Video: Sprinkle Discusses Belk Bowl Incident, Senior Bowl

[Jason Carroll]

Former Hog tight end Jeremy Sprinkle spoke to our cameras at the Senior Bowl on Tuesday night where he addressed the Belk Bowl shoplifting incident, moving forward and trying to impress at the Senior Bowl this week.

http://www.nwahomepage.com/razorback-nation/sprinkle-addresses-belk-bowl-incident-at-the-senior-bowl/645190306

[hogcard1964]

#uncommonthingamabobs

[Pork Twain]

It's called integrity...

[nchogg]

JS is a grown man, no excuse for what he did and no apology will excuse it.

[Razinhail]

It's called integrity...

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one else knows about it and a mistake is forgetting your car keys. He made a conscious decision to do the wrong thing. I hope he learns from it, but there is no excuse or explanation for that type of behavior, especially in the situation in which it occurred.

[Boarcephus]

Would he still feel it was a "dumb mistake" if he hadn't got caught? 

[nchogg]

Would he still feel it was a "dumb mistake" if he hadn't got caught?

I doubt it, he probably would have thought (look what I got) and not told anyone.

[Hog N Bama]

Would he still feel it was a "dumb mistake" if he hadn't got caught?

of course not. He made a conscious decision to steal.

[Boarcephus]

of course not. He made a conscious decision to steal.

yep. 

[HogShat]

I wish I was as perfect as you guys. Been thru some real tough things in the last couple years. One thing I learned was to not judge others just because they sin different than you do...

[DeltaBoy]

Glad to see him admit he made a mistake.

[Little Lady Back]

I wish I was as perfect as you guys. Been thru some real tough things in the last couple years. One thing I learned was to not judge others just because they sin different than you do...

Yes!

[Pork Twain]

I wish I was as perfect as you guys. Been thru some real tough things in the last couple years. One thing I learned was to not judge others just because they sin different than you do...

I am far from perfect but it is far past time we stopped making excuses for how student athletes carry themselves and represent the university and the state.  You are a Sr starting TE for a bowl team and you steal from the sponsor of the bowl?  Sad way to be remembered.

[SamBuckhart]

JS is a grown man, no excuse for what he did and no apology will excuse it.

No amount of talking about it is going to increase his standing at the next level. At least he didn't drunk with a stolen pistol and drive at high speeds. Oops. Alabam only.

[Pigsknuckles]

Snip...Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one else knows about it and a mistake is forgetting your car keys.

Please pardon me if I plagiarize that comment sometime in the future. That is gold.

[HogShat]

I am far from perfect but it is far past time we stopped making excuses for how student athletes carry themselves and represent the university and the state.  You are a Sr starting TE for a bowl team and you steal from the sponsor of the bowl?  Sad way to be remembered.

I did not hear or see anyone make an excuse for him. Nobody said he is poor and from a small town and it wasn't fair that he couldn't afford those games. Nobody said the he poured his heart and soul into the Hogs and just felt like he would take a little for himself and that is ok. That way of thinking is definitely out there, but he didn't allude to it. He admitted it was a dumb mistake and took his licks and is moving on. This was a very valuable life lesson for him and you are 100% correct that it is a sad way to be remembered. But I bet it isn't near as sad for you as it is for him. or his parents.

[PorkRinds]

If Sprinkle had an all American season and the hogs won 10 games at least half of the people dogging him would be singing a much different tune. Loyalty should not be tied to wins and losses.

[hawganatic]

it and a mistake is forgetting your car keys.

If it wasn't a mistake than what was it?  Just because something was conscience doesn't mean it can't be a mistake.

[Boarcephus]

If it wasn't a mistake than what was it?  Just because something was conscience doesn't mean it can't be a mistake.

shoplifting.

[daprospecta]

I am far from perfect but it is far past time we stopped making excuses for how student athletes carry themselves and represent the university and the state.  You are a Sr starting TE for a bowl team and you steal from the sponsor of the bowl?  Sad way to be remembered.

I don't think people will forget about the incident but when I think of Sprinkle, I think of a really good TE we had for four years. If the first thing that comes to a person's mind is he stole something, that says a lot about the person.

[hawganatic]

shoplifting.

You're a friggen genius...

[Boarcephus]

You're a friggen genius...

And you're unable to call a thief a thief.  It's a mistake if he gets to the hotel and finds he has merchandise in his bag he had neglected to pay for and returns it but this wasn't the case. 

[12247]

It matters not that Sprinkle was football player for the Hogs.  It appears he stole from a retail store. commonly called shoplifting.  This happens a lot and much of it is not caught.  Sprinkle knew he was breaking the law and did it anyway.  He knew what could happen and did it anyway.  He got caught.  He got punished.  I guess he may have been required to return the stuff and he may have a court date, I don't know.  He knew if caught it could effect him at the next level.  NFL teams will see this as not a big deal other than it puts into question Sprinkle's ability to make good decisions which could effect his level of play.  Also, no NFL team needs the attention and unless Sprinkle is high on someone's need list, it will be part of a deciding factor if and when he gets taken in the draft.  This little screw up will likely cost Sprinkle way more than just a very bad day and not getting to play in a loss in the bowl game.

[LZH]

Swiping a couple hundred dollars worth of darn likely cost him well over a million dollars. What the hell are these kids thinking? Wait until after the draft and you can take your new Visa platinum card and buy whatever you want to.

[farmhawg]

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one else knows about it and a mistake is forgetting your car keys. He made a conscious decision to do the wrong thing. I hope he learns from it, but there is no excuse or explanation for that type of behavior, especially in the situation in which it occurred.

I bet that was not his first time.

[Arazorbackguy1]

I forgive him.

[goodguytex]

Swiping a couple hundred dollars worth of darn likely cost him well over a million dollars. What the hell are these kids thinking? Wait until after the draft and you can take your new Visa platinum card and buy whatever you want to.

If he doesn't have a solid career in the pros and winds up trying to return to Arkansas for a career in the private sector at a company like Walmart, for instance, he may have more difficulty getting hired with shoplifting on his record like that.

Especially since he was a senior starter on a shopping spree already paid for when he did it.

[goodguytex]

I forgive him.

I forgive him too. Heather one that will have to live with the lasting consequences, not me.

[Pork Twain]

I don't think people will forget about the incident but when I think of Sprinkle, I think of a really good TE we had for four years. If the first thing that comes to a person's mind is he stole something, that says a lot about the person.

Does it really?

[hawganatic]

And you're unable to call a thief a thief.  It's a mistake if he gets to the hotel and finds he has merchandise in his bag he had neglected to pay for and returns it but this wasn't the case.

Never said he wasn't a thief.  But he's already been punished by the school, he's about to be punished by the NFL, and I'm assuming he still has a court date coming up.  That's good enough for me, for somebody that doesn't have a history of this kind of behavior.

Everybody screws up, makes bad decisions, etc.   I'm sure you've done dumb darn in your life.  I'm also sure you wouldn't want other people (that don't know you) defining your entire life because of it.

Just for your reference, below is the dictionary definition of a mistake.  Tell me again how this wasn't a mistake on his part.


Definition of mistake

    1.  a wrong judgment :  misunderstanding

    2.  a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgment, inadequate knowledge, or inattention

[HogShat]

Never said he wasn't a thief.  But he's already been punished by the school, he's about to be punished by the NFL, and I'm assuming he still has a court date coming up.  That's good enough for me, for somebody that doesn't have a history of this kind of behavior.

Everybody screws up, makes bad decisions, etc.   I'm sure you've done dumb darn in your life.  I'm also sure you wouldn't want other people (that don't know you) defining your entire life because of it.

Just for your reference, below is the dictionary definition of a mistake.  Tell me again how this wasn't a mistake on his part.


Definition of mistake

    1.  a wrong judgment :  misunderstanding

    2.  a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgment, inadequate knowledge, or inattention

Well said...

Coming up on three years ago I made the biggest mistake of my life. I was in a bad marriage and was tired of trying. Leaned a little too much on a girlfriend from 20+ years ago, that we both still had feelings for each other, who was in a similar marriage. You know where the story goes from there. The kicker to the whole deal is her husband was the interim pastor at my church. We hurt a bunch of folks. embarrassed ourselves and our families. But, I serve a God who is forgiving, who allows us to make mistakes, so that we can learn from them. What did I learn? Most importantly that I am above all loved by the King and no matter how bad I mess up he desires to have a relationship with me. He will forgive me, hold me up, give me grace to get through all the ridicule and scorn, and then put me back in my right place in His Kingdom. I had to own it. I couldn't run from it. I had to beg for forgiveness from family and friends. It made me look at things other folks do a whole lot different. That is where don't judge me just because I sin different than you comes from.

I saw Sprinkle own what he did. He could've easily said he didn't want to discuss it or dodged the question. He stood up like a man, answered the question, admitted he was wrong and told how it affected his life and how it was a lesson learned that he could draw back on in the future.

Didn't mean to get on a soapbox or anything, but part of being given a testimony is sharing it. Owning it.

Matthew 6; 14-15 (and it is written in red)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Only one he needs to apologize to is God.  And then Belk.

[cityhog]

shoplifting.

so is speeding, jay walking, cheating on your taxes, throwing your cigarette butts out of the window, having trash blow out of the back of your pick-up truck, driving while 'buzzed', smoking in the car while a child under 12 is in the car, not wearing your seatbelt, parking in a handicap spot when you're not handicapped, refusing service to or housing to someone based on race, religion, creed or sex...... , and this isn't even getting into 'moral' territory. I could go on.

What's that old saying about glass houses?

[phadedhawg]

I feel sorry for him.  I can't imagine how embarrassing this must be for him. 

I hope he's learned his lesson.  He's too young to just throw away the rest of his life over this incident. 

I would hate to be judged the rest of my life for my actions on my worst day. 

[lutherheggs]

I don't usually steal but when I do, I do not get caught.

[Hog N Bama]

I did not hear or see anyone make an excuse for him. Nobody said he is poor and from a small town and it wasn't fair that he couldn't afford those games. Nobody said the he poured his heart and soul into the Hogs and just felt like he would take a little for himself and that is ok. That way of thinking is definitely out there, but he didn't allude to it. He admitted it was a dumb mistake and took his licks and is moving on. This was a very valuable life lesson for him and you are 100% correct that it is a sad way to be remembered. But I bet it isn't near as sad for you as it is for him. or his parents.

He only "admitted" it was a mistake instead of admitting it was STEALING. Stop trying to make something it is not! He only said THAT cause he got CAUGHT! So sick and tired of people making excuses for so called "bad decisions".  Call it exactly what it is, THIEF.

[LZH]

Maybe there's more to it. Maybe he's just the only one to get 'caught'. Maybe there were others that were allowed to take their items back.

[PorkRinds]

He only "admitted" it was a mistake instead of admitting it was STEALING. Stop trying to make something it is not! He only said THAT cause he got CAUGHT! So sick and tired of people making excuses for so called "bad decisions".  Call it exactly what it is, THIEF.

You have no idea why he said it.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

 Some people just can't help it. I know a small town in Mississippi that the shop owners were asked to keep a tab on stolen goods by a husband of a kleptomaniac. They were wealthy by even the highest standards, but she just couldn't help herself. He would get bills in the mail monthly for little things she pilfered. I was told this by a store manager long after they both had passed. As far as this incident goes it was stupid. It was a mistake on his part to make that choice. His family can afford it. Hopefully it was a situation that will help him move forward knowing that he doesn't have special privileges due to his talent and or popularity...

[WoodyHog]

And you're unable to call a thief a thief.  It's a mistake if he gets to the hotel and finds he has merchandise in his bag he had neglected to pay for and returns it but this wasn't the case.

I think you need to look up what the word "mistake" means -- from the dictionary -- "an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong".  It was a mistake.  Why don't we stop attacking other posters and a player who is trying to apologize and admit what he did was wrong based on your made-up definition of a word.

[AlmaHog2011]

He can change his life. I hope he does make a change. What he does from here on out will determine what he becomes. We all have done things and fortunately probably didn't make it to the media. He can make up for this mistake or whatever you want to call it.

He can be redeemed. I am living proof you can make a big change. Won't go into my young life but I was in jail a lot and very close to prison.

I hope he does make a change. There is an old saying, you are what you are when no one is watching you and no one is telling you what to do..I believe in this saying with all my heart!
Jeremy good luck!

[NuttinItUp]

Lot of rock throwers in this thread...

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Lot of rock throwers in this thread...

Some of them were blocking shots thrown at Petrino too... Go figure.

[Pigsknuckles]

so is speeding, jay walking, cheating on your taxes, throwing your cigarette butts out of the window, having trash blow out of the back of your pick-up truck, driving while 'buzzed', smoking in the car while a child under 12 is in the car, not wearing your seatbelt, parking in a handicap spot when you're not handicapped, refusing service to or housing to someone based on race, religion, creed or sex...... , and this isn't even getting into 'moral' territory. I could go on.

What's that old saying about glass houses?

I would say that of none the offenses you listed are mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Am guessing the Big Guy felt shoplifting (stealing) was worth mentioning.

[AlmaHog2011]

Big guy also said you can be forgiven for your sins!