NCAA Football Meltdown Thread

[phxgators]

So... memory loss, deleted texts, yeah this isn't disgusting at all. And then his 3 week suspension only covers 1 week of practice? I feel gross that he was even at my school.

Well, considering 31 arrests of Gator players while he was there, and that the Zach Smith stuff started there, and Aaron Hernandez was there, you should already maybe have felt that way? I mean, Ohio State clearly got exactly what it signed up for when they hired Meyer. A good coach who is an amoral fucker.

Lost in an edit, originally I did have gross(er), because, yes I do. And I definitely feel there are some some skeletons in the closet still.

[Shirley]

What are the odds that Jim Rome doesn’t have a history of mistreatment of women?

WTF?

I think I’m with Rass here.

I was trying to be generic with "mistreatment" to include the relatively mild. I'm not saying I think he's a rapist, but I'd surprised if he weren't the guy loudly talking in the break room about how he'd like to bang that hot intern down in accounts receivable.

He's built a career on being the uber frat-boy stereotype guy who tells it like it is. Those guys tend to be enormous dicks and misogynists.

[Giff]

What are the odds that Jim Rome doesn’t have a history of mistreatment of women?

WTF?

I think I’m with Rass here.

I was trying to be generic with "mistreatment" to include the relatively mild. I'm not saying I think he's a rapist, but I'd surprised if he weren't the guy loudly talking in the break room about how he'd like to bang that hot intern down in accounts receivable.

He's built a career on being the uber frat-boy stereotype guy who tells it like it is. Those guys tend to be enormous dicks and misogynists.

Isn't that just sports radio in general?

[wlu_lax6]

Maryland has turned a fiasco into a complete cluster...The only person who is going to come out ahead is Matt Canada. Can't believe the Terps are 1 win from being bowl eligible (although MSU, Indiana, Ohio State, and Penn State are going to be tough to get a result).
http://www.espn.com/college-football/st ... -dj-durkin

[wlu_lax6]

Maryland has turned a fiasco into a complete cluster...The only person who is going to come out ahead is Matt Canada. Can't believe the Terps are 1 win from being bowl eligible (although MSU, Indiana, Ohio State, and Penn State are going to be tough to get a result).
http://www.espn.com/college-football/st ... -dj-durkin

So the president will retire, the AD and Coach keep their jobs...Durkin taking back over from Canada this weekend.

[brian]

In a time when it would be nice to have a distraction from real life, it sucks that major college football and college basketball are basically cess pools.

[tennbengal]

The earth should be salted in college park.

[mister d]

They should totally Bud Kilmer his fucking ass.

[Rex]

I assume this is to save money, or avoid a lawsuit?

[Joe K]

I assume this is to save money, or avoid a lawsuit?

Yeah, but the McNair family is understandably outraged. Gotta wonder if the University has already settled with the McNairs and, if so, whether a creative plaintiff’s attorney could find a way around that settlement.

[Nonlinear FC]

They can get away with this due to the intense apathy that surrounds the program and really the institution. No one really gives a shit around here. A lot of alumni attended the school before it was tough to get in, so there’s not the kind of pride and ownership you see at other schools. Combined with a program that has been only marginally relevant for the vast majority of its existence.

[GoodKarma]

I assume this is to save money, or avoid a lawsuit?

Both. If they claim they fire Durkin for cause they are sure it would go to court. If they let him go for other than cause they owe 60% of his contract, I believe.

They're getting sued by the family regardless. Loh admitted publicly from day 1 that the school was responsible.

[tennbengal]

I know the attorney who represents the family. Keeping Durkin is not helping on that front.

[Nonlinear FC]

The team has barely been keeping its collective shit together all season. Reading some of the tweets from players... It could get real ugly against MSU this weekend.

ETA - Apparently some players walked out of the first team meeting with Durkin.

[mister d]

Trump has no idea who Durkin is right this minute and by Sunday he’ll be his biggest supporter.

[Nonlinear FC]

Trump has no idea who Durkin is right this minute and by Sunday he’ll be his biggest supporter.

Already saw someone in Deadspin comments talking about "Libruls" wanting Durkin out. It's really unreal how EVERY situation that is controversial is now gobbled up by trolls for the political angle.

[sancarlos]

The team has barely been keeping its collective shit together all season. Reading some of the tweets from players... It could get real ugly against MSU this weekend.

ETA - Apparently some players walked out of the first team meeting with Durkin.

I read in the Athletic that the players who walked out made a show of it too. Asking Durkin what is their #1 core value, then answering it themselves - "Honesty". Then walking out.

Combine that with a tough schedule the rest of the way, yes it could get real ugly.

[mister d]

They shouldn’t play this week. Maryland can’t retain a coach that can’t field a team.

[Pruitt]

Once again we see that the football team is seemingly more important than anything else at the school. Simply astounding.

[Rex]

I assume this is to save money, or avoid a lawsuit?

Yeah, but the McNair family is understandably outraged. Gotta wonder if the University has already settled with the McNairs and, if so, whether a creative plaintiff’s attorney could find a way around that settlement.

Yeah, I should have said it was to shop for the less expensive lawsuit, rather than to avoid one altogether.

[wlu_lax6]

Once again we see that the football team is seemingly more important than anything else at the school. Simply astounding.

Well Yes and No...
* Nobody is going to argue that football is more important than hoops on campus
* But the reason they are in the B1G is because of the $ they get from football
* If they can't settle with Durkin, the school is out millions and they have had some financial challenges since Yow left (which depending on who you ask she may have caused). Maryland Athletics is not in a position to just eat that big contract (similar spot with Turj if he does not get the basketball team dancing again). A few years ago they shut down programs because of $.
* I wonder if the lawsuit is covered by insurance where as firing a coach is out of pocket.
* I know that UM athletic scholarships are all donation driven (i.e. not funded by the state).

Agree with nonlinear on limited passion from Maryland alum. They like the school but not with the same passion as my friends who have gone to other state schools.

[A_B]

I would imagine Durkin would be pretty staunch wanting his full contract value given that it's unlikely he will ever be able to land a decently big time job ever again.

[Nonlinear FC]

He'll have to spend some time in the wilderness, and convince an AD and HC that he's changed his ways, but he IS a good DC. He'll get another job eventually.

Because football.

[Pruitt]

Durkin Out

[Nonlinear FC]

I'm not gonna bore you guys with a bunch of PR crisis comms bullshit. I'm happy to talk about it at length down the line. But this is BY FAR the worst case scenario in terms of how this went down

Total fucking shitshow. I think colleges are prone to this type of stuff because of silos and etiquette, but holy fuck... SHITSHOW.

[mister d]

If you want to zero-sum this, the school deserves to eat massive shit and a few individuals went way beyond what people normally do in these situations.

[Rex]

So they got the bad PR, and the lawsuit?

[wlu_lax6]

So can we put this to bed and get excited about the young hoops team that many of the pundits are speaking positively about? Please.

[wlu_lax6]

B1G football having a great week
https://www.si.com/college-football/201 ... cy-charges

And I think the article has a typo...Attica Football Club..not Gattaca Football Club.

[tennbengal]

So they got the bad PR, and the lawsuit?

They really did a bang-up job, the Regents. Just all around good stuff.

[mister d]

So can we put this to bed and get excited about the young hoops team that many of the pundits are speaking positively about? Please.

Sure you can! Maryland basketball assistant coach suspended for six games.

[wlu_lax6]

So can we put this to bed and get excited about the young hoops team that many of the pundits are speaking positively about? Please.

Sure you can! Maryland basketball assistant coach suspended for six games.

I know, I mean how dare a coach coach players while serving in a non-coaching role. I find the NCAA Rules on who can coach and who can't very funny. You can't sit on the bench but you can go to practice, but you can't help at a full practice but can run 1 on 1 training sessions.

I mean it is not like the program keeps getting mentioned in paying player investigations....oh yeah.

[govmentchedda]

The backup punter was jumped at Durkin's first practice back because others thought he was a snitch? What.a.fucking.mess.

[Rex]

The Behind the Music on the Big Ten East is going to be incredible.

[testuser2]

Toward the end of the practice, Barber said, Lees attacked him, attempting to punch him in the face. While the two teammates were fighting, others intervened, trying to break up the fight and grabbed Barber’s arms behind his back, he said. That allowed Lees to punch Barber repeatedly in the face, leaving him with a black eye, needing multiple stitches on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder, Barber said.

What a crazy situation. Lees is 30 by the way. He seems to be getting the backing of the rest of the team in whatever happened, but he did get in a fight with one of the whistleblowers while his teammates held his hands behind his back. Not a great look for a team that was already looking rather toxic.

[wlu_lax6]

So let's say the Terps get one more win and become bowl eligible (or even 2 more wins...which probably would include a huge upset). What bowl committee would want to invite them? The financial fiasco is not going to make the Terps real excited about guaranteeing ticket sales at some bowl requiring travel.

Also learned the Terps are still not getting a full B1G share of revenue yet. A few more years until that kicks in.

[Nonlinear FC]

Growing, but still kind of fringe, grumbling about how adding rutger and Maryland have been a really shitty move for the B1G.

https://www.crimsonquarry.com/2018/10/3 ... -dj-durkin

[Nonlinear FC]

So let's say the Terps get one more win and become bowl eligible (or even 2 more wins...which probably would include a huge upset). What bowl committee would want to invite them? The financial fiasco is not going to make the Terps real excited about guaranteeing ticket sales at some bowl requiring travel.

Also learned the Terps are still not getting a full B1G share of revenue yet. A few more years until that kicks in.

They will be very lucky to get their shit together and finish 6-6. You are absolutely correct that 7-5 would need a minor upset against MSU and winnable game against IU. I just don't see them doing anything against OSU or PSU (though PSU is looking extremely shaky coming down the stretch.)

MSU is likely starting a freshman QB and they are almost incapable of running the ball. MD's D is pretty ok. On the other hand, MD relies on running the ball and MSU is (I think, still) #1 in rushing D. I don't think that's going to go well for the Terps.

[Nonlinear FC]

Toward the end of the practice, Barber said, Lees attacked him, attempting to punch him in the face. While the two teammates were fighting, others intervened, trying to break up the fight and grabbed Barber’s arms behind his back, he said. That allowed Lees to punch Barber repeatedly in the face, leaving him with a black eye, needing multiple stitches on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder, Barber said.

What a crazy situation. Lees is 30 by the way. He seems to be getting the backing of the rest of the team in whatever happened, but he did get in a fight with one of the whistleblowers while his teammates held his hands behind his back. Not a great look for a team that was already looking rather toxic.

https://deadspin.com/maryland-football- ... 1830178348

When players are walking out of a meeting and others are skipping practice, it seems like a stretch (to me) that two white punter dudes are going to get in a fight over the coach. (Snitches get stitches is kind of a cultural thing.)

[rass]

When ESPN has Rinaldi do a story on a kid with his whole life in front of him who breaks his neck on his first live college football play, are we supposed to be inspired or horrified? Holy shit.