Finebama: Shula spits on tradition at Alabama

[DKW 86 7,432]

http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/pf....xml&coll=3

Shula spits on tradition at Alabama

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Just moments after the electrifying introduction by athletics director Mal Moore, officially unveiling the $53 million addition to sparkling Bryant-Denny Stadium and featuring nearly 600 former Crimson Tide players, the public-address announcer shrieked at the top of his lungs: "This is Alabama football."

The record crowd of 92,138 went into a feeding frenzy and something told me Paul Bryant would have been proud of his old school. His former loyal assistant Moore had completed an incredible mission and cemented his own legacy with this wondrous addition.

Then, suddenly, the lights went out and the good times crashed and burned. Or so it seemed when Juwan Simpson arrogantly strutted on to the field to take his starting position as the Tide's weak-side linebacker.

From this vantage point, the night was over. All the good will had gone down the drain. This storied program, which has always stood for class and integrity, for winning championships the right way, had sunk to a new depth of despair. Moments earlier, the announcer had screamed, "This is Alabama football."

Wrong.

"This was Alabama football," he should have said.

I don't want to play the Bear card here ad nauseum, but Simpson had absolutely no business playing in this football game after his embarrassing arrest earlier this year for possession of a stolen handgun and marijuana.

If that wasn't bad enough, there was his equally mortifying demonstration of haughtiness a few weeks ago when asked what kind of penalty he deserved, and he said, "I'd give myself an ice cone."

He copped a plea with the Jefferson County court, and Mike Shula copped out in terms of dealing with him.

Oh sure, in Shula's fantasy world of keeping discipline in-house, perhaps Simpson really was denied that extra scoop of ice cream at pregame meal. However, in the real world of public perception, Shula blew it.

Keeping discipline is fine -- just act like you're in charge and apply some discipline. Remember Alabama's image is at stake, and parents of recruits are watching.

Alabama won the game on the field, albeit barely against a pedestrian team from the middle of nowhere. But it lost big-time around the world of college football. Something tells me folks in Knoxville and Auburn and other locales will get a big chuckle the next time some delusional Alabama fan accuses their programs of being a collection of thugs and misfits.

Perhaps the most interesting question is why Shula blinked in the blinding hot glare of his most closely watched call on discipline. The best guess is that he has run such a loose ship in the past that he may have feared a harsh sentence on Simpson might upset the chemistry and balance on this football team.

After all, this team is expected to experience some growing pains and if you come down too hard on the leader of the pack, perhaps you run the risk of causing serious problems. The question begs: Who is in charge here?

Besides, does Shula really want to risk internal problems now that he has taken the training wheels off his head-coaching career and is starting to cash a big-boy annual salary of $1.8 million?

Who knows? Shula hides behind the "we keep this in the family" hogwash that he continues to spew out every time a reporter gets up the nerve to even ask about crime and punishment.

It is difficult to make a bold statement that this myopic decision is going to haunt Shula. That is difficult to say because ultimately fans measure a head coach on the bottom line -- the won-lost record.

However, it just seemed odd that on a glorious night where Alabama's past seemed to intersect with its future -- with the sparkling additions at Bryant-Denny being put on public view, Mike Shula spat on the school's tradition with his foolish decision to let Juwan Simpson play in a football game.

[Ranger12 46]

Wow. He basically said everything we have been saying on this board about the whole situation.

Good to see him point all of that out, but you can bet he has a reason for doing it. If his ratings have been sliding like some say, since AU Nation has basically boycotted him, he needs to get UAT fans fired up and call into his show would be my guess.

[WarTim 3,456]

He is definately "pimping" his call in show. It is simply a bonus that he happens to be right on this one.

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

Guess this answers my question on the dude starting..

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

It is so funny to see bammers throw rocks in glass houses (I call it hypocracy but I will be nice and not say it that way). One of them commented this morning about the thugs on the field at tthe Miami-FSU game last night. I really had to bite my tongue and say "yes but I guess you didn't see Simpson on the field Saturday night."

No bammer should comment for a long time on the woes of programs like UT, Miami or FSU without looking in the mirror.

[AuNuma1 1]

What I don't understand is why the radio guys like Jay Barker keep saying how "we" don't know what kind of punishment Simpson got because Shula keeps it "in house" so therefore "we" can't say that Shula dropped the ball on this whole scandal.

Here's the problem with that line of defense...Simpson was allowed to run his mouth to the media saying that he didn't know whether or not he was going to play in the opener and that he hadn't talked to Shula about punishment whatsoever. If Shula was going to keep the punishment "in house", he would've at least tried to be sly about it and told Simpson to shut his fat mouth. But Shula didn't even bother to do that...he let Simpson pop his mouth off whenever somebody shoved a mic in front of him.

No wonder the SEC gets such a bad rep...no matter how desparate you are to keep your job, win at all costs and let your players do whatever they want.

[AUesquire 1]

We discussed the whole J. Simpson criminal thing until that horse was a greasy spot in the road. I had no problem with the way the criminal aspect of this mess was handled. That was about standard procedure for that type of case. My entire concern was what would happen when UA and the Rainbows kicked it off. Would he be on the field or not? That question was answered with a resounding "YES"!!!

PF hit the nail on the head with this one. Whether or not it's about ratings, he's still right. This speaks volumes about character and the way CMS is running that program. I don't want to hear all the bull about how he keeps it in house...blah, blah, blah...

Even Simpson himself didn't know what his punishment would be. Apparently, Shula not only keeps it from the media, but the player as well. He's talking about frickin' ice cream. Is there going to be any punishment...any discipline???

[abrnfanatc 6]

What I don't understand is why the radio guys like Jay Barker keep saying how "we" don't know what kind of punishment Simpson got because Shula keeps it "in house" so therefore "we" can't say that Shula dropped the ball on this whole scandal.

Here's the problem with that line of defense...Simpson was allowed to run his mouth to the media saying that he didn't know whether or not he was going to play in the opener and that he hadn't talked to Shula about punishment whatsoever. If Shula was going to keep the punishment "in house", he would've at least tried to be sly about it and told Simpson to shut his fat mouth. But Shula didn't even bother to do that...he let Simpson pop his mouth off whenever somebody shoved a mic in front of him.

No wonder the SEC gets such a bad rep...no matter how desparate you are to keep your job, win at all costs and let your players do whatever they want.

A-Freakin-men.

I almost wrecked this morning listening to Barker. He did more backpeddling than in his Senior season at Bama. Nobody, BG included, has been able to explain to me yet how the Coach can say "it was handled in-house" while the player keeps letting the media know that the coach hasn't said anything to him yet.

Then, to make matters worse for them, the DJ Hall situation gets much muddier than it should have been.

Well, he's tweaked an ankle, so he won't play. Well, he was hurt and suspended. Well, I can't tell you if he was suspended because it was handled "in-house".

Which one is it?????????????

[Ranger12 46]

Guys, Shula is doing nothing but making the UAT program look more like a program in anarchy everyday. Recruits and parents are seeing this. The bad part is that if he keeps on going like this, he could lose his job and the may actually find some up and coming Div. 1-AA or Div. II coach that will set the program right again.

Me and another board member were talking the other day and we both agreed that it is a shame that the players, the good ones that care, have to endure such a lack of leadership from Shula. A kid signs with a school expecting their head coach to be a leader and sort of a parent away from home. Shula has failed these kids so far, and regardless of what school the play for, good kids don't deserve to be decieved like that. Recruits now see how Shula is going to be and all they are going to get is the bad kids that want to go to a school with no discipline or parent figure as a leader and where they don't have to respect the coaches.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Gents, let us sit back and enjoy watching the inevitable train wreck in Tuscaloosa happen. Shula is the best thing that has happened to Auburn since Bill Curry.

[Ranger12 46]

Gents, let us sit back and enjoy watching the inevitable train wreck in Tuscaloosa happen. Shula is the best thing that has happened to Auburn since Bill Curry.

Amen to that brother! That is exactly my way of thinking. Instead of always talking about Shulas lack of coaching ability, let's just enjoy it. Like I said, it is just too bad that there are some innocent players on that train.

[CircleDrill 178]

I am convinced that Sheila is just not very smart. Period.

Anyone who works in a profession that is constantly in the public eye knows that perception is everything. It really doesn't matter WHAT Sheila is doing. If everybody THINKS he is doing nothing, then that is the reality of Alabama football.

[Rocket City Tiger 4]

Listening to The Herd on espn radio during lunch and he commented on the Texas player who was charged with misdemeanor offenses of drug and gun possession this week. He said that the player "should be gone." I wonder if that means he should be told to hit the road or eat Rocky-Road???

[Ravad 77]

Gents, let us sit back and enjoy watching the inevitable train wreck in Tuscaloosa happen. Shula is the best thing that has happened to Auburn since Bill Curry.

I support CMS.

I'm sitting with you TiS.

[WarTim 3,456]

Guys, Shula is doing nothing but making the UAT program look more like a program in anarchy everyday. Recruits and parents are seeing this. The bad part is that if he keeps on going like this, he could lose his job and the may actually find some up and coming Div. 1-AA or Div. II coach that will set the program right again.

Me and another board member were talking the other day and we both agreed that it is a shame that the players, the good ones that care, have to endure such a lack of leadership from Shula. A kid signs with a school expecting their head coach to be a leader and sort of a parent away from home. Shula has failed these kids so far, and regardless of what school the play for, good kids don't deserve to be decieved like that. Recruits now see how Shula is going to be and all they are going to get is the bad kids that want to go to a school with no discipline or parent figure as a leader and where they don't have to respect the coaches.

Amen & Amen. I am certain there must be some kids of good character that did not sign on to be a part of this garbage. I do feel for them and their families.

At least the pattern is set and future prospects will know the truth.

[tigernt'town 4]

shula owes avalos an apology, apparently he wasn't good enough or important enough for a slap on the wrist. i can't believe witt is not going to do anything about it either. so lets do the math at alabama you can get a dui, do drugs, and have a stolen firearm in your possession, and no major penalty will be forthcoming.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

get a dui, do drugs, and have a stolen firearm in your possession,

To be fair, he did not get a DUI (he was pulled over for erratic driving, I think), there is no proof he did drugs, only that drugs were in the car at the time of the stop, and he did have the stolen handgun "checked out" by the Northport po-po before he bought it.

Not that I agree with what has transpired, but let's at least be accurate about the facts of the case.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

get a dui, do drugs, and have a stolen firearm in your possession,

To be fair, he did not get a DUI (he was pulled over for erratic driving, I think), there is no proof he did drugs, only that drugs were in the car at the time of the stop, and he did have the stolen handgun "checked out" by the Northport po-po before he bought it.

Not that I agree with what has transpired, but let's at least be accurate about the facts of the case.

Isn't possession of MJ illegal? And I guess the erratic driving was caused by spending too much time at Dairy Queen?

[saniflush 0]

baldie just said that they have a statue of Frank Thomas outside Jordan Hare West on the walk of champions.

I think he meant Derrick Thomas.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Isn't possession of MJ illegal? And I guess the erratic driving was caused by spending too much time at Dairy Queen?

Yes, it is. I am not saying that it's not. But there has been nothing to say that he was on drugs at the time when he was driving erractically. As far as the erratic driving, I was pulled over once when I was on a mountain road and was fooling around with my satellite radio. The cop thought I had been drinking and made me blow on a pocket breathalazer. I passed with flying colors and received nary a citation. I don't know what caused it in Simpson's case.

I am not defending the guy, just making sure we get the facts straight while discussing the situation.

[abrnfanatc 6]

baldie just said that they have a statue of Frank Thomas outside Jordan Hare West on the walk of champions.

I think he meant Derrick Thomas.

I think that would be their former coach Frank Thomas, not the Big Hurt...

[saniflush 0]

baldie just said that they have a statue of Frank Thomas outside Jordan Hare West on the walk of champions.

I think he meant Derrick Thomas.

I think that would be their former coach Frank Thomas, not the Big Hurt...

They had someone before bar?????

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Isn't possession of MJ illegal? And I guess the erratic driving was caused by spending too much time at Dairy Queen?

Yes, it is. I am not saying that it's not. But there has been nothing to say that he was on drugs at the time when he was driving erractically. As far as the erratic driving, I was pulled over once when I was on a mountain road and was fooling around with my satellite radio. The cop thought I had been drinking and made me blow on a pocket breathalazer. I passed with flying colors and received nary a citation. I don't know what caused it in Simpson's case.

I am not defending the guy, just making sure we get the facts straight while discussing the situation.

Not being argumentative but isn't possession alone enough to get punishment?

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Not being argumentative but isn't possession alone enough to get punishment?

Yes, it is. My point is that, in order to be taken seriously, we need to portray the facts accurately when discussing this. The poster that I was correcting had two false statements in their post, based on the facts of the case.

I will give you another example. While listening to the radio yesterday, I heard a caller talking about Auburn's 18 players that never attended classes and were awarded degrees. Now, we know those are inaccurate facts. It was 18 players that took a directed reading course that required no class attendance and was a very small part of their degree requirements. When I heard the first statement, I tuned out the rest.

We are both of the same mindset when it comes to the punishment issue, Proud. I just dislike seeing inaccurate information that the original poster posted.

[abrnfanatc 6]

baldie just said that they have a statue of Frank Thomas outside Jordan Hare West on the walk of champions.

I think he meant Derrick Thomas.

I think that would be their former coach Frank Thomas, not the Big Hurt...

They had someone before bar?????

Yes, but obviously nobody since then.