Here's a new thing for school's to consider when hiring a new coach. Character. And I have undeniable proof of just why that is important. Let's look at the character of Rich Rodriguez.
*Steals Terrell Pryor, a top recruit, right out from under the nose of West Virgina before even announcing his departure to Michigan.
*Accepts a job to Michigan despite less than a year ago saying he was staying in Morgantown.
*Files a countersuit against WVU after they try to recoup the $4 Million he owes as stated in his SIX YEAR contract that he walked out of.
*Shreds and hides important player related files as far as the current WVU roster is concerned.
Why do I mention all of these things. Well it's proof that Rodriguez's real character came out recently and he just so happens to be someone you wouldn't want to model yourself after. Yet people are sending their young boys to learn by his example. Could that be dangerous?
Rich Rodriguez coached the Mountaineers 2001-2007.
Bengals WR Chris Henry attended WVU and played for Rodriguez from 2002-2005.
Titans CB Adam "Pacman" Jones attended WVU and played for Rodriguez from 2002-2005.
Henry has a "Criminal History" section on his Wikipedia entry.
Pacman has a "Legal Troubles" section on his Wikipedia entry.
Search for Chris Henry, you get mostly sports related, but you still get things related to the suspension and off field problems.
Search for Pacman Jones, you get 3-4 sports related entries and 6+ (especially if you click the news link) strip-club/shooting/warrant/arrest/etc entries.
Have you ever heard of Quincy Wilson? He was arrested in June of last year. Played his college ball at West Virginia for Rodriguez, and is close friends with Pacman and Henry. Close enough that the two showed up at his football camp.
It just makes you wonder exactly how many of Rodriguez's former players have criminal records, including the two years he spent at Clemson or even earlier at Salem, Tulane, or Glenville. It will be interesting to see which Michigan players get suspended a few years from now.
Is it something in the water in Morgantown?
What's the connection to Mike Vick here?
Well Surry County, Virginia, the home of Michael Vick, is just over 200 miles from Morgantown.
Well that's a little absurd but the point remains. We saw Rodriguez's character the last couple months, and we've seen the character of some of his former players. This doesn't bode well for Pat White and Steve Slaton or the future of Michigan football alumni.
More after the jump...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
What's going on in Morgantown?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Pacman Saga
"I was sitting in the office and he lunged at me numerous times in an effort to do grave bodily harm," Jackson wrote in the warrant application filed Jan. 7. "Veronica Jones, an owner, went into the hall to deal with a member of his entourage. I followed to gawk. He was in the hall, surprisingly reached over or around a security guard and sucker punched me in my left eye." |
Man this guy is great. He's obviously keeping his pimp hand strong, another thing we can check off Mr. Jones' list-of-things-to-do-that-happen-to-be-cool-sayings-in-the-hood. Now instead of going on a random tear of bad puns involving the stupidity of the 6th pick from the 2005 draft, I'm just gonna say this: Pacman...you'll be playing for the Bengals in no time.
*quote from ESPN.com
More after the jump...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
God help us...
... A phrase that was uttered...well actually written by my buddy Tanner. It was in regard to an expected addition to my family. Sarcastically (I hope) but I figure it has a more global meaning than he originally intended.
Kevin Garnett's a Celtic...A white guy has been the NBA MVP 3 years in a row...a Canadian and a European...The Colorado Rockies are in the World Series...South Florida was number 2 in the college football polls...5 top ten teams lose one week, 4 the next, and the number 1 and 2 the following week...there is a chance there will not only be a one-loss team in the National Championship but possibly a 2 loss team...sports are upside down all over the place.
The worst part of it all is that not too long ago ESPN and various other news reports discussed sports during their nightly airings. The biggest sports stories were streaks, records, scores, individual performances on the field. Now I listen to sports radio on the way home from work as they discuss the daily Police blotter. The pages of ESPN or FoxSports consist of Pacman Jones "making it rain"...gunfire, and a bouncer at a Las Vegas club will most likely never walk again. More people know the intricate details of that story which ocurred months ago at NBA All-Star weekend in Vegas (a reason Las Vegas should never have a professional sports team) than about the amazing story of Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills who began walking last week with assistance when just over a month ago he was in critical condition following an awkward hit in Buffalo's opeing game. These are the off field stories I want to hear about. As much as I rooted against Nebraska in the mid-90's it's hard to forget some of the memorable performances from Lawrence Phillips, of course, all I think about when I hear that name is him throwing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs. The sports magazine TV shows have court reporters and legal correspondants. This is preposterous.
If you make a league minimum (depending on the sport) you make more in a year than I do in 15 at my job, and good for you, the rule is if you can get them to pay it, then you're worth it. I take a cab or walk when I've had too much to drink, why is one of my favorite players, Lance Briggs (Chicago Bear and UA alumn) crashing his Lambo into a tree at 3 AM and fleeing from the scene. You can afford a cab, even with the Franchise tag limiting your funds so. Over a decade ago, when things were different there was an athelete who was ridiculed by some and praised by others for his now famous quote, "I am not a role model". At the time Chuck was a monster on the floor, and twice as brash off of it. I wish we had more players like Sir Charles around today to be role models. Where was Reggie Miller during the Artest "Malace in the Palace" melee a few years back. He wasn't in the stands. He wasn't throwing punches. He was old school, and he knew his place. People are cracking back on Roger Goodell saying he is being too harsh with these players. Maybe Tagliabue should have done something a few years ago so this wouldn't be happening with as much frequency. Children look up to sports stars, all I wanted to do when I was a kid was "be like Mike", like it or not athletes are raising our kids, along with the rest of popular culture, and we need more positive action from them. We need to get rid of this gangsta culture prevalent in todays sports.
One of my all time favorite quotes from a short-lived TV show, Sports Night. Spoken by Casey McCall:
"Look, I got into this because I like getting people to like sports. And I've turned into a PR man for punks and thugs. And any atrocity, no matter how ridiculous, or hideous, or childish, it doesn't matter. I make it sports. Ten-cent bagman whacks a skater's leg with a crowbar, that's sports. Second round draft pick gets cranky in a Houston bar, and that's sports. And let's not forget the mother of all great sports stories - a double homicide in Brentwood. "
Where's Bo, he knew things, he wasn't on the Police Radar (unless it was an ambulance taking him to the hospital after another hip injury or Cops playing Tecmo at the station), Where's Larry Legend playing HORSE with Michael and Earvin (Magic), Who remembers Lil' Penny or Mars Blackmon telling us it's gotta be the shoes, what happened.
Sports used to be about sports, sports facts used to consist of Batting Averages, Field Goal Percentage, and Yards per Carry. Now sports fact consist of suspensions, HGH, and prison sentences.
I'm supposed to raise a child to love sports as much as I do in this culture.
God Help Us.
More after the jump...
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