good move by colleges. Players need to be more responsible. Funnily, I remember watching a game late one night when I was back in college, Setanta showed games on a random enough basis, and LSU were playing - a guy Ryan Perriloux was playing one of his first games coming on for another QB who turned out to be Matt Flynn.

Went looking for him recently and found that he never did much bar make a fool of himself and get handed suspensions all over the place.

Last spotted trying out for NY Giants, pretty unsuccessfully.

Many of the veterans on here remember him and was he highly rated?

Touted as a around 15-20 best in the QB class in 2010. Projected as a 7th round or UDFA. Many scouts liked his strength canon of an arm and athletic ability. But his mental state was his downfall. Many believed a guys as thick and idiotic as him could never lead a team.

Heffo001

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

On the bad behaviour thing, think it's a good move by colleges. Players need to be more responsible. Funnily, I remember watching a game late one night when I was back in college, Setanta showed games on a random enough basis, and LSU were playing - a guy Ryan Perriloux was playing one of his first games coming on for another QB who turned out to be Matt Flynn.

Went looking for him recently and found that he never did much bar make a fool of himself and get handed suspensions all over the place.

Last spotted trying out for NY Giants, pretty unsuccessfully.

Many of the veterans on here remember him and was he highly rated?

Was just reading up on him recently myself funnily enough. Classic case of a talented kid who didn't want to put in the effort. 5 star kid coming out of highschool, expected to be the heir to JaMarcus Russell at LSU. But got suspended for missing classes, team meetings and supposedly failing drugs tests and ended up being suspended and transferring to a smaller school.

And as CoachTO says above, by the time he entered the draft he was barely considered a draftable prospect.

Black Swan

This shall be a grand NCAA season indeed beginning fall 2012, with my USC Trojans coming off a 2-year suspension for Reggie Bushillness. We have one of the best QB's in Matt Barkley, and I would suspect that our team has something to prove, will capture the PAC-12, and go on to be a serious contender for the national championship.

CoachTO

Iowa's Starting QB James Vandenberg and his awkward pose with a bear after killing it with a bow.

http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2012/5/29/3049237/james-vandenberg-killed-a-bear-this-weekend-what-did-you-do

JaMarcus Hustle

S'ua Cravens committed to USC today - that's three top 10 commits now including the top ranked QB, S and RB in the country. Life post-Barkley shaping up very nicely in SC

Justin10

Really think Il follow USC, not because there top team, but there easier to be able to watch here then San Diego state.

Is that the norm for so many top prospects to come to one college? I know just like the NFL they dont always turn out to be as good.

JaMarcus Hustle

Each top team gets their fair share of highly ranked players. USC always did well, bit of a lull over the past few years because of the Reggie Bush sanctions but that's behind us now. USC often get the best West Coast based recruits, while the SEC giants get their pick of the Southern kids. Just happens to be a particularly string class for USC. Also liking what Michigan are doing.

adrian522

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Each top team gets their fair share of highly ranked players. USC always did well, bit of a lull over the past few years because of the Reggie Bush sanctions but that's behind us now. USC often get the best West Coast based recruits, while the SEC giants get their pick of the Southern kids. Just happens to be a particularly string class for USC. Also liking what Michigan are doing.

I see USC have come in from 9/1 to 4/1 now for the national championship.

Paully D

I've chosen to follow North Carolina Tar Heels in NCAA basketball. Would be just as handy to follow them for football, but I know absolutely nothing about their football team.

Any good? Best players? Prospects to watch out for? Any answers would be much appreciated

JaMarcus Hustle

Would be an interesting time to follow them I guess. New coach in Larry Fedora, new defensive scheme that will either boom or bust. You'd want to be in it for the long haul though, big rebuilding process going on there. They've lost a handful of scholarships over the next few years (dont remember how many, think its 9?) for violations and are banned from bowl games this year although any reputable bowls would have been optimistic to the extreme! Lost a lot of good players to the draft over the past 2 years, the only notable ones I can think of left are Kevin Reddick who is a pretty exciting linebacker (one of the better defensive players in the ACC) and Sylvester Williams who's a good defensive tackle. They have a guard who is supposed to be pretty good too - his name escapes me right now but can't say I've noticed him whenever I caught them play. Think it's safe to say you'll have more joy from their basketball team though

Edit: Actually keep an eye on the QB battle this spring if you can. Bryn Renner is good enough, but it's a new offence this year - going to be more of a spread offence and there's talk that redshirt freshman Marquis Williams could take over. He was a phenom in high school - very impressive dual threat QB. Just something to keep an eye on.

Paully D

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Would be an interesting time to follow them I guess. New coach in Larry Fedora, new defensive scheme that will either boom or bust. You'd want to be in it for the long haul though, big rebuilding process going on there. They've lost a handful of scholarships over the next few years (dont remember how many, think its 9?) for violations and are banned from bowl games this year although any reputable bowls would have been optimistic to the extreme! Lost a lot of good players to the draft over the past 2 years, the only notable ones I can think of left are Kevin Reddick who is a pretty exciting linebacker (one of the better defensive players in the ACC) and Sylvester Williams who's a good defensive tackle. They have a guard who is supposed to be pretty good too - his name escapes me right now but can't say I've noticed him whenever I caught them play. Think it's safe to say you'll have more joy from their basketball team though

Edit: Actually keep an eye on the QB battle this spring if you can. Bryn Renner is good enough, but it's a new offence this year - going to be more of a spread offence and there's talk that redshirt freshman Marquis Williams could take over. He was a phenom in high school - very impressive dual threat QB. Just something to keep an eye on.

Nice one JaMarcus, they sound like an interesting team. I might as well keep all my NCAA interest with the Tar Heels Yeah the basketball team is very good so whilst they'll probably keep my spirits up high the football team will probably let me down most of the time. It'll be an interesting combination :pac:

On that note, does anyone know where I could pick up official NCAA jerseys that won't cost a bomb? I think I'll just chance the Asian places like Hit Jerseys, see if they'll make it past customs.

phatkev

unconfirmed reports of three Auburn football players shot dead last night

Early unconfirmed reports suggested that the three people killed were college football players, two of them former students and one a current student.

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16244561

Berty44

I follow college football but don't have a PS3 to play the NCAA13 game. I do know that some absolutely love it and speak highly of the game.

Anyway if you are interested in joining an online dynasty this Madden site are starting one up:

http://maddenpfl.com/forums/index.ph...p-for-ncaa-13/

Paully D

Any of you ever read this book?:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Every-Week-Season-Brian-Curtis/9780345483379

Every Week a Season by Brian Curtis.

Description:

Brian Curtis tells the stories behind the stories. He brings the meetings, practice sessions, recruiting calls and game day experience to light like never before. Fans who want to know what goes on behind the scenes will find out in this book." -RON ZOOK, head football coach, the University of Florida In" Every Week a Season," acclaimed sports reporter and author Brian Curtis takes readers on an unprecedented whirlwind tour of NCAA Division I football. It's a world that breeds great drama, a world that millions watch but few understand. It is a multibillion-dollar business. It is an obsession. To get to the beating heart of college football, Curtis embarked on a breakneck itinerary that took him where all red-blooded college football fans long to be: behind the scenes at nine big-time programs. In nine weeks, Curtis visited Colorado State University, the University of Georgia, Boston College, the University of Tennessee, the University of Maryland, the University of Wisconsin, Louisiana State University, Florida State University, and Arizona State University. He braved the rain to watch Wisconsin pull off the upset of the year; he was at Neyland Stadium to see Tennessee manage a thrilling overtime victory; he was in Tallahassee to witness Florida State's dramatic double overtime battle for the ACC title. As added bonuses, he was with Georgia when the team fought for the SEC Championship, and on the LSU sideline when the boys from Baton Rouge defeated Oklahoma to capture the BCS National Championship. At each stop, he brings us inside the game's inner sanctum: in team meetings and scouting sessions; on the field and on the sidelines, during scrimmages, practices, and games; at pre-game traditions, meals, and religious services; in the locker room before the game and at half-time. Virtually nothing and no one was off-limits. Along with the players, Curtis got to know the coaches-from the young guns to the legends-spending time with them in their offices and on the road. We see firsthand the challenges of running a major college football program-when called on, coaches must serve as CEOs, PR gurus, lawyers, politicians, and policemen. We also learn of the sacrifices made by wives and children that enable coaches to keep the numerous young athletes under their supervision focused, secure, and happy. Brian Curtis gives a no-holds-barred insider's account that will rank as one of the most honest and accurate books on big-time sports in America. Short of strapping on a helmet, you'll never get closer to the game.

It's years old now but sounds very interesting.

This one also caught my eye:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Illegal-Procedure-Josh-Luchs/9781608197200

Illegal Procedure. Former agent Josh Luchs blows the lid on illegal methods used to attract college players etc:

For fifteen years, sports agent Josh Luchs made illegal deals with numerous college athletes, from top-tier, nationally recognized phenoms to late-round draft picks. Flagrantly flaunting NCAA and NFL Players Association rules, he made no-interest loans to players in exchange for the promise of representation on their lucrative pro contracts. After cleaning up his act in 2003, he moved to a new agency, only to be targeted and pushed out of the business for a new violation-one he arguably did not commit. Then, in October 2010, Luchs wrote a confessional article in "Sports Illustrated," telling the truth about what he did and didn't do. Since then he has taken on a new role: whistle-blowing, truth-telling reformer. And in telling his own story, Luchs pulls back the curtain on the real economy of college football: how agents win players legally and otherwise, the staggering sums colleges make from an unpaid workforce, the shortfalls of supposed full-ride scholarships, and the myth of a college education given to scholarship jocks. Including new information about major players and scandalized programs such as USC, Auburn, and Ohio State, this book pulls no punches. It's a stunning and necessary read for anyone who loves the game, and the first step toward fixing a broken system. Praise for Josh Luchs' "Sports Illustrated" story: "There are no innocents in all this-including Luchs. The difference now is Luchs isn't claiming to be innocent." -John Feinstein, "Washington Post" "[Luchs pulls] the inner workings of an oily business out of the shadows."-Pat Forde, ESPN "A must-read."-"New York Times"

Another that looks good:

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Recruiting-Confidential-David-Claerbaut/9781589790254

The authors stepson is being recruited by division 1 programmes and he documents how each programme tries to get his stepson to sign for them.

What is it like to be a heavily recruited high school football star? James and step-dad Dave learn the ins and outs of the college courting process and share their inside story in Recruiting Confidential. With all the controversy surrounding NCAA compliance breakdowns, booster bribes and big time pressure in coaches and athletic staffs to bring the best of the best to their institution, how do this father/son duo navigate the murky waters of big promises and big expectations? Claerbaut reveals in honest reflection how the schools go about bringing star players to their team, what impressed them and what turned them off to various coaches and campuses. As the journey to a college decision nears, father and son discover a bond that has developed and hopefully will grow as James announces to the world where he will spend his college days_on and off the field.

I think that kid signed for Navy but can't seem to find anything about what he did during or after college, so I doubt much came of him in a football sense anyway, might be a good read though.

Has anyone read those books and would your recommend them? Cheers.

JaMarcus Hustle

The BCS commissioners have reached a consensus on a 4 team playoff system for college football which is great news. It will be recommended to university presidents this week.

The not so great news is that the 4 teams will be decided by a selection committee, meaning the "college football is so rigged" cries won't be going anywhere. Still, progress all the same. Interesting to see how this committee is put together.

JaMarcus Hustle

Me thinks Dana Holgorsen should have a word with Alex Ferguson on how this tends not to go according to plan :pac:

Earlier this month, West Virginia Illustrated posted pictures of the rumored all-gray uniform combination. The gray jersey, pants, and helmet will be available as an alternate uniform option for the Mountaineers in 2012.

Coach Dana Holgorsen, speaking to the Charleston Daily Mail, said the combination of gray uniforms with the barren gray walls surrounding Mountaineer field was "kind of like Boise State's blue uniforms and blue turf."

While Holgorsen may not have been entirely serious about home field advantage playing a role in the new gray alternates, he did elaborate on the changing landscape of recruiting. Specifically, how style and uniforms play a role in marketing the program to potential recruits.

"It's a recruiting thing," Holgorsen told the Daily Mail. "If you look across the country, we're behind on this. Everyone is going (Nike) Pro Combat. Everyone has three or four new uniforms. We're far from that. It's recruiting. Why is everyone doing it? Because the kids want it. It's television and marketing and the kids get excited about what they can see."

While many have argued the success in college football has been largely divided between the have's and the have-not's, the recruiting aspect is still as competitive as ever.

"Marshall is trying to be good," Holgorsen explained. "Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida, they're all trying to be good, never mind the nine teams in the conference we're about to join [Big 12] that currently exist. It's one of the most competitive situations ever.

"How competitive is recruiting? We've got to offer 2,000 kids to get 20."

You may not like the trend of teams adding uniform combinations to their traditional look, but Holgorsen is absolutely correct as to why more schools are looking to stay fresh. With more television opportunities, social media and viral marketing campaigns; a college football program is no longer based on wins and losses in the eyes of recruits.

It is a different set of priorities for these brand-centric prospects, and programs - as always - are willing to adjust in order to get them on campus.

HigginsJ

Coutesy of walterfootball.com

pre-season all american projections. Give you a good idea of who to watch out for the year ahead. he as put up the QB's and RB's

http://www.walterfootball.com/allamericans2012qb.php

http://www.walterfootball.com/allamericans2012rb.php

JaMarcus Hustle

Very high profile dismissal today, Isaiah Crowell - who in my mind was one of the top 10/15 running backs in the country - has been kicked out of Georgia. He was caught by a police roadblock with a concealed weapon in his car, but more seriously - carrying a weapon in a schoolzone and having a weapon with an altered ID on it (both felonies). His car was also stinking with weed for good measure. Just another in a long line of idiots throwing away the amazing opportunities they are given.

JaMarcus Hustle

Pittsburgh just added a kicker called Chris Blewitt. Yes, Blewitt.

The headlines already write themselves.

JaMarcus Hustle

Wow, Michael Dyer ruled ineligible and won't play in 2012. That sucks

JaMarcus Hustle

This is fantastic. It's a long read, but it's everything that every one of us has wanted to say to these absolute morons playing the game we love.

It's been a while since Cornelious Washington has made headlines.

The Georgia outside linebacker did gain momentary exposure for a DUI-arrest, following a two sack performance against Mississippi State in October.

However, he saw less playing time following the arrest and only tallied 1.5 sacks in the remaining games.

But in the aftermath of Isaiah Crowell's arrest and subsequent dismissal from the team, Washington launched himself back into the spotlight with a Facebook rant towards fairweather fans.

"all think you know so much, but in reality you know nothing. You don't know what we come from, you don't know our struggles, all you know is the number on our jersies. 99% of you don't give a crap about us outside of football," Washington posted on Facebook. "When we're doing well you're all in our faces, when things get tough and we need encouragement you're nowhere to be found. You're fake and I despise you for it. We shall band together guys, we've been working hard and we only need each other. NONE of those outsiders will contribute to our survival as a team or as individuals, you can guarantee that. #stickclosetoeachother ~corn washington"

The post wasn't taken well by Georgia fans in online message boards, specifically on websites like scout.com and dawgpost.com.

And Bobby Nettles, a fan whose Facebook page says that he is from East Atlanta, Ga., decided to write a reply.

Editor's Note: The response is included below in full, unedited from the original Facebook post. It does include mature topics and some offensive language.

OK Mr. Corn, I'll bite, what oppressive circumstance that none of us can possibly understand are you referencing?

Are you suggesting that none of us come from families that struggled to make ends meet? Maybe none of us were raised by a single parent? Perhaps some of us didn't eat grilled cheese sandwiches, cheap hot dogs (with no bun), ramen noodles, or fishsticks for dinner AS A TREAT because we came from an era of economic recession that makes today's seem tame?

Let me tell you something you shortsighted little moron, poor when I was a kid meant something entirely different than it does now.. and we had it good compared to our parents and grandparents who survived on hope, sunshine, and tap water...

When I was a kid, I didn't have a video game system, the TV in the LIVING ROOM was 19 inches of black & white goodness and it got 4 channels; two of them without adjusting the rabbit ears every few minutes, and one of those channels was PBS - so Sesame Street & Mr. Rogers all freaking day. This TV was shared by 4 people, you dig?

****, I woke up everyday wondering if Russia was going to nuke our ***** for no apparent reason or if I might spontaneously explode if I didn't wear a condom during sex...

I grew up listening to Georgia football on the radio - A.M. RADIO! We were lucky if 4 games were televised a year. I never missed a second of ANY game. I would sit in a 120 degree car until the final whistle if need be.

We had one telephone, with a cord and it was a rotary that I had to ask permission to use. I ate in a restaurant 4 or 5 times a year and wore clothes til they either fell off or I outgrew them.

We had 2 window units in our house and I didn't own a car until I was a senior in high school - guess who bought it and insured it?

Crime was high and if we wanted to go somewhere during the day, we walked - often many, many miles.

When I started looking for a job, it took 47 applications before I finally got one - at McDonalds, making $3.35/hour.

I attended ****** Georgia Public schools that were UN-air-conditioned (you may find it hard to believe, but it actually used to get hot back in the 70s and 80s... who knew?)

I played high school football in the era where coaches only let us drink water once per practice, before there were limitations on when we could start practicing each year, so we practiced all summer if we wanted to start. My helmet had straps inside, not pads - and spearing, clothesline tackles, horse collar tackles, head slaps, and taking cheap shots @ wide recievers & quarterbacks was not only legal, but expected...

I've never run a 4.4, never benched 500 lbs and never been visited by a college coach. I paid my own way to college and worked at Pizza Hut wearing brown polyester for 40 hours a week while attending a full load of classes.
My family is full of nuts, my neighborhood kind of sucked, and so did my my prospects.

I would have killed to have worn the red & black, just to run onto the field and stand on the ******** SIDELINE - ONCE.

When I screwed up and got a DUI, no one came to bail me out, I went to court alone, paid my fine, did my community service and dealt with it. It sucked, but I figured I learned that was probably something I shouldn't do again...

So that I could afford my DUI fine, I went without electricity and and gas for a summer, which meant the only 2 things that worked in my house were the door lock and the toilet... I ate white bread and canned mushrooms for many weeks in a row because that's what the gas station on the corner had.. When I was feeling fancy, I'd buy eggs or *gasp* Chef Boyardee Ravioli...

So now, here we are.. one of your poor downtrodden teammates has suffered unjustly from some heretofor unknown boogey man that clearly has stacked the deck against him.

Nevermind that 3/4s of the state would have loaned him their car and put him up for the night after he decided to stay in state and play for dear old UGA. Nevermind that 65% of the state forgave him the 1st 4 or 5 times he failed a drug test, acted like a petulant little ***** about school or classwork, came out of every game that an opponent busted him in his little ***** assed mouth, and generally acted like a little dreadlocked flower with all of the toughness of a three legged kitten, possessing the smarts of a window licking retard with water on the brain...

So now he's taken to driving around with the next generation of UGA players with a gun that apparently isn't his and lo & behold, the serial number has been removed ( a Federal Offense that carries a penalty of 2-10 year in the joint).

But it's clearly not his fault, I mean.. how could it be, he's been a model citizen since he left Columbus and arrived on the big stage. Every gesture, every nuance would lead the dispassionate bystander to the opinion that this just COULDN'T POSSIBLY be IC1's gun!

What the **** is the matter with you morons?

I was around when Frank Ros and the boys stole a pig before the 1980 season.. I was aware of the entire defense getting suspended before playing Miami of Ohio in the Tangerine Bowl ( a game I watched on that black & white TV - we lost as a result in spite of being heavily favored), **** I even vaaaguely remember some of the expoilts of Jake Scott...

Every one of those guys was punished in some way that made them want to die & then they contritely returned to the team, better men for it. (Well, except for Scott who told Dooley to **** off and went to play in Canada before becoming a Super Bowl MVP eventually.. but he didn't whine like a freaking ***** that nobody understood **sniff**, **sob**, and besides, I'm pretty sure Jake Scott could kill any one of you just by yelling)

How did your boy IC1 fare after his 6 or 7 chances?

Your little boy brains need to catch up to your full grown man bodies before you find yourselves hanging off the back of a trash collection truck IF YOU'RE LUCKY!

You're blessed with health, superior athletic ability, and keen minds.. every advantage possible. Free school, a huge support system, the adulation of fans everywhere.. and somehow, we just don't understand?

Understand what, that you're a freaking moron? That some of you waste these gifts and then whine like a ***** because instead of giving you a 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th chance we dare wonder what'n the **** is the matter with you?

I suppose instead I should EXPECT YOU TO FAIL? Then I would understand, right?

Are you idiots eating lead paint sandwiches between all the bong hits you're apparently doing?

Be a freaking man and own up to your situation. It's not everyone else's fault, the quicker that takes root in your addled brain the better.

Take the gifts that are given you - the OBVIOUS advantages the wheel of fortune has allowed you to enjoy and make something out of yourself.. or disappear into oblivion (preferably quietly, lest we think you are an even bigger idiot than you have led us to believe already)

I hope your dad is en route to Athens to kick you in the *** (because I doubt our candy-assed coach will), you need it...

Your Pal,

Bobby

WhiskeyGoblin

Fantastic read, some waste such an amazing opportunity.

Paully D

Always good to look ahead, 2014 top recruits:

Da'Shawn Hand looks like a beast!