Effect of shootings on players

[pwauburn 0]

Let me preface this by saying this is in no way intended to cut Chiz any slack, rather to consider cutting the players some slack.

The emotional effect that occurs when a young person has a friend get shot and killed is massive. Our players had 2 friends/former teammates get shot and killed, and another friend/player shot and wounded only 3 months before the season started.

As fans we treat Auburn football like it's a life or death situation, and we believe that our players should feel the same way. During a normal year (one where we didn't have 2 former players get murdered months before the season), our players do typically treat football just as serious as we perceive it to be as fans.

It's easy for me to understand if the double murder plus the wounding of a friend changed their outlook on football, and life. As much as we want football to be the end all, be all of every player's life, the reality of it is that it is just a game. I have a suspicion that the shootings made that point painfully obvious to a lot of our players. We just completed the worst season that I could ever imagine, yet all of the players and all of the fans get to wake up tomorrow and live another day.

So before we start labeling some of our players as "head cases" due to their lack of football performance, ask yourself how you would have reacted at the age of 19-20 if 2 of your friends had been murdered while they were at a keg party in Auburn, Alabama.

Show some respect.

[AUWALT 10]

I have been thinking of this all season and wondering how much it affected the team. Should not be used as an excuse but could be part of the reason for the season.

[cptau 169]

It's very bad for a team, but other teams have had similar things happen and it actually pulled them together. Something went wrong at Auburn and I think the robbery and the fight that resulted in shootings are just symptoms of a bigger problem on the team, not the cause of the problem,

UConn's QB was murdered during the season 3 years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4574560

[pwauburn 0]

It's very bad for a team, but other teams have had similar things happen and it actually pulled them together. Something went wrong at Auburn and I think the robbery and the fight that resulted in shootings are just symptoms of a bigger problem on the team, not the cause of the problem,

UConn's QB was murdered during the season 3 years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4574560

Yep, a total of 6 (or 7?) were shot that night. Reason for shooting; somebody danced with the wrong girl.

The problem at Auburn is that it's too close to Montgomery. The problem with Montgomery is that that type of behavior is tolerated there.

[GoAU 1,600]

Not to label myself as taking this too lightly, as it is/was a tragedy, but our country has 18-20 year olds having to deal with friends getting killed on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not saying it shouldn't matter, but having something else to focus on (football) should help the healing process. For a couple of weeks the effects could be profound, but months later, not so much.

[pwauburn 0]

It's very bad for a team, but other teams have had similar things happen and it actually pulled them together. Something went wrong at Auburn and I think the robbery and the fight that resulted in shootings are just symptoms of a bigger problem on the team, not the cause of the problem,

UConn's QB was murdered during the season 3 years ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4574560

No offense; but your response is what I'm talking about. As fans, our main concern is our team's poor playing. Seems reasonable to work on the individual kids emotions prior to thinking about team play. I bet that if you asked all of the players what "thing" in the past year stands out the most to them, then a lot of them would say the shootings as oppose to the piss poor season. As fans, we say the season.

After the shootings occurred, I expected the 2012 Auburn Tigers to set a school record for the most "personal foul unnecessary roughness" penalties ever.

[pwauburn 0]

Not to label myself as taking this too lightly, as it is/was a tragedy, but our country has 18-20 year olds having to deal with friends getting killed on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not saying it shouldn't matter, but having something else to focus on (football) should help the healing process. For a couple of weeks the effects could be profound, but months later, not so much.

What?! There are a ton of differences between our military and our football players. The guys in Afghanistan are in the military and are in theatre (militarily speaking of course). The military is also strongly adressing PTSD. If a soldier can't keep it together after seeing friends get killed, then his own life and his buddy's lives are in greater danger. That's a big incentive to stay motivated.

If our players don't stay focused then they lose a few games, not their life. The worst thing that happens to them in response to not staying focused is that us internet warriors post negative stuff about them.

Our players probably would have benefited from a dictator like coach this season, as opposed to a buddy.

[alexava 6,973]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

[pwauburn 0]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

[ertrader 197]

I assume it had some effect, but all the negative things that lead to this teams 3-9 record were present in last years team too.

[juscAUse 1]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

A friend of mine was worried about this,but he came at it from a totally different angle. Right after it happened,Coach Chiz said that this was 'no longer about football' . I thought I understood what the coach meant,but my friend was adamant that this was the wrong approach. He said it had to be ALL about football-the routine,the training,the monotony,the day to day drag that is college football. He said at the time that they didn't need free time,they needed routine and he was afraid Coach was going to give them too much time to think about it and dwell on it,and for some to use it as an excuse(he is a good man and I know he was thinking mainly about the players and not the football part). I disagreed in every way. Now...? I don't know.

[TheBlueVue 177]

It's very bad for a team, but other teams have had similar things happen and it actually pulled them together. Something went wrong at Auburn and I think the robbery and the fight that resulted in shootings are just symptoms of a bigger problem on the team, not the cause of the problem,

UConn's QB was murdered during the season 3 years ago.

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=4574560

Yep, a total of 6 (or 7?) were shot that night. Reason for shooting; somebody danced with the wrong girl.

The problem at Auburn is that it's too close to Montgomery. The problem with Montgomery is that that type of behavior is tolerated there.

This is a ridiculous statement. Murder is not a joking matter and is not tolerated anywhere. To suggest otherwise is simply tasteless or clueless or both

[cptau 169]

It's very bad for a team, but other teams have had similar things happen and it actually pulled them together. Something went wrong at Auburn and I think the robbery and the fight that resulted in shootings are just symptoms of a bigger problem on the team, not the cause of the problem,

UConn's QB was murdered during the season 3 years ago.

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=4574560

No offense; but your response is what I'm talking about. As fans, our main concern is our team's poor playing. Seems reasonable to work on the individual kids emotions prior to thinking about team play. I bet that if you asked all of the players what "thing" in the past year stands out the most to them, then a lot of them would say the shootings as oppose to the piss poor season. As fans, we say the season.

After the shootings occurred, I expected the 2012 Auburn Tigers to set a school record for the most "personal foul unnecessary roughness" penalties ever.

Actually that is what I'm saying. Something was wrong on that team. They did not have discipline and that themselves get put in risky stupid situations (drugs) (messing with thugs) and doing things they should done (robbery). Yes that stuff all goes on at other schools l(LSU?) where members of the team are out in public and just get in trouble. Instead of pulling the team together these arrests and deaths made things even worse.

[aubfaninga 16]

I have stated that I believe the time lost after the shooting had more effect than most want to admit. With the youth of our team we couldn't afford to lose 1 day of practice during the offseason.

How much time did we lose? How long did it take the kids to get their head back in line?

I have thought about alot of these things and I still come up with the same answers. If this had happened when I was playing football I would have looked to the older players. Would the effects of the shootings been less had we had 20+ seniors around? I also think that it would have been easier to cope with, for me as a player at least, if it had happened during the season or closer to the beginning. Too much downtime during the offseason and not enough distractions. I would have been a mess for at least 2 weeks.

[Builder 86]

I dont know for certain and correct me if Im wrong, and Im sure you will. But I think alot of players resented the fact that maybe Chizik did not do enough in remembrance of these guys in the shooting, was there a # on the helmet or anything team sponsored.? I certainly dont know what he may have done behind closed doors. I also believe and posted, that I think players resented that he did not stand behind Quan Bray when he was arrested for God forbid, driving with a restricted license. Instead he suspended him. Wrong call in my opinion, when we needed team unity the most.

Last thing, totally unrelated. I hope the next coach tells everyone to kiss his blank and make some changes to the uniform. And I have always been against the "costume" changes you see so often now. Except Military Appreciation Day. But we need something to excite new guys and possibly start a new era. But no orange facemasks.

[blueridge 29]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

You reaching. And ,apparently, looking to make an excuse for the players as some kind of associated victims of the shootings. Nice try. They played like high schoolers because Chizik let them.

[pwauburn 0]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

You reaching. And ,apparently, looking to make an excuse for the players as some kind of associated victims of the shootings. Nice try. They played like high schoolers because Chizik let them.

Take it how you want, but at least read the original post. Clearly I stated that the reason for the post was to get the internet warriors to have some respect, and to refrain from calling the players a head case.

From the coaching point of view, they clearly dropped the ball. Plus the lack of emotion displayed by players who were most likely full of all sorts of emotions, especially anger (due to the shooting), is further evidence of the lack of leadership that the players had this year.

If you don't believe that having multiple friends shot and two of them killed hads a lasting effect on young people, then you don't know jack about trauma situations.

[pwauburn 0]

I dont know for certain and correct me if Im wrong, and Im sure you will. But I think alot of players resented the fact that maybe Chizik did not do enough in remembrance of these guys in the shooting, was there a # on the helmet or anything team sponsored.? I certainly dont know what he may have done behind closed doors. I also believe and posted, that I think players resented that he did not stand behind Quan Bray when he was arrested for God forbid, driving with a restricted license. Instead he suspended him. Wrong call in my opinion, when we needed team unity the most.

Last thing, totally unrelated. I hope the next coach tells everyone to kiss his blank and make some changes to the uniform. And I have always been against the "costume" changes you see so often now. Except Military Appreciation Day. But we need something to excite new guys and possibly start a new era. But no orange facemasks.

Fully agree with you.

[pwauburn 0]

I have stated that I believe the time lost after the shooting had more effect than most want to admit. With the youth of our team we couldn't afford to lose 1 day of practice during the offseason.

How much time did we lose? How long did it take the kids to get their head back in line?

I have thought about alot of these things and I still come up with the same answers. If this had happened when I was playing football I would have looked to the older players. Would the effects of the shootings been less had we had 20+ seniors around? I also think that it would have been easier to cope with, for me as a player at least, if it had happened during the season or closer to the beginning. Too much downtime during the offseason and not enough distractions. I would have been a mess for at least 2 weeks.

Agreed. I think that the fact that they were on the same team, that it is reasonable to believe that being around the team could repeatedly trigger thoughts of their murdered friends.

I fully expected to see our guys playing with excessive emotion (mainly anger) this season. The fact that they displayed the opposite makes me wonder what was really going on behind the scenes. I think your point about a lack of senior players is a good point. Having senior players around probably would have helped the younger guys a lot.

[pwauburn 0]

I assume it had some effect, but all the negative things that lead to this teams 3-9 record were present in last years team too.

I can't disagree there.

I simply don't think that we should be judging our guys as being a head case considering what they went through emotionally, coupled with the apparent lack of leadership that the team had from the coaching staff.

[AUwent 3,748]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

Exactly. When the shootings happened, I still admittedly thought Chizik still had control. I actually thought it would bring the team closer together and turn it into a special season. See Alabama last year, Connecticut in 2009 (won all their games after their QB was murdered), and Virginia Tech in 2007 (32 people were killed, won their conference).

It was a horrible event, no doubt, but no excuse for this season.

[passthebiscuits 6,844]

I was there the night of the shootings. The former players who were killed that night were still directly connected with our team, and there was no doubt psychological grief for their friends on the team. Case in point, Eric Mack, who did not have life threatening injuries but didn't see the field. However, I will say again (and I get flamed on when I say the truth here) that the bigger issue was that there were a number more of our football players at the party. They were unaccounted for many of them after the shooting and I remember the coaches trying to find them. I remember how many of them were intoxicated or even had a few smokies. I remember that while "they were in the wrong place at the same time" they still happened to be in the wrong place, with a guy who was shot only a few weeks after shooting his own nephew. I don't think any of the guys did anything wrong, but it brought up an uncomfortable truth that to protect our players, we would have to have tighter rein on them...and that lost trust between Coaches and players. It's not just "one thing" that we had such a terrible year, buy yeah, the shooting did contribute in a tangible way, no doubt.

[pwauburn 0]

These guys are refered to as former players but they still were around the team. Ed was still on med scholly. they were more like current players and im sure it affected some close to them in a big way. I dont use this as why we sucked. Our best game was vs Clemson and it was downhill from there. We have other problems.

Yeah. Guess i didn't clarify that part.

I agree that there is more going on, but don't underestimate the effect that this has had and will have on these guy's lives.

A good coaching staff could have harnessed that emotion and directed it at all opponents. Unfortunately, our coaching staff didn't seem to have done that.

The effect is for far more than a few days or months.

A friend of mine was worried about this,but he came at it from a totally different angle. Right after it happened,Coach Chiz said that this was 'no longer about football' . I thought I understood what the coach meant,but my friend was adamant that this was the wrong approach. He said it had to be ALL about football-the routine,the training,the monotony,the day to day drag that is college football. He said at the time that they didn't need free time,they needed routine and he was afraid Coach was going to give them too much time to think about it and dwell on it,and for some to use it as an excuse(he is a good man and I know he was thinking mainly about the players and not the football part). I disagreed in every way. Now...? I don't know.

I agree. After experiencing something like they did, idle time does not seem like a good idea.

I've never heard anybody suggest that after a life trauma that what friends/family need to do is have excess free time to ponder the "whys" of life.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

Perhaps Chizik, himself, was the one who was most affected. I believe he has always felt a responsibility for the character of these young men. He has tried to make an impact on them by involving them in mission work and other charitable events. When those boys lost their lives, I am sure he was devistated and felt that he could have done more...maybe that changed HIS passion for football. I didn't see much passion from him this year at all...

[AURaptor 1,122]

I have been thinking of this all season and wondering how much it affected the team. Should not be used as an excuse but could be part of the reason for the season.

I've tried , at times, to bring up the issue, but no one really wants to talk about it, in relation to how the team performed , over the season. While I think it didn't help matters, I don't think it was a prominent factor either. This team got blown out several times last year as well.

There's been something unbelievably wrong w/ this team, since after the BCS. I dunno what it is, but Chizik seemed utterly incapable of getting this team to focus and come together. It cost him his job.