AJ Barker..was it one year ago today?

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CWCWCW

CWCWCW

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I got an email from Tumblr today. It said that it was my one year anniversary. I don't think I've ever gone to Tumblr, except to read the Manifesto of AJ.

Of all the pages (and there were plenty) that AJ wrote, "my moms best friend" remains most famous.

I would like to hear a media type reach out to AJ now. Has he any remorse? Is he still smug as hell? Does he still have a beef with the Gopher coaches? Doe he still enjoy mary jane now and again?

Then again, it's Wisconsin week. You blew it AJ. This has been a fun year and maybe what Jen Beilema tweets is true.
 

It's too bad we don't have Derrick Engel. And it's too bad we don't have any promising young receivers like Maxx Williams or Drew Wolitarsky. I miss AJ Barker so much!
 

CWCWCW said:
I got an email from Tumblr today. It said that it was my one year anniversary. I don't think I've ever gone to Tumblr, except to read the Manifesto of AJ.

Of all the pages (and there were plenty) that AJ wrote, "my moms best friend" remains most famous.

I would like to hear a media type reach out to AJ now. Has he any remorse? Is he still smug as hell? Does he still have a beef with the Gopher coaches? Doe he still enjoy mary jane now and again?

Then again, it's Wisconsin week. You blew it AJ. This has been a fun year and maybe what Jen Beilema tweets is true.
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Looking back on it, his flying off the handle and challenging Kill publicly could have possibly been a good thing for Kill's program building.
Much like his dismissal of Jewan Edwards, he refused to cave to the top receiver on the team when behavior expectations were not reached.
That type of example can't be something other players took lightly. It also gave others a chance to prove themselves through the bowl game, spring , and fall practices.
Engel is now everything Barker was, that might not happen if he's never given a chance to stand out.
As for A.J., he almost has to feel stupid now, he threw away a heck of an opportunity basically because he wanted to be treated specially.
 

I have some remorse. I was pretty fired up about this and, now, a year later, I too am curious about AJ. He'll never be able to erase or overcome this legacy. But, I bet he's learned from this and wouldn't say publicly what he really feels. That didn't work out so well last time. His ill-conceived plan did not play out the way he thought. The Houston experiment also backfired and he ended up back at the U. I cannot help but think he must have asked for another chance to play here and was denied -- thank goodness. I really feel kinda sorry for him. If he acted without seeking any advice, bad move. If he did seek advice and anyone told him the plan sounded reasonable, they ought to share some public blame. I can think of one local columnist who would find this cesspool story perfect for his style.
 

I don't see any reason to vilify the kid. He screwed up and got his just desserts. We could have used him though. I thought he played pretty well last season before the injury and the meltdown.
 


I also recall one or two national articles questioning the effectiveness of "stern" coaches and lumped coach Kill in that category due to the Barker situation.

It is interesting to see how that view of Jerry Kill has changed a year later. Hopefully all parties involved learned something out of it, and are successful in the future with whatever their life puts in front of them.
 

What was true one year ago remains true today. The Gophers would be a better team with A.J. Barker and the large majority of coaches with teams in the Top 25 would have found a way to deal with Barker's antics and still keep him on their teams.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
The Gophers would be a better team with A.J. Barker
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Unknowable and unprovable speculation.

UpnorthGo4 said:
lmost every other coach of a team in the Top 25 would have found a way to deal with Barker and still keep him on their team
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O RLY? He was available - why did no other team (let alone Top 25) jump on the chance to acquire him? Why is he still a U student?
 

One or two posters who were clearly on the Barker side of the equation have been notably silent since early in the season.

Very, very few people really know all the details of the situation. At this point, it's almost impossible to draw any conclusion that doesn't indicate the team and the coaching staff is much better off at this point. Aside from the obvious (WINNING!!), the players love and loyalty towards Coach Kill alone make Barker's claims seem nothing more than incoherent, megalomaniacal, and childish pouting.

Good riddance to bad baggage, although I do sincerely hope he learned some valuable life lessons through the ordeal.
 



dpodoll68 said:
O RLY? He was available - why did no other team (let alone Top 25) jump on the chance to acquire him? Why is he still a U student?
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Upnorth can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you're addressing a point that he never made. He was saying that many coaches would deal with a similar situation in a different matter, not that they would scoop up Barker.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
What was true one year ago remains true today. The Gophers would be a better team with A.J. Barker and the large majority of coaches with teams in the Top 25 would have found a way to deal with Barker's antics and still keep him on their teams.
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lol. Part of what you write I can agree with. But the reasons you give are backwards. As dpodoll68 points out, he's not playing. Houston isn't even in the top 25 and had him on campus and wouldn't take the chance. He hasn't really demonstrated that he understands the team concept. Perhaps golf or tennis would be a better option for him.
 

MinneStoa said:
Upnorth can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you're addressing a point that he never made. He was saying that many coaches would deal with a similar situation in a different matter, not that they would scoop up Barker.
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You're technically correct, however UpnorthGo4 implies "every" top 25 coach would have sacrificed their team rules and ethics to keep a talented player on the team. Evidently UpnorthGo4 doesn't follow college football. There are plenty of casualties every year where good teams part ways with talented boys who can't follow the rules.
 




MinneStoa said:
Upnorth can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you're addressing a point that he never made. He was saying that many coaches would deal with a similar situation in a different matter, not that they would scoop up Barker.
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How many kids write a tumble like that and remain on a team? The answer is none. Had he not written it and gone on tv/radio numerous times, he'd probably be on the team.
 

His public tirade is like former Congressman Weiner's thingy thing. Once unholstered into digital sphere, you can't hit the undo button. The team has moved on rather well without his services. That was a very hard lesson learned.
 

When Kill was lumped in to the category of a stern, uncaring, and unprofessional coach the articles and media couldn't of been farther off. Coach Kill has shown to be one of the most professional coaches in this business and seems to go out of his way to make his kids not only better players but better men.
 

Tim Riggins said:
How many kids write a tumble like that and remain on a team? The answer is none. Had he not written it and gone on tv/radio numerous times, he'd probably be on the team.
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AJ was just a kid being a kid. Who here doubts that Urban Meyer would always find a way to keep his No. 1 receiver on the team for any kind of behavior short of a felony?
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
AJ was just a kid being a kid. Who here doubts that Urban Meyer would always find away to keep his No. 1 receiver on the team for any kind of behavior short of a felony?
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Just so we're all clear, Barker was a quitting quitter who quit. Kill didn't kick him off the team, so your analogy doesn't make any sense.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
AJ was just a kid being a kid. Who here doubts that Urban Meyer would always find away to keep his No. 1 receiver on the team for any kind of behavior short of a felony?
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When you go on radio/tv/social media and totally berate your coach/boss you don't get asked back.

Most people in position of authority don't take kindly to insubordination, especially when it is public.

Many coaches find it easier to over-look criminal activity.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Just so we're all clear, Barker was a quitting quitter who quit. Kill didn't kick him off the team, so your analogy doesn't make any sense.
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Absolutely. Barker cost himself his spot on the team. I hope he gets his act together and I hope he learned his lesson. Kids do make mistakes, and sometimes when you make a big one you have to pay the piper. I'm glad Kill stayed firm, and I think our team is better off because of it.
 

Everyone here is missing the point.

The real story: How's his mom's best friend doing? What's she up to?
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
AJ was just a kid being a kid. Who here doubts that Urban Meyer would always find a way to keep his No. 1 receiver on the team for any kind of behavior short of a felony?
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Just a kid being a kid? Then why isn't a kid committing a felony "just a kid being a kid"?

Who cares what Urban Meyer would do. He's proven in the past that he has no morals when it comes to this stuff.

As already stated, Barker quit. And to act like it is on the coaches when we have no clue is just stupid. Maybe Barker wanted back on the team and Kill left it up to the team. I know if he was my teammate, there is no way I'd want him back on the team after what he did.
 

BarnBoy said:
Everyone here is missing the point.

The real story: How's his mom's best friend doing? What's she up to?
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Even more importantly I am very interested in who she now thinks is the best player on the team.
 


Spoofin said:
Even more importantly I am very interested in who she now thinks is the best player on the team.
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Check the stat sheet. Should be easy to guess. The best player has the best stats.
 


Looking Back

BarnBoy said:
Well played, sir.
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"
I was one of those guys who said that people should at least listen to the crux of AJ's complaint before we rush to judgement. He claimed that Jerry Kill said to him the following: "...I don't know what the **** happened to you growing up that made you this way...." AJ was very upset because, supposedly, he took it as an attack on his parents and his upbringing. The kid was really hurt by this and very taken aback. In addition, I think he was paranoid that Kill wasn't going to give him a scholarship because AJ's parents had money.

I have to admit I was focused on the crux of the matter and not on the delivery. You guys were obviously 110% correct in that he handled himself completely wrong. But, I would bet dimes to dollars that Jerry Kill regrets the words he said to AJ and that he attacked AJ's upbringing. Assumimg that is what Jerry said, it wasn't very mature or necessary of Jerry to attack AJ in that manner. Kill is the adult and held all the "cards" in that situation.

To be clear, I really love Jerry Kill and his staff. His players obviously love him. Something is definitely out of balance in the mind and emotions of AJ. He handled it all wrong. If indeed he was denied re-joining the team, well that is exactly what he had coming. He said things about Jerry Kill that you really could never take back. And he quit on his team in the middle of the season.

So, I feel a little stupid today for standing up for AJ at the time and wanting to get to the heart of the issue, but I will repeat that our beloved Coach may have erred in how he handled the situation as well. Coach Kill and his staff have all alluded to the way Jerry used to coach (shouting, boisterous, somewhat angry) and perhaps today Jerry would handle the situation a little differently. Even back when it happened, Jerry felt sorry for the situation and wanted to help AJ any way he could. Jerry loves his players, but he may have gone a bit too far in his comments to AJ. But AJ did not deserve to rejoin the team assuming that is what he requested. Just a sad event last year. AJ was really a shining star last year until he got hurt. Who knew before the incident that underneath those pads and helmet was a kid who really had some strong emotional turmoil?
 

By the way, was there another issue perculating between AJ and Kill at the time? I'm speculating here obviously. Kill was shown on the BIG Network last year huddled with his team in the locker room before a game reciting a Christian prayer. I'd heard on Gopherhole that AJ was non-religious. Was AJ making noise that Kill was invoking religion in a non-religious public institution? I could see how this would tick off Jerry Kill very much.
 

BreakTheGopherCurse said:
"
I was one of those guys who said that people should at least listen to the crux of AJ's complaint before we rush to judgement. He claimed that Jerry Kill said to him the following: "...I don't know what the **** happened to you growing up that made you this way...." AJ was very upset because, supposedly, he took it as an attack on his parents and his upbringing. The kid was really hurt by this and very taken aback. In addition, I think he was paranoid that Kill wasn't going to give him a scholarship because AJ's parents had money.

I have to admit I was focused on the crux of the matter and not on the delivery. You guys were obviously 110% correct in that he handled himself completely wrong. But, I would bet dimes to dollars that Jerry Kill regrets the words he said to AJ and that he attacked AJ's upbringing. Assumimg that is what Jerry said, it wasn't very mature or necessary of Jerry to attack AJ in that manner. Kill is the adult and held all the "cards" in that situation.

To be clear, I really love Jerry Kill and his staff. His players obviously love him. Something is definitely out of balance in the mind and emotions of AJ. He handled it all wrong. If indeed he was denied re-joining the team, well that is exactly what he had coming. He said things about Jerry Kill that you really could never take back. And he quit on his team in the middle of the season.

So, I feel a little stupid today for standing up for AJ at the time and wanting to get to the heart of the issue, but I will repeat that our beloved Coach may have erred in how he handled the situation as well. Coach Kill and his staff have all alluded to the way Jerry used to coach (shouting, boisterous, somewhat angry) and perhaps today Jerry would handle the situation a little differently. Even back when it happened, Jerry felt sorry for the situation and wanted to help AJ any way he could. Jerry loves his players, but he may have gone a bit too far in his comments to AJ. But AJ did not deserve to rejoin the team assuming that is what he requested. Just a sad event last year. AJ was really a shining star last year until he got hurt. Who knew before the incident that underneath those pads and helmet was a kid who really had some strong emotional turmoil?
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Without doubt this is the best post ever on the AJ Barker and Jerry Kill situation. The kool-aid drinkers in GopherHole won't agree, of course. A.J. didn't deserve to rejoin the team but that doesn't mean that the right coach, handling what happened in the right way, wouldn't have found a way to deal with the situation without turning the kid into a pariah in his home town. This was a huge fail for Jerry Kill as a coach, an educator, and a human being. And I am absolutely convinced that Kill agrees with me.
 

BreakTheGopherCurse said:
By the way, was there another issue perculating between AJ and Kill at the time? I'm speculating here obviously. Kill was shown on the BIG Network last year huddled with his team in the locker room before a game reciting a Christian prayer. I'd heard on Gopherhole that AJ was non-religious. Was AJ making noise that Kill was invoking religion in a non-religious public institution? I could see how this would tick off Jerry Kill very much.
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The team recites the Lord's Prayer after the coaches pregame speech, been that way long before Kill was here.
 

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