Sportsmanship article in SI

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I don't think rocky's an Illinois grad; he didn't make the height requirement.

But I am, so maybe I'll comment. If he didn't want the attention, why did he have a press conference to announce where he was going to school? How many vet med or engineering students do you see have press conferences to announce which college they will attend? If he just wanted to play basketball without the attention, and stay "close to home", why didn't he go to Southern IN, or Oakland City, both Div. II schools in Indiana. Why did he choose to go to IU? Do think it might be for the national attention? Stylin' and preening on the court aren't the only ways to gather attention. That said, I've been impressed with his attitude on the court - I wish all athletes would follow his example of just playing ball and acting like he's "done it before" when he makes a good play.

Here is where you lost me. I do not know any student that is going to be and engineer that the media follows them around to find out what school they are going to in the summer. I also do not know the average student that goes to any university that is shown on national TV during their HS years doing anything unless they commit a crime; no one even knows who they are. There are kids right now you can read about all over the internet that people know more about them then some student that is not an athlete and no one cares what school they are going to except their family. Not the same issue. I am sorry, but he did not go to Illinois. That does not mean his family should be treated a certain way because fans of Illini do not like the kid.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Here is where you lost me. I do not know any student that is going to be and engineer that the media follows them around to find out what school they are going to in the summer. I also do not know the average student that goes to any university that is shown on national TV during their HS years doing anything unless they commit a crime; no one even knows who they are. There are kids right now you can read about all over the internet that people know more about them then some student that is not an athlete and no one cares what school they are going to except their family. Not the same issue. I am sorry, but he did not go to Illinois. That does not mean his family should be treated a certain way because fans of Illini do not like the kid.

I was responding to fullor's comment about Gordon not wanting attention. If he and his family truly did not want attention, they would not have called a news conference to sign the letter of intent. They would not have spoken to spoken to the media at all. If he truly did not want attention, he would've attended a less-visible school. So, in that respect, I agree with rocky - if you want the attention, you have to be able to take the boos with the cheers.

Absolutely he and his family should never be subjected to obcenities and things thrown at them. The people that did that were idiots. Those were not the average Illinois fans that I know. The ones I know just booed. Should Gordon and his family not expect to get booed, given the circumstances and how they played out? Nope; too bad for them they don't get love everywhere they go. But, you're right in that there is a line that should never be crossed.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I was responding to fullor's comment about Gordon not wanting attention. If he and his family truly did not want attention, they would not have called a news conference to sign the letter of intent. They would not have spoken to spoken to the media at all. If he truly did not want attention, he would've attended a less-visible school. So, in that respect, I agree with rocky - if you want the attention, you have to be able to take the boos with the cheers.

Sometimes you call a press conference to set the record straight. If he had announced to one paper, the phone might have never stopped ringing for further clarification. Press conferences are designed to give all forms of media one opportunity to ask questions instead of doing the same thing over a period of time. That is why when the police want to answer questions about a case, they hold a press conference. It is a lot easier to deal with the media that way.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Absolutely he and his family should never be subjected to obcenities and things thrown at them. The people that did that were idiots. Those were not the average Illinois fans that I know. The ones I know just booed. Should Gordon and his family not expect to get booed, given the circumstances and how they played out? Nope; too bad for them they don't get love everywhere they go. But, you're right in that there is a line that should never be crossed.

I do not care if they were the average fan or not. Your coach set a tone. Instead of just moving on, Weber made it sound like in the media as if the kid betrayed him. If Weber took some leadership and said the right things, you might not have this kind of resentment. Weber has already accepted the commitments from kids that are not even sophomores and what is he going to do if they decide to change their minds? Is he going to act the same way?

Peace

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Sometimes you call a press conference to set the record straight. It is a lot easier to deal with the media that way.

If you want the attention and want to deal with the media, sure.

If you don't want the attention, you don't deal with the media at all.

You cannot have it both ways.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not care if they were the average fan or not. Your coach set a tone. Instead of just moving on, Weber made it sound like in the media as if the kid betrayed him.

But, that's exactly what happened. Gordon set the tone. He announced his intention (in the media, if I'm not mistaken), then reneged later. That's certainly not "against the law"; he had a right to do that. But he shouldn't expect everyone would be happy with that decision. Weber based his plans on that commitment, then had to change the plans because Gordon changed his mind. Should Weber lie to the media about that?

We'll just have to disagree on this one. I wonder though - would you disagree as strongly if Gordon had originally committed to Michigan?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

If you want the attention and want to deal with the media, sure.

If you don't want the attention, you don't deal with the media at all.

You cannot have it both ways.

Wanting attention or not wanting attention has nothing to do with people throwing stuff at your family before, during or after the game. I do not care if they held 100 press conferences every time they went to the bathroom or decided to get something to eat. Not a reason to act unsportsmanlike. Show some class.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

But, that's exactly what happened. Gordon set the tone. He announced his intention (in the media, if I'm not mistaken), then reneged later. That's certainly not "against the law"; he had a right to do that. But he shouldn't expect everyone would be happy with that decision. Weber based his plans on that commitment, then had to change the plans because Gordon changed his mind. Should Weber lie to the media about that?

We'll just have to disagree on this one. I wonder though - would you disagree as strongly if Gordon had originally committed to Michigan?

I sure would feel differently. And not only would I feel differently, it has happen. There was a kid that was to go to Michigan and the minute the coach was fired, he went to Kentucky. If they ever played I would not hold up signs or throw things to demean the kid in any way. The #1 QB in the nation went to Ohio State instead of Michigan. Of course I will cheer against him, but I would not call him names or mistreat his family. I believe that when these kids sign on the dotted line, what they say means nothing. I guess if someone says they are going to buy a house and choose not to sign the papers on the contract, you think those people should be mistreated too. There is more to life than winning or losing a game.

Peace

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Wanting attention or not wanting attention has nothing to do with people throwing stuff at your family before, during or after the game. I do not care if they held 100 press conferences every time they went to the bathroom or decided to get something to eat. Not a reason to act unsportsmanlike. Show some class.

Umm...did you miss the part where I whole-heartedly agreed with this?

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I sure would feel differently. The #1 QB in the nation went to Ohio State instead of Michigan. Of course I will cheer against him

We agree. That's what most Illinois fans were doing with Gordon at that game.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

but I would not call him names or mistreat his family.

We agree again. That's what a few idiots were doing, not the vast majority of the fans.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I believe that when these kids sign on the dotted line, what they say means nothing.

Cool, we still agree.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I guess if someone says they are going to buy a house and choose not to sign the papers on the contract, you think those people should be mistreated too.

Define, "mistreated". Oral contracts are, in general, just as binding as written contracts. They are, of course, harder to enforce because they are harder to prove. But, if I hold a press conference saying I'll sign the contract to buy the house, you can probably be sure I'll be "mistreated" by the sellers' attorney.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Wanting attention or not wanting attention has nothing to do with people throwing stuff at your family before, during or after the game. I do not care if they held 100 press conferences every time they went to the bathroom or decided to get something to eat. Not a reason to act unsportsmanlike. Show some class.



I sure would feel differently. And not only would I feel differently, it has happen. There was a kid that was to go to Michigan and the minute the coach was fired, he went to Kentucky. If they ever played I would not hold up signs or throw things to demean the kid in any way. The #1 QB in the nation went to Ohio State instead of Michigan. Of course I will cheer against him, but I would not call him names or mistreat his family. I believe that when these kids sign on the dotted line, what they say means nothing. I guess if someone says they are going to buy a house and choose not to sign the papers on the contract, you think those people should be mistreated too. There is more to life than winning or losing a game.

Peace

But you will probably boo more against a player who first says he will go to Michigan and then changes that later - right? Especially if that player makes a big show out of it and has a big media circus surrounding the whole changing and signing thing, than if the kid just quietly signed with Ohio State or Purdue or whoever...

And that's my point. When these "big name" athletes and their families do all this media-grabbing, they have to expect that there will be the negative sides to that also.

Just to be clear, since we seem to have some people on this thread who didn't do so well in their reading comprehension classes, the idiots who were talked about in the article should be dealt with. But the booing and catcalls should be expected by the people who put themselves out there.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

But you will probably boo more against a player who first says he will go to Michigan and then changes that later - right? Especially if that player makes a big show out of it and has a big media circus surrounding the whole changing and signing thing, than if the kid just quietly signed with Ohio State or Purdue or whoever...

And that's my point. When these "big name" athletes and their families do all this media-grabbing, they have to expect that there will be the negative sides to that also.

Just to be clear, since we seem to have some people on this thread who didn't do so well in their reading comprehension classes, the idiots who were talked about in the article should be dealt with. But the booing and catcalls should be expected by the people who put themselves out there.

For the record I am going to boo them because they are going to Ohio State. And who cares about Purdue, we beat them all the time anyway.

And I do not agree about the term "media grabbing." The media is in their face anyway. I go to games during the summer with some of the "bigger names" and it is amazing who is in their face from the Dad to the siblings. And now that high school games are on national TV, the media is even more in their face. Kevin Love played a game in California and there was so much hype around the game, fire codes were violated and the game was delayed for about 45 minutes. I do not think he brought that on himself, the media made a connection and anything the kid did was under a microscope.

Peace

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I was responding to fullor's comment about Gordon not wanting attention. If he and his family truly did not want attention, they would not have called a news conference to sign the letter of intent. They would not have spoken to spoken to the media at all. If he truly did not want attention, he would've attended a less-visible school. So, in that respect, I agree with rocky - if you want the attention, you have to be able to take the boos with the cheers.

Absolutely he and his family should never be subjected to obcenities and things thrown at them. The people that did that were idiots. Those were not the average Illinois fans that I know. The ones I know just booed. Should Gordon and his family not expect to get booed, given the circumstances and how they played out? Nope; too bad for them they don't get love everywhere they go. But, you're right in that there is a line that should never be crossed.

You're also assuming along with RR that he and his family called the press conference. Indiana is one crazy basketball state and any time anyone of the magnitude of an Eric Gordon announces that he's going to Mecca of basketball schools in the state, it's big news. I'll bet a shiny new quarter that the media outlets called for the press conference, after all it's what they do. I'm sure they were also drooling over the fact that he opted out of his oral agreement with the Illini, again a big story on a national level. Let's not forget that Indiana lost Greg Oden, another homey a year before to Ohio State, so they were estatic that he was staying put.

I agree, you can boo him all you want for reneging on Illinois, I'm sure he expected that, but not the other stuff.