ESPN's Rittenberg: Kurt Wermers Was Academically Ineligible Before He Transferred
by Maize n Brew Dave on Jul 20, 2009 1:58 PM CDT
in Michigan Football
Email
PrintFill up a big ole' plate of WIN for ESPN's Adam Rittenberg after breaking this story:
Former Michigan offensive lineman Kurt Wermers was academically ineligible when he announced his transfer to Ball State last week, sources told ESPN.com.
Though never official, Wermers' departure from Michigan was floating around the 'net since May. When MGoBlog first posted that information it was greeted with a yawn and the subsequent "dammit, another lineman?" response. But with the subsequent bridge burning on his way out the door, Wermers earned himself a round of rebukes from Michigan blogosphere and apparently a steaming pile of karma.
What does it all mean? Aside from Brian's concerns about Michigan's APR, I don't see how this news will effect Michigan in the long run. Regardless of what happened, the "it's not a family" quote will be dragged up ad nauseum. No matter the facts, it's ammunition for the Rodriguez detractors. What's a Michigan fan to do?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It doesn't matter.
People will say what they want. It didn't matter if it was Bo, Lloyd, Gary, or Rich, someone will always have something negative to say based on something they "know" or something they "heard." They'll take Wermers' and Boren's quotes as evidence to support whatever half-brained theory they've concocted to slander Rodriguez or the team.
So when you hear nonsense like that, take it for what it is. Nonsense. Remember that there are legions of kids who will stand up in support of their former coach. Remember that there are young men on Michigan's current team who think the world of Rodriguez and his staff. And above all, remember that when you choose a different path, do so quietly or with grace and dignity.
I'll let Rittenberg sum this up:
Rodriguez and his staff have taken heat for player departures in the last year, and Boren's comments about eroding family values got a lot of traction in the national media. Whether or not it was his intent, Wermers added fuel to the fire with very similar comments. But in the end, he's the one who ends up getting burned.
5 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Imagine the internet in 1968
Oh, to read some of the stories that may have been generated when Bo came to Ann Arbor and started riding herd on the Maize and Blue of that day.
This isn’t to compare Rich Rod to Bo or anything, we can only hope as Michigan fans that in 2049 we’re, a) still alive, and b) recalling Rodriguez as fondly as Schembechler. But you know there were kids back in the day that didn’t make the cut, and being kids, had disparaging things to say about the hardass new coach. They just didn’t have the outlet the likes of Boren and Wermers have to air their whines.
Regardless, my favorite comment from all of this belongs to a commenter on the story from the “podunk paper” that first aired Wermers’ comments; attempting to call out someone that on July 15th (long before Rittenberg’s scoop) cited Crown Point hearsay about the possibility of academic issues, this guy tried to chop the naysayer’s legs out from under him,
Does anyone actually make sure they know something before they comment? 1st off Wermers was a Dean’s list student so the academic issues story is false, nice way to take a jab at a kid though.
Did Wermers start out well, academically, only to fall astray after Rodriguez arrive in Ann Arbor? Or was this commenter citing past, meaning high school, academic “glories” in trying to build a case that just got blown away?
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Good point about outlets
Or, more precisely, when no-name players mouthed off to reporters in the old days, it maybe got into the local paper, but that’s all — it didn’t go national.
Rodriguez got to Ann Arbor long before Wermers. I read that comment as saying he was a good student at Crown Point — it was a response to Crown Point hearsay, after all.
I’ll say one thing, though — if he wasn’t passing at Michigan, it’s not going to be that much easier at Ball State. You still have to buckle down and study every once in a while.
Forgive my native hoosier here...
…but Ball State academics are, uh, not so rigorous.
Like an old man trying to send back soup at a deli.
Wermers' "Family Values"
Maybe Wermers will study very hard, practice real hard, play very well, and get drafted by an NFL team with “family values” that has his “kind of crowd.”
I cut him no slack. He is an adult man. Why could he just not say that Michigan wasn’t right for him and move on? It happens all the time. Why did he try to hurt the institution that gave him a great opportunity for a world-class education?
It’s called lack of responsibility. My guess is that he’s been coddled his whole life and now that he’s not number one he places the blame on others.
Grow up Wermers. Elite college football is not a family. It’s very hard work and very tough competition.
(Homework) assignment football?
I guess he didn’t want anything to do with (homework) assignment football.
Maybe he got the memo that the way you stop the zone-read run-first spread is the way you stopped the veer or the ‘bone. Mr. Wermers evidently doesn’t do ‘assignments’.
Mr. Boh Knows ...
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Maize n Brew
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
