Bryce Brown tells Derek Dooley he will not return...via text
by Will Shelton on Jul 27, 2010 6:54 PM EDT
in Tennessee Volunteer Football
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PrintThis is the part where many of us in orange - including those who were clamoring for his return even this morning - say "good riddance" (and lots of colorful alternatives) and wish terrible things upon our once-prized recruit, because he's no longer one of us. I still think there's a lot we never got to know about Bryce Brown...but ending the relationship the way he did is yet another reason why we may be better off never finding out.
As reported by Jimmy Hyams of WNML in Knoxville, Bryce Brown told Derek Dooley today he would be leaving the program...not face to face, but via text message. Sure, he's a young kid that probably doesn't know Dooley very well...but if you're big enough to call your own press conference two months after signing day to announce your school of choice, you should be big enough to tell your head coach you're leaving face to face.
Dooley's policy on releasing players has been unique to each situation, and he mentioned at media days that he does take into account how much the player's departure hurts the team. So while Dooley and the Browns get to sort out how quickly he can play for Kansas State, we get to try and sort out exactly how much this departure will hurt.
And again, there's a lot we don't know: the track record for the nation's best high school player is certainly good, Brown appeared capable running as Montario Hardesty's backup last year, and he did play through some pain and injury. So much of the debate about whether or not Dooley should allow him to return has also centered on his character - is he a spoiled little kid, or is he a guy who made a rash decision to leave and now wanted back in?
Even if it isn't fair to define him fully by the text message, it does serve as validation to a thought that many of us had coming into today: we're tired of this, and maybe it's just not worth it. Brown, no matter how talented, would've been a distraction on a team that's led the nation in that category over the last two years. He would've been an outsider on a team that's trying to rally together in the face of those distractions, especially for guys like Tauren Poole who've stayed and worked hard to play here. And even if Brown really is a good kid and a great running back...he lost our respect a little more each day this dragged on this summer, and each day it got a little easier to just carry on without him...and if he's that quick to say goodbye, we'll be that quick to move on.
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Well, he has four years to play three
and figure out how to repair the perception of his maturity. The NFL’s not going to like that text message stunt.
And in fairness, I’m not mad at him or anything. He’s young and has a lot to learn. He’s also a bright kid. But this will make the season a lot easier; simply talking about Bryce Brown would have come with baggage from here on out.
;-)
Yay!
I don’t care if he left or stayed or how he communicated, I’m just glad this BS is finally over!
"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan
Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.
My thoughts on the matter.
I completely agree with Brian that I’m just glad that this is over. This was a mess from the start. As it progressed into the summer, I wondered what this kid was thinking. Not only has his indecision (if it even was that) affected himself, it has affected his future team. I do not wish him ill will. In fact, I wish him luck. That said, this kid has a lot of growing up to do. He may be an ‘adult’ in age, but not in action.
I discussed this with a good friend of mine and we agreed that he should just choose to be a Vol or don’t. This team only needs those who want to wear the Orange, especially now. This won’t even hurt us. At all. Not even a little. Does anyone think we’d win one more game with him after this debacle? I don’t, not for an instant.
I’ll take Tauren Poole 500 times before I would want Bryce back. That was true the first day he quit — and he did quit. But, that’s fine. He wasn’t happy. The Tennessee family also wasn’t happy. Fine. But, text message? Really? Man up, son. There’s going to be a whole lot more difficult things in your life. I hope KSU can mature you into a man. The sooner the better.
To Strive, To Seek, To Find, and Not to Yield.
Fulmerizer. Quoth:
KSU will man hip up
after yearly [keester]-whippins from TX, OU, and Nebraska.
=SMODIGGITY= GO BIG ORANGE!!!
“The kick is in the air, and the kick this time is… NO SIR REE. NO SIR REE. FINAL SCORE: TENNESSE 20, FLORIDA 17. PANDEMONIUM—REIGNS.” —The Immortal John Ward
by supersmo18 on Jul 27, 2010 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions
;-)
by David Hooper on Jul 27, 2010 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Brice....
Don’t forget your blanket and rattle on the way out. You can keep the warm bottle of milk, too.
-=SMODIGGITY=- GO BIG ORANGE!!!
"The kick is in the air, and the kick this time is... NO SIR REE. NO SIR REE. FINAL SCORE: TENNESSE 20, FLORIDA 17. PANDEMONIUM--REIGNS." --The Immortal John Ward
Finally! Get him outta here!
Best of luck to Bryce, but we are trying to start anew under a classy head coach, and we need everyone to buy in! You’re either in, or you’re out.
One Question
Is any of this actually confirmed by Dooley or Brown? It seems like there could be a good chance that Hyams is wrong. Anyway, this is a stupid move in many ways for Bryce especially since if he wants a release he’s still going to have to meet with Dooley to get it. Is there any way to change your name on SBNation?
Florida Sucks!
Hyams is very very careful about these things.
I can’t remember anything that he has reported without having first hand verifiable facts to back it up. If this were Basilio, however….
Email Joel about that.
I can see why you’d like a switch.
;-)
by David Hooper on Jul 27, 2010 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Like many of us
I was a little hasty in embracing everything about the Kiffin regime. Where would I find his contact information?
Florida Sucks!
by Orange Swarm on Jul 27, 2010 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
It's rockytoptalk@gmail.com
Let me know what you’d like your new user name to be in the email.
by Joel Hollingsworth on Jul 28, 2010 6:00 AM EDT up reply actions
You were just supporting the team.
We all root for the laundry – even the polo shirt and visor.
;-)
by David Hooper on Jul 28, 2010 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions
It's been over for a Loooooong time. Thankfully, we'll stop talking about it.
How many of Kiffin’s (in)famous recruits are still with us?
And how many of the handful remaining are expected to perform at top-calibre levels in the SEC this season… Is it “O-fer” the entire class?
The COEXIST bumper sticker is ridiculous. How are people supposed to get along when one side is flying planes into tall buildings or wearing sweater vests full of C4 and nails? The faiths are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
It wasnt
That long ago that I defended Brown.
Not by saying he was right to do what he did, but rather that he should be allowed to come back. The gist of what was everyone makes dumb foolish mistakes. He should learn from it and move on.
I’ll eat my crow on this one.
Looks like he got the move on part anyway. I think he’s been watching too many Terrel Owens press conferences…
"Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football." John Heisman
Dooley's response to Brown...via text
kthxbye
Bring it across, shape it down
by Getoffmyvols on Jul 28, 2010 10:40 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Bryce could have been great here...
and still may be for KSU. I hoped to one day watch him go down as another VOL great RB in the books.
However I am glad this saga is finally over. I can not understand what goes through the heads of much of todays youth. Man up and say what you have to face to face. We may not like what you have to say but will respect you for doing it as a man. Dont take the (fulmerized) way out.
Last words of wisdom…“dont let the door knob hit you where the good lord split you” Time to move on!
Brown has a ton of talent
When Brown signed with UT people were saying that he was selfish and soft, but highly talented. I thought they were just jealous because we landed the #1 ranked player in the nation. From the fall practice where he complained that he was hit too hard, to the injuries, and even running out of bounds to avoid hits on gameday it all pointed to being true. Then he skips spring practice and summer work so he can determine his future which is finalized via text because he can’t do it in person.
After being the #1 recruit where everyone hangs on every word and move you make maybe the spotlight wasn’t bright enough for him in Knoxville. Either he needed more attention, or he just isn’t very interested in playing football. The potential is there but now you have to question the heart.
"I said (earlier) that I was open to Bryce coming back on the condition that he wanted to unpack his bags and put his heart into this program," Dooley said. "I fully expect Bryce not to be on our team.
"The reason it has continued on is because Bryce has not come to me, looked me in the eye and said I want a release to so-and-so school. At some point, that’s got to happen."
Eric Berry Eats Landsharks For Breakfast.
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