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My name is Eric. My love of and loyalty to the University of Alabama football team is unparalleled and completely inappropriate. I hate all other teams, and wish them peril. Also, you can hear my music at www.reverbnation.com/EricBlackerby or www.youtube.com/EricBlackerbyMusic

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Jeff Stoutland And Joe Pannunzio Should Be Fired

Before I even write this, I will preface it by saying this is an emotional response. As such, I could be completely wrong about many things you are about to read and I may wish to take them back later. I might feel a completely different way tomorrow. But as it stands right now...

I am not even going to get into all the details of this Miami football scandal. It is far too much that I don't even care to discuss. But 7 former Miami coaches have been implicated as being involved with, or having knowledge of, what is starting to look like the deepest system of NCAA infractions anyone has ever seen. If you were to list all of the major infractions you could commit, this case pretty much covers them all.

Players getting paid to go to The U? Check
Players receiving illegal benefits, including prostitutes, money, trips, and an abortion for a stripper that one player impregnated? Check
Players signing with a sports agency while still playing in college? Check

I mean, I could go on, but you get it. Now, this is as bad as it gets. But I don't really care what happens to Miami, or what they've done in the past, or if they ever play another game

The issue for me is two of the seven coaches who are accused of being involved.

Miami's former offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, now holds the same position at Alabama, having been hired away from Miami just this year.
Miami's former Tight Ends Coach/Special Teams Coordinater Joe Pannunzio is now the Director Of Football Operations at Alabama.

And I almost don't care what these guys did or didn't do, or what they did or didn't know. If they were any part of that, I don't want them being a part of us. I want to break these guys off in the worst way. It is possible that they are proven cheaters, and with even that possibility I want them OUT of Tuscaloosa.

Alabama still has almost a year before we are off our most recent probation, in a run of 17 years where we have almost stayed on probation. People jump at the opportunity to accuse Bama of being dirty, and I don't want anything to do with a couple of first year members of our staff who are caught up in the middle of such an epic and deep seeded scandal.

If evidence comes to light that shows these guys to be in the clear, then I will admit I was wrong and be proud to have them

Perhaps, they didn't want anything to do with what they knew was going on down there and wanted to start over at a clean program.

I could speculate all damn day.

But as it stands, I don't want the University Of Alabama employing anyone who is accused of cheating, with almost certain proof as it stands now.

1 comment:

  1. The sad truth is that Saban knew what he was getting when he hired these guys. This says more about Saban than many Bama fans want to accept or even consider. Saban interviewed these guys, called other coaches to vet their references, etc. If he did not know the secret of their success - first hand, then he certainly was willing to overlook it if it meant getting more top recruits.

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