Couple of things back on Arian Foster

[VinnieVOL]

A football scholarship includes room and board, correct?  When I was at UT I stayed on campus and had a meal plan that covered bfast, lunch, and dinner and everything in between.  The cafeterias weren't open all night, but if I planned accordingly I certainly never went hungry.  So it is my understanding that some/many/most UT football players choose to live off campus (not just football players, I'm sure many students go this route), especially upperclassmen correct?  And when I was there you could only get the meal plan if you stayed on campus, and that might have even changed by now.

So my question is, he needed rent money and food money because I'm assuming it's considered beneath the football players to live on campus if they don't have to.  Am I missing something here?  Because I'm already irritated and Foster's statements.  And I'm positive the food that is available to the football players is like Ruth's Chris compared to what I had available to me and I was thrilled with my meal plan.  I don't care what Ainge or anyone says, I think it's unbelievably selfish for college football players to expect some kind of paycheck.  He mentions Fulmer's Lexus in the interview... did Fulmer have a Lexus when he played at UT?  Lol, give me a break.

[EmerilVOL]

A football scholarship includes room and board, correct?  When I was at UT I stayed on campus and had a meal plan that covered bfast, lunch, and dinner and everything in between.  The cafeterias weren't open all night, but if I planned accordingly I certainly never went hungry.  So it is my understanding that some/many/most UT football players choose to live off campus (not just football players, I'm sure many students go this route), especially upperclassmen correct?  And when I was there you could only get the meal plan if you stayed on campus, and that might have even changed by now.

So my question is, he needed rent money and food money because I'm assuming it's considered beneath the football players to live on campus if they don't have to.  Am I missing something here?  Because I'm already irritated and Foster's statements.  And I'm positive the food that is available to the football players is like Ruth's Chris compared to what I had available to me and I was thrilled with my meal plan.  I don't care what Ainge or anyone says, I think it's unbelievably selfish for college football players to expect some kind of paycheck.  He mentions Fulmer's Lexus in the interview... did Fulmer have a Lexus when he played at UT?  Lol, give me a break.

CO Let me point out some things.....this is the age of entitlement...if you do something then you are entitled to get money for it according to the thinking of lots of people (not just football players) that if you do anything someone (anyone) should pay you for your efforts.  I am so tired of the "me me me" mentality in this country.  What about helping others.  What about doing something because it is the right thing to do.  What about human compassion.  Yeah I feel for a person that had issues with "getting food to eat", but I do know that the training table is available to athletes whether they live off campus or on campus.  Back in the 70s (yeah I am an old fart), when I attended Tennessee Tech the football team always got great food during the season.  I was friends with several of the freshmen players on the team when I was there and they had me sit with them several times during the year and the football team was eating steak during the season while I was eating "mystery meat 101".  There were several players I knew that lived off campus and they were feeding at the training table trough every time I sat with my friends.  Foster is showing his true colors now.

 

[Creek Walker]

I'm still waiting for someone to pose the question of how he could afford tattoos if he couldn't afford meals.

I would like nothing better than to see UT strike that prick's name from the letterman's list. Overreaching? Yeah. Overreacting? Probably. But that's how I feel.

[murfvol]

Yeah, that's the part of the story thst makes no sense. I don't think it is legit.

[BanditVol]

He got tacos though.  TACOS!  Alert the Justice Department, that's a federal crime, let alone an NCAA violation.   

[Memphisvolunteer]

I personally believe he was lieing through his teeth.  First of all, when I was there in the mid and late 90's Gibbs hall was open for not only athletes but students.  We always went over there to eat because a) it was close to fraternity park where I lived, and b) it was the best food on campus.  They had everything.  Yes, his scholarship includes room/board/and meal plan, so his story of going hungry is a lie.

Secondly, my wife played golf at Alabama and she said they received a stipend each month for food/meal plan.  He was getting money.  The question is what did he do with it if he wasn't buying food with it?

Next, now my wife and I disagree with this, but they do get paid already...it is called a free education.  They aren't in debt by thousands of dollars when they get out of college.  They know going in to the scholarship that they don't get paid, so if you don't like it, don't sign the scholarship papers and go pay your own way in school or go to the CFL for 3 years or something else.  The fact is that 98% of the players on scholarship never get the chance at the NFL so they get an education and aren't in debt when they get out.  It is the 2% of the players that are good enough to make it to the NFL that are making all this stink and it makes me so mad because they are the ones that gets millions of dollars on their first contract.  Maybe they should spend some time in regular people's shoes and have to pay for everything (which includes college debt) while making a normal wage.

I personally think this is a ploy between all the players to make these stories up.  If you will notice, all the sudden these are coming out at the same time that UGA, Ga Tech, and another school wrote APU (All Players United) on their gear last week.

[VinnieVOL]

I'm still waiting for someone to pose the question of how he could afford tattoos if he couldn't afford meals.

I would like nothing better than to see UT strike that prick's name from the letterman's list. Overreaching? Yeah. Overreacting? Probably. But that's how I feel.

Yes!  Very elaborate tattoos!

[VinnieVOL]

I personally believe he was lieing through his teeth.  First of all, when I was there in the mid and late 90's Gibbs hall was open for not only athletes but students.  We always went over there to eat because a) it was close to fraternity park where I lived, and b) it was the best food on campus.  They had everything.  Yes, his scholarship includes room/board/and meal plan, so his story of going hungry is a lie.

Secondly, my wife played golf at Alabama and she said they received a stipend each month for food/meal plan.  He was getting money.  The question is what did he do with it if he wasn't buying food with it?

Next, now my wife and I disagree with this, but they do get paid already...it is called a free education.  They aren't in debt by thousands of dollars when they get out of college.  They know going in to the scholarship that they don't get paid, so if you don't like it, don't sign the scholarship papers and go pay your own way in school or go to the CFL for 3 years or something else.  The fact is that 98% of the players on scholarship never get the chance at the NFL so they get an education and aren't in debt when they get out.  It is the 2% of the players that are good enough to make it to the NFL that are making all this stink and it makes me so mad because they are the ones that gets millions of dollars on their first contract.  Maybe they should spend some time in regular people's shoes and have to pay for everything (which includes college debt) while making a normal wage.

I personally think this is a ploy between all the players to make these stories up.  If you will notice, all the sudden these are coming out at the same time that UGA, Ga Tech, and another school wrote APU (All Players United) on their gear last week.

Agrre with you  100%.  The idea that they deserve some "piece of the pie" is just absurd and frankly offensive.  They know the deal going into it.  I personally was able to get all my UT bills covered under acedemic scholarship, and I know how fortunate I am/was.  For them to want even more just makes my blood boil.  It's definitely the "where's mine?" generation.

[Inspector Vol]

The whole thing smells. If he got a stipend it is safe to assume he spent it on things he shouldn't have like most kids and many adults. While many of  these kids surely did not grow up with plenty, they are afforded plenty at school. You can look at the size of the football players and readily know they are not going hungry. That situation he was talking about smells of having the munchies and it being late at night after everything at campus closed. If not they should have gotten their lazy butts up and went to campus to get something. That is provided they weren't stoned out of their minds and didn't need to be on the road. That would be my guess as to what happened.

[Stogie Vol]

I personally was able to get all my UT bills covered under acedemic scholarship, and I know how fortunate I am/was.

You have GOT to be kidding me.

P.S.  It's "academic"   

[VinnieVOL]

You have GOT to be kidding me.

P.S.  It's "academic"   

Thought that's what I typed!  Stupid phone.   

[Stogie Vol]

I just had to pick on you.

[Screaming Eagle Dad]

If they want to be paid then put the work in to get paid once they are in a professional. These kids are recruited out of high school and built up to be all that, consequently they get to school and are even more spoiled. If the NCAA ever decides to pay these people then all they will want is more because they live in a gimme-gimme world already.

[VinnieVOL]

I just had to pick on you.

You?  Never!   

[HerbTarlekVol]

Foster was one who was a regular at bars and clubs on the strip and in the Old City.  I have nephews who saw him there on a regular basis.  There is nothing wrong with that, but if he could afford to go to those places, which we all know aren't cheap entertainment, then why couldn't he afford his own tacos?  

Sorry, but this is nothing but a "look at me" situation.  I don't believe that he was starving.  In fact, he was overweight and out of shape his senior year.  Those aren't characteristics of somebody who is starving.  

[Screaming Eagle Dad]

Isn't it funny how Foster can go from a Vol that many were proud of to a Vol that many now can't stand because of a comment? He put his foot in his mouth, now he'll eat it. I'm sure he's gotten calls from former Vols blasting him. I hope so. Johnny Majors ripped him on the radio that other day and ripped him good.

[Black Diamond Vol]

If the players want to be paid, then let's do it.  Let's treat them like professionals.  They get their chunk of the billions of $$ they help generate for the university.  Furthermore, let's drop the whole student/athlete facade and not require them to be enrolled in classes.  I mean, they CAN enroll if they want, but they have to pay for it out of their own pockets.  They can afford it, they're pros now.  While we're at it, let's drop the NCAA limitations on the number of hours of practice time per week.  After all, they're here for the sole reason of playing football.  It's not like they have to study for a sociology exam or anything.  Additionally, they can be cut or traded at any time.  If Butch wants to ship Peterman to New Mexico State for a backup punter, that's his prerogative.  This is what the players want- to be treated like adults, right?

And since the players are now professional, I, as a fan, will subsequently drop any pretense of sportsmanship.  If I think one of our guys is giving less than 100%, I'm going to let him hear about it on gameday.  Afterall, what are we paying him for?  And if Johnny Manzeil ever comes to Neyland (unlikely), I'll be cheering loudly when he shreds his ACL.  Why?  Because he's a punk, and I don't like him.  He's a pro, he can handle it.  Consider it a small taste of what he'll deal with on those roadtrips to Philly and NY when he gets to the League.

[Inspector Vol]

Good points. I don't really think they want the consequences like that though. They just want to do as they please and someone else pay for it all.

Of course the term "they" in the above just means those like Foster who are complaining. The more I think about what Foster said, the more strange I find it.

If the players want to be paid, then let's do it.  Let's treat them like professionals.  They get their chunk of the billions of $$ they help generate for the university.  Furthermore, let's drop the whole student/athlete facade and not require them to be enrolled in classes.  I mean, they CAN enroll if they want, but they have to pay for it out of their own pockets.  They can afford it, they're pros now.  While we're at it, let's drop the NCAA limitations on the number of hours of practice time per week.  After all, they're here for the sole reason of playing football.  It's not like they have to study for a sociology exam or anything.  Additionally, they can be cut or traded at any time.  If Butch wants to ship Peterman to New Mexico State for a backup punter, that's his prerogative.  This is what the players want- to be treated like adults, right?

And since the players are now professional, I, as a fan, will subsequently drop any pretense of sportsmanship.  If I think one of our guys is giving less than 100%, I'm going to let him hear about it on gameday.  Afterall, what are we paying him for?  And if Johnny Manzeil ever comes to Neyland (unlikely), I'll be cheering loudly when he shreds his ACL.  Why?  Because he's a punk, and I don't like him.  He's a pro, he can handle it.  Consider it a small taste of what he'll deal with on those roadtrips to Philly and NY when he gets to the League.

[LouisVOL]

#1, I think he is lying.  Ainge as much as said so, but then again, Ainge is not exactly your model citizen.  Either way, I have lost all respect for Arian Foster.  He is either a liar or a cheater, or both.