Pro or Am? College Coaches Must Choose!

Once again Nick Saban has reared his head and shown that his tenure in the NFL is bleeding over into the world of BCS football.  Now … it seems to work mind you, as he has won a few of the hallowed crystal trophies over the last several years.  But at what cost??  When a player is 18 years old and not on anyone’s full time payroll … when he commits to a team that has rolled out an offer to him a year prior to National Signing Day … when he denounces other teams that are recruiting him thereby announcing that he is all in with the Tide … and then 2 weeks prior to the “big day” that all high school kids have been dreaming about since they were knee high to a fire hydrant, the coach pulls the scholarship … in my mind heartless!

If you’re thinking this is made up … it’s not.  This just happened to high school senior Justin Taylor who officially accepted Tricky Nicky’s offer in February of 2011.  Because of some new scholarship rules that were levied by the SEC this past year, Alabama found themselves in the position of having to cut some chaff.  Taylor was the fringe player, who because of a knee injury that he’s currently rehabing and because of other recruits that the Alabama staff deem better, still on the board, he received the unfortunate news that he was the odd man out.  Now, this 18 year old kid has to wrap his head around this and decide if he trusts what is currently being sold him … which is … you just hang out for a year; rehab … get a job … and we’ll be here for you next year with a scholarship ready and waiting.  Wait … didn’t he make a commitment earlier this year under the same promises.  We all see where that got him.  His commitment was not honored … his commitment to this Alabama staff held no water.

Way to Roll Tide … this ain’t the pros Saban!  These are high school kids you’re playing with … not millionaires!