Agreed. Talking about booster money and tacogate will naturally have consequences, and he is aware of that. His religious beliefs shouldn't have any bearing on vfl status though.
It's clear that no one here actually read the Foster article. It was, and probably still is, on ESPN by the way.
It was a pretty well done piece. AF says that when he was younger, including his time at Tennessee, he was provocative in his attitudes about not just religion, but race, student athletes, etc. He chalks it up to youthful naivety, which I think we all can understand. He's a smart dude so it might have been a little more cutting. It really seems that he has matured as he's gotten older and he says as much. Despite being an atheist his daughter is attending a Catholic school so he's definitely allowing his own family to make up their own minds, which, again, shows maturity.
As for some of you taking the responsibility on yourself to take away VFL status without knowing a man, well, you may as well be a Bammer. The honor of being a VFL for these guys has to be respected by us as much as them. If it's just an indication of our own likes and dislikes and not how much work they put in while they're wearing the orange, which I don't think anyone will argue Arian Foster did, then there is no value to the VFL badge.
You don't have to like the man, though I think someone's religious beliefs is a pretty poor rationale to make that decision. Some of the things he's said come off a little strange. You'll notice that UT didn't get into any trouble on the taco thing as, I've heard, he checked with lawyers first to confirm that statute of limitations had already expired. He says what he feels and that's not always a bad thing. I'm proud to have him as a fellow alumnus.
It's clear that no one here actually read the Foster article. It was, and probably still is, on ESPN by the way.
It was a pretty well done piece. AF says that when he was younger, including his time at Tennessee, he was provocative in his attitudes about not just religion, but race, student athletes, etc. He chalks it up to youthful naivety, which I think we all can understand. He's a smart dude so it might have been a little more cutting. It really seems that he has matured as he's gotten older and he says as much. Despite being an atheist his daughter is attending a Catholic school so he's definitely allowing his own family to make up their own minds, which, again, shows maturity.
As for some of you taking the responsibility on yourself to take away VFL status without knowing a man, well, you may as well be a Bammer. The honor of being a VFL for these guys has to be respected by us as much as them. If it's just an indication of our own likes and dislikes and not how much work they put in while they're wearing the orange, which I don't think anyone will argue Arian Foster did, then there is no value to the VFL badge.
You don't have to like the man, though I think someone's religious beliefs is a pretty poor rationale to make that decision. Some of the things he's said come off a little strange. You'll notice that UT didn't get into any trouble on the taco thing as, I've heard, he checked with lawyers first to confirm that statute of limitations had already expired. He says what he feels and that's not always a bad thing. I'm proud to have him as a fellow alumnus.
His VFL status should've been revoked long before anybody knew what his religious beliefs are. Throwing your school under the bus and all but inviting the NCAA to come to campus after throwing bogus allegations out to the media should've done it, not whether or not he's a Buddhist.