Zac Crews - Updated

[brewskis]

To me the key information in the article is that “The NCAA won’t let any university employee comment on any unsigned players.” So we really have no idea what the full story is. I think it's premature to reflexively believe everything the Crews family says and simply blame Hauck or the UM for canceling him...

Bingo. All one sided to make UM look bad. It reads like an opinion piece to get him a roster spot somewhere. How is any of this proven in fact?

 

[mthoopsfan]

From what I know of Crews, I wouldn't hesitate to hire him. Dane Oliver coached him, has probably been with Crews a thousand times, and been around friends and acquaintances of Crews for at least 4 years. Oliver said only positive things about him. The Griz coaches seemed not to have any problem with him, except they didn't want his presence to upset the balance of the team. I know some other MT coaches who know him and like him (and don't believe he's racist). If people like Everett judge him to be racist because of one post, despite what those who know him say, then that says a lot about the Everetts of the world. I don't recall Everett fighting against racism when Alpha and other posts were saying racist things on egriz.

Agree with this although I never saw EG say the kid was racist. I do recall EG saying the post was not cool...as did everyone else.

I'd also hire the kid...straight A student...and I do not for a single minute think the kid is racist.

Then why was Everett talking about racism in this thread?

 

[AZGrizFan]

UM staff miss -handled this. If the post was too bad to keep him then they should have said so, not tell him to keep quiet and he will still get the scholarship.

The coaches thought this would blow over. Due to the Kaimin article, and the apparent fact that some amount of people on the team didn't want to forgive him even as time went on, then the coaches couldn't bring in onto the team.

How would you have handled it, so that the kid could have joined the team?

I just don’t understand how he simply can NOT be a Griz, but somehow it’s ok to be a Bobcat? WTF? It just doesn’t make any sense…

 

[WaGriz4life]

The coaches thought this would blow over. Due to the Kaimin article, and the apparent fact that some amount of people on the team didn't want to forgive him even as time went on, then the coaches couldn't bring in onto the team.

How would you have handled it, so that the kid could have joined the team?

I just don’t understand how he simply can NOT be a Griz, but somehow it’s ok to be a Bobcat? WTF? It just doesn’t make any sense…

Very poorly handled by UM. The players should not be able to choose who is on the team and who isn’t. I would have told him and his family that he will not be on any sort of financial aid for the time being. He can be a student at UM fall semester and join the team as a walk-on in the spring. If he is late to one meeting, workout, or event he is gone. If there is any issue off the field or in the locker room he is gone. Someday he may earn financial aide but it will be an uphill climb.

 

[Griz Addict]

He's definitely sorry that he didn't make the transaction private. UM would have faced way more backlash if they signed him. The cons outweighed the pro. Especially when Hauck has a lot of pressure on him. The out roar from all his haters would have been in full force. None of you remember all the bullshit when he was rehired? Either way this kids family is obviously just butt hurt. Raise your kid better.

 

[Griz Addict]

The coaches thought this would blow over. Due to the Kaimin article, and the apparent fact that some amount of people on the team didn't want to forgive him even as time went on, then the coaches couldn't bring in onto the team.

How would you have handled it, so that the kid could have joined the team?

I just don’t understand how he simply can NOT be a Griz, but somehow it’s ok to be a Bobcat? WTF? It just doesn’t make any sense…

He's hoping he will be able to play football. He's going to school there and hoping he'll get a shot. If he does, I don't think it will play out very well.

 

[Griz Addict]

I just don’t understand how he simply can NOT be a Griz, but somehow it’s ok to be a Bobcat? WTF? It just doesn’t make any sense…

Very poorly handled by UM. The players should not be able to choose who is on the team and who isn’t. I would have told him and his family that he will not be on any sort of financial aid for the time being. He can be a student at UM fall semester and join the team as a walk-on in the spring. If he is late to one meeting, workout, or event he is gone. If there is any issue off the field or in the locker room he is gone. Someday he may earn financial aide but it will be an uphill climb.

They did what they had to. Even if they let him walk on, Haucks job would be in jeopardy. And when he has a team he loves and the camaraderie the team has, it's not worth bringing in someone that could ruin that. That's when division is created because of opposite beliefs. They shouldn't have led them on, if they even did. Who knows, this obviously came from their family. Don't believe everything you hear..

 

[WaGriz4life]

Very poorly handled by UM. The players should not be able to choose who is on the team and who isn’t. I would have told him and his family that he will not be on any sort of financial aid for the time being. He can be a student at UM fall semester and join the team as a walk-on in the spring. If he is late to one meeting, workout, or event he is gone. If there is any issue off the field or in the locker room he is gone. Someday he may earn financial aide but it will be an uphill climb.

They did what they had to. Even if they let him walk on, Haucks job would be in jeopardy. And when he has a team he loves and the camaraderie the team has, it's not worth bringing in someone that could ruin that. That's when division is created because of opposite beliefs. They shouldn't have led them on, if they even did. Who knows, this obviously came from their family. Don't believe everything you hear..

Hauck’s job would not be in jeapordy. Stop. Vast majority of people in Montana that consider themselves Cats or Griz fans have no idea who this kid even is.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Reading the comments from Sammy based on the interaction he had with Zac, I believe that things could have worked out if UM didn't try the "let things blow over approach". In this specific occurrence, if the coaches would have allowed him to have these same interactions with the players, and answer questions head on, it would have made a big deal. They could have set up a process for him to works towards becoming a member of the team, transparent steps that people outside the program could be aware, I think it could have been a success story for everyone. They tried to be secretive and sneaky and it bit them in the ass and they left the kid in limbo. And I in no way condone Zac's actions, but this is a kid that had a spotless background prior, and wanted to do everything he could to make amends and the coaches failed him.

 

[grizfan406]

Zac could have a career in politics ahead of him, that was a marvelous puff piece. Hauck and company cant comment on unsigned players, THEY CANT COMMENT ON UNSIGNED PLAYERS. Which means they couldn't comment on it then and they can't comment on it now.

Easy to throw stones at people who can't defend themselves.

 

[grizindabox]

I can not corroborate 100% of the story, but over the past 8 months I have been told some things from people on both sides that match up with several parts of the story. It may be a good thing that UM athletics can't comment.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

Reading the comments from Sammy based on the interaction he had with Zac, I believe that things could have worked out if UM didn't try the "let things blow over approach". In this specific occurrence, if the coaches would have allowed him to have these same interactions with the players, and answer questions head on, it would have made a big deal. They could have set up a process for him to works towards becoming a member of the team, transparent steps that people outside the program could be aware, I think it could have been a success story for everyone. They tried to be secretive and sneaky and it bit them in the ass and they left the kid in limbo. And I in no way condone Zac's actions, but this is a kid that had a spotless background prior, and wanted to do everything he could to make amends and the coaches failed him.

I don’t have any inside info on it, but I think it might’ve been tough to force a sit-down (public/transparent or not) if some players didn’t want it. Tough situation the kid caused himself to be in.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Reading the comments from Sammy based on the interaction he had with Zac, I believe that things could have worked out if UM didn't try the "let things blow over approach". In this specific occurrence, if the coaches would have allowed him to have these same interactions with the players, and answer questions head on, it would have made a big deal. They could have set up a process for him to works towards becoming a member of the team, transparent steps that people outside the program could be aware, I think it could have been a success story for everyone. They tried to be secretive and sneaky and it bit them in the ass and they left the kid in limbo. And I in no way condone Zac's actions, but this is a kid that had a spotless background prior, and wanted to do everything he could to make amends and the coaches failed him.

I don’t have any inside info on it, but I think it might’ve been tough to force a sit-down (public/transparent or not) if some players didn’t want it. Tough situation the kid caused himself to be in.

Yeah, you are probably right. Kids tell their coaches to fuck off all the time.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

I don’t have any inside info on it, but I think it might’ve been tough to force a sit-down (public/transparent or not) if some players didn’t want it. Tough situation the kid caused himself to be in.

Yeah, you are probably right. Kids tell their coaches to fuck off all the time.

Maybe I need to read closer. I thought there was stuff in this and other info that has come out about how some players didn’t want to meet with him. Could admittedly be way wrong. Disregard if untrue.

 

[mtgrizrule]

1st of all, I don't know Zac, nor do I have any inside information on this. I feel for the kid. If he vindicates himself, has learned from it, and has matured from it, he should have a div 1 opportunity somewhere. This shouldn't negatively impact him for life.

If he does vindicate himself, why shouldn't he have an opportunity somewhere? Seriously, how many div 1 athletes have messed up as a minor, and still get div 1 opportunities?
Come on now! There's a history of div 1 athletes that still got a chance, despite questionable bad decisions and outcomes.

Aren't div 1 schools, programs, and coaches being hypocrites with him? If a higher profile athlete did the same or worse, wouldn't there be more compassion, concessions made, and a chance be given somewhere? If Crews were a school's cash cow, would this even be a problem?

Answer those questions as you'd like. I feel, there's a lot of hypocrisy here. Agree or disagree, I'm on Crew's side and pulling for him. Give the kid an opportunity to earn a scholarship somewhere!

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Yeah, you are probably right. Kids tell their coaches to [#]f### off all the time.

Maybe I need to read closer. I thought there was stuff in this and other info that has come out about how some players didn’t want to meet with him. Could admittedly be way wrong. Disregard if untrue.

Reminds me of that one time a couple guys said they wouldn't work of Fridays...it is great having a 3 day weekend every weekend now.

 

[CDAGRIZ]

Maybe I need to read closer. I thought there was stuff in this and other info that has come out about how some players didn’t want to meet with him. Could admittedly be way wrong. Disregard if untrue.

Reminds me of that one time a couple guys said they wouldn't work of Fridays...it is great having a 3 day weekend every weekend now.

Well, if the dudes said they didn’t want to work because they thought the guy they’d be working with said things to which they took offense and thought were repugnant (which I’m not expressing an opinion on), it might just throw fuel on the fire if they were forced to work such a shift, and there could be a tighter analogy. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, I’m just saying, like it or hate it, that’s kind of the reality.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Good read.

https://buttesports.com/sentinel-great-zac-crews-stuck-in-football-limbo/

 

[ordigger]

Reading the comments from Sammy based on the interaction he had with Zac, I believe that things could have worked out if UM didn't try the "let things blow over approach". In this specific occurrence, if the coaches would have allowed him to have these same interactions with the players, and answer questions head on, it would have made a big deal. They could have set up a process for him to works towards becoming a member of the team, transparent steps that people outside the program could be aware, I think it could have been a success story for everyone. They tried to be secretive and sneaky and it bit them in the ass and they left the kid in limbo. And I in no way condone Zac's actions, but this is a kid that had a spotless background prior, and wanted to do everything he could to make amends and the coaches failed him.

I don’t have any inside info on it, but I think it might’ve been tough to force a sit-down (public/transparent or not) if some players didn’t want it. Tough situation the kid caused himself to be in.

Reminds of a sexual harassment case I dealt with once in the 90s. I had employee file because she felt sexually harassed by an 82 year old former Navy veteran for telling off colored jokes.

In that case we determined he did sexually harass her because of how she perceived the jokes. Although not his intent to do so, and really didn’t understand why. He told me, the nurses in WW2 laughed with him. We suspended and retrained him.

As I side note, I fired her. Because during interview process she told me was carrying a revolver in her desk to shoot him, should it escalate. Totally against company policy that she signed off on when hired.

In this case, sounds like Crews did not understand nor was his intent to be racist, but his actions are perceived by many to be so.

 

[Spanky2]

Bobby is a football coach, not a group therapist. Many current players innermost feelings were at risk. Bobby made the right decision.