Dr_Bully
Recent Comments
Joe Moorhead comments on post-practice altercation involving QB Garrett Shrader
@BillBrocius I’m definitely not saying it’s okay to respond to insults with violence and I stated above that “I’m disappointed that Gay struck and injured someone….”. My point was that JoMo’s decisions concerning this altercation (i.e. allowing Gay to play and sending Shrader home) comes across like he is awarding off-setting penalties to each such that neither party will be disciplined for their part. So nothing “formal” has to be escalated or put on the record concerning Shrader’s part in the incident, and nothing “formal” is put on Gay’s record and he receives no punishment for the injury he inflicted to his teammate.
I emphasize the word “formal” because injured players and even teammates that have chosen to sit out their team’s bowl games in preparation for the draft are routinely seen on the sideline with their teams at the game; so the optics of Shrader being sent home versus being there with his team comes across as a form of punishment. On the other hand, regardless of his upside, Gay’s self-inflicted limited availability and productivity throughout the 2019 do not warrant JoMo’s decision to play him in the bowl game; so the optics of Gay getting to play in the bowl game versus, at a minimum, being in his hometown of Starkville Ms. Comes across as the powers that be attempting to appease others that may have been offended and keep any locker room dissension on the down low. Again, I am not saying it’s okay to respond to insults with violence; but I am saying that the decision making and the optics being broadcast from the head coach of my alma mater stinks!
I agree that Gay should be punished and shouldn’t be playing in the bowl game. As an African American man who matriculated through Starkville in the 80’s there were several occasions I had to put the credo “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” to the test. If the rumor is true, I’m disappointed that Gay struck and injured someone that is both a teammate and a vital component to the success of his team. There is no validation of JoMo’s decisions to let Gay play and send Shrader home in my book; but this pattern is consistent with Shrader’s rumored use of a derogative which led to the punch as witnessed by several other players (i.e. off-setting penalties because both parties were in the wrong and the injury is not reviewable -AND- with an injured Shrader being sent home and Gay being allowed to play there is no reason for any players witness to the incident saying anything).
I’m curious how JoMo would have played this had Mr. Gay been man enough to just report whatever statement(s) he found to be offensive or derogatory to the coaching staff (which probably would have been accompanied by a few complaints logged by other players). Possibly a team apology by Shrader (which will probably still happen if the rumor is true and JoMo wants Shrader to be the future leader he sees him to be) and maybe he would have sat out the first offensive series of the bowl game. When this type of incident occurred for the Hurricanes, Seminoles and USC Trojans they kept their HC because they were winning. I would prefer State foster a Clean Winning Program, but if we’re not winning we better be Clean!