Is UT football coach anti-gun?

[HankB]

If you're in the Austin area and watch TV, listen to the radio, or read the newspaper, you probably know that UT's new football coach, Charlie Strong, has been getting rid of football players for various rules violations; a couple were thrown off the team because of felony sexual assault arrests, others were "released from their scholarships" last week, and still others were suspended. The media hasn't really given enough details for most people to make an informed decision as to whether or not the disciplined players (other than the ones with felony arrests) had it coming, or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

A story in today's Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported that some of the dismissed players were released because they violated one of the coach's five core values, which are:

1. Telling the truth
2. Treating women with respect
3. Avoiding drugs
4. Not stealing
5. Not using guns

Notice #5 - as reported in the paper, this doesn't seem to be limited to criminal misuse of guns, but all use of guns . . . target shooting . . . hunting . . . everything.

If anyone has an "in" to the UT football program, can you shed some light on this? Is Charlie Strong a firm "anti" imposing his values on legal & ethical conduct, or is it just sloppy reporting by the paper?

(Note to moderator: Though the coach isn't an elected official, UT is a state school, with plenty of politics swirling around it's funding and operation - and the football coach is a VERY high profile employee. Hence my post in this forum.)

[mojo84]

How about a link to the article to which you are referring. Considering the athletes live on campus and they aren't allowed to have guns on campus, I hope he is just enforcing the rules. I don't think we have enough info to know what his complete thoughts are regarding guns. I also give the guy credit for cleaning up the program and believe he is doing the right thing. Mack had lost control of the program and wasn't able to instill the necessary discipline and accountability.

I say give the guy a chance and give him the benefit of the doubt. More info and context would be beneficial.

Based on this article, I suspect the actions he's taken have been justified. http://blog.mysanantonio.com/longhorns/ ... 25599101=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HankB]

How about a link to the article to which you are referring.

Here's the link - but right now it's only for subscibers, so it may not do you much good; I read the story in this morning's hardcopy of the paper. Link

I say give the guy a chance and give him the benefit of the doubt. More info and context would be beneficial.

Agree - notice I didn't condemn either Strong or the players, and allowed as the media hasn't given enough details to make an informed decision.

Which is why I'm asking for someone who has an "in" with the UT program to enlighten us as to Strong's position on players and guns; if it's "Don't break the law" that's one thing, if it's "Don't use guns anytime, anywhere, for any reason" that's quite another . . . and right now, we just don't know.

As for the state of the UT football program . . . the Longhorns haven't won a national championship since the coach's pay went over $5,000,000, have they?

[jmra]

Without seeing the article and based strictly on the info you have provided, I'd say you're reading way too much into it. When he kicks a player off the team for legally hunting in Texas he'll get run out of the state faster than you can say "get a rope".

[Charles L. Cotton]

I would like to know the answer to Hank's question. If Strong has a standing rule against any "use" of firearms, this needs to be addressed in the legislature. If anyone knows, please let me know.

Chas.

[Redneck_Buddha]

I've noticed that almost all college football coaches are very tight lipped about their politics. I've talked to Mike Gundy from Oklahoma State at least a half a dozen times and twice at length and still can't figure out where he is on the spectrum.

[jmra]

Here is an ESPN article that mentions the core values.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ns-players

[mojo84]

And here's an article that probably illustrates what he means by no guns.

I think in this light, his rule is reasonable. I'm interested where the no guns at all including hunting and such came from. Is it documented somewhere or is it speculation and jumping to conclusions?

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013 ... rance.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dyer left Auburn after missing the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl due to a failed drug test. He testified last year that a gun belonging to him was used by four former Auburn teammates in a 2011 robbery, and he was later dismissed by Malzahn at Arkansas State without having played a game there after he was found with a weapon during a traffic stop.

He has since attended classes at Arkansas Baptist College, and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Dyer told ESPN last month that he has given up synthetic marijuana and no longer carries a weapon. "I'm not the same person I was," he said. "I've changed. I've grown up."

[HankB]

. . . I'm interested where the no guns at all including hunting and such came from. Is it documented somewhere or is it speculation and jumping to conclusions?

If you re-read earlier posts with a little care, you'll see that no conclusion has been drawn, a newspaper article prompted a question that begs an answer.

"Not using guns" can have a different meaning than "Not criminally misusing guns."

And I don't think anyone here excuses criminal acts by student athletes.

[mojo84]

. . . I'm interested where the no guns at all including hunting and such came from. Is it documented somewhere or is it speculation and jumping to conclusions?

If you re-read earlier posts with a little care, you'll see that no conclusion has been drawn, a newspaper article prompted a question that begs an answer.

"Not using guns" can have a different meaning than "Not criminally misusing guns."

And I don't think anyone here excuses criminal acts by student athletes.

I read your comments carefully. You are not the only one that has questions about his no guns policy. I did a little research via google search and found you are not the only one that has questions. Yes, some people are jumping to conclusions and speculating that he is trying to ban the appropriate legal use of guns.

I no evidence of that. My point is that I am going to give the guy the benefit of the doubt until I see something that supports the idea he is trying to ban the legal and appropriateuse of guns.

I also find it curious why you would include this comment as part of your question considering some of the athletes that have been released committed crimes and he said the others have repeatedly broken team rules .

or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

I don't think he would kick off some top athletes for no reason other than because he "just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

[mojo84]

I just received an email from an insurance sales consultant, Randy Schwantz, that had a link to his a video he produced using Charlie Strong's "core values" as an example. You may find it of interest if you can overlook his OK Sooner shirt.

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[VMI77]

I just received an email from an insurance sales consultant, Randy Schwantz, that had a link to his a video he produced using Charlie Strong's "core values" as an example. You may find it of interest if you can overlook his OK Sooner shirt.

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I was prepared to believe that the "no guns" policy was a deliberate media misrepresentation until I watched the video. Since no effort was made to make a distinction it sure sounds like it is intended to apply to all uses of a gun.

[SQLGeek]

I am inclined to think that he is going after the thug culture that regards having and brandishing guns as a means of intimidating others and gaining respect. There have been several collegiate and professional athletes that have run into trouble like that.

I can't imagine coach going after some of his players for shooting a round of skeet or going deer hunting. I've been wrong before though.

[HankB]

I also find it curious why you would include this comment as part of your question considering some of the athletes that have been released committed crimes and he said the others have repeatedly broken team rules .

or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

Let's take the entire sentence, instead of the edited fragment:

The media hasn't really given enough details for most people to make an informed decision as to whether or not the disciplined players (other than the ones with felony arrests) had it coming, or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

Players can be troublemakers (felony arrests are trouble), but I've known some coaches who are arrogant jerks, too, imposing ridiculous rules & requirements. I don't know that Strong fits this category - maybe the disciplined players indeed had it coming. But I can't just have a knee-jerk response that says "Players bad. Coach good. End of story."

If it offends you that in the absence of detailed information I allow for the possibility that some of the fault for the upheaval may lie with the coach, well, I can't do anything about that. (I also wonder about the dearth of details.)

I expect that as time goes on, more information will surface, and we'll find out what's really going on. Until then, I'm not going to condemn or absolve either the disciplined players or the coach. (The arrested players? They'll have their day in court.)

One final thought: If Strong's reported "not using guns" injunction only pertains to criminal acts (along with not stealing and not using drugs) . . . it makes me wonder why he didn't just say "Don't commit crimes."

[mojo84]

I also find it curious why you would include this comment as part of your question considering some of the athletes that have been released committed crimes and he said the others have repeatedly broken team rules .

or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

Let's take the entire sentence, instead of the edited fragment:

The media hasn't really given enough details for most people to make an informed decision as to whether or not the disciplined players (other than the ones with felony arrests) had it coming, or if the coach just likes to throw his weight around - "Respect My Au-Thor-I-Tay."

Players can be troublemakers (felony arrests are trouble), but I've known some coaches who are arrogant jerks, too, imposing ridiculous rules & requirements. I don't know that Strong fits this category - maybe the disciplined players indeed had it coming. But I can't just have a knee-jerk response that says "Players bad. Coach good. End of story."

If it offends you that in the absence of detailed information I allow for the possibility that some of the fault for the upheaval may lie with the coach, well, I can't do anything about that. (I also wonder about the dearth of details.)

I expect that as time goes on, more information will surface, and we'll find out what's really going on. Until then, I'm not going to condemn or absolve either the disciplined players or the coach. (The arrested players? They'll have their day in court.)

One final thought: If Strong's reported "not using guns" injunction only pertains to criminal acts (along with not stealing and not using drugs) . . . it makes me wonder why he didn't just say "Don't commit crimes."

You are taking my comments way too personal.

Me offended, no. Am I giving the coach the benefit of the doubt, yes. I did notice some automatically lean towards him trying to impose his "Au-Thor-I-Tay" when I believe he is trying to eliminate some of the bad element that causes some to refer to UT as "Thug U". He is under tremendous pressure to WIN and WIN NOW. I don't think he is there to just push his weight around.

I'm done discussing this until I see evidence he is overstretching his "Au-Thor-I-Tay".