Bama NCAA trip now in doubt...
Fans express anger and disappointment
There is no margin of error at the University of Alabama for breaking team rules or poor conduct. Coach Anthony Grant made that abundantly clear in now indefinite suspension of four Alabama players. Three reportedly broke a team rule, and the other's suspension is based on reasons a little more vague. Regardless, Grant chooses to handle these matters in house, and the details are not made available to the public, nor should they be. In watching Grant's post game comments I was struck by the humility of the man as he discussed his part in the suspensions. He was very much like a father who has learned his children have misbehaved and is disappointed in them. Grant also let it be known that he tells the parents of the players that it is his job to build upon the foundation started by the them.
Coach did not lose his composure, but his body language and tone his voice betrayed his personal disappointment in what has happened. I always hope that our team makes it to the NCAA. We all know coaches who look the other way when players behave inappropriately. We also know coaches like John Calipari who think that unethical behavior, cheating to get kids in schools, breaking NCAA rules, leaving that school on probation are all part of his job. Anthony Grant is cut from a different pattern than that type coach. He is a fierce competitor. He loves winning. Winning in the case of Mitchell, Steele, Releford, and Green goes beyond games. As overstated as is seems this coach is helping our kids prepare for the game named life.
It is unfortunate that the decision to make these individuals suffer from their choices effects all of us. My wife cried last night. She wasn't crying because we might lose the game, but rather expressing her feelings that these kids had someone in their life who would not allow anything other than acting correctly. We then relaxed to watch what was surely to be a slaughter of the lambs. The lambs lost the game, but the wolf had a tough night. I hope as Alabama fans we can accept the fact we really had a great night - if you believe in the values that Grant lives. Grant isn't laying down a moral code to follow. He isn't preaching any doctrine of faith here. He is saying that certain behaviors will not be tolerated and that if you break a rule you will be punished. Like any family member, we suffer when our family suffers. At least we know this story will probably have a happy ending. It might not have an NCAA ending. Right now that is unimportant. What is important is that we let our Coach know that we fully support him in how he runs his team and what he expects from these young men. This writer believes in Grant 110% even though a long suspension means our NCAA hopes are over.
None of this means that the kids suspended are bad people. Good people make bad decisions all the time. We say and do things out of character. We live to regret the results of our actions. What Grant is hoping today is that these players regret the results of their actions because those actions were wrong, and not just because they got caught. If the understand the former things will improve. If they believe the latter ... well, that's not good. I personally know each of these kids. They are fine kids.
I don't know what Grant will do regarding the Florida game. It depends on what the players convince him they have learned. Their return may be en mass or they may trickle back in one at a time. In the midst of all this Grant is having to balance the needs of his school, his fan base, and the players. As part of that base for over 50 years I'd like to tell our coach not to worry about the us. I guarantee that each of us have been down the same road as the coach. Either as parents having to punish our children, or perhaps as young adults who remember the lessons learned. In my case it would be both. I wasn't a poster child for obeying rules. But I was lucky to have parents like Grant. I think every one of us can be proud of our coach, and I think that most of us will agree that we offer up our deepest sense of pain for what he is going through on this Sunday Morning.
Fans express anger and disappointment
Coach did not lose his composure, but his body language and tone his voice betrayed his personal disappointment in what has happened. I always hope that our team makes it to the NCAA. We all know coaches who look the other way when players behave inappropriately. We also know coaches like John Calipari who think that unethical behavior, cheating to get kids in schools, breaking NCAA rules, leaving that school on probation are all part of his job. Anthony Grant is cut from a different pattern than that type coach. He is a fierce competitor. He loves winning. Winning in the case of Mitchell, Steele, Releford, and Green goes beyond games. As overstated as is seems this coach is helping our kids prepare for the game named life.
It is unfortunate that the decision to make these individuals suffer from their choices effects all of us. My wife cried last night. She wasn't crying because we might lose the game, but rather expressing her feelings that these kids had someone in their life who would not allow anything other than acting correctly. We then relaxed to watch what was surely to be a slaughter of the lambs. The lambs lost the game, but the wolf had a tough night. I hope as Alabama fans we can accept the fact we really had a great night - if you believe in the values that Grant lives. Grant isn't laying down a moral code to follow. He isn't preaching any doctrine of faith here. He is saying that certain behaviors will not be tolerated and that if you break a rule you will be punished. Like any family member, we suffer when our family suffers. At least we know this story will probably have a happy ending. It might not have an NCAA ending. Right now that is unimportant. What is important is that we let our Coach know that we fully support him in how he runs his team and what he expects from these young men. This writer believes in Grant 110% even though a long suspension means our NCAA hopes are over.
None of this means that the kids suspended are bad people. Good people make bad decisions all the time. We say and do things out of character. We live to regret the results of our actions. What Grant is hoping today is that these players regret the results of their actions because those actions were wrong, and not just because they got caught. If the understand the former things will improve. If they believe the latter ... well, that's not good. I personally know each of these kids. They are fine kids.
I don't know what Grant will do regarding the Florida game. It depends on what the players convince him they have learned. Their return may be en mass or they may trickle back in one at a time. In the midst of all this Grant is having to balance the needs of his school, his fan base, and the players. As part of that base for over 50 years I'd like to tell our coach not to worry about the us. I guarantee that each of us have been down the same road as the coach. Either as parents having to punish our children, or perhaps as young adults who remember the lessons learned. In my case it would be both. I wasn't a poster child for obeying rules. But I was lucky to have parents like Grant. I think every one of us can be proud of our coach, and I think that most of us will agree that we offer up our deepest sense of pain for what he is going through on this Sunday Morning.
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