Would personal issues come before your fanhood?

Over the past few years I've spent a good amount of time around Ann Arbor and have might quite a few players. There have been two instances where players that I had originally rooted my ass off for did something that made me never want them to succeed again. One was Manny Harris and the other is Thomas Rawls. I want Michigan to do great, sans Rawls. How do you guys feel about that? Would you put things that happened off the field behind you and root for anyone wearing maize and blue, or would you hold that grudge?

i would still root for the good of the team , but probably hold out against a player. I have to wiegh all the good with the bad and probably wouldn't settle on one instance , Nobody knows what was going on for that person on that day, If something happen again and again then it would be hard for me to root for that individual..

This is good question. I'd most definitely cheer for the team but growing up in the environment that I did and and having the military background that I do I tend to take no pity on people that put themselves into unfavorable situations and hold everyone to a higher standard than I probably should. I say probably should because of the point that Artist makes, "Nobody knows what was going on for that person on that day".

I also tend to hold grudges and if feel slighted or wronged then it's over. For those people, “There are no second chances in life, except to feel remorse.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Dare I ask what Rawls and Harris did?

I would not root against any Michigan player.

I may not necessarily root for him/her but I would root for the good of the team.

Harris kicked a girl that I'm very close with out of his house with the line "if you ain't suckin, you gotta get out." Referring to giving him a knob job.

Rawls threatened to fight this same girl a different night:
"Somebody get this bitch out of my face before I knock her ass out." Repeating it over and over. A freshman trying to show off in front of the upper classmen he was with.

Harris I had to root for because Michigan relied on him so much, but I loved seeing him go undrafted. Rawls, I hope never wins the starting RB spot.

On a side note, the most respectable player I've met has been Roy Roundtree.

And Denard, to be honest.

Sounds like the girl is a trouble maker. Two different guys throw her out, she seems to be the problem. Maybe she should re-evaluate her choices.

Nope, definitely not the case. To further go into details....

Manny:
She was hanging out at his house with a group of people and they were all about to go to taco bell. He came up to her and said "_____, if you ain't suckin, you need to get out." She was like "Excuse me? We are going to taco bell." He then said "No, you don't get it. If you ain't sucking, you need to get out."

More of a college athlete using his status to demand something from a girl than a girl causing problems. But If you want to support that, go ahead.

Thomas Rawls:
She was at a Belles Pizza after bar close. This is where a lot of players hangout and eat after. Rawls was standing by the door when some kid had to rush by him to get outside and puke. Rawls was with some upper classmen and showed off by saying "Oooo if he woulda puked on me I woulda BEAT HIS ASS." This girl said "grow up, he didn't puke on you. He went outside." Rawls didn't know this girl, and didn't know she was friends with the upperclassmen he was with, and carried on with his tough guy schtick by saying "bitch shut up before I drop you." "Do it then, drop me." (knowing that he was looking like a fool in front of everyone). "Somebody get this bitch out of my face before I KNOCK. HER. OUT."

Again, I don't think she needs to re-evaluate her choices there. But if you want to stick up for that behavior because he plays for your favorite football team, go ahead.

Ok, look I won't defend these players, because women shouldn't be treated that way. Some girls hang around athletes just to trap them. But it does sound like these guys are a couple assholes.

IF- I was personally aware of that or similar situations, I could never support those players.

'shoes

Ditto here...in heavy print. Treating a person that way (as you do Shoes, I assume the accuracy of hail's post) is never excusable. At least not if our society is to retain any integrity or tenability whatsoever.

There are innumerable other, more acceptable, ways to impress those one sees the need to impress.

I am with these last two posts. Never acceptable and given the story I will never support these players. No longer care what Rawls does here. i have moved on to others who may appreciate their good fortune to be where they are.

I didn't mean to influence your opinions on them at all, guys. But I am happy you guys feel that way.

To be honest, if I was there for either of those situations, you would have read about Michigan players being involved in a fight. Most likely sending me to the hospital, but still.

Actually Hail, you absolutely meant to influence our opinions on them. That's why you posted it and also just read your own post up above ^^^^

"But if you want to stick up for that behavior because he plays for your favorite football team, go ahead."

Wouldn't you say this phrase is meant to influence us?

I was going to reply and didn't but then decided to.

You wanted us all to be as mad at these 2 guys as you are. If someone wasn't as mad as you or if someone added their 2 cents you pulled the "Well he plays for your favorite football team."

Look, you are 100% entitled to your feelings (obviously) but please don't gete mad at me because I don't immediately get pissed because a poster (you) says a friend had this happen to her.

You still say it's a close friend of yours. In my personal history I know that people tend to faithfully believe their "close friends" and discount whatever others say, sometimes to the detriment to the situation.

The bad thing about forums is people post bad things about people and then get enraged because others don't immediately jump on the bandwagon and agree with them. It happens daily.

I don't know any of these players personally, so it has no impact on me. If Rawls scores TD's for UM, I'll cheer.

The one thing I never do is put a college kid or a professional athlete on a pedestal. I think alot people in general do that. I don't mean this forum, I mean every sports fan in general. They're young adults or older adults who have flaws like every other person in the country. I believe it was Charlies Barkley that said smiliar thing, don't put us on a pedestal, we are not role models. I understand kids look up to pro or college athletes, and these athletes should act with class when being watched by the public. But we know thats not always going to happen.
Fair or unfair, if you play FB for M or any other big time program, your under the spotlight. I'm sure they have been told that. Whether its seen by 1 person, small group of people or the whole country finds out about it. What you do off the field is magnified.
I work for an HS athletic dept. I cheer like hell for these kids to win. Like college or pro athletes, HS kids also have flaws. Some kids are assholes, jerks. Do I still for cheer for the team he is on? Of course. Do I go out of my way to congratulate the kid if he has a good game, probably not.
If Rawls scores the game winning TD vs ND in sept., will I'll be going crazy, cheering, singing the victors? Hell ya!

Well said booboo.

Ok, I took both hail and willie off of my foes list, we'll see how this goes (although I'm thinking that willie received a temporary boot, I assume that he will be back though).

I have had this happen with a number of players on multiple teams while in school. I always still cheered for my school, just not for that particular student-athlete. Thankfully, none of the "stars" ever did those, or similar types of unspeakable actions.

I think that you've gotta remember that, for all intensive purposes, they're still kids. Sure they are over 18 yada, yada, yada. but they haven't lived normal lives. Instead of out hanging with their friends on a Friday night, working Part-time, going through all other "rites of passage" they have been on the field. The rules for life are different for that of any sport. College is about learning and unfortunately some people still need to learn that you do not act like what Rawls is alledged to have actted. I do know that it happens though which is unfortunate, most times something clicks where the kid lerns though. Sometimes their athletic carreers end before they learn that though which is too bad. Other times they do not learn that at all and it follows them through life, Ray Lewis comes to mind. Although apparently he did learn it, too late though as now he is weird. Another point to make, Ray Lewis didn't go to Michigan...

THEstjoemfan wrote:

Actually Hail, you absolutely meant to influence our opinions on them. That's why you posted it and also just read your own post up above ^^^^

"But if you want to stick up for that behavior because he plays for your favorite football team, go ahead."

Wouldn't you say this phrase is meant to influence us?

My initial post did not go into any detail about when, why, where, or what I lost respect for them for. I stated who, in the original post, to put the question into perspective (ie. two players that have gotten considerable playing time- Harris more than Rawls, obviously). The purpose of the thread was to see how you guys feel about situations like this in general, not to make anyone dislike Rawls or Harris.

I've read azfootballfan's post as long as all of you have, so we all know the lack of credibility forum posters have. (As in me).