Josh Shirley Picks UW
by John Berkowitz on Jul 22, 2010 7:49 PM PDT
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Print"We are very aware of the circumstances surrounding Josh," said Sarkisian in a statement. "We have done our due diligence and truly feel that this is not indicative of his true character or the way that he was raised. We are excited about the opportunity Josh has to excel on the football field, in the classroom and in his personal life in our environment, around our people at the University of Washington."
This one was obviously a tough call to make that will pick up a little criticism along the way.
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The decision certainly warrants scrutiny...
…. but criticism really can only come after the decision plays out. Given how aggressively Sark has handled other discipline issues on the team, its pretty hard to criticize him for being soft on standards.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
It’s pretty interesting to see how bitter (and in some cases petty) UCLA fans are about all of this. They seem to have convinced themselves that Shirley did something pretty bad, and that Sark admitting him now is evidence that he cares about talent over discipline and character. I’d say the Kavario Middleton situation says otherwise, but the reality is we just don’t know – the Bruin fans criticizing Sark (and praising Neuheisel) or the Husky fans celebrating Shirley’s arrival.
It sure seems to me that a lot of what’s driving the UCLA fan response is simply jealousy that Shirley didn’t opt to wait around until next January to try to get back into Neuheisel’s good graces and instead opted to go elsewhere. I found it very much a low-class move to see the post on the SB Nation Bruins blog rehashing the problems Shirley’s older brother had at Fresno State. I hadn’t visited their blog before today, but seeing that and their general reaction to all of this doesn’t paint a pretty picture – I’d much rather read Coug Center.
It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out and what further info we get about what really went down in that alleged theft, and if Shirley ends up getting charged or if the City Attorney’s office also declines to pursue the case (which would close the books on the incident from a legal perspective).
I’d love to see the UW beat reporters drill down further on this with Sark and see if he volunteers any more info, but I doubt Sark will say much more than he already has in that official release.
I wouldn't make Bruins Nation
the standard by which to judge UCLA fans. I think most fans UCLA fans (like myself) would have liked to see Shirley come back redeemed, but if he is going to leave would have preferred it be to an out of conference foe. The theft makes him a risk, but I believe every player deserves to be treated like every other student, and a second chance would be afforded any other undergrad with poor judgement.
I don’t think this is a referendum on the UW program, either, nor should it be. The bottom line was that Shirley was going to get a second chance, either from UCLA or another school, what he does with it is his responsibility, how much slack he is given on the (possible) next offense lays with the coaches.
by L R on Jul 23, 2010 12:45 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
Well put
If Sark lets Shirley get away with anything significant in future, I’ll join the dogpile; but as easy as the Sark=Carroll=Kiffin equation is for Bruin fans is to make, this isn’t enough to justify it. (Watching the folks at BN trying to use this to retroactively excuse Neuheisel is even more ridiculous . . .)
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 23, 2010 4:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Murshed Zaheed (Nestor) is sinking to new lows (if that's even possible)
Way to bring up older Shirley’s arrest to make a point. Wow.
Using his standard, no one from Zaheed’s family should be allowed to work for government given elder Zaheed’s habit of blogging while getting paid to work in the Senate. Taxpayers be alert!
by anh_sc79 on Jul 23, 2010 3:54 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Kirk, their frustruation is understandable ...
… given that they won the recruiting battle for Josh “fair and square”. however, that article going into Jason Shirley’s transgressions (which are somewhat tame in today’s student athlete environment) and then somehow using that to implicate Josh was low brow.
The fact that Sark comes from USC roots also doesn’t win him any benefits of doubt.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
How much of an effect will this have on the Huskies possibly running a version of the 3-4 at times?
Karma police, arrest this man.
This season about 5%, at least until he earns some time
next year and beyond…it 100% has an effect as Josh (and Brent Williams) is/are prototype Standup DE’s.
I think it's a great move.
I’m all for second chances. Nobody is entitled to a second chance, but there is nothing wrong with giving a kid a shot.
After Middleton was kicked off the team, it should be quite clear to each and every player (including Shirley) that Sark doesn’t put up with any crap from any player. Hopefully Shirley has been scared straight by this experience and uses it as motivation to work his butt off both on and off the field. This is his second chance, now it’s time to put up or shut up.
Needless to say, I’m very glad to have Shirley on the team and I hope he rips Oregon a new one.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
You're Gettin'...
…my blood a boilin’!
and I hope he rips Oregon a new one.GO DAWGS!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Sark doesn’t put up with any crap from any player.
Unless you do that crap at a different program, right?
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If he even thinks about getting out of line at Washington . . . .
he’ll be kicked off the team faster than an Oregon QB caught with marijuana!
:-)
I’m on a roll tonight!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
So you're ok with a
coach bringing in a kid that had troubles at another program as long as that coach has shown harsh punishments towards players on his team that have screwed up in the past?
Am I understanding you correctly?
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Great point Matt
Sends some mixed signals…but we don’t know any of the circumstances involved in this either.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 22, 2010 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions
But you would say you trust your coaching staff to do their due diligence and trust their systems they have in place for monitoring their kids to make sure that if something goes wrong they can handle it right?
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This would certainly be a test case for that.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 22, 2010 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions
Yep
Because of their track record so far, I have reason to think that Sark and his staff have done due diligence on Shirley.
We don’t know what Shirley actually did. On the one hand, Neuheisel and UCLA acted quickly to prevent Shirley and the others from playing for them this season (but didn’t close the door on them coming back in January); on the other hand, the DA has passed on pressing charges, and Sark (who has a record of pretty strict displine) is OK with bringing Shirley in right away.
Without more definitive info on what Shirley was accused of doing and what evidence there was for that accusation, we’re left to speculate. And given the circumstantial evidence so far, I trust Sark has made the right call.
Your pretty close, but does depend on the situation.
It appears like Shirley might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
That being said, I have no problem with our coaching staff giving a player a second chance. Especially when they have proven with their actions that they don’t tolerate players getting into trouble.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
It appears like Shirley might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
You don’t know that at all, and I’m pretty sure that’s not the way that sentence would sound if Shirley decided to go to a different Pac 10 school.
I have no problem with our coaching staff giving a player a second chance.
Of course you don’t. Very few fans of a school would.
Especially when they have proven with their actions that they don’t tolerate players getting into trouble.
You have a really small sample size to determine that with, and aren’t you a little hesitant to start the trend of bringing in troubled kids now, especially considering you don’t have a lot of track record to do on with how the coaches will handle the situation.
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The only clue on that is he was the only one involved who didn’t have to post bail…so logic suggests that.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 22, 2010 9:28 PM PDT up reply actions
so logic suggests that.
Not necessarily at all. There are a myriad of reason that he out of the 3 wouldn’t have to post bail. Bail is not a good indicator of guilty or association.
The DA not pursuing the case is a much better indicator.
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Matt…your a Duck fan so you understand bail a lot better than I do. ; )
by John Berkowitz on Jul 22, 2010 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions
You have a really small sample size to determine that with, and aren’t you a little hesitant to start the trend of bringing in troubled kids now, especially considering you don’t have a lot of track record to do on with how the coaches will handle the situation.
What I have a problem with is people tagging Shirley with the term “troubled” when we really don’t know if that’s true or not. Seems like jumping the gun IMO…
Actually
regarding that first sentence you quoted, there were a number of people around here saying that when the news first broke. If Shirley’d gone to UO, y’all probably would have gotten some ribbing over it, but the same point still would have been made by folks here.
You are of course correct that Sark et al. don’t have a long track record when it comes to player misbehavior; at the same time, however, the track record we do have all runs in the right direction. I agree with John that this will be a test case — but then, really, every case is a test case, because even with a track record, people can surprise you for good or ill. It was ever thus.
I think the point is, don’t jump to definitive conclusions, because both the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns far outnumber the knowns here; and I think the response from Dawg fans on this one is appropriate — we’re inclined to trust Sark because he hasn’t given us reason not to, and because what we know about the situation is scant enough not to give us that reason, but we’re keeping in mind the limitations of our knowledge. Other Pac-10 fans (such as the folks at BN), by contrast, seem positively eager to draw negative conclusions from this. Those conclusions might well be justified in the end — I hope not, I tend to think not, but I recognize the possibility — but truly, there isn’t enough to justify them now.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 23, 2010 4:36 AM PDT up reply actions
there is decidedly not a small sample size given just one season of employment.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
It does send mixed signals and its fair to scrutinize..
However, I don’t think Oregon fans ought to throw stones given their tried and true argument of “waiting until all the facts come in”. Presumably, Sark has more facts than we do. We don’t really know what kind of “troubles” this young man is had as there is one incident in play and his role in that is very unclear.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
We Certainly...
…can use him. My understanding is his involvement was minor compared to “his buddies”. I trust Sark in knowing the kid and looking into the details of the situation before making a decision. Now that’s he’s in, we expect Josh to take advantage of the situation and excel! GO DAWGS!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
Criticism-Schmiticism
I’ll take that over the condescending stare-down-their-noses-at-us attitude we received from the rest of the nation during the Willingham era any day. Dude’s a beast and we need his pass rushing expertise on defense. I’m really excited to have him. Go Dawgs!
by ErictheHawksFan on Jul 22, 2010 8:34 PM PDT reply actions
It's a safe bet he'll be watched closely
and given the way Sark has handled other issues, it seems equally safe to say that if he shows any ongoing pattern of bad behavior or poor decisions, he’ll be gone; given that, I’m happy with this.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 22, 2010 8:45 PM PDT reply actions
You took the words out of my... mind. Totally agree.
Karma police, arrest this man.
by wyte_lightning on Jul 22, 2010 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Considering...
…that the kid from Auburn didn’t make it in, I’m really happy about this!…and yes I trust Sark in looking at the “entire” situation and making a decision. GO DAWGS!!
Washington Husky Football-Undefeated 1991 National Champions 12-0!
I have mixed feelings
It is a talent infusion for sure but it raises a few questions…of course none of us know the circumstances…but I do have some mixed feelings because I don’t know any of the facts.
…of course none of us know the circumstances…
Exactly right. We don’t know the details, yet some want to make judgments as though they did.
I have questions about this as well, and I hope that Sark has indeed done adequate homework on this. But I’m not seeing enough out there at the moment to say that Shirley is a bad apple and that Sark is compromising his principles.
I'm a little torn as well
Obviously he’s a great talent and I’m glad we have the extra depth up front, but he still hasn’t been cleared of any charges, and he was just kicked out of UCLA a few weeks ago. I know some of you have been saying that this wasn’t Neuheisel’s decision but I’m sure he had the final say in his punishment, and he thought being kicked out of school was a fair punishment. So it’s just not quite sitting right with me that we’re letting him get off practically punishment free. Yeah he doesn’t get to play at his first choice school anymore but it’s not like UW is a step down (we of course consider it a step up).
I can’t read the Bruins Nation commentary on it, their blog is less of a UCLA fan blog and more of a “Bash USC and anybody related to Pete Carroll” blog.
by seahawksfan2863 on Jul 22, 2010 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions
I can’t read the Bruins Nation commentary on it, their blog is less of a UCLA fan blog and more of a "Bash USC and anybody related to Pete Carroll" blog.
And a ban dissenting viewpoints blog.
BN’s writers are just fine, I just think they have an arrogance around that blog only rivaled by Oregon football boosters.
Ouch!!!
That’s harsh. True, but harsh.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
with you, johnb
I have the same feelings I did when Lambo gave Mulitauopele that second chance. He didn’t play the level of ball we expected but he did keep his nose clean while in the program. Hopefully, Josh will use this as a second and last chance.
No more making fun of us for getting Marcus Davis.
Don't look those hoodie-clad Huskies in the eyes. They'll give you lupus.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jul 22, 2010 10:24 PM PDT reply actions
Not quite the same thing. Davis pled down to a lesser charge, while we don’t know yet if Shirley is going to be charged at all. Also, Sark has a great track record on team discipline so far; Kelly doesn’t.
So Kelly has a bad record on discipline?
Or are you just wearing your violet colored glasses again?
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
bad? not really.
… Inconsistent. absolutely. Let’s not let this devolve. Most Husky fans don’t think he runs a thug program. however, there is a sense that he got overwhelmed by the circumstances and was not consistent or prompt in his dealings. I don’t think anyone could say that it doesn’t look like its now under control.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
Inconsistent. absolutely.
Not to turn this into an Oregon discussion, so you can can end this really quickly by just citing one example of inconsistency
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Embry was kicked off the team BEFORE the burglary. Get your facts straight please.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
Look - I know you guys want to think Chip has handled this perfectly...
… but he got hit with a ton of crap as a rookie coach (at least rookie in a big-time program sense). He probably had a lot of people chirping mixed messages in his ears and that led him to some inconsistent decisions. Blount – suspended for the year or not? Some players got the benefit of waiting until their situations played out in court – others not. LMJ got a pretty lame penalty for what amounts to a violence-against-a-woman charge while Kiko got suspended for a DUI and Jamelle got booted for tweeting.
All that said, I’ve seen few if any UW fans on this site suggest that UO is a renegade program and that Chip cares about winning at all cost. Outside the occasional one-liner, that just hasn’t happened here.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
by Gekko Mojo on Jul 23, 2010 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
This is an important point
to wit, I think from an unbiased perspective (I’m not a UO fan, but I have hardcore Ducks in my family — Beavers also — and in my perfect world, the PNW schools would only ever lose to each other; I like seeing the Ducks do well, especially if the Huskies do better), on the basis of the available information, it seems pretty clear that Kelly’s track record on program discipline is not good. That doesn’t mean it will always be bad, that he’s corrupt, that he doesn’t care, any of that; he’s a relatively inexperienced HC, and everybody has their growing pains. Saying something is out of whack with the Quacks doesn’t necessarily make one biased or anti-Oregon; quite frankly, given the events of Kelly’s tenure so far, it ought to be Duck fans leading the chorus of concern, not to damage the program, but to ensure that it doesn’t damage itself.
Honestly, I won’t grieve if USC burns its house down, but it’s better for UO and UW alike if both programs are strong.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 23, 2010 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions
I get your points but...
…not sure how many Ducks or Huskies would agree with that last part…
it’s better for UO and UW alike if both programs are strong.
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 23, 2010 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Agreed
Much rather see UW the only strong program in the NW than any other, SPECIALLY UO!
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 23, 2010 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Whether people would agree or no
the stronger the PNW teams are as a whole, the better the national perception of each team is, the less it looks like a backwater, the less people think of the Pac-10 as “USC and the nine dwarfs,” etc. Remember Jimmy Johnson’s comment about the ’Hawks playing in “south Alaska”?
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 24, 2010 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe but...
I really couldn’t care what the national media thinks at this point, it hasn’t changed. Even with our dominance in the80’s, 90’s and with UO’s exposure over the last 10 years nothing’s changed. What needs to happen is BCS bowls with wins and i’d prefer it be the DAWGS 100% of the time… all i’m saying.
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 24, 2010 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Because the UW's been down
You need UW strong for it to have a real effect, because it’s the only big-city school in the PNW.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 24, 2010 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Inconsistency is a funny thing
It seems that it is only objectionable if it is perceived to be happening in a rival program. The truth is that most of the “facts” I see being cited around these parts of the blogosphere are merely a dim reflection of the actual facts. Chip has in fact CONSISTENTLY evaluated each situation based on the facts and set down appropriate punishments that fit each instance. He has shown that he can be harsh when he needs to be. Conversely, he has shown a willingness to give his guys a path to redemption. Blount followed that path, and was rewarded for his effort. Who knows what the hell Masoli was thinking, with the pot/suspended drivers license thing, and he got screwed. Think about that! Masoli was on almost everybody’s Heisman short list after last season, now Mississippi State doesn’t even want him.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
"Chip has in fact CONSISTENTLY evaluated each situation"
True he has consistently evaluated each situation, but his punishments have been anything but consistent. If you don’t see that, you are either blinded by your loyalties, or just lying to yourself.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
but his punishments have been anything but consistent.
I would love to rebut this in so many way, but because this is not an Oregon blog and I’m sure John doesn’t want this thread going down that rabbit hole, I’ll let you live in your little imaginary world Lear.
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"My" imaginary little world
is shared by most all fans that follow Pac-10 football.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Except that Marcus Davis's guilt was firmly established by his own admission ..
… and another Duck got kicked off the team for the exact same transgression.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
THAT’S NOT TRUE! Please get facts straight before making ridiculous statements. Otherwise I could feel inclined to make incorrect statements about how Sark has handled punishments at UW. And I’m sure if I repeated them enough times I might actually start believing it.
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Your LB was suspened for a year for being cited for DUI
Davis was convicted, albeit through a plea deal, and was accepted onto the team.
Maybe we see it differently, but to me that’s inconsistent. They’re not glaring inconsistencies that’s devolving a program, but we hate UO, so to us they’re inconsistencies none the less.
I suspect there is more to the Kiko Alonzo story
We as fans don’t get all the facts, maybe he lied about it, maybe he had been warned before. I don’t pretend to know all the facts, because I was not involved, nor do I expect Kelly to tell us every little detail that went into his decision.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
I understand...but as a rival fan that is an example of inconsistancy
I’m not one of the people crucifying Kelly. I think he’s handled things alright considering the circumstances.
Alot of us will convince ourselves that this example is proof that Oregon is on the down slide and Sark’s actions are proof of the opposite about us. Likewise everyone at ATQ has defended Kelly and talked about Sark’s shortcomings.
Facts are one thing among many (ration and levelheadedness also come to mind) that have no place in college football fandom. When I put on my unbiased observer hat, I see Kelly having alot of problems that he’s done an adequate job of handling. I also potentially see him getting himself in some precedent situations with players in the futures. Not an all out devolving of his program into Miami circa 1988.
It's fine, it's your blog
I am certainly guilty of wearing my green and yellow glasses from time to time myself. It is good to have a differing viewpoint interjected occasionally, I find that it can bring people down to Earth and force them to honestly assess what they are saying. As long as it is done respectfully, like you do at ATQ. Like I told Lear Pilot last night jokes and ribbing are fine and fun, I just reserve to right to call BS, or at least to offer another point of view.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
on Marcus vs Kiko
… only a duck would see a DUI for alcohol and a DUI for prescription drugs as different cases altogether. The fact that Marcus plead out at a lesser charge is irrelevant because Kiko was suspended before he got the chance to do anything with his plea.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I voted No. on Shirley a week ago
but I have to admire how Sark managed this situation. He sent a HUGE message about accountability and discipline to every player when he dismissed Kavario, a local kid and highly rated prospect. Then he welcomes Shirley so that he essentially swaps his old problem child for a fresh start with a new one. And Sark hurts his conference rival in the process. I believe Sark bought himself some leeway to make this decision. I just hope this Shirley kid isn’t as dumb as his alleged crime and he learned his lesson…any problems send him back to Fontana! GO HUSKIES!
by 206 on Jul 23, 2010 12:52 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Maybe UCLA will go after Middleton . . .
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 23, 2010 4:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Ha...I hope so
UCLA is rumored to be our biggest competition for ASJ. And with the one year he’ll be on the bench, ASJ might think twice about going to play there.
Has Texas offered?
Or even had him out for a visit? If not, then no, it isn’t.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 24, 2010 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Texas wants him as an OL if they want him at all…Biggins thinks he ends up at UW.
by John Berkowitz on Jul 25, 2010 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions
That's rather humbling, isn't it?
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 25, 2010 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions
He’s got the frame and athleticism to be a top-flight Left Tackle, which would pay a lot more money in the NFL than a top-flight TE.
However he’s made it crystal clear he doesn’t want to be an offensive lineman, saying he’d quit first. We’ll see – maybe at some point someone will get in his ear about the money, but maybe not. He’s got the hands and feet to also be a good TE, and he certainly has the size to be a great blocker if he so desires.
For the long term, sure, it would pay more
To get hit with that when he’s still in HS, though, is another matter.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 25, 2010 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Here's what I KNOW
Shirley hasn’t been convicted of anything, Sark has already kicked off a local top prospect for violations. So if Shirley thinks he’s just gonna come here and get away with whatever he is surely mistaken. And I bet Sark has made that VERY clear.
Exactly.
Sark kicked Middleton off the team for not pulling his wait. He wasn’t in trouble with the law, no academic issues, no arrests or anything. Pretty minor stuff if your an Oregon Duck. It should be crystal clear, get into trouble and Sark will kick your butt to the curb.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Eventually, right?
What we don’t know is how many chances Sark gave Kavario. From the reports over the last few days, at least, it seems like he gave him LOTS of chances, and finally got fed up…
But I agree Josh is likely to have a shorter leash. Much shorter.
True . . .
It’s one thing to give a player a long leash when the problem is the players work ethic. Getting into trouble with the law should have a much, much shorter leash, which we saw with Pulu.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Lots of chances to shape up his attidude and work ethic
not lots of chances after committing crimes.
It should be crystal clear, get into trouble and Sark will kick your butt to the curb.
Unless you get into trouble on a different team, then your butt is more than welcome at UW. Sark needs to be more consistent with the message he is sending his players.
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Can We...
…refrain from posting the cartoons?
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 25, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions
Why was Shirley brought in on a “financial aid agreement” instead of a scholarship? Is this for the UWs benefit or for Shirley’s? I know Jones did this at Kentucky but do not see reasoning here.
I think . . .
he’s still on a scholarship. Financial aid papers are non binding. A Letter of Intent is binding.
Same as the kid from Oregon going to Kentucky, he’ll be on scholarship, but he’s still not bound to Kentucky until he takes a class.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Conclusion
We wanted Josh in February, but he chose UCLA and did something wrong there. Not sure what happened there. The other two had a $20k bail, Josh zero. In the end, there will probably be no charges, which seems like an injustice to the victim (the girl, not the football players).
The Bruin poster above said the Josh was going to get a second chance, if not UCLA then somewhere else. Somewhere else is now the UW, but its hard to believe that the ducks would have turned him down.
Not sure why anonymous ducks want to come here and talk smack. They’ve had a great run the last 10 years, and perhaps these people are too young to remember the years of mediocrity before that. As Vince Lambardi told one of his over zealous players after scoring at TD, “act like you’ve been there before”.
Welcome Josh. You will be held to a higher standard than your team mates, not only by the UW, but obviously by the other schools. Good luck.
I don't think any of us are saying that you should have turned him down.
We certainly wouldn’t. I think the rub comes from last week when we signed the Davis kid who was released from Texas for DUI. There was a lot of sniping about that around here, then the next week you guys get a troubled kid. I don’t know the facts, I don’t care, I’m sure Sark and his staff have checked this kid and his situation out, and came to the decision that he is worthy of the opportunity he is being offered. So I think it is fair, albeit unwanted, to rib you guys about it a little.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
OH FO SHO!!!!!! (means oh for sure)
We KNOW you guys would take him in a heart beat, and he would become the Moral standard, but sorry you can’t have our only “bad” kid, after all you guys have had all the news and it’s time to share!
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 23, 2010 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Welcome to the club
…of listening to smack talk from the Westwood folks. It’s entertaining at least.
Follow me on twitter @Joey_Kaufman
Shirley's financial aid agreement
I noticed that he signed a financial aid agreement with UW. What is the difference between a financial aid agreement and a scholarship? Is it easier to bail(no pun intended)?
My understanding is it’s not binding until he actually attends class. Any recruitable athlete can opt to sign a FAA instead of an LOI (assuming the school gives him that option), and you are likely to see more high level recruits do so.
In this case, I don’t believe athletes are allowed to sign more than one LOI, so when UCLA voided his, it left him with only the FAA as an option.
Aside from being non-binding, it’s otherwise the same as an LOI.
Why
does there have to be a bad guy? BN always has to go negative. UCLA did the right thing for their institution.They felt they needed to make a statement, OK. One mistake does not define a person. UW choose to give this kid a second chance, GOOD, someone was going to. I hope he recognizes how fortunate he is and makes the best of this.
You are correct on all counts....but....
What happens is Ducks come on to give us a “ribbing” on how the Dawgs handled it, then we need to point out to them what happens down there, then we go back and forth for about 70 posts followed by them telling us we are right and they would have done the same thing. :)
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 23, 2010 9:36 PM PDT up reply actions
The best part about it all . . .
they get offended when they read a Duck joke on a Husky blog!?!? Shouldn’t that be expected? I don’t go to a Duck blog and get pissed when I read a husky joke!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Lear the funny thing is...
Over on ATQ they blame you for being an instigator on all this…HAHAHAHAHA
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 23, 2010 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Um….probably because it’s true?
Don't look those hoodie-clad Huskies in the eyes. They'll give you lupus.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jul 24, 2010 12:09 AM PDT up reply actions
You guys (Duck fans) . . . . .
really need to understand that Husky fans are going to make jokes about Ducks and Cougars, whether you like it or not. Give me a break.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
No, the reason we are usually replying and getting mad at you are not because of jokes, but because you say such insanely off-base and misguided things.
Don't look those hoodie-clad Huskies in the eyes. They'll give you lupus.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Jul 24, 2010 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Actually . . .
if you look at the other post about Middleton, I wrote a nice post about how much our coach has been impressing me lately. Then, I ended it with a quick jab at Chip Kelly, just saying, “Are you taking notes”.
You’d think I had just called Chip Kelly the anti-christ!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Well, to get the facts straight.....
Above it shows Matt Daddy coming over here first to express his jealousy, so….um… ya. Lear has been cleared of all charges of instigation
"Ducks are the college football version of Paris Hilton…they’re famous for no reason, they look pretty and they got a rich daddy." ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 24, 2010 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I made ONE quick little jab at Chip Kelly . . . . .
You’d think I just called somebody’s mother a whore!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
it's pretty funny ...
…. UO has been the dominant program since UW won the Rose Bowl in 2001 (yes, quackers, the idea is to win them when you get there). Yet these quackers seem to gear up for a nuclear throw down every time a UW fan makes any kind of critical remark – whether in jest or in debate. The level of paranoia and ultra-defensiveness among the quacker crowd is somewhat astonishing, especially given the plight of our respective programs the last seven years.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I think it's hilarious
"Ducks are the college football version of Paris Hilton…they’re famous for no reason, they look pretty and they got a rich daddy." ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 24, 2010 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Let me be clear though, I do think that it is insane for any fan, of ANY team, to not expect a rival blog to say things like that. I think Duck fans aren’t ultra-defensive, I think it just gets old hearing the same worn out lines and at some point you want to make people defend their point of view. You can easily make the case that we’re wrong for even bothering you after you say something, considering this is your house.
All of my fellow Duck fans SHOULD take a step back and realize that this is a Husky blog. That being said, Lear Pilot, I think the frustration is that you constantly go for the low hanging fruit type/internet message board jabber that gets old. You seem abnormally fixated on all of this “Oregon thug” and “Whoregon” type of stuff. It gets tiring to read, and you talk a lot like a guy with very thick purple and gold colored glasses on (Polk better than James, anyone?). If anyone can go back and click through your old posts and tell me I am off base, then fine, but I don’t see it happening.
Guess what though? It’s a blog and everyone has their standard guy or two that is so slanted he might fall over. I think you border on the ridiculous, but in the end, you get a bunch of the Duck fans pretty worked up so if that is your intention, then you do a great job. I know that’s a total shot at you, but I think I am right on point.
What do you expect???
THIS IS A HUSKY BLOG!!!
If you get tired of reading Oregon jokes/jabs/zingers/one liners, THEN DON’T READ YOUR RIVALS BLOG!!!!!
That’s why I don’t read ATQ.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Well, you’ve commented 26 times on ATQ so you either read it, or someone has hijacked your account.
Of course I expect Oregon jabs! That’s not the point. I scroll past a bunch of them every time I check your site out, just like I’m sure plenty of Husky fans do at ATQ. The reason you, in particular, get a reaction out of people is how cliched some of the stuff is and your particular level of vitriol. If you pull out the same tired lines all the time, you are going to get called out at some point.
I think you’ll find that people react a whole lot more to you than everyone else making jokes. Ever wonder why that might be?
by netminder82 on Jul 24, 2010 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions
If if you want a perfect summary of what I am getting at, just take a look at your comments as compared to almost everyone else during that whole Curtis Williams argument. I think there is an obvious difference between most of the guys trying to make him understand why they were upset and your over the top hostility.
by netminder82 on Jul 24, 2010 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions
You should read ATQ. They have an excellent blog
…they also have a lot of young posters, so they tend to devolve into personal attacks and barbs pretty quickly
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
Both blogs are excellent.
And that’s why I read them. Obviously ATQ is my team, and is written in more my style, but I take a look at them both when I can. Yes, there are young brash posters, as well as older curmudgeons.
If you look at the way that kid got attacked, it seemed like Lear was the young poster and the kid was the adult. You might think it was immature to post the Curtis Williams thing from the get-go (in that, a high schooler might not understand what the death of a player means to adults), but Lear Pilot dealt with him like a child would. An absolute child. I don’t even need to drag the quotes back into this, because you know how to find them and have probably seen each one of them. That’s no way to talk to people, and the reasoning was pretty off anyway. The kid has no credibility because he was wearing a Masoli jersey in his picture? That wouldn’t win an argument in a middle school debate class. He also came right out and said he had little respect to begin with for Duck fans.
I don’t care if he likes Duck fans or not. Personally, I respect Husky fans, and fans all over because people I know and love have gone to these schools and that makes it obvious that allowing my loyalty to my alma mater to send me into a frenzy would be shameful. I want the Ducks to smash the Huskies when we play, but I don’t think their fans are a bunch of jerks that I can’t respect. I wouldn’t let myself go so low as to say the things he did to him, and that’s because I’m an adult.
by netminder82 on Jul 25, 2010 1:52 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
And I am pretty sure Lear Pilot is a grown man. At least I hope so, because I don’t want children as pilots. He doesn’t get the free pass we should allow for some of the younger posters because he should know better than to go below the belt. That’s why I think he holds a special place in our hearts as Duck fans. If John Berkowitz or whoever makes a passionate, yet rational argument to that kid, you just nod in agreement or maybe counter with your own thought in a civilized fashion. When Lear Pilot is taking shots at him like that, he gets the reputation and it sticks. That’s what you have now – a guy who has gotten under people’s nerves just a bit and is going to get a reaction.
I don't know about this Curtis will ams post incident.
I was just commenting that there are a lot of younger posters who are a little more cozy with personal flaming than the old fogies like me on this blog. ATQ really is an excellent blog.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I agree. I read their comments and just sort of slump in my chair and think about how much the internet gives people a chance to hide behind a keyboard and clog up the discussion. I like both blogs, I really do. I’m always hopeful for a distinction between the typical talk radio/message board talk and the actual analysis, with occasional good-natured stupidity, that we can typically find on SB Nation.
It is probably not fair to pick one person or another, but we get the sports media and talk show hosts we ask for. We wouldn’t have guys coming up with the unbelievable points of view on the airwaves if there was not a market for it.
by netminder82 on Jul 25, 2010 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Nice line
“the internet gives people a chance to hide behind a keyboard and clog up the discussion”
I may have to steal that, if you don’t mind. Ditto “occasional good-natured stupidity” . . .
Well played, sir, well played.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 25, 2010 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions
What I don't get....
You’d think we took Shirley right out of san quentin state prison, or off the streets of Eugene or something. It’s not like the kid was arrested for a DUI, or was slapping up his girlfriend, or tweeting horrible things about his coach. At this point he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, unless a conviction comes, then it’s a kid who felt he was kicked off a team for doing nothing wrong and decided to play football elsewhere. It’s not like he was running down the street with laptops looking for a bar to duck (no pun intended) into or something…GEESH
"Ducks are the college football version of Paris Hilton…they’re famous for no reason, they look pretty and they got a rich daddy." ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit
by DAWGFATHER91 on Jul 24, 2010 5:27 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Yes he did.
But he better becareful, if the duck fans find out he made fun of them, they’re really going to get their panties in a bunch! :-)
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
Chuck Nelson
I would be interested in seeing a poll of Husky fans regarding what they think of Chuck Nelson being let go as the color commentator on Husky broadcasts.
Personally, I really like Chuck and regard him as one of the voices of the Huskies. I will miss hearing him. This news kind of bums me out a bit. I like Damon Huard, but he’s been focusing on professional football the past few years while Chuck was paying close attention to the Huskies. Can’t they bring Damon on in some capacity without cutting Chuck Nelson loose?
Sounds like a great change of topic!!
I’m with you 100%, I am a huge fan of the Huard family and I’m very happy that Damon is getting more involved with the program. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Rondeau and Nelson have been a great pairing, and THEY are a Husky tradition. I just don’t see any reason to break them up.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I agree...ISP want's a change though
hopefully they’ll put things back together once they realize that they screwed up.
I liked chuck Nelson, too
But change is good. I agree that getting some fresh blood is good. We’ll have some new personalities with new personal experiencesand stories to add to the listening experience.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
Yep. Riley is certainly taking a gamble, because Nelson was good and had good rapport with Rondeau. That said (and I say this will all due respect to Nelson), he wasn’t irreplaceable. If Madden in his prime was a 95 out of 100 as a color guy, Nelson was maybe a 70 – good, but certainly not the best.
I’ve seen Damon Huard on TV and heard him on the radio, and he’s really good. He could be an 85 out of 100. Maybe even better. Is that enough of an improvement to justify dumping a long-time guy like Nelson? Clearly Andre Riley felt there was enough improvement with Huard to justify it, but there will definitely be some pressure on him and Riley.
Hopefully Husky fans will give Huard a little bit of slack as he gets used to working the broadcasts and building chemistry with Rondeau, but I think he’s got great potential as a color guy.
And let’s face it – Bob Rondeau could be working with a Rhesus Monkey and the broadcast would still be great because Rondeau is one of the best in the business, and we Husky fans are tremendously lucky to have him.
"Rondeau is one of the best in the business"
We are pretty darn lucky here is Seattle, Dave Niehaus, Bob Rondeau, Kevin Calabro (until the Sonics were stolen) and Pete Gross back in the day. Not a bad group for one town.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I totally agree with that
A lot has been said about Seattle being a down on its luck sports town in recent years, but when it comes to the announcers we’ve had, across the board, we’ve been extremely fortunate.
For me, it’s really not about Damon at all. I like him and I hope that he does very well and has the job for many years. I just really like Chuck.
I always love to see former Huskies get media jobs. The more the better!
Let me rephrase that...
I shouldn’t have said “former Huskies.” I should have said “players whose eligibility has expired.”
Once a Husky, always a Husky!!! :)
My Take
Love Chuck Nelson but I think Huard may add a bit more flair to the broadcast. What he brings to the table that Nelson didn’t, is a larger football IQ. Playing in the NFL all of these years he can give the perspective of what a QB sees and is thinking on any given play. I absolutely LOVE listening to Hugh Millen for that very reason. He instantly recognizes defenses and gives you that QB and offensive perspective. I for one am looking forward to hearing Damon.
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 25, 2010 11:26 AM PDT reply actions
Things happen
I also enjoyed Nelson, but 22dawg has a point about a QB’s insight. I love Millen’s comments and his ability to translate the FB jargon into English. After he went public with his disgust of TW, we learned much more about the poor coaching of our team. Hopefully Damon will share that same insight that QBs and coaches seem to best understand.
Concerning radio, I’m mostly a pregame and postgame guy. Even in the 80’s, most games weren’t on TV, but now its rare not to have a game on TV. Many people talk about turning down the TV volume and listening to the radio, but it drives me crazi. The radio is real time and TV runs about 2-5 seconds behind the radio. I don’t know why the delay is there, but it bothers me more than a bad announcing team.
Nelson is gone. It was handled poorly, but its done. Unless Damon is with some friends when they snatch a purse on campus, Nelson is not coming back this year. I hope Damon does well and I wish Chuck good luck.
And its nice not to listen all duck all the time.
The way it was handled is the most important thing, I think
and the most worrisome.
by The Ancient Mariner on Jul 25, 2010 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Ditto
Concerning radio, I’m mostly a pregame and postgame guy. Even in the 80’s, most games weren’t on TV, but now its rare not to have a game on TV. Many people talk about turning down the TV volume and listening to the radio, but it drives me crazi. The radio is real time and TV runs about 2-5 seconds behind the radio. I don’t know why the delay is there, but it bothers me more than a bad announcing team.
I do the same. I absolutely LOVE the Husky Honks and Softy too. They are one of my favorite game day happenings. I think a lot of the people that tailgate around me love the fact that I bring my big portable radio out. A lot of them seem to listen and make comments, which makes it more fun!
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 25, 2010 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Husky Stadium
Well apparently, last Friday, a meeting was held to review the RFPs for Husky Stadium. I don’t suppose any of you guys have any inside connections? I would love to know IF they’ve decided on one of the plans. I can’t imagine it would take any longer then one meeting but what do I know?
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 25, 2010 11:36 AM PDT reply actions
I know the Sellen proposal had a pretty good shot
My uncle is a project manager for a subcontractor that submitted on their RFP. He said a few weeks back that he thought their proposal had about an 80% shot based on feedback they’d gotten. But contractors aren’t exactly the most reliable sources of information.
If I find anything out I’ll post it here.
Great!
Thanks Bro! Isn’t it fun to get some of the news that’s just breaking?
by doubledeucedawg on Jul 25, 2010 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions
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