Wow! Troy's Head Coach inserts foot in mouth...careless comment about slavery!

[Porkem]

Here's a link for you Mark.  I don't the NCAA will agree with you on how good a guy he is though:http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu9J8sdRGQWkAUl1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTFhbWkxb202BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA01BUDAxNF85NgRsA1dTMQ--/SIG=12oge4eed/EXP=1188430588/**http%3a//www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/columns/040922.shtml

Mark...I don't know how old you are but Blakeney was the fall guy in the Eric Ramsey case at Auburn that landed them on probation.  Blakeney grew up with former Auburn AD David Housel in Gordo, Alabama and they are both as dirty as they come.  

  I've known Coach Blakeney a long time... did the Troy coaches show with him for a year, and covered him for a lot longer. If you don't know him... you don't understand it. He's as southern and country as you get. But he's awesome. If you put the quote in the story, you get the context.
   If you're looking for a problem, you'll find it somewhere. Plus, a quote in the paper can't always put a word or statement into perspective. You don't get tone, humor, or context as you would in person.

  Let it go... if there's one guy who isn't racist or insensitive... it's Larry Blakeney. I promise you.

I do know about it, and I've talked to him about it, off the record. So I reiterate my statement that Blakeney is a good guy, and is a hell of a coach. Regardless... people are complaining about a racist comment, what happened at Auburn has no bearing on that.

  

[Porkem]

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu9J8sdRGQWkAUl1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTFhbWkxb202BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA01BUDAxNF85NgRsA1dTMQ--/SIG=12oge4eed/EXP=1188430588/**http%3a//www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/columns/040922.shtml

Here's a link for you Mark.  I don't the NCAA will agree with you on how good a guy he is though:http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu9J8sdRGQWkAUl1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTFhbWkxb202BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA01BUDAxNF85NgRsA1dTMQ--/SIG=12oge4eed/EXP=1188430588/**http%3a//www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/columns/040922.shtml

Mark...I don't know how old you are but Blakeney was the fall guy in the Eric Ramsey case at Auburn that landed them on probation.  Blakeney grew up with former Auburn AD David Housel in Gordo, Alabama and they are both as dirty as they come.  

  I've known Coach Blakeney a long time... did the Troy coaches show with him for a year, and covered him for a lot longer. If you don't know him... you don't understand it. He's as southern and country as you get. But he's awesome. If you put the quote in the story, you get the context.
   If you're looking for a problem, you'll find it somewhere. Plus, a quote in the paper can't always put a word or statement into perspective. You don't get tone, humor, or context as you would in person.

  Let it go... if there's one guy who isn't racist or insensitive... it's Larry Blakeney. I promise you.

I do know about it, and I've talked to him about it, off the record. So I reiterate my statement that Blakeney is a good guy, and is a hell of a coach. Regardless... people are complaining about a racist comment, what happened at Auburn has no bearing on that.

  

[VandyHog]

As dirty as they come?  Larry Blakeney?  Yeah, right.  I used to cover Troy and spent a great deal of time around him and their program. I never saw anything that indicated anything like that.  He has been the head coach at Troy for 16 years and there has never been even an hint of impropriety there.

So let me get this straight....  are you upset about Auburn going on probation years ago or are you upset about about a joking comment he made about helping a friend escape bondage? 

One thing about him is definitely true.  He didn't drive off Curry or Stallings or even Shula. He didn't have Petrino on the plane ready to replace Tuberville. He wasn't "embarrassed" because Stallings would bring his son to the sidelines with him. He didn't have an affair in the coach's office at Alabama with his secretary. He didn't drive off the coach who gave Auburn its longest win streak in history.  As dirty as they come?  You better look again.

If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry that Auburn was put on probation TWO DECADES ago.

[VandyHog]

By the way, that article is pretty complimentary of Blakeney. 

[Mark Lericos]

As dirty as they come?  Larry Blakeney?  Yeah, right.  I used to cover Troy and spent a great deal of time around him and their program. I never saw anything that indicated anything like that.  He has been the head coach at Troy for 16 years and there has never been even an hint of impropriety there.

So let me get this straight....  are you upset about Auburn going on probation years ago or are you upset about about a joking comment he made about helping a friend escape bondage? 

One thing about him is definitely true.  He didn't drive off Curry or Stallings or even Shula. He didn't have Petrino on the plane ready to replace Tuberville. He wasn't "embarrassed" because Stallings would bring his son to the sidelines with him. He didn't have an affair in the coach's office at Alabama with his secretary. He didn't drive off the coach who gave Auburn its longest win streak in history.  As dirty as they come?  You better look again.

If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry that Auburn was put on probation TWO DECADES ago.

thanks Vandy Hog... +1

[Porkem]

Vandy, you and Mark both know the truth.  He was caught on tape making improper offers to Eric Ramsey.  Auburn was put on probation by the NCAA.  Now, I believe, as do many at Auburn, that Bama people knew this and reported it.  But...so what..who cares?  I don't care about Alabama and Auburn (the #1 and #2 dirtiest programs in college football) or their cronies.  But if you want to defend them, that's your choice.  GO HOGS!!

By the way, that article is pretty complimentary of Blakeney. 

[Mark Lericos]

Vandy, you and Mark both know the truth.  He was caught on tape making improper offers to Eric Ramsey.  Auburn was put on probation by the NCAA.  Now, I believe, as do many at Auburn, that Bama people knew this and reported it.  But...so what..who cares?  I don't care about Alabama and Auburn (the #1 and #2 dirtiest programs in college football) or their cronies.  But if you want to defend them, that's your choice.  GO HOGS!!

By the way, that article is pretty complimentary of Blakeney. 

    Your former track coach just got out of federal prison. Spare me the shock of a college coach involved in shady dealings. I did a radio show in Clemson with a former player, and in between breaks we'd sit and talk about recruiting stories, and superstar treatment, the list goes on and on.
  Guess what? I've talked to a couple of former Hogs, and their stories sound pretty similar. The point is not to dirty Arkansas, but point out that you and I really have NO IDEA what goes on behind the scenes of big time football. There is a lot of money at stake, and many of these players are pawns in the game.
  Larry Blakeney may not be perfect, heck I haven't been over his shoulder throughout his career, but I use the cross-section of people he's influenced (like Tracy Rocker) with my own observations to form an opinion. And he's a good guy in this sport. Believe it or not...

[VandyHog]

I don't believe my posting was in any way a defense of Alabama or Auburn. If anything, it was highly critical of the ethics I've seen displayed by both programs.  I grew up an Alabama fan. I remained one through the Stallings era.  I don't care for them now. Having grown up as a Bama fan, I've never been much of an Auburn fan.  Even so, there was a lot of dirt going on there when they tried to do away with Tuberville.  Had there not been a fan uprising, he would have been gone the year before his 11 win season.

As far as Blakeney goes, I'm sure an assistant coach was the Godfather of the whole Auburn probation ordeal. On the other hand, you are probably right about Alabama playing it to their advantage by calling in the NCAA.  Sort of like Phil did to Alabama a few years ago. That's the way those programs operate.

Either way, Blakeney has spent 16 years taking a small Division II program up the ladder to Division 1A and winning as he did it.  I found him to be an upfront and honorable man and very plain spoken. If he has done good for 16 years, I'm comfortable with saying that he is someone who can look at the past, acknowledge it and try to move on and do better. And he has. 

None of this, however, has anything to do with an allegedly racist comment that didn't offend the person who was its focus.  Basically, you have used a trumped up issue to hide the fact that you are still mad about something completely different.  If you want to complain about a team being put on probation, fine, but to do so while hiding behind the guise of being a civil libertarian is just a tad shady.

On one thing we will agree...  GO HOGS!!!

[Porkem]

Lance is out already?  Well...in Kansas...Barton County...who knows what really went on?  Tyson Gay is the fastest man alive right now.  Did he have help getting to Arkansas?  Absolutely.  Desperate assistant coaches...again, making deals...fudging transcripts...but we may never know who is pulling those strings will we?

Vandy, you and Mark both know the truth.  He was caught on tape making improper offers to Eric Ramsey.  Auburn was put on probation by the NCAA.  Now, I believe, as do many at Auburn, that Bama people knew this and reported it.  But...so what..who cares?  I don't care about Alabama and Auburn (the #1 and #2 dirtiest programs in college football) or their cronies.  But if you want to defend them, that's your choice.  GO HOGS!!

By the way, that article is pretty complimentary of Blakeney. 

    Your former track coach just got out of federal prison. Spare me the shock of a college coach involved in shady dealings. I did a radio show in Clemson with a former player, and in between breaks we'd sit and talk about recruiting stories, and superstar treatment, the list goes on and on.
  Guess what? I've talked to a couple of former Hogs, and their stories sound pretty similar. The point is not to dirty Arkansas, but point out that you and I really have NO IDEA what goes on behind the scenes of big time football. There is a lot of money at stake, and many of these players are pawns in the game.
  Larry Blakeney may not be perfect, heck I haven't been over his shoulder throughout his career, but I use the cross-section of people he's influenced (like Tracy Rocker) with my own observations to form an opinion. And he's a good guy in this sport. Believe it or not...

[Porkem]

Fair enough Vandy.  GO HOGS!!

I don't believe my posting was in any way a defense of Alabama or Auburn. If anything, it was highly critical of the ethics I've seen displayed by both programs.  I grew up an Alabama fan. I remained one through the Stallings era.  I don't care for them now. Having grown up as a Bama fan, I've never been much of an Auburn fan.  Even so, there was a lot of dirt going on there when they tried to do away with Tuberville.  Had there not been a fan uprising, he would have been gone the year before his 11 win season.

As far as Blakeney goes, I'm sure an assistant coach was the Godfather of the whole Auburn probation ordeal. On the other hand, you are probably right about Alabama playing it to their advantage by calling in the NCAA.  Sort of like Phil did to Alabama a few years ago. That's the way those programs operate.

Either way, Blakeney has spent 16 years taking a small Division II program up the ladder to Division 1A and winning as he did it.  I found him to be an upfront and honorable man and very plain spoken. If he has done good for 16 years, I'm comfortable with saying that he is someone who can look at the past, acknowledge it and try to move on and do better. And he has. 

None of this, however, has anything to do with an allegedly racist comment that didn't offend the person who was its focus.  Basically, you have used a trumped up issue to hide the fact that you are still mad about something completely different.  If you want to complain about a team being put on probation, fine, but to do so while hiding behind the guise of being a civil libertarian is just a tad shady.

On one thing we will agree...  GO HOGS!!!

[VandyHog]

I guess there are actually two things we agree on.  I've always liked Butch Davis as a coach.  It will be very interesting to see what he can do at North Carolina.

[Hoggish1]

Troy head coach Larry Blakeney had this to say about Tracy Rocker:  "Well, I got him out of bondage.  He was in West Alabama.  Have you ever been to Livingston, Alabama?"

And you think Dale says some dumb things?  Can you believe this guy?  A head coach making references to slavery and hurling insults at a town in his own state? 

http://www.gotroytrojans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7222

Well, Blakeney has a long way to go before he overtakes the Dorkmeister in the gaff dept.