News Article: Alabama Has a Very Few Unhappy Former Players...

[runtheoption22]

Ridiculous. These kids could've been cut, leaving them with nothing. Instead, they were given a free education....or some a place to transfer.

 

[ghickok234]

Let me get this straight, people are upset that we made someone stop playing football but allowed them to continue their education. Aren't these the same people that are always telling us that these kids are STUDENT-atheletes and that the student should come before being an athelete?

 

[MOAN]

Let me get this straight, people are upset that we made someone stop playing football but allowed them to continue their education. Aren't these the same people that are always telling us that these kids are STUDENT-atheletes and that the student should come before being an athelete?

Yeah and what player knowing he will never see the field other than as a practice dummy would not either transfer or take a medical scholly with all expenses paid? These guys were not walkons so what thrill can practice be?

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I've edited the title to something closer to reality. "Castaways" buys into the articles premise...

 

[SavannahDare]

I've edited the title to something closer to reality. "Castaways" buys into the articles premise...

And this is why we love you, Earle.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

DT_hug:

 

[Probius]

If you try and stick your head up above the crowd people will try and knock it off.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

If you try and stick your head up above the crowd people will try and knock it off.

Man, you keep me boned up on my Latin. The Japanese have a saying "the nail which sticks up will be hammered down."

 

[dayhiker]

Man, you keep me boned up on my Latin. The Japanese have a saying "the nail which sticks up will be hammered down."

Wasn't it Gus Macrae that said he'd like to shoot at someone who spoke Latin for a change, better to chance an educated man.

 

[teamplayer]

One day these young men may look back and realize life isn't fair.. The school could, legally simply not renew the annual scholarship instead of offering the medical scholarship.

Would this be better? Of course not but some people will always complain no matter what.

It would have been nice if the article had included the cost of the medical scholarship to the school and what it provided for the former player. I'd be willing to bet a lot of young people would be happy to take an all expense paid undergraduate and in Mr. Kirschman's case graduate education in a heartbeat.

Of course, there is nothing stopping the former player from leaving the university to continue his playing career elsewhere if he so desires so what's keeping him from doing that?? Is it just easier to whine about having a FREE education rammed down your throat??

Please.

I agree. I wrote the author and mentioned the same thing. People can look at this as a situation where Coach Saban is a tyrant if they choose, but giving the kids the option of continuing their free education seems like a positive to me. The staff could simply take the scholarship away. People in this country are going to moan and complain about something no matter what. I suppose that I would be in the little guy category when it comes to monetary standing, but I don't expect anyone to hand me anything. Sheesh, let's solve some real problems instead of moaning and bellyaching about a kid getting a free education.

Off the soapbox, let's whip the Razorbacks tomorrow!

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Wasn't it Gus Macrae that said he'd like to shoot at someone who spoke Latin for a change, better to chance an educated man.

I don't think anyone really speaks it, outside the Roman Catholic Church.

 

[teamplayer]

I don't agree at all with oversigning. Oversigning is an issue, but this medical scholarship nonsense... please.

Out of curiosity, why do you think oversigning is an issue? If the coaches tell kids upfront that they may have to greyshirt if other players sign, what is the problem? What if we just signed the allowable twenty-five players and five of them didn't make their grades? We would lose five players who may help us some day. I think oversigning is beneficial to the players. They either get to greyshirt and come in the next year, or they are filtered to prep schools or junior colleges to get their grades in order. Again, this seems to help the kids get an education.

 

[BamaGoose]

Who is Mr. Saban? The president of Alabama? What's wrong with saying Coach Saban?

Kirschman had life to easy growing up and now it is showing. If things were so bad how did he land a job at the Mercedes plant? Probably the only reason he got the job he did is because he was a former Alabama football player.

I say he has screwed up his future within the University of Alabama community. He probably will scalp his tickets the rest of the year.

 

[BamaBuc]

I knew this was coming. There's a lot of muck-raking journalism going on here. It's really hard to feel sorry for someone with a free ride to a college degree, including free medical care for the duration. AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PRACTICE - they can devote full time to academics. I suppose they feel that Saban was standing between them and an NFL career. It certainly seems that way. If I were habitually injured and buried on the depth chart and someone came to me and offered me all of the same benefits, except that I no longer have to practice, I'd probably jump at it. But that's just me...

They also get free game tickets!
Boy was I ticked off when I read this in the St. Pete Times this morning! :mad2:

 

[Drewy26]

How many of the medical redshirts went on to play football somewhere else?

Hint: the answer is less than 1.

 

[BamaGoose]

How many of the medical redshirts went on to play football somewhere else?

Hint: the answer is less than 1.

Ezkiel Knight played at Stillman.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Ezkiel Knight played at Stillman.

I think he's it. We've had several explore other schools, but they failed the physicals...

 

[PaulD]

Who is Mr. Saban? The president of Alabama? What's wrong with saying Coach Saban?

That's just the writing style of the WSJ.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

Ezkiel Knight played at Stillman.

Against the advice of every Dr he spoke with except the last one. One of the problems we have in this country is that if you go to several different Dr's you will find one who will agree with you.

 

[PaulD]

Why oversign? For the same reasons airlines overbook. Not everyone shows up at the gate and not every signee makes it. An empty seat on the plane is a lost resource that can never be made up and so is an empty seat in a signing class.

Why allow 25 per year (which equals 125 over five years), but only allow a total of 85 overall? Experience has shown your upper classes NEVER have all 25 in them. People leave voluntarily, get kicked off the team, leave for the NFL, etc.

What is important for Alabama is that Coach Saban is a master at managing the numbers (and quite a few other things!).