Keyshawn Johnson Jr. Taking Leave of Absence from Huskers

RedSavage said:
krc1995 said:
lilred said:
Humiliating your 18 year old kid to everyone on twitter is... bad. I don't see how he's being protected from anything here.

I don't think this is going to send shockwaves through the recruit parent world either.
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I am leaning towards agreeing. Who was Sr's speech directed to? The rhetoric sounds like good parenting but not saying it directly to your son, and only your son, is weird.
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Can you imagine the outcry/rumors from fans if a player like KJJ was suddenly off the team with no explanation? Much better to get out in front of it like Sr. did IMO
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And also we have no idea what was said in private between the two of them beforehand, but it's pretty safe to assume that Jr wasn't hearing all of this for the first time through the media. Entire non-issue.

 
KJsr is always going to do things publicly. The way he handled this, I don't have a problem. You know every sports media was going to pick up on his kid getting kicked off the team...bla bla bla. This way, he said exactly what is going on and put to bed a lot of rumors.

In this situation, it probably was easier on Jr. that Sr. handled it this way.

 
RedSavage said:
Can't get the video to embed but it's an interview with ESPN of KJJ sr. explaining why he pulled Jr. out of Nebraska

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=19767588
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Hard to argue with anything said on there. I'm absolutely disappointed that KJJ won't be on campus. I think he could be an asset to our WR corps even if it's just in practice. That said, sounds like Sr is looking out for the long term best interests of Jr and has a good head on his shoulders as he's approaching it.

 
lilred said:
I don't think this is going to send shockwaves through the recruit parent world either.
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I didn't say it would though, did I? I said it could turn a negative story on it's head.

The story won't die and Sr. is more than happy to make it about his parenting decision and how the coaches are working with him. He did it again today on ESPN.

Every program spouts off the "we're not a team, we're family" line, especially to parents. That's basically point #3 in the latest Driving for 6 column: "One of the great truths of recruiting: Win the heart of not just the player, but his mother."

Corny, sure, but that's what MR sells.

Nebraska has had too many high profile weed related stories going back to at least Gregory to think other times aren't negative recruiting moms by saying the Huskers have a culture problem.

Hard to negative recruit KJJ's pot bust when plays into the "family" narrative, that's my point.
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BigRedBuster said:
Sr. explains why.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=19767588
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Thanks for posting (and RedSavage). Here are some quotes from the interview:

...he got there in January... missed some time because he had his appendix removed, so he was a little behind. So he found himself getting into things that he shouldn't have (smoking weed)

.. I know everyone's like "weed's not that big of a deal..... and that's true, but the problem is, they say don't do it. We don't want you doing it in the NFL, we don't want you doing it in the college sports. Don't do it.

.... He's now hanging around people that he shouldn't be, if they're going to do that (smoking weed).... it becomes a peer pressure situation. I told him to be a leader, not a follower. Just because you have a logo on you that says Nebraska, they're gonna BE your friend. You know, they wanna be your friend so they can say they're friends with Keyshawn Johnson Jr... understand the situation that you put yourself in. If you want to be successful in LIFE, then that's not the road to take TODAY.

... If you want to smoke weed when you are 30 years old and made, do it all you want! In fact, I'll buy you a forest, if that's the case-- but you've got to graduate from college, you have to set yourself up for the rest of your life....

...I've seen messages that are like "you're too hard on him" ... No. You're not going to tell me what to do with my son. And he's going to learn from his mistake.

... He's here. He's training, working out. And if he doesn't want to play football, I've told him: "don't play". Cause I'm not living vicariously through you. I've already played. I don't need your money. So if you want to play sports, and that's what you really truly honestly want to do, then you need to show me, show Nebraska, show Mike Riley and Keith Williams that these are the things you want to do. So you can graduate from school.

...A lot of people think that .... he should (get a slap on the wrist and) stay in school. No. We're not doing that. That shows... to me that you're just letting it slide, sweeping it under the rug. The next thing you know, he'll have a second offense, third, fourth. Then they'll kick him out and he'll be at Junior College...... Lord knows what would happen there. (although I went to Junior College) It's a harder proccess.... I've put you in a position to succeed.... it's easy. Go to school, lift weights, work hard, graduate from class.... that's it!
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Sounds reasonable. It also sounds like his own experience in Jr College may be influencing his decision, too. He doesn't want his son to have to go through the same very difficult path he did to the NFL. Also a reasonable instinct.

 
If only someone would have done the same with Randy Gregory, things might have turned out differently. This is probably as good of move a dad could have made.

 
junior4949 said:
If only someone would have done the same with Randy Gregory, things might have turned out differently. This is probably as good of move a dad could have made.
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Not really a good look to compare a kid

( with a mega famous name/dad/more money than the world who pulled him out of school for getting a little wild on his own) and someone with documented mental health struggles and substance abuse issues. Unfair to KJJ and ignorant of Gregory's personal battle. They aren't the same thing. At all.

 
We have no clue about what Gregory's "mental issues" were as a freshman in high school, or for that matter, KJJ's. We don' know how wild KJJ got either, we just know he was publicized getting caught in the dorm once.

I think the poster's comment is legit concern, and a general statement - if a parent, mentor, coach etc steps in when they see or sense things are off kilter with a kid it is never a bad thing. Regardless of money, famous-ness etc.

You're trying to make an argument about something that just wasn't implied.

 
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gorp512 said:
junior4949 said:
If only someone would have done the same with Randy Gregory, things might have turned out differently. This is probably as good of move a dad could have made.
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Not really a good look to compare a kid

( with a mega famous name/dad/more money than the world who pulled him out of school for getting a little wild on his own) and someone with documented mental health struggles and substance abuse issues. Unfair to KJJ and ignorant of Gregory's personal battle. They aren't the same thing. At all.
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agree

 
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