ESPN article on Barkley - Rutgers part

[IMARUFAN]

As a Giants and Rutgers fan, I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect of Barkley being drafted by the Giants.

Yeah, he'll be a great addition to the team and help them win games.

But I'll be reminded every Sunday of what could have been if he hadn't flipped to, of all teams, Penn State. Ugh.

 

[tico brown]

Hey lookit Tico showing you how "evolved" he is. LOL.

Hey, look at your opinion after I wiped my ass with it.

 

[RUnTeX]

Maybe your next post will be Pro Rutgers there Tex. ; )

Pretty ironic post coming from the likes of you.

 

[NY AGENTMAN]

Barkley accepted an offer from Rutgers because he couldn't believe a Division I school wanted him on a full ride. This was a familiar theme through young Barkley's narrative -- he didn't have a lot of faith in himself. Bob Hartman, the Whitehall athletic director, recalled summoning Barkley to his office to talk about football and schoolwork, and Barkley always asking on arrival, "What did I do wrong?" Nothing, of course. "He just didn't have self confidence," Hartman said, "until Penn State."

Barkley used the Rutgers scholarship to fuel a newfound passion in the weight room. He blew up as a junior, and after James Franklin replaced Bill O'Brien at Penn State, Franklin told Barkley that he needed to switch his commitment to the Nittany Lions and that he wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

Barkley was a natural-born pleaser, and a young man of his word, and he had given Rutgers coach Kyle Flood his word that he would play for the Scarlet Knights. "He wants people to like him," Hartman said. "He wants people to be happy. He wants to be able to help people." So Barkley's call to Flood to tell him that he was backing out hurt the recruit as much as it hurt the Rutgers staff.

"To this day," said Cunningham, a soccer player at Temple, "he still feels bad about making that phone call."

Lol are we supposed to feel sorry for Barkley that he had to make a tough call to Flood? This is the epitome of bulls—- . Just say it as it is I used Rutgers to hold a Division 1 scholarship and when a better offer came I took it! Let’s teach honesty to our kids!
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-nfl-draft-projected-first-round-running-back

 

[ZMR512]

Barkley grew up a fan of Rutgers. It was by his own words the school he wanted to play for growing up. He loved Rutgers, visited many times, he chose to commit to Rutgers early. What changed in that time period might you ask? Did the school change locations? Did academics take a nose dive? Did his favorite dorm get bulldozed? None of those things. That fundamental reality that kicked in for the kid, is called winning for the next 3 to 4 years.

And that's OK. Winning, development, comfort, whatever are all valid reasons to rethink such a massive decision.

 

[ron313]

I thought I saw a tweet or something from Barkley after the decommitment about going to a real school or something similar. Seemed like a real dick move.

 

[wheezer]

Barkley was a fan of RU, probably going back to the influence of the 2006 season..

it would have been interesting if Schiano was still coach and we had gotten Barkleys verbal...... would we have been able to hold off his home state school from
taking him away?

I also think he would have had a pretty good career here.....Rice certainly got noticed....possibly he would have gone lower in the draft if our line was
not opening holes frequently enough

lastly, glad we stuffed the hell out of him last game...tv had all these in game promos about him, and he did not deliver that day

 

[ZMR512]

I also think he would have had a pretty good career here.....Rice certainly got noticed....possibly he would have gone lower in the draft if our line was
not opening holes frequently enough

Not so sure about this one. Kid's a freak; he still would have tested off the charts if the Rutgers strength and conditioning program is anything close to PSU's. Also, he ran behind average and below-average offensive lines as it is.

 

[Shelby65]

I'm sure had Screw and other haters gained admittance to Harvard after already sending in an RU acceptance deposit he'd still have come to RU. Not.

Clearly Barkley made the right decision.

 

[RURM85]

I thought I saw a tweet or something from Barkley after the decommitment about going to a real school or something similar. Seemed like a real dick move.

Yeah, not buying that at all. The kid and his parents loved Rutgers with his parents Rutgers fans.
http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i..._rutgers_discovered_saquon_barkley_earne.html

 

[e5fdny]

Again, just for the comments.

And I see we have a few more visitors too.

 

[RU-AGK]

Jeff Lockridge‏@jefflockridge

Franklin tells crowd at VU student center that commits who decommitted (i.e. Josh Dawson) were "not men of honor" and "not men of integrity"

8:15 PM - 1 Feb 2012

 

[ron313]

Yeah, not buying that at all. The kid and his parents loved Rutgers with his parents Rutgers fans.
http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i..._rutgers_discovered_saquon_barkley_earne.html

yeah, why would an 18 yo kid that decommitted from a school and was getting tons of blowback from its fans send out anything but hugs and kisses? I hear you.

 

[RURM85]

yeah, why would an 18 yo kid that decommitted from a school and was getting tons of blowback from its fans send out anything but hugs and kisses? I hear you.

Easy to smack someone's reputation on a message board. Show us the tweet.

 

[ron313]

Easy to smack someone's reputation on a message board. Show us the tweet.

I actually looked for it. Would've been after he switched in 2014. 20 minutes out of my life I can't get back. I can't believe I wasted my time on this.

My memory is usually pretty good but not infallible. I remember being pissed about one of his tweets saying something like going to a real school. He was definitely pissed about the crap RU fans were tweeting him so it would figure.

But, I apologize Mrs. Barkley. My post was brutally derogatory towards your son that already has a tough life because of the rumors about him being a closeted pedophile, otherwise why would he choose psu?

 

[Knight Shift]

I actually looked for it. Would've been after he switched in 2014. 20 minutes out of my life I can't get back. I can't believe I wasted my time on this.

My memory is usually pretty good but not infallible. I remember being pissed about one of his tweets saying something like going to a real school. He was definitely pissed about the crap RU fans were tweeting him so it would figure.

But, I apologize Mrs. Barkley. My post was brutally derogatory towards your son that already has a tough life because of the rumors about him being a closeted pedophile, otherwise why would he choose psu?

Does not answer your question, but interesting read:
https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/t...d-floods-last-ditch-recruiting-efforts.50672/

 

[RURM85]

I actually looked for it. Would've been after he switched in 2014. 20 minutes out of my life I can't get back. I can't believe I wasted my time on this.

My memory is usually pretty good but not infallible. I remember being pissed about one of his tweets saying something like going to a real school. He was definitely pissed about the crap RU fans were tweeting him so it would figure.

But, I apologize Mrs. Barkley. My post was brutally derogatory towards your son that already has a tough life because of the rumors about him being a closeted pedophile, otherwise why would he choose psu?

Thanks for checking. And even if he did make this tweet, you blame Barkley, a 17 year old kid, making "a dick move" in response to a bunch of creepy RU fans tweeting at him over a decision that he has every right to make?

 

[ron313]

Thanks for checking. And even if he did make this tweet, you blame Barkley, a 17 year old kid, making "a dick move" in response to a bunch of creepy RU fans tweeting at him over a decision that he has every right to make?

I don't use twitter. Found out about the tweeting during my 20 min search. Someone posted a tweet on the message boards from him back in 2014 and my impression was that it was a dick tweet. I remember it felt like it was adding insult to injury. I don't remember other decommits doing anything like that. Not gonna justify any more thinking that one kid's tweet in 2014 was a dick tweet. I'm sure all tweeters got a little dick in them from time to time.

 

[Knight Shift]

I don't use twitter. Found out about the tweeting during my 20 min search. Someone posted a tweet on the message boards from him back in 2014 and my impression was that it was a dick tweet. I remember it felt like it was adding insult to injury. I don't remember other decommits doing anything like that. Not gonna justify any more thinking that one kid's tweet in 2014 was a dick tweet. I'm sure all tweeters got a little dick in them from time to time.

:popcorn:

 

[koleszar]

And that's OK. Winning, development, comfort, whatever are all valid reasons to rethink such a massive decision.

You seem to always want to add onto the winning part don't you. That's all this decision came down to, this didn't come down to academics, a greater comfort level or development nothing else came into play here. You seem to have this notion in your head that it did. It didn't. I get it, your a psu fan and you want it to be something more, but fact of the matter is it wasn't. He was perfectly comfortable with Rutgers, than changed his word and committed elsewhere because they had a tradition of winning.

 

[ZMR512]

You seem to always want to add onto the winning part don't you. That's all this decision came down to, this didn't come down to academics, a greater comfort level or development nothing else came into play here. You seem to have this notion in your head that it did. It didn't. I get it, your a psu fan and you want it to be something more, but fact of the matter is it wasn't. He was perfectly comfortable with Rutgers, than changed his word and committed elsewhere because they had a tradition of winning.

You're reading too much into my comment. When I listed those things, I was simply suggesting any/all of them are valid reasons for a kid to change his mind, not the degree to which each played a role with Barkley.

If a player decides to rethink his recruitment because other offers come in throughout the process, so be it. Regardless of the teams involved. Regardless of the reason(s) they give. Life goes on.

 

[koleszar]

You're reading too much into my comment. When I listed those things, I was simply suggesting any/all of them are valid reasons for a kid to change his mind, not the degree to which each played a role with Barkley.

If a player decides to rethink his recruitment because other offers come in throughout the process, so be it. Regardless of the teams involved. Regardless of the reason(s) they give. Life goes on.

I always love those who have that holier than thou morality when things swing in their favor. But when the shoes on the other foot, well they become not quite so moral or holy. You've certainly got your soap box out for this one.

 

[ZMR512]

I always love those who have that holier than thou morality when things swing in their favor. But when the shoes on the other foot, well they become not quite so moral or holy. You've certainly got your soap box out for this one.

Shouldn't need a soap box to have some perspective on the decision-making of kids. It's one thing to be disappointed and maybe even a bit upset talking about decommitments with your friends, but wishing ill will on a kid just doesn't resonate with me. To each his own.

 

[RUWillEm]

i'm saddened that another Pedd State troll account is calling me a bad person.

Get a mirror. Boys were raped. I know it's uncomfortable but normal folks pay attention to these things.

Nope. I'm a Jersey native and graduated from Livingston way back in '96. I read the boards occasionally and almost never post. In fact, I had to change my password just to log in because it had been so long but your posts really bugged me so I went through the effort.

You don't need to be a fan of a rival school to know when some toolbox is acting like a child.

 

[koleszar]

Shouldn't need a soap box to have some perspective on the decision-making of kids. It's one thing to be disappointed and maybe even a bit upset talking about decommitments with your friends, but wishing ill will on a kid just doesn't resonate with me. To each his own.

When did I ever wish the kid ill will? And yes through out this whole thread you've been on your blue and white painted soap box. Attempting to demonstrate that your moral standards are somehow superior to those of us who think the kids line about how heart broken he was, was nothing more than revisionist history on his part. He made a commitment and broke that word to go to a traditional winner. A winner whose own coach has demonized those who have de-committed and called them men with no honor. But now your here to tell us with your higher moral standards that de-committing is OK and an honorable thing to do. But your own coach doesn't think so. To each his own I guess. However, I don't break my word, you apparently it's OK as long as a better situation comes along.

 

[ZMR512]

When did I ever wish the kid ill will?

When did I say you did? This thread turned when RUScrew85 posted his nonsense, and then tried to spin it as some grave injustice - or at minimum, a character flaw - that a kid changed his mind about what college football team he'd play for. It's not. Period.

 

[mikebal9]

Forget Barkley for a minute. Some of you take this stuff (and yourselves) waaaaay too seriously.

 

[RU#1fan]

We cry loudly when NJ recruits go to play for other state teams.
The kid went to play for his state university. Yeah, it involved de-committing from Rutgers, but we cheer loudly if/when the same thing happens with a Jersey recruit who flips to us.

Would love to see a State Penn commit decommit and then commit to RU.
Happened numerous times to us...not sure if the other way ever.

 

[kapyoche]

I have no problem HS players screwing colleges. They know how a capitalist system works. They are going to be on the receiving end when they get to pros so dish it when you can. Good for Barkley. He probably will make 10X more by going to Penn State. He will hurt Rutgers recruiting for another 100 years.

 

[GSGS]

Nope. I'm a Jersey native and graduated from Livingston way back in '96. I read the boards occasionally and almost never post. In fact, I had to change my password just to log in because it had been so long but your posts really bugged me so I went through the effort.

You don't need to be a fan of a rival school to know when some toolbox is acting like a child.

Kind of dangerous for someone to act like a kid in front of a few Pedd Staters, they chance getting molested (and we know that no one will report it!).

 

[Yeah Baby]

Paging Mrs Screw.....