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Dissatisfaction in Greeley
- Thread starter ordigger
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alabamagrizzly
Well-known member
kemajic said:I can think of a few.Grizzlies1982 said:You may mock but golly there are few things as satisfying as a good baked potato.
Guess Iâve never had a âgoodâ baked potato. Are they so good that they donât even need butter, sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, or salt and pepper on them? THAT would be a damn good baked potato.
AZGrizFan said:
This! As a matter of dignity NCU should immediately drop all athletics back to DII status and reevaluate the culture of student athletes at their university. Letâs get this done before the BSC basketball tournament in Boise.
I once worked for an NFL player who spent a lot of time telling stories about âthe league.â Unfortunately he had no ideas about how to run a business.
Can someone please copy/paste that article? It's behind a pay wall for me. I really would like to read it to get a sense of how fortunate we are to be associated with outstanding programs like noco.
CDAGRIZ said:
Admittedly, it's difficult. I have an acquaintance who runs model trains and he keeps me in the know for the really big stuff (like when the maintenance team is adding axle grease) but I do miss the more mundane details. But after the Trib won its 190th Pulitzer, it just became too expensive for me to continue justifying my subscription.
You must be on their sh!t list; it opened fine for me. Some of this goes on in a lot of programs; we should recognize we were once there. This brings back some bad memories of the Hugh Davidson era. But there's no way to spin it good. It's very long, here goes:EverettGriz said:
By JADYN WATSON-FISHER | [email protected] | Greeley Tribune
PUBLISHED: January 29, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. | UPDATED: January 29, 2022 at 10:43 p.m.
Dozens of football players stood on the University of Northern Colorado sideline near the end of a 35-0 senior day loss to Montana. At the time, at least one was demoralized, angry and fed up.
Head coach Ed McCaffrey did not pull his son, quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, or some of the other starters in favor of those who were graduating, despite being down 35 midway through the third quarter. For âBrian,â it was the final straw.
âI donât want to be in a situation like that,â the outgoing transfer told the Tribune about his reason for leaving the program before graduating or running out of eligibility. âI want to find a place that cares about me as a player.â
In the weeks since that Saturday, itâs become clear that Brian wasnât alone.
UNC is tied for the third-highest number of players in the NCAA Transfer Portal out of all FCS schools and leads the state in transfers with 28, many of whom declared their departures this week.
When McCaffrey was hired in December 2019, players were promised an incredible new opportunity under a Super Bowl champion. Instead, they allegedly experienced unchecked partiality, negligible communications and potential NCAA violations regarding financial aid.
These allegations came to light through statements and interviews provided by eight people who were part of the football program.
The sources represent a diverse group that includes graduating players, transfers, former players and former members of the athletic department. Some were recruited by former coach Earnest Collins, while others came to UNC under McCaffrey. They have been granted anonymity â and their names have been changed â due to concerns that their recruitment or final semester at the university would be negatively affected by speaking out.
âI wanted to take this call for incoming players to be able to see (whatâs going on) and not say they havenât heard about the program before coming,â said âThomas,â an outgoing transfer who was recruited under McCaffrey. âI wish I knew how it was before I got here.â
McCaffrey said last week that itâs âunfortunateâ players who are unhappy about their financial aid or playing time will transfer instead of âtrying to work out a situationâ with the coaching staff.
Not only did every player interviewed dispute that explanation, many pointed to running back Gene Sledge as proof why the statement is false.
The freshman, recruited by McCaffreyâs staff, entered the portal Thursday. Sledge logged 482 rushing yards, including a 99-yard game against Lamar, and four touchdowns. He was expected to be a major contributor in the program going forward.
âThe fact that youâre seeing guys that they recruited leaving, getting opportunities and chances to play (elsewhere), really speaks for just what it is,â said âJason,â a graduating player.
GREELEY, CO - SEPTEMBER 18:Northern Colorado quarterback Conner Martin (5) gets ready to launch a pass to Northern Colorado wide receiver Dylan Thomas (11) in the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the Northern Colorado Bears football home opener against the Lamar Cardinals at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 18, 2021. The Northern Colorado Bears are tied with the Lamar Cardinals 7-7 at the half. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
GREELEY, CO â SEPTEMBER 18:Northern Colorado quarterback Conner Martin (5) gets ready to launch a pass to Northern Colorado wide receiver Dylan Thomas (11) in the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of the Northern Colorado Bears football home opener against the Lamar Cardinals at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 18, 2021. The Northern Colorado Bears are tied with the Lamar Cardinals 7-7 at the half. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Issue 1: Allegations of bias, possible NCAA violations
Players said the poor culture started with rampant favoritism that goes beyond what is expected in sports. Coaches typically have stronger connections with some players and often prefer their own recruits. They said thatâs normal.
How excessive the preferential treatment ended up being was not. Several players emphasized they donât hold grudges against their teammates and that they got along with the other guys. Their frustrations are with McCaffrey and the system they say allowed this divide.
âI think they were more invested with the guys that they brought in, like the transfers from FBS schools,â said âMark,â who was recruited by McCaffreyâs staff. âThey were more in tune with them. I wouldnât say they were in tune with or cared about the younger guys. They wouldnât really give us a lot of attention.â
Multiple players accused McCaffreyâs staff of deceit regarding financial aid. FCS programs can award 63 scholarships, according to NCAA rules. These funds can be broken up, meaning players can receive full scholarships or partial ones.
McCaffreyâs statement last week indicated players were leaving because they didnât get enough tuition assistance.
Those who spoke to the Tribune denied this, saying they didnât expect full rides and understood how FCS scholarships were awarded. They did, however, expect honesty and equity.
Several received a partial scholarship to attend UNC and were told they could receive an increase based on their performance. This is allowed at any time, based on NCAA rules.
Mark was one of those student-athletes. He was recruited by McCaffreyâs staff and awarded a 50% scholarship for his first year, but the amount was increased before his second semester. The increase was supposedly removed before his third semester began. Mark said neither he nor his family was notified. They didnât find out until they received a larger-than-expected bill from the university.
âWe asked the coaching staff, and they said they didnât know anything,â Mark said. âWe kept asking them what was going on, and they finally told us they brought it back down and didnât tell us or give us an explanation.â
Jason and âSam,â another outgoing transfer, said this happened to several players.
Universities, however, are required to provide in writing the terms and duration of scholarship awards. In the event of reduction and cancellation of awards, the university financial aid office is required to notify players in writing of the change. The reduction or cancellation cannot take place until the student-athlete has been given the opportunity to attend a hearing, according to section 15.3 of the NCAA Division I rulebook.
The players allege this did not happen.
Section 15.3.3.1 also says scholarships should be awarded in one-year terms or more and not reduced unless the player violates conditions, such as committing fraudulent misrepresentation, misconduct or simply not meeting academic standards. Scholarships should be disbursed during the agreed upon term regardless of athletic performance, and the NCAA says aid should not be reduced or canceled for athletic reasons.
Samâs scholarship was slightly reduced when Collins was still coaching. The original amount was supposed to be reinstated the following semester. Then, UNC fired Collins.
When approached about getting the 15% reinstated, McCaffrey allegedly wouldnât honor the agreement Collins had made. Sam said he brought information about his performance in spring practices, but McCaffrey asked how many 100-yard games and touchdowns he had. The answer: none. Sam had been a redshirt and experienced injuries early in his career.
ââWhen you get some of those, then we can talk about getting your 15% back,ââ Sam said of McCaffreyâs response. âIt never happened. Thatâs the criteria I had to meet for him. If you look at my stats, it shows you that he didnât play me a lot, so he never even gave me the chance to earn that money back.â
Multiple players, including Mark, believe this had to do with awards given to other players and they had no shot of an increase.
âIâm thinking because they had brought in more guys, they didnât have money and gave mine to them,â Mark said. âI wasnât the only one whose money they took, though. They took a lot of money away from people in our class, Iâd come to find out.â
Another major example of favoritism came with the drastic inequity between the academic and athletic requirements for the FBS transfers and the remaining players.
Early in McCaffreyâs tenure, players had to earn the privilege of wearing school colors and receiving their numbers, Sam said. Everything was earned through their effort in the weight room and in practice.
The players had no issue with the requirement and believed it was a fair way of encouraging a strong work ethic. Then the new transfers came in and were given their numbers immediately.
Jason said his position coach told him at their first meeting he would never start and would not get to compete for the job.
âItâs just all geared towards whatâs working best for them, rather than whatâs working best for the entire team,â Sam said, noting experiences like Jasonâs were fairly common. âGuys that know (McCaffrey) got offers here, or if your dad played against him, you might start or you might be a captain. A lot of stuff like that.â
Additionally, the players reported favored athletes were allowed to skip practices and have lower grades. If someone else missed practice, didnât practice to the staffâs arbitrary standard or had a low grade, that was used against them, players said. Sam said some favored players with failing grades still started.
âA linebacker had to miss practice and he couldnât show up to workouts because he had to get his grades right,â Sam said. âThen they used that as a reason for him not to play.â
Other examples the players gave included favored athletes getting new equipment, being awarded additional recovery days, additional film study with the coaches and treatment from health care specialists outside Colorado.
One injured player was told during fall camp he could return to activities after the medical staff cleared him to play. The staff never returned his communications, Thomas alleged.
During the teamâs COVID-19 quarantines, the athletic department arranged for players to receive meals at their homes. Favored players, however, received more extravagant food packages, multiple players alleged. Other times, the coaches would bring extra meals for a treat. Though this is not an NCAA violation, it allegedly upset a lot of players. It made them feel like they were not valued or important to the staff.
âI sure as hell didnât receive anything, as I was on the outside looking in,â said Jason. He could have stayed an extra season due to the NCAA COVID-19 eligibility rule but said he could not take another.
GREELEY, CO - SEPTEMBER 25:Northern Colorado offensive coordinator Max McCaffrey is seen during the Northern Colorado Bears Big Sky conference opener against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 25, 2021. The Bears defeated the Lumberjacks 17-10 in overtime. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
GREELEY, CO â SEPTEMBER 25:Northern Colorado offensive coordinator Max McCaffrey is seen during the Northern Colorado Bears Big Sky conference opener against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 25, 2021. The Bears defeated the Lumberjacks 17-10 in overtime. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Issue 2: Major communication problems
Another issue the players regularly mentioned was the lack of communication from McCaffrey or his staff.
McCaffrey has an âopen-door policy,â has met with all players who requested a meeting, returned all phone calls and text messages, and spent âcountless hoursâ speaking with parents, according to a statement last week.
Players and those close to them have disputed this. Itâs all talk with no follow through, they said.
âHe said he would meet with all of us one-on-one and get to know our families, our personal situations, our backgrounds, just really make that connection from coach to player; build a relationship and that chemistry,â said âPaul,â a player who left before the 2021 season. âThings like that never happened.â
The players said they understand new coaches often have deeper relationships with players they recruit. McCaffrey and his staff, though, made no real effort with the remaining athletes.
Even players who were recruited under McCaffreyâs staff said they have no relationship with him. They can count on one hand the number of conversations they had, and most of those were initiated by the players themselves.
Trying to get a meeting was like trying to connect with a celebrity, the players said. They had to go through other staff members to schedule something that typically didnât happen.
Coaches were infrequently in the office and most lived in the Denver area, instead of Greeley. The players said they could tell which athletes and situations they valued, depending on if the coaches would actually commute to campus.
They relied heavily on digital communication, but those forms were just as inconsistent.
Thomas estimated his position coach told him six times McCaffrey would call. It never happened. He said some coaches for his group acknowledged him until he was stripped of his game-day duties.
âWhen youâre starting and youâre doing well for them, I think they do respect that and communicate with you a little bit,â Thomas said. âBut once youâre not benefiting them. Itâs kind of like, âWho are you?ââ
Sam provided the Tribune with screenshots of messages sent to McCaffreyâs UNC-provided cellphone, McCaffreyâs personal cellphone and his position coach that went unanswered.
On the off chance that the players did ever connect with a coach, they said it was uncomfortable or unpleasant.
Brian claimed he caught defensive coordinator Scott Darnell in the office one day. Darnell allegedly walked out of the impromptu meeting and made another assistant speak with him.
Additionally, Mark said both McCaffrey coaches werenât people players wanted to talk to.
âPersonally, I never really liked talking to him; (I) always felt like it was awkward,â Mark said. âEd didnât seem like a person I wanted to go to for issues.â
This isnât completely uncommon in the sport; players often connect with the director of operations. This person performs general management duties, such as organizing schedules, but is not a coach who can bench a player for raising concerns.
This role still exists at UNC, but itâs held by Kathleen Messier, who is dating Max McCaffrey.
In fact, Director of Sports Performance Tyler Hill was one of the few staff members players said they felt comfortable talking to.
âHeâs probably the only person that everyone actually looks up to and respects quite a bit,â Thomas said. âCoach Hill keeps it straight. The coaches like to play around with their words. I feel like a lot of college coaches are like that, but here itâs a little more intense. Communication is not there.â
Players said group communication was poor, too. Coaches would allegedly give very little notice when they wanted to hold a meeting or change plans. They said it was disorganized.
The Bears won three games this season, a nominal step up from past years. Players said the additional victory wasnât worth the coaching change.
Even though they lost a lot, the players knew that Collins and his staff cared about them and focused on discipline. They wanted to talk and didnât make setting up meetings a challenge.
Players said the coaches personally congratulated them on graduation or other accomplishments. They were available to discuss anything, and even when players disagreed with Collins or an assistant, the athletes werenât berated and iced out. It was an actual family culture and not just talk, they said.
âUNC, back in the day, was definitely a fun place to be; some place I highly encouraged and wanted people to go,â Jason said. âIt was actually enjoyable.â
The university and McCaffrey said they were unaware of the allegations in statements to the Tribune.
âWe appreciate you bringing them to our attention,â the university said in an email. âSome of the issues you mentioned could be serious, and we will look into them immediately to determine if we need to take further action. If there is a formal investigation launched, we wonât be able to comment until it is complete.â
McCaffrey said he and the program as a whole takes âthese mattersâ seriously. The staff will cooperate if the university launches an investigation.
âAs members of the University of Northern Colorado community, my coaching staff is committed to putting our players in a position to succeed on and off the field and create a culture where they feel supported and love playing football,â McCaffrey said. âCollege football is an extremely competitive environment. We do the best we can to ensure everyone on this team has a positive experience, but we know there may always be someone who isnât happy with their role or thinks they have been treated unfairly. I respect every player I coach. My staff and I will continue to do the best we can to ensure all of our players have a great experience at UNC.â
BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 03:Colorado outside linebacker Guy Thomas (1) dives to take down Northern Colorado quarterback Dylan McCaffrey (12) during the second half of the Northern Colorado Bears football season opener against the Colorado Buffs at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Sept. 3, 2021. The Buffs defeated the Bears 35-7. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
BOULDER, CO â SEPTEMBER 03:Colorado outside linebacker Guy Thomas (1) dives to take down Northern Colorado quarterback Dylan McCaffrey (12) during the second half of the Northern Colorado Bears football season opener against the Colorado Buffs at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Sept. 3, 2021. The Buffs defeated the Bears 35-7. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Issue 3: Lack of preparation and investment
Another major complaint players had against McCaffrey and Co. was the lack of investment.
Mark said he didnât expect to be a starter and guys understood that only so many people can appear in games. Still, developing younger players is one of the basic requirements for a coach.
Several players said the less-favored athletes were put on the scout team, but the coaches gave little instruction on how to use that time effectively. Assistants would also criticize those players for doing something incorrectly without taking the time to help correct it, according to players.
Meanwhile, favored athletes could never do wrong, they alleged. If a mistake occurred, it was someone elseâs fault, and corrections were few and far between. The interviewed players said they thought UNC would have won more games if the coaches had been willing to give the backups a chance.
When it came to game preparation, the staffâs philosophy was worse than that of smaller programs, the players said.
Student-athletes didnât get scouting reports on their opponents, film sessions were hardly useful and position group meetings the night before games lasted maybe 10 minutes. The team could also be found installing plays one or two days before the game, they claimed.
âI came from a junior college, and I think we did way more preparation before games and meetings than this school does,â Thomas said. âWe would get packets on the other team, like scouting reports and whatnot. We didnât do any of that here.â
Road trips were even worse. Coaches were hardly around, they didnât enforce any sort of curfew and left the team mostly to itself. Itâs like they didnât care, the players said.
âJustin,â an offensive player, cited these problems as a reason he is leaving.
âThe reason Iâm leaving is because there is a lack of structure, communication and respect for Big Sky opponents,â Justin said. âWe do not prepare the way I want to.â
GREELEY, CO - July 24: Ed McCaffrey autographs a Denver Broncos football for young fan Paul Hulac, 11, left, during a press conference introducing former Denver Broncos player Ed McCaffrey as the new University of Northern Colorado Bears head football coach in the Campus Commons on the UNC campus in Greeley Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. McCaffrey spoke about his transition during the Big Sky media days this week. (Alex McIntyre/Staff photographer)
GREELEY, CO â July 24: Ed McCaffrey autographs a Denver Broncos football for young fan Paul Hulac, 11, left, during a press conference introducing former Denver Broncos player Ed McCaffrey as the new University of Northern Colorado Bears head football coach in the Campus Commons on the UNC campus in Greeley Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. (Alex McIntyre/Staff photographer)
Issue 4: McCaffreyâs qualifications
Players said a lot of the programâs problems came down to McCaffreyâs lack of qualifications and lack of experience in leading a team at the NCAA Division I level.
âI think a lot of people initially thought that because Ed had a recognizable name, heâd know what he was doing,â said âDon,â a former UNC Athletics staff member. âUnfortunately, a lot of the football people close to the program and around the state knew better.â
UNC has long been an institution willing to provide coaches with their first Division I head coaching job. It has given eight current coaches their first DI job, including Tim Barrera (soccer) and Lyndsey Oates (volleyball).
Northern Colorado also gave former basketball coaches Jenny Huth and Jeff Linder their first DI roles.
This being McCaffreyâs first DI head coaching job wasnât a problem, the players said. Everyone starts somewhere. Instead, unlike the other coaches, McCaffrey had never been on staff at a DI program or the head coach of a lower-level team. When hired, his resume included a few seasons at Valor Christian and club ball.
UNC relied on his name and NFL career to market the program. Players were told his time in the league would translate to a winning environment, strong relationships and high expectations.
âWhat attracted me to the program was the addition of Ed McCaffrey. That was the biggest thing for me. Thatâs what brought me in,â Mark said. âI had other offers, but with Ed McCaffrey, I thought it would have been fine because of the NFL experience. I thought it was the best opportunity for me, even being far away from home.â
He said that has not been the case.
âIt was just clear that he was in over his head running a Division I football program,â Don said. âThen, he made things worse by hiring almost exclusively people without much coaching experience as his staff.â
The players agreed. They said things couldâve been different had more experienced assistants been on staff.
One of the most experienced coaches was former offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin, before he was fired last April. UNC previously said he had retired.
Baldwin coached McCaffrey at Stanford, serving as the wide receivers coach, and joined the UNC staff after McCaffreyâs hiring. Multiple players spoke about Baldwin with respect, saying he wasnât a âYes manâ and wouldnât put up with how McCaffrey was running the program.
The players said McCaffrey and Baldwin had a disagreement in the office that led to Baldwinâs dismissal right before the spring game. Then, McCaffrey promoted his son, Max, to the position. He does not have prior coaching experience.
âIt had no chance of being better than what it was just because a lot of them were inexperienced or their sole purpose isnât to coach,â Sam said. âItâs hard for you to help me elevate my game when this isnât the way you feed your family, this isnât what you take seriously, or you donât have experience.
âThe university hired a name rather than hiring someone who was qualified or experienced at that level. I think Ed is doing the inside job to advance his family name rather than that of the University of Northern Colorado.â
GREELEY, CO - SEPTEMBER 25:Northern Colorado head coach Ed McCaffrey rubs his face as the officials announce a play was being reviewed for a targeting penalty during the second half of the Northern Colorado Bears Big Sky conference opener against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 25, 2021. The Bears defeated the Lumberjacks 17-10 in overtime. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
GREELEY, CO â SEPTEMBER 25:Northern Colorado head coach Ed McCaffrey rubs his face as the officials announce a play was being reviewed for a targeting penalty during the second half of the Northern Colorado Bears Big Sky conference opener against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Nottingham Field at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley Sept. 25, 2021. The Bears defeated the Lumberjacks 17-10 in overtime. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
Issue 5: Availability and accountability
The University of Northern Colorado could have prevented this situation, the players said.
Jason said coaches arenât perfect, especially when theyâre starting out, but there shouldnât be 28 players leaving. The Tribune obtained documents from the portal to confirm the number of outgoing transfers.
Twenty three of the portal players were on the 2021 roster, with half of those being regular contributors.
Jace Bobo was one of the best tacklers in the Big Sky. Ben Raybon was a starter and kicked the longest field goal in program history. Jaren Mitchell made several starts and was considered a team leader. Sledge was a blossoming player whom many thought could be a star.
The university compliance office reported last week that Colorado State had 24 portal players and the University of Colorado had 25, but it did not specify that its numbers included players transferring into those institutions.
This means CSU, which is going through a coaching change this offseason, only has 16 outgoing transfers and CU has 22.
The players said trying to pin the large number of transfers at UNC on playing time and money is wrong. Itâs because they didnât feel like anyone was willing to listen and make changes. Jason said apologies, acknowledging wrongs and actually following through on promises could have made a big difference.
Instead, the players didnât feel safe to report things or that anyone in power was protecting them. Now, the university is looking at replacing 40% of its roster when graduates are included. It signed 15 players during the early signing period in December.
âThereâs always a negative backlash that could come back from reporting something,â Sam said of playersâ hesitancy to speak up. âI was aware of that.â
Even if someone brought up a concern, players said coaches would ignore them or say changes would be made. Those allegedly did not come to fruition. Then, parents were told issues needed to be addressed with the staff when they approached administrators.
That hands-off approach clearly didnât work, the players said.
Thomas said he might have stayed if McCaffrey wasnât the coach. He personally didnât mind his position coach and liked some of the others. McCaffreyâs alleged ego and micromanagement, however, ruined the opportunity for him.
âThese coaches are scared to lose their jobs,â Thomas said. âTheyâre kind of just âYes menâ for Ed, to be honest.â
Mark said players felt like their opinions and concerns didnât matter. He wants to see future Bears players get an opportunity to compete for starting jobs, instead of having their careers decided for them, while no one in leadership pays attention.
In order to move forward, the players say the administration needs to investigate McCaffrey, his staff and listen to all players â not just captains. Their concerns and allegations should be taken seriously.
âAsk whatâs going on,â Sam said. ââHow do you feel? Howâs your mental health? Did you feel the coaches cared about you?â
âAsk them genuine, deep questions. They can get good feedback. I think that would open up a lot of insight to whatâs really going on.â
BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 03:The Northern Colorado Bears huddle during the first half of the Northern Colorado Bears football season opener against the Colorado Buffs at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Sept. 3, 2021. The Buffs lead the Bears 14-0 at the half. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
BOULDER, CO â SEPTEMBER 03:The Northern Colorado Bears huddle during the first half of the Northern Colorado Bears football season opener against the Colorado Buffs at Folsom Field at the University of Colorado in Boulder Sept. 3, 2021. The Buffs lead the Bears 14-0 at the half. (Alex McIntyre/Staff Photographer)
A bitter ending in Greeley
Participating in college football is supposed to be an exciting opportunity. Itâs supposed to help players mature mentally, socially, emotionally, academically and athletically.
Theyâre supposed to be leaving the program on a high. Even if the team didnât win all of its games, they wanted to be appreciated and given a chance to play. Many feel the opposite.
Sam called his career a rollercoaster and said the last two years have taken a negative toll on his mental health. He focused on finishing his education and getting out quickly.
Jason, who said he still loves UNC and the opportunities he received, wants nothing more than for the football team to be a top program. He just doesnât think that will happen if McCaffrey stays in charge.
Thomas simply wants to feel like heâs part of the team, whether or not he starts. He doesnât want to be discarded and ignored if heâs no longer the best player at his position. He wants respect and the chance to succeed. It shouldnât be run like a family business, he said.
âThey failed their student-athletes,â said Paul, the former player. âThere are many guys whose careers will be over, whose personal lives will never be the same because of the situation.â
Thanks Kem. And yes, unfortunately I exceeded my free views trying to get a few desperate peeks at train news.
I agree but I understand the exuberance. Itâs the biggest story to write about in Greeley since the still smoldering great tire fire of 2003.AZGrizFan said:
garizzalies
Well-known member
Good grief it all sounds horrible but this part is unreal
garizzalies said:
Anyone who has lived in Colorado could tell you McCaffery was a pompous prick long before he took on this hobby of his. But to be so high on yourself that you believe you and your staff, with virtually no coaching experience, could waltz through DI teams with actual coaching staffs who have made it their career is a whole nuther level of asshole.
I used to say I cannot believe he lasted the year. Now I canât believe the AD and the president who hired him still have jobs.
So damn glad weâre in the bsc.
EverettGriz said:
Itâs been nothing but a jobs program for his family. Two sons coached there, another son got free college tuition and one of his sons girlfriend is on staff. I believe if you did a genetics test that 1/2 of the assistant coaches are either first or second cousins.
Funny how one of the complaints about the coaching staff by the players is favoritism.
