Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (update: x-ferring to tennessee)

RedWave

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

I can name a few very good reasons, but none will satisfy those here who have made up their minds about this young man so I won't bother.
Since we are talking about a grad transfer here, I actually agree with you on this one. There is a rule, and the rule should have held through the M. Smith transfer to UGA, but it didn't. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube (even though Mythbusters disagrees with this idiom). The kid did what he was supposed to do. He graduated, stayed with the team, waited his turn, and still will not crack the starting lineup. I think we should let him go wherever. Now if he were still an undergrad, I would be more insistent on his staying off of our future scheduled teams' rosters. Why? I have no logical reason(sometimes I go with the gut, despite what common sense or good judgment tell me). I just think the rule needs to be upheld to a point until it is officially changed. The undergrad has not yet completed all of what was asked of him, and should have to wait his time out or transfer out of conference.
 

crimsonaudio

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

I just think the rule needs to be upheld to a point until it is officially changed.
This. Either we have rules we abide by or we don't - which is it?

Don't like it? Change the rules, but quit asking for preferential treatment.
 

B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

I support Saban's decision to try and enforce a rule that is on the books. I am not sure that I would make the same choice, but I simply do not know what he knows, so defer to him here. And, by the way, it is a rule. Hard to get on a guy like Saban for enforcing a rule.

At the same time I support Kennedy in his attempt to further his career wherever he thinks that his future is best served. It isn't up to me to pick his next training ground for the NFL, and I don't have to pay the penalty if he chooses poorly.

These two things are not mutually exclusive. I support them both and will be satisfied no matter what the SEC office decides. No matter what happens here, Alabama is going to be just fine.
 

TiderinAZ

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

My only problem with this freedom of transfer idea, is that it penalizes the universities that put more effort into GRADUATING their athletes. Isn’t that the point of being a student athlete? CNS has done a good job of emphasizing the importance of education and ensuring his players get their degrees. Why should that benefit another athletic team, that maybe doesn’t put as much emphasis on academics?
 

B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

My only problem with this freedom of transfer idea, is that it penalizes the universities that put more effort into GRADUATING their athletes. Isn’t that the point of being a student athlete? CNS has done a good job of emphasizing the importance of education and ensuring his players get their degrees. Why should that benefit another athletic team, that maybe doesn’t put as much emphasis on academics?
Most competitive programs push their players through a degree program pretty quickly today as they have the players in school pretty much year-round. They are getting credits for classes in the summer, for instance. So, sure, this hurts a school like Alabama when compared to a lower tiered school, but not really when compared to other P5 programs.
 

CaliforniaTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

Since Kennedy has his degree, I'm okay with letting him go wherever he feels like is best for him to finish his career. If he feels he can come in, compete, and win the starting center jobs at UT or AU, then good luck to him.

But, the rules are the rules. Enforce the rule, or replace it altogether. No use in having a rule if you're not going to the enforce it.
 

KrAzY3

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

It should probably be brought up that the graduate transfer rule is actually a loophole anyway (and usually involves some shenanigans and picking a degree/courses the player probably doesn't really want). There was never any rule saying graduate and you can go anywhere you want without sitting! That's never how it worked. It's just that players know what to say and do to get the NCAA waiver.

Personally I have no real problem with players not sitting a year if they transfer, as long as the school is ok with what they are up to. But I don't really buy the idea some people have that graduation should mean instant transfer to the location of the player's choice. That was never intended anyway.
 

B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

It should probably be brought up that the graduate transfer rule is actually a loophole anyway (and usually involves some shenanigans and picking a degree/courses the player probably doesn't really want). There was never any rule saying graduate and you can go anywhere you want without sitting! That's never how it worked. It's just that players know what to say and do to get the NCAA waiver.

Personally I have no real problem with players not sitting a year if they transfer, as long as the school is ok with what they are up to. But I don't really buy the idea some people have that graduation should mean instant transfer to the location of the player's choice. That was never intended anyway.
You are right. What was intended was that the school would have a student totally in their control when they signed that NLI. Why would they ever allow a player with eligibility remaining to transfer? I mean, back then, schools like Alabama and Ohio State signed players who they knew would never see the field just to keep them from playing for a rival. That certainly wasn't in the player's best interest. It only helped one entity - the school.

You can't talk about original intent here. Original intent is just too ugly.
 

KrAzY3

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

You are right. What was intended was that the school would have a student totally in their control when they signed that NLI. Why would they ever allow a player with eligibility remaining to transfer?
Oh come on, for my entire lifetime transfers have been allowed. That stuff you're saying is pure hyperbole. What is intended, is that no one wanted players abandoning their education (and their team, it is an athletic scholarship) to hopscotch around the FBS in search of playing time. Even under these supposedly draconian rules, we're still seeing players transfer 3 times and the like. You remove them? Some guys would transfer every single year, heck some might manage to do more than that by transferring mid-season. Is that really what you're looking for? There is nothing wrong with trying to give teenagers some stability. These guys can transfer, it happens all the time... you'd think these guys are getting their knees broken every time they even think about transferring or something. Instead it's oh no, they have to not play for a year (and there are so many ways around even that modest restriction), the horror!
 
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B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

Oh come on, for my entire lifetime transfers have been allowed. That stuff you're saying is pure hyperbole. What is intended, is that no one wanted players abandoning their education (and their team, it is an athletic scholarship) to hopscotch around the FBS in search of playing time. Even under these supposedly draconian rules, we're still seeing players transfer 3 times and the like. You remove them? Some guys would transfer every single year, heck some might manage to do more than that by transferring mid-season. Is that really what you're looking for? There is nothing wrong with trying to give teenagers some stability. These guys can transfer, it happens all the time... you'd think these guys are getting their knees broken every time they even think about transferring or something. Instead it's oh no, they have to not play for a year (and there are so many ways around even that modest restriction), the horror!
I was responding to your "graduate transfer is a loophole" stuff. It is not and never has been. Football players go to graduate school to get a masters in football. So they transfer to get that advanced degree in football. That means that they transfer to play.

That is the way it has been for decades. Maybe they are transferring more today. But maybe that is because football pays so much more today. The lure of NFL $$$ means that they want to play their way into the league. Who can blame them. They are literally risking their lives for this. But we sit on our couches and complain that they might play for a rival. SMH
 

KrAzY3

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

They are literally risking their lives for this.
And a lot of people where my dad worked died early. Like, well my dad and my brother. The raw pay that these college players get (and I was for stipends) comes out to be about the same per month as what someone is paid when they enlist in the military. Their total compensation rivals a well paying job, is arguably worth more than total compensation in the military (where they are literally risking their lives, like my other brother) and is more than semi-pro football compensates their players. So, enough of this poor mistreated guys stuff, they're not.

But, you know what else? When my brother signed up for the military, he signed all sorts of stuff. Part of that meant they could recall him if they wanted to. Guess what they did when he was working towards getting his doctorate? Yup, they made him go active duty again, go to Afghanistan, and sidelined his education. I'm not buying this poor mistreated athlete stuff, they were literally shooting at my brother, if only he could be so lucky to get treated as well as these athletes are. They sign things, they have obligations like anyone else. If they don't want to be student athletes, they don't have to be. Unlike my brother, they don't have the power to compel these guys to participate.

Edit: And just to keep this in perspective, we're supposed to feel pity for a guy because he only has over 100 choices in terms of his next destination, and can't go immediately play (he can still transfer there, just not directly) for the rival of the team that's been funding his training and education up to this point.
 
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edwd58

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

But we sit on our couches and complain that they might play for a rival. SMH
I could be wrong, but I feel as though your mightier than thou attitude about this transfer business would be a bit different if the guys like your recently transferred QB had decided to go to Michigan instead of LSU. It's all about whose ox is being gored. As has been stated many times, the conference has a rule, until it is changed or revoked, enforce it. Sitting on my couch has nothing to do with it.
 

BamaInBham

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

I can name a few very good reasons, but none will satisfy those here who have made up their minds about this young man so I won't bother.
How about for those of us who are open ?
 

B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

How about for those of us who are open ?
Sure. Off the top of my head:

First, there is playing time. He feels that he would start immediately at those schools. Second is familiarity and proximity. He is familiar with the teams in the SEC and as such would likely be more capable of understanding their situations, offenses, etc. while staying pretty close. Third, at TN or AU he would get to play in some very big games viewed by millions of fans and NFL executives. Finally, he would get a chance to highlight his talents against some of the best defensive lines in America.

He has a lot of good reasons to pick these two teams that have nothing to do with harming Alabama.
 

B1GTide

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

I could be wrong, but I feel as though your mightier than thou attitude about this transfer business would be a bit different if the guys like your recently transferred QB had decided to go to Michigan instead of LSU. It's all about whose ox is being gored. As has been stated many times, the conference has a rule, until it is changed or revoked, enforce it. Sitting on my couch has nothing to do with it.
I have stated many times in this thread that I support Saban in this. Why do I have an attitude? Because I also support Kennedy?

I don't have an attitude. We just disagree. Reasonable people can do that without attitudes.
 

BamaInBham

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

Sure. Off the top of my head:

First, there is playing time. He feels that he would start immediately at those schools. Second is familiarity and proximity. He is familiar with the teams in the SEC and as such would likely be more capable of understanding their situations, offenses, etc. while staying pretty close. Third, at TN or AU he would get to play in some very big games viewed by millions of fans and NFL executives. Finally, he would get a chance to highlight his talents against some of the best defensive lines in America.

He has a lot of good reasons to pick these two teams that have nothing to do with harming Alabama.
Thanks for the answer.

I agree with varying degrees of enthusiasm with those positives. If those are among his reasons, IMO he can satisfy them to a significant degree elsewhere. But who knows what his real reasons are. They may include something that can only be satisfied at UT or AU or wherever he is thinking. I don't know, which is why I usually qualified any comment I made about this issue.

As far as harming Alabama, I never said or insinuated that that was his goal. I was just saying that if we are viewing this as a "family" issue, he should take into account Alabama's feelings regarding those schools. Really, it is primarily the fans' feelings, since often the coaches are much more objective regarding such matters. Though there are exceptions - AU and UT could be that.

Just an overall comment not in response to your post but the underlying issue. I hate the thought of college football becoming more like the NFL with their free agency. Having said that, I know that is the fan, with his own self-interest, in me speaking. I also know that many of these kids, while some are fans, have valid real life business interests and other valid self interests. So, there is always that tension and both are based on self interest. And contrary to the thinking of some, even from a strictly pragmatic POV, the fans do matter. Without them there is no game of football, college or pro, as we know it today. Without the name Alabama associated with them, I wouldn't walk 2 blocks to watch Shawn Alexander, Derrick Thomas, Don Hutson, Javy Arenas, Joe Namath, et al. play or Paul Bryant coach. That is one thing the combatants on both sides of the argument rarely if ever bring up. Yeah, the various skills shown are marvelous, but I care very little about viewing them and certainly would not pay a penny without the context that the University, the fanbase, history, etc. provides. I.e., it's not primarily about the coaches and players, it's about everything.
 

CrimsonForce

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Re: Brandon Kennedy Reportedly Transferring From UA (Will be Grad-Transfer)

Just in, "SEC grad transfers no longer must sit out a year when transferring to another league school, SEC presidents voted today. Previously, SEC required grad transfers to sit out a year when transferring to another SEC school." That means Kennedy to AU or UT..
 

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