Pearl closes door on Negedu's future as Vol basketball player

[UT IE 95]

kids get told things like that all the time (not the kill you part). This is no different than telling a kid he's not going to play and can transfer if he wishes

And I have no problem with that. If a kid can't hack it - move them on. But to bail on a kid and use a medical issue is suspicious at best.

If E has a serious medical condition then he shouldn't be cleared to play. If he can't pass a physical there is not a university, church league, or YMCA that will let him play due to liability. And if that's the case, just say E's playing days are over.

This business about transferring and playing elsewhere, especially a smaller school, sounds fishy at best. If the young man's best interest were in mind, there is no safer place to play than UT after being medically cleared.

 

[SimpleOrange]

Otherwise, any coach could tell a bust player to move on son, you can't play here because it could kill you.

1)E-Man is not a bust

2)Not every "bust" player has a heart condition that could kill them on the court.

I'd say chances are he sticks around and stays in his current role of motivator. It's obvious Pearl's advice to him is to not play and preserve his health. I think it's crazy to say that it's "smart for him to stay and play here because if his heart stops we have a top notch medical team." The smart thing to do is not put yourself in a position where you could literally die at any moment.

 

[UT IE 95]

I think it's crazy to say that it's "smart for him to stay and play here because if his heart stops we have a top notch medical team."

Even crazier to tell a kid that is medically cleared to play to go to a small school to play where they probably don't even have a medical staff on site.

 

[TOP]

Whether doctors clear him or not, Pearl is the coach and it's his decision. Sorry but I wouldn't let a doctors decision dictate my job and life. If I truly felt better about not putting him on the court, that's my decision if I'm the boss. I wouldn't want to be responsible for someones death and I also wouldn't want my team(like family) to watch one of their brothers die if the worst happened. He can't tell Negedu what to do but he himself can make the decision not to play him. I don't know why anyone would think this is wrong of Bruce Pearl. I remember when coaches used to send players back out to play with blatant disregard for their health. At least he cares about their health... and probably being sued/blamed. I have to take Pearl's side on this one.

 

[Slydell]

I would seriously doubt this is Pearl's decision to make. It goes higher up due to liabilities. I would think this came out of a meeting between Pearl, Ham, UT's attorneys.

 

[Jonboy]

Kinda of a side note but did any of you know that Negedu ran a 4.38 40-yard dash? I saw a tweet from Rucker where he said that UT timed it twice and that he "destroyed" BMaze. That's even faster than Eric Berry.

What a physical freak...shame he can't play any more. Seems like E-Man is really well liked.

 

[livefaith]

Kinda of a side note but did any of you know that Negedu ran a 4.38 40-yard dash? I saw it a tweet from Rucker where he said that UT timed it twice and that he "destroyed" BMaze. That's even faster than Eric Berry. What a physical freak...shame he can't play any more. Seems like E-Man is really well liked.

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[livefaith]

A 6-8 tight end with good hands and 4.4 would probably fit coach Dooley's ''system'' I would think.

On a side note. How close to game shape would he be if he returned now? Has he lost his development track thru this? Either way, I think CBP has made the difficult and correct decision.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[rockytop9808]

And I have no problem with that. If a kid can't hack it - move them on. But to bail on a kid and use a medical issue is suspicious at best.

If E has a serious medical condition then he shouldn't be cleared to play. If he can't pass a physical there is not a university, church league, or YMCA that will let him play due to liability. And if that's the case, just say E's playing days are over.

This business about transferring and playing elsewhere, especially a smaller school, sounds fishy at best. If the young man's best interest were in mind, there is no safer place to play than UT after being medically cleared.

Sounds to me like he's telling him he can't play here so he can stay or go, not like he's trying to send him off to a smaller school to kill him off.

If anything's fishy around here, it's you.

 

[UT IE 95]

Sounds to me like he's telling him he can't play here so he can stay or go, not like he's trying to send him off to a smaller school to kill him off.

If anything's fishy around here, it's you.

OK. So why is Pearl telling him he can't play for UT? If the reason is medical, but he is medically cleared to play then Pearl is making a decision despite the facts. Which is fine if he wants to do it but then leaving the option of transferring seems like a strange option to provide if his health is ultimate concern.

As for being fishy, go pound sand.

 

[rockytop9808]

OK. So why is Pearl telling him he can't play for UT? If the reason is medical, but he is medically cleared to play then Pearl is making a decision despite the facts. Which is fine if he wants to do it but then leaving the option of transferring seems like a strange option to provide if his health is ultimate concern.

As for being fishy, go pound sand.

Dude has a defibrillator in his chest. He may be medically cleared, but Pearl doesn't want to risk him on the court, as EVERY OTHER PERSON in this thread understands but you.

By saying he can go play somewhere else, he's leaving Negedu an option to go out and play if he wants (an option I doubt is taken). He's not telling him to leave, just giving the option. As someone earlier in the thread said, younger people tend to think of themselves as invincible, so Pearl's essentially leaving all of the decisions up to Negedu, with the exception of risking his safety on the court (since recurring arrest is very, very possible). He's doing the right thing.

I'm still failing to see how what Pearl is doing is fishy. You're making it sound like he's trying to send the kid off to death.

 

[jsc1973]

That just doesn't make sense. If he has been cleared to play by a doctor then it should be his decision on his future basketball options. To have a medically cleared player told he can't play for UT doesn't add up.

Hank Gathers had medical clearance to resume playing, too. He died on the court. A decade of lawsuits followed. The program went into the toilet.

This March, 20 years later, Loyola Marymount finally played in another postseason game, albeit in a third-tier event.

Do you want Tennessee to be the next program associated with a player death, fairly or unfairly?

 

[UNAVol89]

I hope he sticks with UT and becomes a GA and someday, a coach.

 

[Incipient]

I hope he sticks with UT and becomes a GA and someday, a coach.

I was about to raise this possibility. E-man seems like an extremely bright kid, and I wonder if he would be interested in going that route. Pearl could definitely take him under his wing and show him the ropes during his time as an undergrad and possibly GA.

 

[UT IE 95]

Hank Gathers had medical clearance to resume playing, too. He died on the court. A decade of lawsuits followed. The program went into the toilet.

This March, 20 years later, Loyola Marymount finally played in another postseason game, albeit in a third-tier event.

Do you want Tennessee to be the next program associated with a player death, fairly or unfairly?

Completely different situation.

The suit asserts that Gathers was not told that his heart condition was potentially fatal; that the team physician and trainer did not shock Gathers's heart with a defibrillator in time after he fell unconscious in a game on March 4; and that the dose of his medication was reduced at Westhead's request because the drug was affecting Gathers's performance.

 

[SimpleOrange]

Completely different situation.

How so?

 

[UT IE 95]

How so?

1. E has been diagnosed and properly treated for his heart condition. Gathers was misdiagnosed and cleared for play erroneously by the team physician.

2. Medical support was lacking, which it is not at UT. In fact, Chad Newman was named athletic trainer of the year because of the staff's response time in this very case.

3. But most importantly, they were liable because Paul Westhead requested a decrease in medication because the treatment drugs were affecting Gathers's performance.

 

[tnbigboy]

I think if he is 18 he should be allowed to make that decision as an adult to play or not to play..we are always telling people what they can or cant do...

 

[UT IE 95]

If he is medically cleared to play and Pearl won't let him then he should be allowed to transfer to any school that will accept him. If I were E, I'd walk out and tell Pearl thanks but no thanks. This "small school" business is just crap.

Now, obviously if he is not medically cleared, then what is this two option crap to begin with?

 

[volsack7]

If he is medically cleared to play and Pearl won't let him then he should be allowed to transfer to any school that will accept him. If I were E, I'd walk out and tell Pearl thanks but no thanks. This "small school" business is just crap.

Now, obviously if he is not medically cleared, then what is this two option crap to begin with?

This whole thread is just absolutely ridiculous. We (including me, you, and virtually everyone on here) have no clue what is going on. There is NO WAY that E and CBP have not talked this out over very extensive conversations. It is very clear to CBP and Emmanuel that if Emmanuel plays basketball, he has a decent chance of dying. If you were told you had a better than average chance of dying doing something, would you do it?

Medically cleared doesn't mean he has been instantly "healed" of his condition, i.e. Herman Lathers. I'm sure Negedu is very aware of the choices and has probably chosen (for now) not to play because he does not want to die.