Wonder how many recruits

#1
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56 VOL

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#1
Wonder how many recruits Gerald Jones cost us with his little "pot smoking" incident while in the company of a possible new recruit which I understand we wanted badly. I also understand the young recruit's Dad had a very serious conversation with CPF about his lack of discipline and control. I am sure that information spread like wildfire among other coaches out recruiting ie Satan
 
#5
#5
Jameel Owens and J.T. Floyd are probably the only ones that it really affected, but Owens probably wasn't going to sign with us anyways. I think J.T. Floyd's dad cited the several discipline issues as one of the reasons that he switched his commitment to Michigan.

It's not really that big of a deal. Kids smoke pot at all colleges, and it's not like the players went unpunished. Plus, Gerald Jones handled his apology with a lot of maturity and class.
 
#6
#6
If it did cost any recruits it wasn't at any level that mattered or can be measured. I would have to agree with HB. Recruits lost were for many other reasons. You can pick from a long list but not this one.
 
#7
#7
I disagree. Saban is KNOWN to be a disciplinarian (and a hard ass). Parents love to know that their kids are going to be looked after
 
#8
#8
Dawson said:
I disagree. Saban is KNOWN to be a disciplinarian (and a hard ass). Parents love to know that their kids are going to be looked after
Click to expand...

So you think parents were not aware that college kids smoke pot?

Do those parents think Saban keeps kids from making stupid decisions? If so, look up Simeon Castille
 
#9
#9
justingroves said:
So you think parents were not aware that college kids smoke pot?

Do those parents think Saban keeps kids from making stupid decisions? If so, look up Simeon Castille
Click to expand...

No, but they do know that the inmates arent running the prison at Alabama.

The Gerald Jones situation was just more fuel to the fire.

I do think GJ handled it with a lot of class afterwords, but the actual incident did hurt.
 
#10
#10
Dawson said:
No, but they do know that the inmates arent running the prison at Alabama.

The Gerald Jones situation was just more fuel to the fire.

I do think GJ handled it with a lot of class afterwords, but the actual incident did hurt.
Click to expand...

GJ handled it with class I agree.

Everything else, agree to disagree.
 
#11
#11
If a parent has done thier job then it should not matter where the kid goes, or how much of a hard case the coach is. I just see this as a side issue. The UofM had a player get freaking murdered and it did not seem to hurt their recruiting. The discipline thing may be a straw but IMO it is rarely going to be the one that breaks the camel's back.
 
#12
#12
Great Article on Gerald Jones:

Roy Exum: A Vol’s Solemn Promise
by Roy Exum
posted February 11, 2008


Roy Exum
It has been a hard weekend for those whose blood runneth orange every Saturday in the fall. On the AOL website one writer is calling Tennessee’s recent recruiting meltdown the “most disappointing” in the whole country and when the Knoxville sports editor – John Adams - heaped praise on Alabama and Georgia’s “top-five” classes on Sunday, the UT boo-birds went into a comical frenzy calling for his ouster.

Brian Cook, on the AOL college football site, based his finding on the allegation that UT failed to get even one of the high-octane players it had offered, placing the Vols ahead of Iowa, Auburn, Michigan State and Texas in the author’s perception of signature deficiency.

So out of Oklahoma – of all places – comes the silver lining in such a dark cloud as Barry Tramel, a marvelous writer for that state’s biggest newspaper, devoted his entire Sunday column to UT’s Gerald Jones, the freshman wide receiver from Oklahoma City who you may remember was arrested on marijuana possession in Knoxville on Jan. 11.

What made the arrest all the more startling was that one of the nation’s top five-star recruits, wide receiver Jameel Owens of Muskogee, was in the back seat of the car when the blue lights started flashing and, while he wasn’t charged, he used his lightning fast speed to get out of Knoxville in a huge hurry, eventually signing with Oklahoma.

There were two other UT freshmen players in the car that night, and wide receiver Ahmad Paige was also charged with simple possession. That led some recruiting gurus feel that the fact that five different UT players were arrested in a four-week span might have become a factor in some recruits' late decisions.

So out of such a haze steps Jones himself, the embattled athlete who you’ll also recall scored the first touchdown in Tennessee’s 21-17 win over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Eve, with a very pointed letter.

Gerald’s stepfather, you need to know, is the pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and, as a friend of the Daily Oklahoman writer, made him privy to the letter that the freshman wrote several days after his arrest.


Here is what it said:

“Dear Coach Fulmer, Teammates, Volunteer Fans and Parents:

“I am sending this letter to each of you in order to express my sincere regret for embarrassing the University of Tennessee and the football program because of a most unfortunate, well-publicized situation last week.

“Even more importantly, I have let my parents, coaches, teammates, fans and myself down. Please accept my apology for my lack of judgment. There are no excuses.

“I have been abundantly blessed in my life with a wonderful family and the unbelievable opportunity not only to play football, but also to get an education at one of the premier universities in America, the University of Tennessee.

“Finally, I want to thank Coach Fulmer for the opportunity he has given me. Please know I have learned a hard life lesson, and I am committed to making sure it never happens again. I accept the responsibilities for my actions and will now move forward.

“Respectfully,

“Gerald Jones”

Well, the biggest part of the letter you need to get is where it says, “I accept the responsibility of my actions.” The next-best part is the pledge that comes just before: “… and I am committed to making sure it never happens again.”

If that doesn’t light up your “hot” button, you ain’t got a pulse.

Gerald Jones is taking full responsibility. He promises it won’t happen again and, as far as I’m concerned, once we put some of those kids who we are told made up this year’s recruiting class – ranked No. 36 - in the same mix with this guy, Gerald himself will play a noticeable part in turning them into five-star citizens.

Gerald’s stepdad was well-aware, of course, the dazzling kid had athletic ability, so much so he once warned, “Be a good steward of God's gift. Don't take it for granted. Stay humble. And if you somehow lose that humility, it will come and find you.” As it turns out truer words were never spoken.

But Rev. Davis, a man of God’s word, also knows what power lies in a repentant heart. He knows well how God can use such a vessel for the Kingdom’s glory. So when he got a copy of the letter Gerald wrote his teammates, he was among the first to recognize its worth.

“When he chose to do that, my heart flooded,” the preacher told the Oklahoman and he also told his stepson what UT fans only wish they could, “I see you maturing as a young man.”

royexum@aol.com
 
#13
#13
56 VOL said:
Wonder how many recruits Gerald Jones cost us with his little "pot smoking" incident while in the company of a possible new recruit which I understand we wanted badly. I also understand the young recruit's Dad had a very serious conversation with CPF about his lack of discipline and control.
Click to expand...
:horse:
 
#14
#14
By the way, the reason we loss J.T. Floyd is he wanted to go to UM. He wanted to go there for nearly a month, and when you look at our Defensive backfield you are aware that you not looking at playing time up front...and UM is an amazing educational institute
 
#16
#16
I only wish other players on the team that have messed up would show the remorse that Gerald Jones has shown. He showed a lot of maturity by the letter he wrote. This took a lot of guts and had to be very difficult. He messed up, but he is the first to admit that. He took full responsibilty and did not make any excuses. Yeah, he messed up, but I wish we had more players that would step up to the plate and admit when they were wrong. His apologies seemed very sincere and I think we should give the guy a chance and let it go. He seems to come from a good background, but everyone makes mistakes. Whether he cost us any recruits or not, I don't know for sure, but my guess is probably not. Except for maybe Owens and his teammate from Oklahoma and I will take Gerald Jones over them any day. We know what he can do on the field in the SEC.
All I can say is I respect how he took responsibilty for his mistake and I am glad he decided to stay. As you know by the article he wanted to leave UT and start over because he was so humiliated. He is a great player and I think he has learned a lesson by what happened and now realizes the opportunity he has at UT.

Were glad to have you son, make us proud next season!
 
#17
#17
OrangePappy said:
Not any more than the NegaVols. :dance:
Click to expand...

There were just as many fans tired of the program's direction when we hauled in the #3 class a year ago. Negative comments on a message board have an immeasurably small effect on things. Post whatever you want, it isn't going to change anything.
 
#19
#19
Here you go.....

The stepfather always told the stepson he had a gift, and anyone who ever saw Gerald Jones on the football field agreed. Great athlete. Natural leader.

"Be a good steward of God's gift," Steve Davis told Jones. Don't take it for granted. Stay humble.

And if you somehow lose that humility, it will come and find you.

Humility found Gerald Jones on Jan. 11. Humility and embarrassment and despair.

Knoxville police charged the University of Tennessee flanker, a 2007 graduate of Millwood High School, and a teammate with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Worse yet, the football players were hosting a recruit, Muskogee's Jameel Owens, guaranteeing that Jones' transgression would get big play back in Oklahoma.

"Gerald felt horrible," Davis said. "He was humiliated. He was embarrassed for us."

Truth is, Jones wanted to leave Tennessee. Wanted to go somewhere he could start over. Somewhere he hadn't ruined his good name.

But today, Jones' status with Tennessee football isn't so bad. Maybe the lessons imparted by a stern stepfather took hold.

A week after his arrest, Jones wrote a letter. Nothing fancy. Nothing groundbreaking. But effective.

Dear Coach Fulmer, Teammates, Volunteer Fans and Parents:

I am sending this letter to each of you in order to express my sincere regret for embarrassing the University of Tennessee and the football program because of a most unfortunate, well-publicized situation last week. Even more importantly, I have let my parents, coaches, teammates, fans and myself down. Please accept my apology for my lack of judgment. There are no excuses.

I have been abundantly blessed in my life with a wonderful family and the unbelievable opportunity not only to play football, but also to get an education at one of the premier universities in America, the University of Tennessee.

Finally, I want to thank Coach Fulmer for the opportunity he has given me. Please know I have learned a hard life lesson, and I am committed to making sure it never happens again. I accept the responsibilities for my actions and will now move forward.

Respectfully,

Gerald Jones
 
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