Longhorn Arrests and the Perception Problem
by Peter Bean on Sep 19, 2007 9:30 AM CDT
in Football
49 comments
Fallout from the spree of arrests continues today, forcing Mack Brown to deal with media scrutiny and prompting columnists like Kirk Bohls to propose solutions. One of Bohls' ideas is to establish a curfew for the team, even if it is - practically speaking - unenforceable. Such a policy, Bohls argues, would give Brown solid footing for extra discipline if a player encountered trouble after the team-specified curfew.
Brown seems already to have rejected that idea, however, by noting that the Joseph and Jones incidents occurred during the daytime.
Still, I think Bohls has a point here when he notes that Brown should start enacting policies for the purpose of perception alone. This gets back to what we discussed in yesterday's morning notes, as well. Mack Brown is inexplicably losing this PR battle, fighting upstream to try to convince the public with words alone that all is well. At some point, you have to abandon the tactic of insisting that this kind of scrutiny is unfair because the overwhelming majority of your kids are good ones.
Mack's decision to continue with this strategy is troubling on a number of levels. Not only is it simply ineffective under these circumstances, but it suggests a more fundamental misunderstanding about how life works. One of the most elemental underlying issues here is whether Mack Brown is doing enough to get these kids to understand their responsibilities to themselves, their teammates, their university, and society at large. What lesson is he teaching these kids if they see him on TV defensively trying to explain away a widely perceived problem?
Life ain't always fair, Mack - not in general and not when you're in the spotlight. With great celebrity comes great scrutiny, and either this coach fails to understand that or he's simply choosing to distort the reality of the situation in an effort to protect his kids.
While most Texas fans have given Mack Brown the benefit of the doubt at every turn, the severity of this pattern of lawlessness, as well as Mack Brown's handling of it, leave us no choice but to begin to ask the hard questions.
Is it possible that these kids are acting in ways which convey a disrespect for authority because their coach is not asserting enough authority himself? What kind of message does it give the team if their coach continues to deny the existence of a problem in the very face of said problem? What lessons are these kids learning about accountability when their coach asks people not to focus on weak spots in the program? Should the players only focus on their good plays from a game? Look only at their "overall" quality of play?
These are just some of the questions that Mack Brown is forcing us to ask. And I use the word 'forcing' purposely - Mack Brown has left us no choice but to ask these questions because of the way he's handling this publicly.
Even if you believe, as most do, that Mack Brown's intentions are pure, that he does work stringently to avoid problem kids, and that this isn't necessarily some sort of huge deterioration of discipline in the program overall, there is still the problem of perception. Someone needs to let Mack Brown know that denying the problem only makes matters worse.
--PB--
0 recs |
49 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Exactly!
If he'd stop all that damned sideline clapping and bear down on his players every once in a while, things just might shape up on and off the field.
by jjv78 on Sep 19, 2007 9:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Well said....
Now is not the time to deflect and/or portray the good Doctor Spin. Now is the time to own it. There's an acknowledged problem by all who have the capacity for deductive reasoning. It ruins my world to think that The University's name is getting dragged through the mud by media pundits and I never attended one day of class there. However, the most valuable posession I have in the world does currently, and I want him to be VERY proud of his school in every respect. Kids are going to be kids. I did some things when I was college age for which I am none too proud. However, none were felonys. Let's call it what it is....a huge problem. I'm with you Peter. I want to know Coach Brown's solutions. I'd rather go 7-5 and play in the Weedeater Bowl as opposed to this kind of embarrassment.
by Horns4Ever on Sep 19, 2007 9:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
When does Mack get pissed off
that all his work to get "good" kids is blowing up in his face? I hope that behind closed doors he is a little less defensive about these kids and a little more critical. He should be livid that this number of events has happened. And let's all (including Mack) not be so naive to think that these are the only incidents. These are the ones that got caught. How many other DUI's, possession, or worse have happened and not been caught?
I love the Longhorns but I don't have a leg to stand on when trying to defend them against scrutiny these days. Winning the right way matters. Reputation matters. Perception matters, right or wrong. I have lost a lot of respect for Mack Brown and the Longhorns in the past months and I hope I can get it back.
by JT Longhorn on Sep 19, 2007 10:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
upset because i got an email from my mom about it
From: Tina Alexander [mailto:talexander@****.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 9:59 AM
To: Dmetrius Alexander
Subject: RE: top of the morning to ya
I’m sure you heard about this already
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...
Yes
Very disappointing
Tired of the longhorns getting arrested
But it’s all stemming from one incident
If they cant get their act together
They need to be cut
Id’ve been kicked out of school for that
Why do they keep their scholarships
Some black folks really don’t understand ... it’s embarrassing to become a statistic
When you have a paid ride not to be
And there’s so many of us working to get ahead and these knuckleheads aren’t appreciating the gifts they have
by abcdmetrius on Sep 19, 2007 10:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Come on now!
Don't make this thing racial.
by Cyrus on Sep 19, 2007 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm black
and i'm embarrassed
by the behavior
that's my extent to the racial connotations of this
by abcdmetrius on Sep 19, 2007 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see
However, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm not embarrassed about Charles Whitman being white!
by Cyrus on Sep 19, 2007 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is different for us
When white people do stupid shit people don't look at us or expect us to fix it.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually disappointed is a better word
not embarrassed
i dont see this as a reflection on most of us
but i do see it as ... are we not learning anything
and why are so many not seeing the bigger picture
if you're in college playing football
the chances of you making the pros are higher than normal
but still pretty slim ... but you're getting an eduction
that should be put to use ... because if you dont make the pros ... what else are you gonna do ... hell even if you do make the pros
why not put that education to use
now say you go out and blow that scholarship and education
meanwhile blowing your slim chances at the pros
what expectations do you have for life at that point
where do you plan on going from there
over some foolishness
this is disappointing
by abcdmetrius on Sep 19, 2007 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
but becoming a statistic is embarassing
i had a talk with my mother last week
yes i still talk to my mother on a near daily basis
but the subject came up about could she ever choke one of her coworkers ... my random question
she said no
and my reason for no was different from hers =
the fear of going
to jail isnt as much as a deterrent as
the embarrassment of going to jail
not that i'd ever choke someone at my office because i wouldnt let a situation get out of hand like that
but just in life situations
i'm more afraid of being labeled and falling into the stereotype
than the actual fear of the punishment
by abcdmetrius on Sep 19, 2007 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well put
While there are second chances in life, these kids are blowing their best chance. The road to success following a conviction will be a long and lonely road.
What these kids don't realize is that once at UT they are being handed a great opportunity and it's their own future for which they are playing. When and if they take ownership of their future - they'll be a lot smarter about their choices.
by Speedway on Sep 19, 2007 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
me too
i got an email from my mom about it, too--and she lives in CA.
:(
by crocodile235 on Sep 19, 2007 10:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
after the link is my response
should've made that more clear
by abcdmetrius on Sep 19, 2007 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Shocked !!
I am really shocked at how my thoughts on this issue have affected my support for Mack. I guess it's one of those "last straw" type things. While I have always defended him and supported his rebuilding of the program, perhaps under the surface I have always been troubled a bit by the "CEO approach" Mack seems to employ. In his statement, it was just more of the same talk that troubles me. "I have told the coaches.... and they are having one on one meetings with the kids"...blah blah blah.
Does Mack ever have one on ones with the kids ?.
Do the players really fear Macks power ?
Do they understand that Mack actually holds their future right in the palm of his hands at this time in their lives, and has no problems throwing slackers to the wolves - scholarship and all ?
If the answer to those questions are all no, this problem will not go away - and Mack's days on the 40 will be numbered.
by jbob on Sep 19, 2007 10:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
OMG Calm Down
This is not a fireable offense.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Tipping Point
Bear with me; this relates to Texas football, I swear.
One of the most interesting stories in Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point is about the shocking and dramatic downturn of crime in New York City in the early to mid-90's. Now, New York City has the lowest crime rate of the 10 biggest cities in the US (side note: Dallas is the #1 most dangerous according to the FBI). The number of murders in NYC has decreased from 2,605 in 1990 to 874 in 2005. Why?
There are lots of theories, but none of them are stricter penalties. New York hasn't executed anyone since the death penalty was reinstated in the mid-70's and its capital punishment scheme that was enacted in 1995 was overturned a few years later. In the Tipping Point, the theory for the crime downturn was "Broken Windows" policing. If you police the small things like graffiti, jaywalking, subway fare-dodging, etc. and fix small problems like garbage on the streets and broken windows, then you prevent bigger problems from developing. It's much more detailed in the book, which you should all read, but that's the gist of it.
There are plenty of critics of this theory, and for an alternative (and extremely controversial) theory of the crime drop in NY and nationwide, read Freakonomics. But one aspect I think rings true and has been repeatedly shown by sociological studies: punishing offenders 100% of the time no matter how minor the offense is much more effective at preventing further offenses than is increasing the severity of the punishments for the very serious offenses. That is, if someone is 100% sure that they will be caught and punished in some way for committing a crime, they are more likely to not commit that crime than if they are 50% sure they will be caught and (if caught) punished severely. In general society, then, to implement this you would want to invest less money and effort in the penal system and more in the police.
So what does this mean for the Texas football team? Well, the lesson of the Tipping Point is that little things can make a big difference (in fact, that’s the subtitle). So punish the little things. Hire people to ensure that everything that a player does wrong will be found out and in some way punished. That doesn’t mean suspensions for missing curfew, but something more minor. It’s not about the severity of punishments, but about the certainty of getting caught doing something wrong. Those who don’t obey the little team rules are likely the ones who won’t obey the bigger legal rules either. If they’re sure they’ll get caught and punished in some way for everything they do, they’ll either stop doing what they’re doing wrong or they’ll leave. Either way, I think we’re happy.
To those calling for offenders to be kicked off the team, that may be a little harsh. Certainly, if the crime is bad enough, that’s an appropriate punishment. But it is not going to send an effective message to the team that this stuff can’t be done. Ramonce was kicked off the team last year and that didn’t seem to prevent any of this from happening. The solution is in the little things.
by billyzane on Sep 19, 2007 10:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree BZ
This aptness of this concept is pithily contained in the Bible; basically, if you can't be faithful in the little things, how can you be trusted to be faithful in the big ones?
by Horntod on Sep 19, 2007 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't we talk about
a tipping point in the Red River Shout Out two years ago? I think I remember that.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One message I took from Freakonomics
is the fact that near-sighted solutions have very little effect.
At first problems like this will appear to be no solution, it seems things evolve chaotically and we can only sort them out and assess them after-the-fact. But if you look closer, differences can be made, but only if you can see far enough ahead.
I'm not sure exactly how this can be applied in this case. The evolution of the Texas football program is very complex. Perhaps it has simply reached a point that other programs with national titles have reached, which is a convolving of media scrutiny, greater desirability for all sorts of recruits, more responsibilities for the coaches, more pressure on the current players, etc.
Can we address these issues individually? In other words, can we [in the order listed above] close practices to the media, recruit only good characters, cut down on the coaches public appearances, have stress counseling for the current players, etc?
I don't think you can fix the symptoms. This issue needs a more all-encompassing, far-sighted solution. What that solution might be, I don't know. I suppose solving this dilemma would certainly earn Mack his salary.
Any suggestions?
by BrooklynHorn on Sep 19, 2007 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why so many?
None of us were "policed" or "talked to" in college. No one really told us not to rob people. Why the average of trouble is much higher between our football players?
Any insight?
by Cyrus on Sep 19, 2007 10:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i don't know about you
but i grew up in a upper middle class suburb in a stable household with minimal crime or poverty around me. that doesn't mean i was destined to become a law-abiding citizen, but it sure made it a whole lot more likely than if I grew up in the same environement as some of our football players.
and for the record, of all the things our players have been arrested for over the last few months (DWI, possession, etc), I've done all of them in my life except the robbery/assault (robert joseph and related incidents). I just never got caught.
by billyzane on Sep 19, 2007 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What gets reported?
For the general student population, unless you can decipher the police reports, most general misbehaviors don't get reported. Only the big ticket news items, like murder and rape, occasionally serial burglaries, identity theft and the like. There have been two major thefts of identity from the data bases of UT but even that didn't stay long in the news.
Back in the day, football players were golden; that is, they were seldom touched by the police, were guided home in many cases and there was a general 'hands off' approach across the state, not just Austin. Big time drinking sprees were more 'manly' than criminal even if they abused some people or property [there are some 60s DLs that are legendary]. But there has been increasing scrutiny from the 70s and, whether related or not, as the complexion of the team changed. Certainly the level of attention of the police in Austin has changed dramatically in 35-40 years, without putting too fine a point on it.
Basically, student mischief is seldom a news topic but any UT athletic mischief is news worthy just because of the association. That's part of constantly seeking national attention. Once you're on the stage, the spotlight shows everything.
The standards are higher for athletes because the relative attention and exposure is much higher. And the simple repetition via the media (including blogs) increases exponentially once an incident occurs. A series of incidents is thus highly inflated, the PR hit bigger and in a highly propagandized society (adv. is not balanced, neither is most govt/political info injected into the system), balanced and rational inquiry comes after the news blasts, if at all.
The real key here is the break-in with Joseph and Henry (and maybe not Dre), for that was criminal and premeditated. The rest of the behaviors, while not too bright or with any apparent foresight, are not so different from regular students in the 18-22 range.
Last, Mack has pointed out that the real authority forces in the athletes lives, particularly when they're minors, is their parents. Mack can be trumped and that can be a complicating factor, one which can be highly emotional. We don't necessarily share the same basic presumptions and agreements about how things are.
And if you were never policed in college, never had to talk to a Dean or was put on probation (non-scholastic), then perhaps you skated by. Due to an incident with a water balloon, actually quite funny, my roommate and I actually did have such encounter and did get 'talked to' and had to walk a narrow line for a semester. Most students don't cross that line but the University can and does intercede. They do want to protect their reputation but they also want you to protect yours; you're a customer and potentially a future success and donor. Criminal behavior, however, is a different ball game and should be. However, when stories like this hit the press that line of differentiation does get blurred.
Even the press protects itself. I works in the AA-S in the early 70s. You never heard about the key Horns writer, the top of the plum positions, getting fired for betting on games, did you? The threat of passing privileged info was so great that this guy literally disappeared one morning. One minute he was there, the next it was as if he had never been there.
Even though it seems quiet at the moment, you can bet there is a swarm of lawyers seeking out info now and digging in a manner that hadn't been there before. I would bet APD is getting some serious attention and the UT sports administrative department is digging furiously to get to the bottom of this and deflate it as much as possible. This is a real threat to the multi-million dollar enterprise.
The average of trouble for athletes is probably less than with the general student population precisely because they have a stricter framework due to their sports pursuits. It's the media attention which is the force multiplier.
by whills on Sep 19, 2007 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It would be interesting
to see the Crime statistics between the average UT student and the Football team. I would guess that the average student is probably more likely to get arrested than a UT football player.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
An outsider's question
As a person whose only visit to Austin was during the Hurricane Rita evacuation and is very unfamiliar with the athletic program's culture, I have one question. If the perception persists that Mack isn't doing enough to prevent any further arrests or embarrassment, at what point does the administration step in and make their own changes?
by blackdog81 on Sep 19, 2007 11:19 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
When people stop paying to watch the Horns
It's always about money. I believe Coach Brown genuinely cares for his players and wants to see them succeed, but he knows as all coaches in big D1 programs know, it's all about winning because winning is what keeps the stadiums and the coffers full.
by 54b on Sep 19, 2007 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My basic thoughts too
Since the series of arrests began in June, I've held the view that Mack is not responsible for the short-sighted actions of a few players. As one of PB's main points addressed, however, there is now a perception problem, and that problem needs to be fixed. As multiple BONers stated in this thread, that perception could negatively affect recruiting, which in turn could possibly lead to the winning issue you mentioned.
by blackdog81 on Sep 20, 2007 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Orientation
This is not about respect for authority, except that elite athletes may be coming from HS programs where they could get away with anything no longer have that luxury. It is about becoming a public figure and the type of behavior that requires. As kids arrive on campus, they need to be shown in the strongest possible terms that their actions will not go unnoticed and that there are those who seek to profit by exposing them. They need to be shown the costs of getting caught -- no football, no scholarship, no degree, no pro career, no job prospects, no respect, no women, no second chance. They need to be shown how the law operates and the consequences of associating with lawbreakers.
What's needed is an intensive orientation program, led by former players, that shows them the new facts of life. And their performance in this training should be evaluated and those who fail should be dropped from the program. Before they screw it up for everyone else.
by Caradoc on Sep 19, 2007 11:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Interesting idea
But you would have to be really vigilant in catching even minor infractions to convince the players that the program is just not BS. That is why I think the best solution is the punish the whole team, that would create good PR, plus create an environment where they police themselves.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Am I alone...
in thinking that people are putting a little too much pressure on a damn football coach with these incidents? Yes, the players arrested are all on the team that Mack Brown coaches. So what. A lot of these players are very young guys that have taken more influence from parents, close friends, etc than a football coach.
Yes, Mack rules the field. Considering most of the guys have aspirations of playing professionally, Mack controls a lot of their future. Still, I don't think there's any misunderstanding from the players that if they commit a serious crime and are caught/prosecuted, they'll be off the team. As far as I'm concerned, that's where Mack Brown's responsibility stops.
At some point we have to recognize that, no matter what a football coach says in team meetings, when those guys get out on their own they still make their own decisions. Sometimes people just CHOOSE to screw up. Why we expect one man to be able to change the ignorant choices of a large group of young players is beyond me.
What should Mack Brown do? Make his expectations clear. Make the consequences for violating his expectations clear. Be consistent with his punishment of those who violate his expectations. Coach football. As far as I'm concerned, he's doing those things.
Blame the people who made the decisions, not the guy who coaches their football team.
j-
by sterling on Sep 19, 2007 11:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think you are alone
No one's saying that mack can prevent everyone on the team from doing something illegal. Some people are always going to make bad decisions. But when it's half the team doing so and getting caught, it becomes more than just about the individuals. It becomes an institutional problem, not just an individual one.
Additionally, it harms the perception of the University and it's football team. That can have negative effects on on-the-field play as well, as it could affect recruiting and donations made by alumni, etc.
Mack isn't just the head of the football team, he's the head of the football program, and has made that clear through his CEO-style approach. Keeping the program healthy includes avoiding these embarrassing incidents and as such, he should be held responsible when it shifts from isolated incidents to an institutional problem.
by billyzane on Sep 19, 2007 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Half the team?
I think you are over reacting. As stated in the Bohls article Florida has had more kids arrested since the MNC than Texas has. This is a perception issue, and one that amazes me that Mac has not fixed. For someone who is known to be good with the press, he should know the worst thing to do in this situation is try to tell the press how to do their job and play the victim.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
using the CEO comparison...
seems to play more into my suggestion.
When a CEO has employees that break the law and make the company look bad - he fires them. Period. CEO's aren't responsible for babysitting their employees, who are assumed to be responsible adults, once they leave work.
When a mid level manager for a company commits a crime, you don't see news stories about how "the CEO should have done more to prevent this," do you? If the crime is directly tied into business activities, maybe, but not when it's completely separate. These issues are 100% removed from football and relate to the players' private lives.
I agree that it's hurting our perception. That's unfortunate, and I'm sure Mack hates it more than us. That fact alone, though, doesn't mean that he has any more control over it than we do.
He's made it clear that players who break the law will be punished/removed from the team. He's enforced this rule. I'm sure there have been more "team meetings" about this than any of us know. Aside from policing the players lives 100% of the time, what else can we expect him to do?
j-
by sterling on Sep 19, 2007 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
no
You're not alone. Three of these arrests stem from just one ridiculously stupid incident involving players who are no longer part of the team (or soon to be that way).
Punishments that have been meted out have been appropriate (or excessive in Pittman's case).
Claiming that "half the team is doing so and getting caught" is a highly exaggerated claim which distorts and unfairly adds to the perception problem that exists.
I don't like any of this any more than the next guy, but the question remains...what more can be done? And why is perception more important than reality?
And who is to say that the message hasn't already been delivered effectively? This recent arrest is from the older incident.
by Jason Mayer on Sep 19, 2007 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Recent arrest from older incident?
I thought it was an obstruction charge. I thought Henry was going and intimidating witnesses after the fact. Sure maybe he's the bad seed from an earlier incident that got away, but he's still acting like a thug ("Bitches need to get kicked"??? are you fucking kidding me???), while representing the UT Football Team and the University as a whole.
This whole thing sucks, and I agree that it really is starting to smell like a lack of control over the players.
by littlevisigoth on Sep 19, 2007 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it was
It was a retaliation and tampering charge for Henry stemming from his decision to go beat the crap out of the robbery victims the day after it happened in July.
Another point regarding all of this is what should/can Mack do to prevent these things from happening over the summer? Aren't coaches prevented from contact with players during this time?
Obviously some schools have better records regarding off-field incidents like this, but what do they do differently?
by Jason Mayer on Sep 19, 2007 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
fair enough
i was certainly exaggerating with "half the team" and i get your point.
but while this most recent arrest may have arisen out of the Joseph incident, it happened well after than incident as well. it's a separate incident related to the previous one.
by billyzane on Sep 19, 2007 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My reaction
I really wanted to write a thoughtful reaction to this whole thing. I really like Mack, and I want to say it's not his fault, but I don't know.
My final reaction: I will not think about this thing. I will no more read anything about it. It may just go away!
by Cyrus on Sep 19, 2007 1:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I can't wait until Saturday.
Win or lose, we'll have something else to talk about.
by 16thLonghorn on Sep 19, 2007 2:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You can't blame Mack for this
Is it possible that these kids are acting in ways which convey a disrespect for authority because their coach is not asserting enough authority himself? What kind of message does it give the team if their coach continues to deny the existence of a problem in the very face of said problem? What lessons are these kids learning about accountability when their coach asks people not to focus on weak spots in the program?
You ALWAYS blame the parents first. They didn't raise the kids appropriately. They didn't teach their kids what is right and wrong. They didn't teach their kids about accountability.
Mack Brown is the kids' football coach, not their freaking daddy. He shouldn't be asked to be a daddy. He already has enough to worry about, like satisfying all the fans that would want his burnt orange blood if they start underachieving.
What about the kids on the team who AREN'T getting arrested? Was it because Mack was teaching them the values of accountability and morals? Doubt it. They just had better parents that raised them the right way.
by goingforthecorner on Sep 19, 2007 2:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
maybe you can't blame him for it
but it's certainly his problem. what do you want him to do? sit there and say, "it's not my fault!"
by billyzane on Sep 19, 2007 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The bigger picture
Is how will this affect recruiting. I've gotten to talk with folks (parents) whose kids went to play at Texas because of Mack. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Mack, but I can see where he goes into a recruit's living room, stares a mom and pop right in the eye and says he will take their son in. It's a family at Texas. We look out for one another. The father looks at Mack as a guy who will be a father to his son down in Austin.
I can see why parents love sending their kids to Texas and why high school coaches around the state have his respect, too. But what will it be like now? Fathers, mothers and high school coaches - who all play big roles in a young kid's life - may begin second guessing Mack's "Father Figure" status. They may look at some of the recent thuggoonery and decide to keep other schools open as an option. And you can surely bet that other schools will bring this up when they visit that same recruit.
It happens at big schools that have success (Miami twice, FSU twice, Nebraska, OU, etc) and they all bounce back. I agree that these are only a few isolated incidents that your typical college student can get into. And there's no way possible for the coaching staffs to keep an eye on these kids. This team needs leaders both on and off the field. Okam, Sweed, McCoy and others needs to start taking control of this team as vocal and emotional leaders. Right now it's merely a small snowball, but it has gotten bigger rather quickly and this has to stop before it gains any more momentum!
by FreedomDip on Sep 19, 2007 3:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"thuggoonery"
I love it.
Excellent points as always Freedom.
by Jason Mayer on Sep 19, 2007 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The bigger picture is LIFE
Forget about recruiting. Lets talk about the REAL big picture. There are too many kids and teens that are being deprived of leadership from their family.
There are too many adults that are having kids they can't support.
Too many divorces, leading to the inability for a single parent (who's probably working a full-time job) to give their kids the appropriate leadership.
Too many adults making stupid mistakes and going to prison, setting a poor example of their kids, and forcing the other parent to take care of the kid.
Why is Texas football a victim of this more than anyone right now? I have no idea. It's probably cyclical more than anything. I feel sorry for Mack. He doesn't deserve this at all. No football coach deserves this. Larry Coker didn't deserve this.
by goingforthecorner on Sep 19, 2007 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
let's punch someone in the balls about it.
if texas fans go around punching prominent people in the nuts it will totally overshadow this whole nonsense about some dudes smoking weed and kicking bitches that deserved it.
i think we all know what kind of mind comes up with such great plans:
by mattw on Sep 19, 2007 4:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
How did this picture not make the front page
PB, this picture should have at least a caption contest. This is the coach I hate only slightly less than Stoops. Plus, at least I semi-respect Stoops.
by Wells on Sep 19, 2007 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Perception is reality, and nice partial spiderman
reference. "With great celebrity comes great scrutiny." I can almost hear Uncle Ben speaking these words toward all our wayward sons.
by stefancl on Sep 19, 2007 5:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
