Big feature on Devoe Torrence

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.ohio.com/sports/zips/26325694.htmlA very nice story on Devoe and what is happening here, on what this all means.It's a four-page story, which likely means it will be leading the Sports page when the newspaper comes out this morning. May want to get some damage control in the comments before the inevitable troll brigade comes out.

[g-mann17]

http://www.ohio.com/sports/zips/26325694.htmlA very nice story on Devoe and what is happening here, on what this all means.It's a four-page story, which likely means it will be leading the Sports page when the newspaper comes out this morning. May want to get some damage control in the comments before the inevitable troll brigade comes out.

The article did lead the sports section. However it is none too flattering.It basically calls the team desperate. Mcmanamon also comes off as though the kid shouldn't get a second chance. And that Torrence is a headache. It's funny to me because if he had been going to OSU, it would have been how great the Buckeyes are for giving the kid a second chance. But because it's the Zips, they must be desperate and willing to take anyone.It's funny because all of the Beacon's heroes, Cribbs (drug possession, intent to sell); Vrabel (menacing, beating of an individual); Jamal Lewis (federal drug investigation) all were charged and plead guilty in some form or fashion. Yet you never hear a bad word about them. I don't know, maybe my view is just too clouded.

[zen]

I actually thought that this article was very weak.The writer attempts to assign to the UA a risky or desperate decision, but doesn't commit to it. He impunes Devoe with wrongdoing but flàshes the acquittal around to no mas himself out of any accusation.Basically, the story couldn't be ignored, because of the local/regional nature of the issue (trial) ,and because of Devoe's level of recruitment in the past, so they felt they had to run something. Yet, the best that the writer could do is timidly walk the fence of innuendo and paints himself a drab gray that fails to make him neutral in such a vibrantly loaded issue by citing background and asking open questions about what it all says about the parties involved.fail

[Captain Kangaroo]

A very nice story on Devoe

You must have linked to the wrong column, because the story I read wasn't nice at all.The writer was too big a wuss to take a stand. If you think it was a travesty, then say so. If it is a triumph for justice, say so. To just be wishy-washy, and use innuendo to make UA look like some rogue college is BS.

[RootforRoo44]

You know, you dont see the Tallahassee Democrat running negative stories about Florida State and then running another article praising the Gators.Same with the Columbus Dispatch, they don't knock Tressel for four pages then have a story about Lloyd Carr's amazing coaching decisions. It's just disgusting. It's sad that many of us turn to Cleveland's paper for our local sports coverage because they do a better job of it. (btw, i know Lloyd Carr isn't Michigan's coach anymore. I know some Suckeye superfan on here will freak out and point that out)

[Blue & Gold]

If you talked with a Columbus State fan and asked them what they'd think if the Columbus Dispatch almost entirely ignored the Buckeyes but ran almost daily coverage of, say, the Cincinnati Bearcats, they couldn't even begin to know what they'd think because they literally couldn't imaging that bizarre scenario. Well, welcome to our reality. Disgusting to the high heavens. Though there was a nice article on the beginning of Zips' camp in yesterday's paper. I keep hoping for a revolution w/in the ABJ. This community needs it.

[Dr Z]

got my last quarter 10 years ago, don't see that changing anytime soon.PS I remember a similar article that Bluto wrote about Robbie Alomar when he first signed with the Tribe, hope it turns out the same way.

[zen]

If you talked with a Columbus State fan and asked them what they'd think if the Columbus Dispatch almost entirely ignored the Buckeyes but ran almost daily coverage of, say, the Cincinnati Bearcats, they couldn't even begin to know what they'd think because they literally couldn't imaging that bizarre scenario. Well, welcome to our reality. Disgusting to the high heavens. Though there was a nice article on the beginning of Zips' camp in yesterday's paper. I keep hoping for a revolution w/in the ABJ. This community needs it.

Well, to be fair to that metaphor, tOSU is the bigger program.However, the point still holds. Even if there is (unfortunately) a wider desire from your subscribers to read about the down state team, that only legitimizes covering THEM, and it does not legitimize over-covering them seemingly to ignore the hometown team.Back on topic, I had to laugh at my last post on this article though. It just occurred to me that writers can't win. If you take a position on an issue, people slam you for bias journalism.If you stay somewhat neutral, people slam you for not taking a stand or having a position.Still, there was something sorta weak and timid about that whole thing. I can't put my finger on it. Even if you didn't want to have a subjective opinion, there just had to be a better way not to tiptoe through the bed of tulips while trying to appear to dance.

[Buckzip]

If you talked with a Columbus State fan and asked them what they'd think if the Columbus Dispatch almost entirely ignored the Buckeyes but ran almost daily coverage of, say, the Cincinnati Bearcats, they couldn't even begin to know what they'd think because they literally couldn't imaging that bizarre scenario. Well, welcome to our reality. Disgusting to the high heavens. Though there was a nice article on the beginning of Zips' camp in yesterday's paper. I keep hoping for a revolution w/in the ABJ. This community needs it.

Well, to be fair to that metaphor, tOSU is the bigger program.However, the point still holds. Even if there is (unfortunately) a wider desire from your subscribers to read about the down state team, that only legitimizes covering THEM, and it does not legitimize over-covering them seemingly to ignore the hometown team.Back on topic, I had to laugh at my last post on this article though. It just occurred to me that writers can't win. If you take a position on an issue, people slam you for bias journalism.If you stay somewhat neutral, people slam you for not taking a stand or having a position.Still, there was something sorta weak and timid about that whole thing. I can't put my finger on it. Even if you didn't want to have a subjective opinion, there just had to be a better way not to tiptoe through the bed of tulips while trying to appear to dance.

For those of you that are ignorant, there really is a college in Columbus called Columbus State. Now carry on with your bashing OSU. Just thought I would mention that.

[ZachTheZip]

If you talked with a Columbus State fan and asked them what they'd think if the Columbus Dispatch almost entirely ignored the Buckeyes but ran almost daily coverage of, say, the Cincinnati Bearcats, they couldn't even begin to know what they'd think because they literally couldn't imaging that bizarre scenario. Well, welcome to our reality. Disgusting to the high heavens. Though there was a nice article on the beginning of Zips' camp in yesterday's paper. I keep hoping for a revolution w/in the ABJ. This community needs it.

Well, to be fair to that metaphor, tOSU is the bigger program.However, the point still holds. Even if there is (unfortunately) a wider desire from your subscribers to read about the down state team, that only legitimizes covering THEM, and it does not legitimize over-covering them seemingly to ignore the hometown team.Back on topic, I had to laugh at my last post on this article though. It just occurred to me that writers can't win. If you take a position on an issue, people slam you for bias journalism.If you stay somewhat neutral, people slam you for not taking a stand or having a position.Still, there was something sorta weak and timid about that whole thing. I can't put my finger on it. Even if you didn't want to have a subjective opinion, there just had to be a better way not to tiptoe through the bed of tulips while trying to appear to dance.

For those of you that are ignorant, there really is a college in Columbus called Columbus State. Now carry on with your bashing OSU. Just thought I would mention that.

That's why I am going to start referring to them properly from now on: "Ohio A&M"

[ziptrumpet87]

If you talked with a Columbus State fan and asked them what they'd think if the Columbus Dispatch almost entirely ignored the Buckeyes but ran almost daily coverage of, say, the Cincinnati Bearcats, they couldn't even begin to know what they'd think because they literally couldn't imaging that bizarre scenario. Well, welcome to our reality. Disgusting to the high heavens. Though there was a nice article on the beginning of Zips' camp in yesterday's paper. I keep hoping for a revolution w/in the ABJ. This community needs it.

Well, to be fair to that metaphor, tOSU is the bigger program.However, the point still holds. Even if there is (unfortunately) a wider desire from your subscribers to read about the down state team, that only legitimizes covering THEM, and it does not legitimize over-covering them seemingly to ignore the hometown team.Back on topic, I had to laugh at my last post on this article though. It just occurred to me that writers can't win. If you take a position on an issue, people slam you for bias journalism.If you stay somewhat neutral, people slam you for not taking a stand or having a position.Still, there was something sorta weak and timid about that whole thing. I can't put my finger on it. Even if you didn't want to have a subjective opinion, there just had to be a better way not to tiptoe through the bed of tulips while trying to appear to dance.

For those of you that are ignorant, there really is a college in Columbus called Columbus State. Now carry on with your bashing OSU. Just thought I would mention that.

I've preferred using "U of Columbus" for that reason... but whatever...

[uafan]

Giving this kid a scholarship is a TERRIBLE statement about this football team and program! I do believe in second chances, but don't give me this "innocent" crap. The charges were dismissed, but there had to be something there for these charges to ever be filed in the first place. Losing scholarships for acedemic reasons, and now we are giving one to an accused child molestor?! This program is turning into a laughingstock! Would he be given a second chance if he couldn't run over people? Ask yourselves this, and answer honestly. Would you want this kid living next door to you and your children?

[ZachTheZip]

Giving this kid a scholarship is a TERRIBLE statement about this football team and program! I do believe in second chances, but don't give me this "innocent" crap. The charges were dismissed, but there had to be something there for these charges to ever be filed in the first place. Losing scholarships for acedemic reasons, and now we are giving one to an accused child molestor?! This program is turning into a laughingstock! Would he be given a second chance if he couldn't run over people? Ask yourselves this, and answer honestly. Would you want this kid living next door to you and your children?

He is innocent, since according to the constitution people are innocent until proven guilty. He is not a molester, by any means. You obviously haven't been following his story. The others that were found guilty had consenting sex, but it was underaged and therefore a crime.I want you to find me one successful program in the last twenty years that hasn't had at least one kid on it that had a run-in with the law in a given year. Big programs sweep problems under the rug after the fact. Akron gets blasted for taking a kid who didn't do anything more than be accused of a crime, but it's a "risk". You can't win if you don't risk anything.

[uafan]

He is innocent, since according to the constitution people are innocent until proven guilty. He is not a molester, by any means. You obviously haven't been following his story. The others that were found guilty had consenting sex, but it was underaged and therefore a crime.I want you to find me one successful program in the last twenty years that hasn't had at least one kid on it that had a run-in with the law in a given year. Big programs sweep problems under the rug after the fact. Akron gets blasted for taking a kid who didn't do anything more than be accused of a crime, but it's a "risk". You can't win if you don't risk anything........Show me a successful program in Akron.......We are already in hot water with the NCAA for academics, now we are inviting even more problems. I feel something had to happen for him to even be accused. It wouldn't have gone as far as it did if the prosecutor hadn't thought there was a case.

[zen]

The charges were dismissed, but there had to be something there for these charges to ever be filed in the first place.

I hope you never get accused of anything.

[uafan]

I hope you never get accused of anything......I don't do anything illegal, so I have nothing to be afraid of.

[ZachTheZip]

It wouldn't have gone as far as it did if the prosecutor hadn't thought there was a case.

How far did it go? A few hours in the court system before it was thrown out. It didn't even go to a jury because there was no evidence at all. Just an accusation.

[uafan]

How far did it go? A few hours in the court system before it was thrown out. It didn't even go to a jury because there was no evidence at all. Just an accusation.I guess you have me there...OK, he's a fine young man that every school wanted because he is so innocent. Oh, wait a sec; no they didn't! Only a desperate coach that needs to win now! And yes, he is desperate!

[Ryno aka Menace]

I hope you never get accused of anything.

.....I don't do anything illegal, so I have nothing to be afraid of.

You don't have to do anything illegal dummy someone can accuse you. Have you ever heard of mistaken identity or revenge or just plain crazy ass people in this world you could be a victim of wrong place wrong time. So every time in your life you have run into trouble it was your fault? I didn't think so.

[uafan]

I'll stand by my earlier thoughts....and I know nobody on this sight agrees.....I think this kid is a mistake, and I don't see where any good will come of it. But then, I think of the total college experience, not just how a kid can help the football team. And I won't call anybody names. Very bush league!

[Zipsrifle]

I absolutely agree that this article was written to "Walk the fence" but was solidly on one side. Also, anybody get the feeling that he was nosing around here and saw how unusually divided the Zips fans were and thought "This will be a GREAT story!" Sometimes it seems that writers just read a thread, jot down some notes and get paid for it.

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/opinions/co...nd-good-choicesAnother article on Devoe and second chances.The author seems to think that college football is a profitable endeavor, but other that that it's not that bad of an article. The main point still rings true: don't blow it, Devoe.

[zippyrifle32]

I'll throw in my 2-cents. My guess is that many of us out here (myself included) have never actually talked to the kid. Well both the coaches and administration have and have made the call to sign him on. Mack has been emphasizing character over talent and if you look at the removal of certain athletes from teams the past couple of years you can see that he backs that talk up with action. They would not have picked this kid up if they were not convinced that he was going to take full advantage of the opportunity given to him. Is he a risk? Yes. Then again every kid is a risk because you never know how someone might change once the freedom of college hits them. Personally, I'm going to enjoy watching someone with a lot of talent play for us and not worry about it.

[Zipsrifle]

Now that we've beaten the DT issue to death, I was wondering what people think about how we utilize him? Do we redshirt him? Why? Do we add him to the stable of RB or do we use him on Defense? Seems to me that there isn't much time for him to pick up how to properly play either side of the ball, so if he does play this year, do we see him early on or wait till after a few games?

[ZachTheZip]

Now that we've beaten the DT issue to death, I was wondering what people think about how we utilize him? Do we redshirt him? Why? Do we add him to the stable of RB or do we use him on Defense? Seems to me that there isn't much time for him to pick up how to properly play either side of the ball, so if he does play this year, do we see him early on or wait till after a few games?

Rasor's blog says he probably won't play too much at RB this season but will see time on special teams.We can't afford to redshirt a kid with that much talent at such a critical time for the program. I say that if he wants to earn more playing time now that he needs to consider playing on the defense, at least for this year. When we lose both Andrew Johnson and Dennis Kennedy next year he can move to the offense, where we'll need him more.