Sorry if Already posted: http://www.dailytargum.com/article/...rhood-proves-vital-in-face-of-public-scrutiny
Great Read
- Thread starter bori_blanco
- Start date
Thanks for posting this article.
If anyone is going to pass up article because of only link provided and nothing about article. Read this from it and know who wrote it: "Who am I? My name is Julian Pinnix-Odrick, and I am a senior here at the University. I am currently pursuing a major in communication and minor in human resources.I plan on graduating this spring (shout-out to the Class of 2016). I don’t know if video games count as a hobby, or if I play them enough to consider them as my hobbies, but that’s what I do in my spare time. Like most college students I enjoy chilling with friends and going out on weekends. I am also on the football team here at the University. This is something about me that many people find interesting for an array of reasons. In fact, once I meet someone for the first time and it comes up that I play football, it usually dominates the rest of the conversation and the next few conversations I have with that person. Because of my 6-foot-5, 270-pound frame, it is quite difficult to be seen as anything else but an athlete. Not that I am ashamed of being a football player, but I just feel as though not many people understand what being a football player means to us."
To those "fans" who say they are going to sell all their tickets, stop and think about why you became a fan of RU in the first place and think about the values that 100 Rutgers Men represent, not 6 guys who put themselves before their family (which is still very much intact).
read this:
"Needless to say our team has been under attack by everyone from news stations to our very own student body. I cannot speak for anything that may have caused this frenzy, but I can speak for how we will respond. We will not tuck our tails and hide from pressure. The bond that we have is not fabricated and cannot be broken by anybody but those within the family. It isn’t until now that I truly understand what it is to put family first and defend those that I have bled for. The boomerang has finally come back around and struck me in the head. I am not ashamed of my family and who we are. I gladly put that block “R” on my chest, because I know that we stand for way more than what is portrayed, and we don’t have anything to prove to anyone but ourselves."
read this:
"Needless to say our team has been under attack by everyone from news stations to our very own student body. I cannot speak for anything that may have caused this frenzy, but I can speak for how we will respond. We will not tuck our tails and hide from pressure. The bond that we have is not fabricated and cannot be broken by anybody but those within the family. It isn’t until now that I truly understand what it is to put family first and defend those that I have bled for. The boomerang has finally come back around and struck me in the head. I am not ashamed of my family and who we are. I gladly put that block “R” on my chest, because I know that we stand for way more than what is portrayed, and we don’t have anything to prove to anyone but ourselves."
Simply put, wow!
That is one of the most articulate, well stated pieces I have read in a long time.
Props to JP-O. B1G Props!
That is one of the most articulate, well stated pieces I have read in a long time.
Props to JP-O. B1G Props!
Listen I respect everything these kids do. It's not easy being a college football player . He seems like a good kid with a good head on his shoulder . He probably has a great future ahead of him .
But the harsh reality is this is big time college football and that performance Saturday night was pathetic any way you slice it .
But the harsh reality is this is big time college football and that performance Saturday night was pathetic any way you slice it .
This a truly beautiful piece. Unfortunately the spotlight has shone on the 'weakest links' in the family for to long. Thank you Julian for reminding us of the true makeup of the Rutgers Football F.A.M.I.L.Y.
Thanks for posting, bori. Really appreciate it. Great thoughts from JPO. Good to see that guys in the locker room still get what's important and the chaos isn't taking over the locker room. About time someone said something for the guys on the team. Kind of a shame it had to be one of the players, but then again, who better?
Thank you for posting Bori.
Plum, if you've read the article...obviously you don't get it.
Plum, if you've read the article...obviously you don't get it.
yeah go sell your tickets or burn your RU shirts, who cares---and the nonsense that only winning counts is getting boring--but the usual suspects won't acknowledge what this young guy is saying since they lack his integrity/loyalty
Nice paper by JPO. Thanks for posting it.
These kids are going through rough times that they don't deserve. They're being attacked by the media as well as by lots of self-absorbed, petulant fans. I hope the players are all taking JPO's attitude and pulling together as a team.
These kids are going through rough times that they don't deserve. They're being attacked by the media as well as by lots of self-absorbed, petulant fans. I hope the players are all taking JPO's attitude and pulling together as a team.
Pinnix-Odrick said:
While a nice thought that I am sure is true, I do wonder if the author and his "family" have ever put others "under attack". I understand the reaction but I think it is a bit too convenient to paint this as an us vs them situation. Surely the players are human and have been critical of others in the past.
Why resort to this defense mechanism instead of accepting the valid criticisms and rejecting the invalid?
I humbly suggest that they all look inward and ask themselves how family members could get into so much trouble without others stepping up and reigning them in. Where was the intervention? Where was the family when this doomsday scenario was taking shape.. even after the fact when the principles were taking up roster spots and snaps in practice from those who now need to play in their places?
I am a firm believer in the "where there is one, there is more" line of reasoning. Is anyone else on the team resorting to risky behaviors even now? Has this family of football players done anything to bring light into the locker-room and correct these behaviors before they escalate?
Again, I humbly suggest that looking inward is the way to go and not to announce to the whole school that you have all rallied to defend your family against these assaults from without.
good old--do you have any real life experiences with families and friends who got into trouble--your text is disturbing--you have convicted everyone on the team-it's unfair and the sins of the father are not those of the son--the holier than thou attitude is troubling
I disagree. I cannot be the only one out here thinking that pumping up the US vs them angle inside the locker-room is both self-serving and disturbing. It is not "convicting" or accusing everyone. What I am suggesting is that, since multiple players were involved in multiple instances, certainly someone knew something bad was going on. Do you disagree with that? I can understand not wanting to turn in "family" or oint fingers... But prevention of those situations occurring at all should have been paramount. Clearly that aspect of this family was a total failure.
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So you're saying that all 100+ of the players should've been following Carroo around the entire time after the game and physically prevented him from walking out the door of the Hale Center? And all 100+ players should've been following the 3 kids charged with assault around so they could intervene when they got into a fight one night? And all 100+ players should've been in position to overhear the idiots planning home invasions and should've intervened?
And all 100+ players should've intervened when Flood decided to have impermissible contact w/a faculty member? Twice?
Last question is, how do you know that some players, those in any kind of position to do so, didn't attempt to intervene? For instance, it was widely reported that one of Carroo's teammates DID in fact try to keep him inside in the Hale Center and out of the altercation outside. How do you know that didn't happen with the other two issues?
How do you know that the team, as they pull together in the wake of these situations, isn't taking some responsibility and hasn't conducted some sort of postmortem analysis in which they look at what could've been done to help prevent some of this stuff and what they can do in the future to identify warning signs and possibly intervene?
I think your post was harsh, overly judgmental, thoughtless, and entirely lacking in empathy. I blame your entire family, going back several generations, and all your friends throughout the world for not intervening and preventing you from posting.
intolerance is not a noble quality and yes 100 players probably didn't know what truly was going on--I have had legitimate, white collar clients who you would swear would never have been convicted of organized crime dealings but they were--we are not our brother's keeper
Right.. more of this "us against them" crap. Nice. Sure, yeah.. I am being "intolerant". That should avoid talking about how things got so out-of-control and how the team and entire SUPPORTIVE community of Rutgers football fans could be so blind-sided by the waves of arrests.
Clearly this thread was meant to be a "isn't that great" thread supporting the player/author's nice story about "us vs them" and backing his family while it is under attack. Feel free to ask the mods to delete all my comments on the subject and then you all can go on blowing sunshine up... well, I'm sure you know the rest.
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You're making a wild-ass assumption that they have avoiding talking about how things got out of control. You couldn't possibly know what they've talked about among themselves. Or do you expect the entire team, you know the players that didn't do anything wrong, to come out and do an apology tour for the public?
Maybe the reason they're taking an us vs. them stance is because "them" is lots of people like you that make tons of assumptions, most of which assume the worst about the players.
I expect I do know that no team captain knew anything about what was going on or, worse, they knew and chose to not bring it to anyones' attention.
My contention is that the "us vs them" aspect of the OP story would have been much better if it were replaced with an "us FOR us" sentiment about how teammates might support teammates in encouraging better decision making and a shared concern for how their personal choices will affect the entire "family".
That is what I am advising and hoping for. that intelligent and thoughtful players like the author of the piece use their brain power and leadership skills to fix what's wrong and help prevent other family members from making such poor decisions.
Sure, they COULD be doing that right now. And if they are, what's wrong with me suggesting that they should be doing it?
The "us vs them" motivation requires them to see enemies everywhere.. in the media, student body, in the stands among the fans that support the team. It requires people like you, mildone and ru66, in an effort to "support" the "us vs them" sentiment, to do the very same thing. Your comments here are proof enough of that.
You're just mad 'cause you feel like you are "them" and not "us". And you know what, you're right. You are "them". But the players didn't make you "them". You did.
You can be "us" too. All you have to do is stop assuming the worst about the team and the coaches and they'll welcome you into the inner circle.
You know, it's entirely possible to be 100% supportive of the entire program, including the players and coaches and administration, without ceding the right to voicing reasonable criticism. I know that's possible because I do it.
It's the unreasonable criticism, the petulant, emotional commentary, the overly generalized assignment of blame, and the slew of negative assumptions that they are rejecting.
I realize you are trying to make a valid point. But you're having to make too many negative assumptions to do so. If you eliminate your negative assumptions, your entire point evaporates.
I have never "not" heard ANY sports team at a down time not take the position in that article--it's completely reasonable-like my wife says fans act like they actually play on these teams-"-we" did this, "we" should have done that--the reality is the football team should be a band of brothers- fans don't play the game--and the real point however is that your post shows intolerance, insensitivity and just plain holier than thou attitudes--and for you to assume that these teammates did not or would not want to help one going astray to get on the right path smacks at some seeded prejudices
As your hero Ronald Reagan would say, there you go again. This time spouting off with that ridiculous logic and reason you try to use to solve problems. Off with you, you heretic!
My brother and I were fortunate to park next to Julian's parents in State College on Saturday. We tailgated with them and their extended family for about an hour before we had to leave to meet others. Great family! As many of you probably know, Julian's half-brother, Jared Odrick, was an All-American at Penn State and now plays in the NFL with Jacksonville.
Shame on me for even entertaining the idea of responding to one of your posts. Keep up with the emotional attacks and propagandist agitation work.
Isn't that all just the fashionable argument you make. Hey.. This guy is being intolerant. Intolerant of what exactly? How am I being intolerant? Show your work.
I am simply suggesting there is another path to take, a better path than bunkering down in the "we are under attack" mindset. So, go ahead and assume the worst. Your arguments against my idea seems to require such assumptions.
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JPO shortchanges himself when he describes his non-football weekend activities. He doesn't just play video games and chill with friends. Instead, he also generously gives of his time for community service activities with the special needs community. JPO is everything we want our team members to be!
