OL Justin Boren (Official Thread)

[mross34]

A friend and I were having a discussion the other day about some parallels we found between the Boren situation and one of the greatest movies of all time.

The Ohio State Buckeyes as the Mighty Ducks - Our heroes. A lovable bunch of players thirsty for a championship.

The Michigan Wolverines as the Hawks - A traditional powerhouse with questionable character and way too much arrogance. But sweet uniforms nonetheless.

Justin Boren starring as Adam "Cake Eater" Banks - The super talented athlete who for one reason or another must leave the team he grew up dreaming to play for.

Jim Tressel as Buckeye Coach Gordon Bombay - The prodigal son returning to his roots to coach his team to prominence.

Rich Rodriguz as Hawks Coach Jack Riley - Fucking dickhead. Probably rapes puppies in his free time.

 

[3074326]

I just don't think that anyone that played for Michigan (or OSU), and retained even a scrap of pride in that uniform and program and in what he had accomplished there, or any feeling or emotion associated with it, can then go suit up at OSU (or Michigan.) It's different from guys who grow up in one state or the other and choose to cross the border. It's even different from regular transfers. But when you put on the uniform, your investment in the place goes beyond simply being a fan. Or it should.

Either B***n never felt any attachment to Michigan in the first place, or Rich Rodriguez destroyed it in a few practices. In the latter case it couldn't have been terribly strong to begin with, as countless people have played at West Virginia and many others are still playing at Michigan without Rodriguez destroying their will to play there.

I understand what you're saying here.. I would be a bit confused about this as well. But it's common for recruits to list OSU and scUM as their two favorite schools. He transferred from one favorite to another. Yes, it was Michigan to Ohio State, which complicates things, but the fact is that both were favorites in the recruiting process. If your favorite doesn't work out, where would you go? Your second favorite.

And let's not forget that we have many offensive linemen get drafted. Going to OSU might be a better move for his future, compared to Rodriguez's past with o-linemen.

And yes, I think his "eroded family values" statement is a cop-out. To what, exactly, is he referring? It's vague and unquantifiable and open to all kinds of interpretation. If he just said, "I don't like being screamed at and cursed at," then that'd be something. At least Pat White was specific.

He's probably referring to the lack of connection he feels with the coaching staff. I can't say for sure, however. But his statement makes a lot of sense to me. Some kids want to be close to their coaches. If he didn't feel that atmosphere anymore and wants it, he should go somewhere that makes him happy.

Pretty much everyone who's transferred from Michigan gave clear reasons. Justin Fargas - didn't want to be a defensive back. Matt Gutierrez and Jason Forcier - stuck on the depth chart. Ryan Mallett - wrong system. No worries there, and whenever I see Fargas playing in the NFL, I still think of him as a Wolverine, because he represented us well, even for a short time. Mallett, same (for the most part.) But to smack us in the face by jumping ship to OSU? And to add insult to insult and injury with vague statements that leave the program open to criticism without any real idea of what it's being criticized for? Can't accept that. I mean, even Rodriguez gave some pretty specific ideas as to why he left West Virginia. He laid them out.

Again, he went to his second favorite school after the school of his choice didn't work. But let's not forget that Rodriguez was less-than-classy about Justin's departure (and that's a borderline compliment..).

If Michigan football was a family, as he said, his family members are still there. His former teammates. Going to OSU shows that he now holds them in less than no regard. It says, I not only want to leave you, I want to beat you so bad that I'll go to the one place where it's not only most likely, it's expected of me, and I'll pay my own money for the chance to do it.

A lot of his family is gone to the draft, some transferred, and his coaches are new. Sure, there is still a lot of family there, but from what I've heard about him going home every weekend, he didn't feel like it was a family atmosphere anymore.

 

[jenkinswoody]

I think these UM fans need to stop acting like the jilted bride and move on. This maniacal obsession with a 19 year old is a bit much.

The real irony is that they are basically saying the same thing about WVU fans and Rod!?

 

[buckeyemania11]

College Football Forum

 

[HailToMichigan]

So, let me get this straight. You are saying that a student athlete's allegience to the "program" should override the responsible decision of putting himself in a better situation?

As I said I don't care if a player transfers. It's where he transferred to (and on top of that, the parting shot.) Are you suggesting there is only one program in the country that could have been a better situation for B***n than a place where values have eroded from "family" to "nothing"? If so, thanks for the compliment.

Also, would it have been better for Justin to spill his guts just to suffer an even greater degree of backlash from you guys and the media? What would that have said about his character. When asked why he was leaving, Justin gave an honest answer without saying anything more than what was necessary, and what most already suspected.

He could have said, "It's my personal decision and it's time to move on," or something equally innocuous and been just as honest.

I think that the lack of any real evidence from your program that the "family values" haven't eroded and the "I only talk about Michigan players" is a cop out. Why doesn't Rodriguez defend himself, his ideals, or his program? Because he cant. No one, and I mean no one, outside of your fanbase is saying anything to support this clown. could that be because there is simply no excuse for the shit he does?

Rodriguez did defend himself.
ESPN - Rodriguez answers claims about Michigan's lack of family values - College Football
Kinda vague, isn't it? He didn't say much. Can't respond with much clarity when the accusations aren't clear.

Man, rivalry aside, I just do not see how you guys can be proud of your new coach, what he stands for, or what he is going to do to your history. Rodriguez will fail, and it will be because of his own arrogance, and he is going to ruin your name and your program. It is likely that he will leave AA in some media uproar, much in the same way he is leaving WV. The guy is a piece of shit, and a leopard can't change its spots. Its probable that the Borens' saw that and did not want any part of it. Nor should they. Transferring to tOSU, I believe is less to take a stab, than to put himself closer to home, in a situation where he can be proud of what he is a part of.

If closer to home was the primary concern, and he felt any loyalty at all to his teammates and to Michigan, there are several other Ohio schools. Do none of them offer anything to be proud of? Is Brian Kelly failing at Cincy? Is Akron simply too far away? Yes, OSU is both a better program than all, and closer to home. But there's a little bit of a rivalry between the schools. Apparently that rivalry means very little to J****n B***n.

 

[HailToMichigan]

I think these UM fans need to stop acting like the jilted bride and move on. This maniacal obsession with a 19 year old is a bit much.

This 62-page thread is on the Buckeye site - one which spawned an entire separate site to follow every single team in college football as they chase 17 and 18 year old kids. There's nothing wrong with that, I'm as willing a participant as any, but let's not pretend that Buckeye fans are the ones rising above it all.

 

[HailToMichigan]

That is nonsensical. You can't honestly believe that he left WVU for the reasons he stated. Rodriguez had to come up with some set of facts to support his attempt to weasel out of paying the buyout provision of his contract.

But facts nonetheless, which are not exactly in dispute. So why did he leave, then?

P.S.: "I'm going to Toledo to meet with University of Michigan officials about their opening at the position of head football coach," would have been the dumbest thing Rodriguez could have said. Imagine the media firestorm.

 

[Buckeye86]

P.S.: "I'm going to Toledo to meet with University of Michigan officials about their opening at the position of head football coach," would have been the dumbest thing Rodriguez could have said. Imagine the media firestorm.

couldn't have been much worse than it was anyways

 

[HailToMichigan]

I understand what you're saying here.. I would be a bit confused about this as well. But it's common for recruits to list OSU and scUM as their two favorite schools. He transferred from one favorite to another. Yes, it was Michigan to Ohio State, which complicates things, but the fact is that both were favorites in the recruiting process. If your favorite doesn't work out, where would you go? Your second favorite.

That makes a lot of sense and it's a good point. I just think, once you put on the uniform, and especially, play in a game on one side of the rivalry, it should have some effect on how you feel about the other team.

 

[HailToMichigan]

couldn't have been much worse than it was anyways

Only after he made the mistake of trying to get out of the buyout. Actually it wasn't learned by the MSM, ESPN-types until the day before he actually announced his departure that he was even a candidate much less was in Toledo. In this day and age, that's remarkable.

 

[LightningRod]

This 62-page thread is on the Buckeye site - one which spawned an entire separate site to follow every single team in college football as they chase 17 and 18 year old kids. There's nothing wrong with that, I'm as willing a participant as any, but let's not pretend that Buckeye fans are the ones rising above it all.

So it's okay to heap scorn on WV fans because they criticize RR for up and leaving, but somehow it becomes a *let's not pretend the Buckeye fans are the ones rising above it all* when the worm turns.

 

[Buckeye86]

Only after he made the mistake of trying to get out of the buyout. Actually it wasn't learned by the MSM, ESPN-types until the day before he actually announced his departure that he was even a candidate much less was in Toledo. In this day and age, that's remarkable.

not quite sure what the order of events was, but if he would have just come right out with it in the first place at least his image might have been viewed as mildly honest rather than the greasy piece of shit slimeball that everyone south of lake Erie thinks he is now, and Boren didn't have a much higher opinion of him either apparently

 

[sandgk]

But facts nonetheless, which are not exactly in dispute.

If there wasn't any disputing the "facts" there would be no depositions.

So why did he leave, then?

We'll never really know whether what RR said or says is the truth on the matter of why he left - precisely because he has so many reasons to not tell the whole story ($4 Million of them).

P.S.: "I'm going to Toledo to meet with University of Michigan officials about their opening at the position of head football coach," would have been the dumbest thing Rodriguez could have said. Imagine the media firestorm.

Thank god he took the [sarcasm]higher road[/sarcasm] on this one then.

Now let's get back to Boren, Justin time to be a Buckeye. :)

 

[BayBuck]

This 62-page thread is on the Buckeye site - one which spawned an entire separate site to follow every single team in college football as they chase 17 and 18 year old kids. There's nothing wrong with that, I'm as willing a participant as any, but let's not pretend that Buckeye fans are the ones rising above it all.

33 pages of this thread are about Boren's HS recruitment, then about 2-3 posts during his 2 years at scUM, and the rest comes after his transfer became imminent. No jilted brides here, crybaby.

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

But facts nonetheless, which are not exactly in dispute. So why did he leave, then?

Maybe he woke up and finally realized that he was in West Virginia, surrounded by West Virginians. Who knows.

What I am saying is that it doesn't make sense to defend someone's parting shots because they were more specific. If there is reason to believe those specifics weren't true, then why were Rodriguez's parting shots more appropriate than Boren's, in your opinion? I don't get your placing importance on specificity of parting shots. I think if Boren was more specific, and it cast Michigan in an uglier light, then you would have a different stance on the matter.

Didn't Boren's father say why his son felt the need to provide a public statement? I think it was to curb, to the extent possible, the public criticism and unfounded rumors as to why Boren was transferring, statements that were already being made and that he did not deserve.

Boren defending his reputation is more honorable than Rodriguez creating a record to help in the defense of an impending lawsuit brought on by his own actions.