zazie

I went to a division 3 uni and had a friend who was on the football team. It took at least 60% of his time all year long; he was at practice, in the weight room, watching film (even in division 3). Spring practice and summer even he was there, practicing, working on football. The Division 1 Universities are using these kids as a cash cow and the golden goose, not sending them to class and making athletics the lower priority. The reverse is true. Giving them some extra time and help to work on acedemics and graduation after they have outlivied their athletic usefulness seems only fair given that when they were athletes the expectation was that they focus on catching the ball rather than physics or sciences. Their 'tutoring' whilst they are student athletes generally consists of someone telling them what classes and professors will give them a passing grade no matter what.

Plese elaborate I barely even remembered his name until today.

Peerless was a GREAT value pick, he had several excellent seasons here then we got a first round pick from Atlanta for him. And he had a great attitude and was (and still is) a cool dude. Please do not judge him on his second go round with the Bills. To group him in with Gabe Northern is very unfair and incorrect.

Precisely, he was fined, that stuff will not fly in the NFL. Only paid in full advertisers and sponsers can have any sort of message anywhere near an NFL player.

What? The unis are generating lots of cash; they give nothing to these athletes for 'free'. The reverse is true, the athletes risk life long injury and sell lots of stuff for the universities... for free.

I guess what you see as a perk, free food and celebrity (but no pay, mind you, for generating huge tv deals and sellign out stadiums) I see as a problem with the system. Most of these kids do not see the value in the educational part of the experience because they are conditioned to see only the perks of being a superior athlete... that is until they are not quite superior enough to make it to the PAY level, and are left on the street with four years of sub-par-education (golf or bowling major???) under their belt and no degree or discernable skill to prepare them for the after-cush-athlete experience. Free buffetts for 5 years do not a life make.

4th or 5th round, sure, take a flyer on him. 2nd round, please, line help or LB for these Bills.

Put Weis well below Fewell and I am in complete agreement.

First, He is a guy that would actually agree to come to Buffalo to coach. Second, we have not had success with good coordinators as HC in the past (Greggo, Malarkey); why not give some position coaches a try? Finally, he is the anti-DJ. I think therein lies the fascination.

This is a side topic that came up in the Mike Leach debate and I think deserves its own thread. Why is it that some schools (Syracuse BB comes to mind but there are myriad examples), find it so acceptable to completely dump these kids once their useful playing careers are over for the school, and does not give them whatever tutoring or mentoring they need to actually graduate and become more able to be society contributors? Even guys that have a chance a the pros (very very few of the overall student athlete population) should be pushed to get that degree after spending 4 or 5 tears on a campus generating positive cash-flow. I have never understood why it is not more of a scandal. To me that is the most telling thing about Leach and his ethics, that he makes his guys get that degree. To do hat he must be following up with them in the spring semester of their senior year (not to mentiopn all through their uni lives); he cares and does it right. I think any program with a less than 70% graduation rate should be sanctioned by NCAA rule. Thoughts?

Who cares? Paid to play football, not be a nice guy. Andre >>>> Josh. By the way TE is a much nicer, much more polite fellow than Tom Brady who left his then pregnant girlfriend for a hotter beeatch. Who do you want as qb given a choice?

Well that right there is the most important thing about Coach Leach. He wins and then makes guys be accountable for the rest of the college experience too, knowing that almost none of them will be abole to make a living in football after their time on the team. Really. Coach Leach should find a new gig quickly and I congratulate all the players that DID graduate under Leachs tutelage/program that likely would NOT have graduated in some other D1 programs. While I love Syracuse BB, coach there could certainly take a page out of Leachs playbook when it comes to helping these kids with the balance of ther real lives, once their usefullness to him as players is over. Leach does right by his kids and by society also. I hope he gets them good with his lawsuit. The James family (along with the Bush family) will continue to bring shame to the state of Texas until ESPN fires this idiot and Adam is where he belongs, working for his dad doing useless stuff and pretending to contribute.

Whiole I agree wiht Leach 100% in his spat with the James's and TT, I agree also with Mike in Syracuse Seanators ongoing obsession with Mike LEach is absolutely WAY over the top.

Nope, ask D3, he can attest to that.

Would you feel that way if it was the Koran or the Torah he was putting there? Or Darwin?

Adam Craig does sound to me like a kid that would be lazy and entitled. Coach is Coach, you do what he says, he is the leader of the squad. Coaching should not be about PR expertise but about winning ballgames everyone has their own style.

And those who bring lowly programs like TT to glory on a consitant basis SHOULD make the rules.

Is there any explanation for why they were at odds? Seems Leach was doing nothing but winning for them and in essence printing money for them and their program. they should have loved him. I don't get that part of it at all there is some peice missing from the puzzle here.

+1 That was a terrible re-signing he got paid real bucks for a proven mediocre talent. 2 million signing bonus!?!?!? Josh Friggin' Reed?????

While it is true that there are no guaranteed great draft picks (see Mike Williams, Ryan Leaf, etc.) there are some players that are almost certain to never pan out, because of a skill set or physical characteristics that just don't translate. Tebow is one of those guys, almost certain to not pan out at the pro level in the NFL. Sorry the truth hurts but there it is, he is not an NFL QB. That said, he fits perfectly in the CFL if I were him I would be leaning in that direction, become a CFL legend like Flutie did, then try a few years at the NFL as a seasoned pro. Fun player to watch, sorry his career is over, 2 national championships as a starting QB, not many can say that. The scripture thing in his eye black is really bothersome though and does not make me pull for him, that's for sure. He should keep that nonsense to himself, the holier than though prick.

Cottell WAS a good coach, in his Buffalo Tenure. Top ranked defenses consistantly.

By the way, there is no draft to play for Texas Tech. Adam Craig signed up for it. And when he and his father found out that even though TT is not viewed as a major D1 school, they still would not be able to manhandle their way into significant playing time, and abuse the privilege of having ESPN behind them, Adam could have left the program and gone elsewhere. Instead, this was the path they chose. I wish there was a real draft, Adam would be the right age, then he could find out what it is like to take real orders in the Iraqi desert.

That seems to be already fait accompli. I don't see whoever they bring in having 11-1 seasons at Texas Tech nohow. And as for SMU, they have played in 0 bowls since the death penalty season. James was an outgoing senior and one of only 3 that was still getting booster money, on the whole team. Did it, wouldn't own up to it until tit was crystal clear he did it, and left others holding the bag. History repeats. Plus, he played for the Patriots! I like OJ more than him (after all, 2003 yards rushing is a heck of a lot!).

Yes ESPN doing a fine job of fair and unbiased reporting. LOL. Craig James is Despicable. Great White Hope my ass; he is the only white guy that accepted money on the infamous Pony Express; he is an unabashed liar and has been since at least 1980. His son is the worst kind of kitty. Wow, I have to do a couple of hours on the bike while my teammates have to PRACTICE. I better tell daddy; after all, I'm not even getting PAID for this like my dad did, back when he was in college. Adam James is Despicable Jr. Coach Leach seems to be the only straight shooter in the whole mess.

Craig James deserves a page on the dikapedia for sure. First he was one of the guilty parties that wrecked SMU football for 2 decades (wreckage including the innocent guys on his own team) at SMU. Now, he and his kitty son Adam have to go and ruin it for the rest of his teammates WHO ELECTED TO GO PLAY FOR COACH LEACH because they WANT TO PLAY ON A WINNER that goes to bowl games every year. Craig James should be fired from ESPN immediately he is such an ass. And as for Adam, I sincerely hope future employers will give this guys background a real look before hiring him. He is a characterless mommas boy whose momma happens to be his poppa. Next, Craig, how can you destroy the longhorns or aggies? Stay away from the James's!!!!