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LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama, Signs With South Alabama

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TideFan in AU

TideFan in AU

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

It is worth noting that Bozeman didn't even ever have to take the grayshirt year. The numbers worked out, and he started school as originally planned. This was most likely an option with Cole too, which is probably what he meant by the staff not giving him a straight answer. If we didn't fill all the spots, he may not have even had to wait.
 
Matt0424

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

I'm not trying to bad mouth a recruit, so I hope it doesn't come off that way, but if OU extended an offer it's just to try and "spite" Alabama. He has very little tape that points to him being a tip tier player.

This kid only had two offers (USA and Wake) for a reason. We were taking a flier on him because he seems to be one of those hard working kids from the state you can always use in the locker room. Coming off of injury he had absolutely no chance of playing as a freshman. He would have had 5 to play 4. Greyshirting would have basically give him 6 to play 4. It was much more advantageous to him.

As I said earlier, from all I've heard the staff told him from the get go that there could be a possibility of this. The reason for disconnect now, it seems, is that from the outside it looks like there is plenty of room in the class. That may not be the case. Just as it may not be the case he even HAS to greyshirt.

It's always his option. The staff never tells a kid the have to do it, but they do inform them the risk of not taking it. Spots are limited, and although some people like to call it dirty, we're very forthright with recruits. It's a reason a lot of kids, and parents, love our staff.

I wish Cole luck anywhere he goes, but if he's smart he'll reconsider his offer with us.

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LA4Bama

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

Howdy. I'm still new, enjoy reading your posts, and getting used the style of discussion here. I had something to chime in with . Basically, I think some people on both sides are making more of the situation than it merits. I think some people are assuming that the grey shirt was only made known to RC in the last few days, and others believe it has been on the table for a while. Obviously it matters because if the grey shirt was never mentioned and all of a sudden comes up 5 days before NSD, that is pretty hard to swallow. But, as long as it has been on the table from early on and everyone has been up front about the possibility, then I can't say I think a grey shirt offer is a problem.

At the same time, I'm really surprised to see people calling the young man's twitter post "immature". How is it immature? He didn't say bad things about anyone, he didn't claim to have been mislead, he threw no one under the bus. He said that he didn't get a "straight answer" and so he has decided to move on. If I asked the hot girl to go to the prom two months before prom and she said "maybe", believe me I'd stick around for a while hoping, but if 5 days before prom it was still "maybe", I'd move on, too. Because there's more to life than going with the hot girl; at some point it is better to go with someone who wants to go with you. At least, I think that is what RC is saying. And, I think that is okay to say, and to say in public. Is there really more to it?

Also, these guys are dealing with publicity for the first time, and small town publicity at that. They get asked a million questions from a million people, and at some point they just have to say something on twitter to the whole world so that the other 999,990 people they don't want to have to explain it all to will leave them alone. Not to mention, recruits are asked all the time these days to tell us why they are or are not going to sign with a school. Why should RC not tell his audience what his motive are? Some may assume he is trying to put our school on public blast; I assume he is telling his many friends and acquaintances what is going on in his life. And by comparison, last week Lyndell Wilson did put a school on public blast (Florida was it?) for not talking to his mom enough! I didn't see anyone here critiquing him for immaturity. I think looking at this with kind eyes, there's not much to see here.

The coaching staff (assuming forthrightness) is just doing its job. RC is not obviously immature; he got info, he made a decision, he announced it on his personal twitter feed to notify his friends and to satisfy the masses. Boom. Done. I'd call that okay. Making choice is the essence of being mature. Immature is to blame others for the choices we make, or to blame others for the consequences of the choices we make. If some weeks after NSD this young man were to start complaining about the choice he made, saying he was slighted, or something like that, then I could understand questioning his maturity.
 
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tommy23

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

All true

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deliveryman35

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

CrimsonForce said:
If true, he probably ends up at Oklahoma..

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Given that OU fans are some of the most vocal opponents that I've heard of our gray-shirting practice, this development does not surprise me ONE BIT.
 
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B1GTide

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

To those who say that he was wrong to tweet what he did, ask yourselves this - would Alabama do this to a 5 star currently committed to Alabama and recovering from an injury? The answer is no. So the kid is correct. Saban showed this young man how little he is valued. Time to move on. He went from being courted by Alabama to spurned by Alabama. He is now being told that if he decides to stick around, they will give him a scholly next year. But, guess what - they don't have to any more than they had to give him this one. That offer can be pulled, too.

Trust - if the kid no longer trusts the Alabama coaching staff, he needs to move on.
 
RedStar

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

LA4Bama said:
Howdy. I'm still new, enjoy reading your posts, and getting used the style of discussion here. I had something to chime in with . Basically, I think some people on both sides are making more of the situation than it merits. I think some people are assuming that the grey shirt was only made known to RC in the last few days, and others believe it has been on the table for a while. Obviously it matters because if the grey shirt was never mentioned and all of a sudden comes up 5 days before NSD, that is pretty hard to swallow. But, as long as it has been on the table from early on and everyone has been up front about the possibility, then I can't say I think a grey shirt offer is a problem.

At the same time, I'm really surprised to see people calling the young man's twitter post "immature". How is it immature? He didn't say bad things about anyone, he didn't claim to have been mislead, he threw no one under the bus. He said that he didn't get a "straight answer" and so he has decided to move on. If I asked the hot girl to go to the prom two months before prom and she said "maybe", believe me I'd stick around for a while hoping, but if 5 days before prom it was still "maybe", I'd move on, too. Because there's more to life than going with the hot girl; at some point it is better to go with someone who wants to go with you. At least, I think that is what RC is saying. And, I think that is okay to say, and to say in public. Is there really more to it?

Also, these guys are dealing with publicity for the first time, and small town publicity at that. They get asked a million questions from a million people, and at some point they just have to say something on twitter to the whole world so that the other 999,990 people they don't want to have to explain it all to will leave them alone. Not to mention, recruits are asked all the time these days to tell us why they are or are not going to sign with a school. Why should RC not tell his audience what his motive are? Some may assume he is trying to put our school on public blast; I assume he is telling his many friends and acquaintances what is going on in his life. And by comparison, last week Lyndell Wilson did put a school on public blast (Florida was it?) for not talking to his mom enough! I didn't see anyone here critiquing him for immaturity. I think looking at this with kind eyes, there's not much to see here.

The coaching staff (assuming forthrightness) is just doing its job. RC is not obviously immature; he got info, he made a decision, he announced it on his personal twitter feed to notify his friends and to satisfy the masses. Boom. Done. I'd call that okay. Making choice is the essence of being mature. Immature is to blame others for the choices we make, or to blame others for the consequences of the choices we make. If some weeks after NSD this young man were to start complaining about the choice he made, saying he was slighted, or something like that, then I could understand questioning his maturity.
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This is a bad analogy because the Prom lasts one night, his football career could last 5 years.

A better analogy would have been your same scenario, except instead of a "maybe," it would be the hot girl saying "we'll either get to Prom on time, or we'll get there 15 minutes late, either way, I'm definitely going with you."
 
RedStar

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

B1GTide said:
To those who say that he was wrong to tweet what he did, ask yourselves this - would Alabama do this to a 5 star currently committed to Alabama and recovering from an injury? The answer is no. So the kid is correct. Saban showed this young man how little he is valued. Time to move on. He went from being courted by Alabama to spurned by Alabama. He is now being told that if he decides to stick around, they will give him a scholly next year. But, guess what - they don't have to any more than they had to give him this one. That offer can be pulled, too.

Trust - if the kid no longer trusts the Alabama coaching staff, he needs to move on.
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I really wish you'd get banned because I get so tired of your "I'm a part time Alabama fan but I also like to bad mouth Alabama" shtick.
 
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imauafan

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

RedStar said:
I really wish you'd get banned because I get so tired of your "I'm a part time Alabama fan but I also like to bad mouth Alabama" shtick.
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Dude! I don't always agree with B1GTide but he has been a good poster on this site for a long time. Just because he has an opinion that differs from yours is no reason to ban him. I'm torn on this issue so I'm not posting one way or the other until I can figure it out.
 
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TitleWave

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

imauafan said:
Dude! I don't always agree with B1GTide but he has been a good poster on this site for a long time. Just because he has an opinion that differs from yours is no reason to ban him.
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Yeah, cut him some slack - he's either come down with a sad case of righteous inB1Gnation or has been posting recently from behind the president's desk of Youngstown State University...
 
RedStar

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

imauafan said:
Dude! I don't always agree with B1GTide but he has been a good poster on this site for a long time. Just because he has an opinion that differs from yours is no reason to ban him. I'm torn on this issue so I'm not posting one way or the other until I can figure it out.
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Because it's not just this post. This is an Alabama site. If I wanted to read disparaging marks about the University or the staff, I'd go read an article by Dan Wolken. There's a reason I avoid stuff like that when I come here.

Fair reporting or commentary is fine. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I don't like reading posts or comments from guys who are dyed in the wool homers either, but because this is an Alabama site I expect that. I don't think everything the staff or the University does is above reproach either, but consistently commenting on situations or events that arise in such a one sided manner tips your hand. We don't know all the facts here, we'll likely never know all the facts here. So the rush to judgement against Alabama seems absurd.

We do know what's happened in the PAST. And players have consistently come forward and said that when this is a possibility, it's always addressed up front when a scholarship is handed out. If you want to comment on that practice? Go for it. But when you take the word of a 17 year old kid you've never met over a proven head coach of the team you "pull for," it more than shows your hand.
 
TrueCrimson7

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

Opinions are fine. Let's get this back to the grayshirting discussion and subsequent decommitment of Mr. Cole.

I for one dislike the appearance of this for the program, but understand that it goes with the territory when you have 4 and 5 star recruits who change their minds (and word) several times in the recruiting process.
 
2003TIDE

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

B1GTide said:
To those who say that he was wrong to tweet what he did, ask yourselves this - would Alabama do this to a 5 star currently committed to Alabama and recovering from an injury? The answer is no. So the kid is correct. Saban showed this young man how little he is valued. Time to move on. He went from being courted by Alabama to spurned by Alabama. He is now being told that if he decides to stick around, they will give him a scholly next year. But, guess what - they don't have to any more than they had to give him this one. That offer can be pulled, too.

Trust - if the kid no longer trusts the Alabama coaching staff, he needs to move on.
Click to expand...
So you are a glass half empty kinda guy huh? Sounds like we yanked his scholarship offer when you say it, but in actuality we asked him to hold off a few months before enrolling. He still had an offer to come to school and play.
 
BamaMoon

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

LA, the problem with turning to social media when disappointed is it seldom works to anyone's advantage. No matter how righteous your case, it comes across as sour grapes.

This is true of college football players, political junkies, grandmothers or anybody else. Social media is the WORST way to handle conflict and disappointment!
 
R

runtheoption22

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

B1GTide said:
To those who say that he was wrong to tweet what he did, ask yourselves this - would Alabama do this to a 5 star currently committed to Alabama and recovering from an injury? The answer is no. So the kid is correct. Saban showed this young man how little he is valued. Time to move on. He went from being courted by Alabama to spurned by Alabama. He is now being told that if he decides to stick around, they will give him a scholly next year. But, guess what - they don't have to any more than they had to give him this one. That offer can be pulled, too.

Trust - if the kid no longer trusts the Alabama coaching staff, he needs to move on.
Click to expand...
The kid still has a scholarship. Christian Bell just took one, and he is twice the athlete RC is. John Parker Wilson extremely benefitted from a greyshirt. CNS wouldn't pull an offer for a player without actions detrimental to himself or team.
 
skipster63

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

What is it about recruiting that just brings out the worst in people? I never see more people at each other's throats and more judgmental than this time of year. Recruits take this news different ways. Some have good attitudes. Some not. Christian Bell was fine with it. Riley...not so much. There was not any "yank" of a scholly. Hoping for someone to get banned because of their opinion? Gimme a break. He is entitled to his opinion though I would disagree with his characterization of the whole thing but I believe we can keep things respectable here. I just think we need to understand that (1) we are dealing with kids here who on a good day don't exercise much maturity and have parents that may or may not be providing mature guidance and (2) the media who has made Alabama out to be the NY Yankees of college football. Seems folks here get about as emo as some of these kids and their parents this time of the year. After observing this for like 25 years, I keep hoping it will get better but I am now resigned to the fact that it never will change. Just step back and take a breather folks.
 
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RedStar

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

skipster63 said:
What is it about recruiting that just brings out the worst in people? I never see more people at each other's throats and more judgmental than this time of year. Recruits take this news different ways. Some have good attitudes. Some not. Christian Bell was fine with it. Riley...not so much. There was any "yank" of a scholly. Hoping for someone to get banned because of their opinion? Gimme a break. He is entitled to his opinion though I would disagree with his characterization of the whole thing but I believe we can keep things respectable here. I just think we need to understand that (1) we are dealing with kids here who on a good day don't exercise much maturity and have parents that may or may not be providing mature guidance and (2) the media who has made Alabama out to be the NY Yankees of college football. Seems folks here get about as emo as some of these kids and their parents this time of the year. After observing this for like 25 years, I keep hoping it will get better but I am now resigned to the fact that it never will change. Just step back and take a breather folks.
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I thought we kept things respectable around here too. Constantly having to read anti-Alabama rhetoric on an Alabama site doesn't feel very respectable.
 
CajunCrimson

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

B1GTide said:
To those who say that he was wrong to tweet what he did, ask yourselves this - would Alabama do this to a 5 star currently committed to Alabama and recovering from an injury? The answer is no. So the kid is correct. Saban showed this young man how little he is valued. Time to move on. He went from being courted by Alabama to spurned by Alabama. He is now being told that if he decides to stick around, they will give him a scholly next year. But, guess what - they don't have to any more than they had to give him this one. That offer can be pulled, too.

Trust - if the kid no longer trusts the Alabama coaching staff, he needs to move on.
Click to expand...
Now that we have had your opinion expressed 3 different times.....what? We usually can deal with repeated negativity from one of our own. But, when someone starts sounding like a true Non-SEC fan with an agenda.....it may be time to "let it go" - at least as far as I'm concerned. Especially when you use words like "spurned"

spurn
spərn/Submit
verb
past tense: spurned; past participle: spurned
reject with disdain or contempt.
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Are you sure "spurned" is the word you want to use?
 
B1GTide

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

RedStar said:
I really wish you'd get banned because I get so tired of your "I'm a part time Alabama fan but I also like to bad mouth Alabama" shtick.
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If the mods decide to ban me, so be it. Integrity is more important to me than football. I don't excuse this kind of behavior anywhere that I see it, including OSU. I am way more critical of this stuff at OSU than you guys are, and you hate Meyer. I guess that you are fine with it as long as it helps Alabama. That is your choice.
 
B1GTide

B1GTide

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Re: LB Riley Cole De-Commits from Alabama After Asked to Take Greyshirt

TitleWave said:
Yeah, cut him some slack - he's either come down with a sad case of righteous inB1Gnation or has been posting recently from behind the president's desk of Youngstown State University...
Click to expand...
Now that is funny.
 
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