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2019 5* WR George Pickens Flips to UGA


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55 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Probably so for Ross....but UGA is not a passing team and has a pretty conventional offense with two running backs in recent years.   

Since we are discussing GP,  would have made more sense for him to pick a program where throwing the ball was the key factor in their offense.   Winning program ?   sorta but if he wanted to go somewhere other than AU, he should have gone to bama if he wanted to catch passes and play in championships :)

I agree that UGA offense is pretty basic. But regardless of what scheme you run, it is much easier to sell elite players on a constant stage of title chases and championship games than it is the up and down inconsistency we are trying to sell. Over a 4 year career of an AU player, they are equally likely to get to Atlanta as they are to finish 4th or worst in the SEC West. We need to change that paradigm. 

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7 hours ago, fredst said:

Ross made at least 2 spectacular catches in the national championship game and was huge in the national semi-final game as well. He knew exactly what he was doing going to Clemson. His momma’s input may have been part of it but nobody can argue that he didn’t make a clear-eyed decision about what was best for him football-wise. And, he chose wisely.

MR FRED!!!! As usual is the voice of reason. A MAN OF THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE!!! WOOOO!!!!!

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Pickens had plenty of time to know which offense was best for him and to make hard decisions without acting like a punk on NSD. The talk about the different offenses is just a red herring to what actually went down last Wednesday. And nonsurprisingly, it’s the Gusbashers offering the excuse of our offense as if that’s the reason it all went down the way it did.

A former commitment that decided Auburn wasn’t the best school for him and flipped to a rival, but yet isn’t hated at all: Quinnen Williams. Why is he not hated? Because he didn’t play Auburn like a fiddle until NSD. 

People here actually hate Rashaan Evans more than Pickens and offered less excuses for him which is crazy! Total days that Rashaan was committed: 0 days. Total days that Pickens was committed: 565 days. Not to mention that Old Man Ellis wanted Evans at the Star and not primarily rushing the passer which is what Evans loved to do. 

 

 

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19 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

I agree that UGA offense is pretty basic. But regardless of what scheme you run, it is much easier to sell elite players on a constant stage of title chases and championship games than it is the up and down inconsistency we are trying to sell. Over a 4 year career of an AU player, they are equally likely to get to Atlanta as they are to finish 4th or worst in the SEC West. We need to change that paradigm. 

Yup. Or look at LSU. They haven't had a robust passing game... ever?... yet they've been pumping big time WRs into the NFL for years. 

 

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Lol @ anyone in this thread mad at Pickens for not volunteering to be the next wasted elite WR under the abomination that is Gus Malzahn.

The kid actually has a future in football now. Everyone here should be happy for him and remember Auburn is about the players, not the coaches.

The coaches aren’t loyal to Auburn outside of the egregious paychecks they manipulate our amateur BOD to give them.

Im very happy for GP and look forward to great things from him in the future.

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13 hours ago, L I G E R said:

Lol @ anyone in this thread mad at Pickens for not volunteering to be the next wasted elite WR under the abomination that is Gus Malzahn.

The kid actually has a future in football now. Everyone here should be happy for him and remember Auburn is about the players, not the coaches.

The coaches aren’t loyal to Auburn outside of the egregious paychecks they manipulate our amateur BOD to give them.

Im very happy for GP and look forward to great things from him in the future.

What you miss is not the decision but the total lack of respect he showed for Auburn.  Why should he show any respect toward Auburn?

1. we were his first D1 offer AND HE COMMITTED

2. the coaches remained committed to him for 550 days

3. the Auburn players he spent countless weekends with, stood by his decision to visit other programs

4. the weekend before NSD, he told players and coaches he was still coming

 

All this would be 100% different if he had just decommitted and pursued all options and been honest with players and coaches.  He could have still chosen Auburn on NSD...Had he done this, Auburn could have had a contingency plan on NSD.  

 

I would be endlessly embarrassed had my son done something so trashy.   Even if he is 18, there would be consequences in my family for such.

 

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14 hours ago, L I G E R said:

The kid actually has a future in football now. Everyone here should be happy for him and remember Auburn is about the players, not the coaches

The kid had a future in football no matter where he went. He could’ve spurned Auburn differently, and tbe reaction would’ve been completely different. Thanks for letting me read another irrelevant anti-Auburn agenda though. 

14 hours ago, L I G E R said:

Im very happy for GP and look forward to great things from him in the future.

Second Chance U is gonna get a good one. 

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5 hours ago, Beaker said:

What you miss is not the decision but the total lack of respect he showed for Auburn.  Why should he show any respect toward Auburn?

1. we were his first D1 offer AND HE COMMITTED

2. the coaches remained committed to him for 550 days

3. the Auburn players he spent countless weekends with, stood by his decision to visit other programs

4. the weekend before NSD, he told players and coaches he was still coming

 

All this would be 100% different if he had just decommitted and pursued all options and been honest with players and coaches.  He could have still chosen Auburn on NSD...Had he done this, Auburn could have had a contingency plan on NSD.  

 

I would be endlessly embarrassed had my son done something so trashy.   Even if he is 18, there would be consequences in my family for such.

 

Welcome to the recruiting of elite players who are torn on their decisions and can literally go anywhere they want.

If we don’t wanna deal with these situations, we probably should give up on recruiting elite studs.

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17 minutes ago, L I G E R said:

Welcome to the recruiting of elite players who are torn on their decisions and can literally go anywhere they want.

If we don’t wanna deal with these situations, we probably should give up on recruiting elite studs.

This is a rather casual dismissal of a sorry way of handling things by Pickens.  

There's a right and wrong way to do this.  The right way is that you be a man.  When you're committed but wavering, you are honest with the coaching staff you're committed to.  If you know you're probably going elsewhere you don't sit on the decision for days and inform the team you've been committed to the hour before you are to sign.  You let them make other plans.  The wrong way is to be a puss, decide three or four days out and act like nothing has changed so you can create drama to feed your narcissism.

I don't begrudge him going to UGA.  Hell, as you've mentioned, it might be the best thing for his career potential as a WR.  It's got to be hard to decide where to spend the next 4 years of your life when everyone is promising you the moon so while it stings to lose a big time guy at the last minute, I get it.  But I'm not going to let my frustration with Gus cloud basic judgment.  Pickens deserves to get raked over how he handled it.

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3 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

This is a rather casual dismissal of a sorry way of handling things by Pickens.  

There's a right and wrong way to do this.  The right way is that you be a man.  When you're committed but wavering, you are honest with the coaching staff you're committed to.  If you know you're probably going elsewhere you don't sit on the decision for days and inform the team you've been committed to the hour before you are to sign.  You let them make other plans.  The wrong way is to be a puss, decide three or four days out and act like nothing has changed so you can create drama to feed your narcissism.

I don't begrudge him going to UGA.  Hell, as you've mentioned, it might be the best thing for his career potential as a WR.  It's got to be hard to decide where to spend the next 4 years of your life when everyone is promising you the moon so while it stings to lose a big time guy at the last minute, I get it.  But I'm not going to let my frustration with Gus cloud basic judgment.  Pickens deserves to get raked over how he handled it.

Gus deserves to get raked as well, since he’s either too dense to sniff out bull**** like this (again) or he doesn’t garner enough respect from other coaches and recruits to avoid situations like this.

At the end of the day, missing on Pickens is Gus’s fault.

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Only a few here wouldn’t admit that Auburn doesn’t have the best offense for receivers of Pickens talent. Some were very surprised that Pickens stayed committed as long as he did as a matter of fact. It’s my understanding that Auburn was committed to Pickens though and was going to do every thing they legitimately could to get him qualified and in the class. 

As for the argument that athletes don’t owe coaches anything:  Well, no they don’t. If athletes don’t have to be courteous enough to offer the same coaches and fellow recruits that shared long recruiting relationships and bonds the chance to land on their feet after rejection, then I wonder should coaches owe recruits anything? Those are nasty situations and are best avoided by the sharing of decency and respect for another’s goals.

38 minutes ago, L I G E R said:

Gus deserves to get raked as well, since he’s either too dense to sniff out bull**** like this (again) 

Gus had gotten better with this it seemed. Per all of Neihbuhr’s reports our staff felt pretty confident until after Gus’s in home and even after all the noise, it was still a shock that he flipped. He was under Auburn’s stadium lights the Sunday before NSD after all. Pappoa didn’t even sniff it out (,or maybe he did and tried to convince him to stick. We will never know.)

38 minutes ago, L I G E R said:

or he doesn’t garner enough respect from other coaches and recruits to avoid situations like this.

You’re reaching here.

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2 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Only a few here wouldn’t admit that Auburn doesn’t have the best offense for receivers of Pickens talent. Some were very surprised that Pickens stayed committed as long as he did as a matter of fact. It’s my understanding that Auburn was committed to Pickens though and was going to do every thing they legitimately could to get him qualified and in the class. 

As for the argument that athletes don’t owe coaches anything:  Well, no they don’t. If athletes don’t have to be courteous enough to offer the same coaches and fellow recruits that shared long recruiting relationships and bonds the chance to land on their feet after rejection, then I wonder should coaches owe recruits anything? Those are nasty situations and are best avoided by the sharing of decency and respect for another’s goals.

Gus had gotten better with this it seemed. Per all of Neihbuhr’s reports our staff felt pretty confident until after Gus’s in home and even after all the noise, it was still a shock that he flipped. He was under Auburn’s stadium lights the Sunday before NSD after all. Pappoa didn’t even sniff it out (,or maybe he did and tried to convince him to stick. We will never know.)

You’re reaching here.

How am I reaching?  Gus has proven himself time and time again to be completely oblivious and clueless to what seems obvious to most normal human beings.

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6 hours ago, L I G E R said:

How am I reaching?  Gus has proven himself time and time again to be completely oblivious and clueless to what seems obvious to most normal human beings.

You’re reaching because what does respect from coaches and players bave to do with anything? Did we respect Richt when we took Darius Slayton? 

Was it obvious to most normal human beings? Who really saw it coming? Kneibuhr and the rest of tbe Auburn insiders didn’t see it coming. What else can you see inside that CB of yours? Stock performances? Lottery numbers? 

There was a bunch of noise on social media coming out from Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, Miami, etc but the staff never felt anything other than confident  You’re full of crap. 

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Character flaws show when the spotlight is shown bright enough.  This will not be a big miss in the long run.  Just look at the multitude of penalties in games and the over reacting of 1 hand touch in 7v7 tournaments.  

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8 hours ago, L I G E R said:

How am I reaching?  Gus has proven himself time and time again to be completely oblivious and clueless to what seems obvious to most normal human beings.

... speaking of oblivious and clueless ...

btw, are you related to Pickens?  That might explain your defense of his behavior.

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21 hours ago, L I G E R said:

Gus deserves to get raked as well, since he’s either too dense to sniff out bull**** like this (again) or he doesn’t garner enough respect from other coaches and recruits to avoid situations like this.

At the end of the day, missing on Pickens is Gus’s fault.

No one person or persons needs to be blamed.   

The issue is how the young man conducted himself.   He did so poorly.

 

If you want to blame Gus, go ahead, but that is an overreach, as stated, George was on campus 3 days prior and told future teammates and coaches he was Auburn bound.  

Could a bag-man have played a role?  Sure.   Do we all suspect "Short-round" of playing dirty?  Sure - makes no difference, Pickens showed horrible judgment and character.  

 

I agree, this kid may have so many issues in the future, his impact may be minimal.  Think about Dez Bryant at Ok State - didn't even play his last year due to off the field issues.

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I only blame Gus if he was completely blindsided by this. 

He should absolutely be disappointed, and Pickens was obviously worth holding that slot for. But if Gus was just completely unaware that this was a possibility, then he's still far too naive even considering his brief tenure in the college game. 

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He tricked and betrayed our players as well, thus all the bitter tweets they sent out. I've never seen anything like that before, and a lot of guys have chosen to go elsewhere. As late as the Sunday before signing day he was hanging around with them and saying he was all Auburn. If his contemporaries couldn't sniff this out I don't see how coaches would either.

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1 hour ago, Mikey said:

He tricked and betrayed our players as well, thus all the bitter tweets they sent out. I've never seen anything like that before, and a lot of guys have chosen to go elsewhere. As late as the Sunday before signing day he was hanging around with them and saying he was all Auburn. If his contemporaries couldn't sniff this out I don't see how coaches would either.

Great point - never seen players turn on a recruit.   Wow, good catch.

I saw his video clip when he selected.   I didn't see a bunch of joy/elation/relief.   Makes me wonder if some cash may have been involved.     Man I wish stuff was investigated and things were on the up and up.  

Start banning coaches for 10 yrs and that sheet would stop.  

 

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Yeah, guys.  Let’s all absolve the middle-aged man being paid $7MM/yr to recruit HS players and put all the fault of how things went down on an 18-yr old kid about to make the biggest decision of his life.  Especially when he made the right one.

I love our fanbase.

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1 hour ago, L I G E R said:

Yeah, guys.  Let’s all absolve the middle-aged man being paid $7MM/yr to recruit HS players and put all the fault of how things went down on an 18-yr old kid about to make the biggest decision of his life.  Especially when he made the right one.

I love our fanbase.

Kid tells you over and over he's still committed, he's coming to Auburn, you're supposed to be a mind reader now and know he's about to pull this bull**** the morning of signing day?  Does $7 million a year convey those powers to a person?

I know you're in full-on Gus-hate mode and have been for a while.  Sometimes you make good points.  But do you read the stuff you type?

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15 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Kid tells you over and over he's still committed, he's coming to Auburn, you're supposed to be a mind reader now and know he's about to pull this bull**** the morning of signing day?  Does $7 million a year convey those powers to a person?

I know you're in full-on Gus-hate mode and have been for a while.  Sometimes you make good points.  But do you read the stuff you type?

I know this may be hard for some to believe - but kids lie.   

Say what?!?!??!??!??!!?   

I teach school now and had to reprogram my brain....Some kids will absolutely lie to you and to your face. Some you can tell and some you can't.   It's human nature, less I digress.  

This is not on Gus.    I will be the last one to rejoin those on the Gus bus, but honest enough to correctly categorize this 'miss' on recruiting day.    This still smells 'dirty' to me and the smell of money is coming from the East.  That is my conspiracy theory.  

 

It is fun to see the progress / updates on the 2020 class!

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On 2/14/2019 at 6:33 PM, TitanTiger said:

Kid tells you over and over he's still committed, he's coming to Auburn, you're supposed to be a mind reader now and know he's about to pull this bull**** the morning of signing day?  Does $7 million a year convey those powers to a person?

I know you're in full-on Gus-hate mode and have been for a while.  Sometimes you make good points.  But do you read the stuff you type?

Sorry, but I’m in professional sales for a living and I understand how to read verbal and nonverbal cues, and not be blindsided on big deals.

But I’m also not paid $7MM/yr not at all appropriate here and will not be tolerated

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