Former Gopher A.J. Barker arrested UPDATED 5/9: Sid says AJ wants back on team

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Go4Broke said:
Sorry, Don. We're not moving on until Kill starts earning his salary and acting like the coach of a Big 10 football team. All he has to do is apologize (without the waffling this time) to AJ for verbally abusing and demeaning him in front of his teammates and promise never to do it again. Once that happens AJ will apologize to Kill and his teammates for what he did and everything will be good. Nothing could be simpler.
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Yeah right. I suppose you think every kid in a race deserves a medal so nobody is a loser too and be told how they all are so special and everyone is a winner. Get over it. I would have yelled at him too if he didn't follow the advice of the med staff. He deserved it. The only reason AJ didn't get back on the field is because he didn't follow the advice of the med staff. Accupuncture may have some benefits but certainly isn't a commonly used (if at all) treatment for an ankle sprain. The kid deserved to get yelled at because he was holding the team back. If the baby couldn't handle getting yelled at then he shouldn't have been playing organized sports at all.
 

CentralGopher said:
Yeah right. I suppose you think every kid in a race deserves a medal so nobody is a loser too and be told how they all are so special and everyone is a winner. Get over it. I would have yelled at him too if he didn't follow the advice of the med staff. He deserved it. The only reason AJ didn't get back on the field is because he didn't follow the advice of the med staff. Accupuncture may have some benefits but certainly isn't a commonly used (if at all) treatment for an ankle sprain. The kid deserved to get yelled at because he was holding the team back. If the baby couldn't handle getting yelled at then he shouldn't have been playing organized sports at all.
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+1. I'm pretty sure go4broke, patherhawk, and AJ's mom's bff are all the same person.
 

If Coach Kill apologized to AJ, I hope he gets canned. He won't, he shouldn't, and if AJ asked for an apology there would never have been a meeting.

The U's medical staff might have been wrong, but a couple of you people are talking absolutely crazy. He skipped meetings with the medical staff to receive acupuncture therapy and HE thought icing his injury was bad. We aren't talking about a kid who wanted to get a second opinion and was blasted for that. AJ should have been chewed out in front of his teammates, he shouldn't have been given a scholarship (because of his attitude) and if the convo between him and Coach Kill is anything less than "I'm sorry, I was wrong and I'll do anything I can to get back on the team", then I hope he never plays another down for the Gophers.
 

Go4broke and others that like him are the same ones that would let the inmates run asylum.
 

MNGoldenGophers1 said:
Go4broke and others that like him are the same ones that would let the inmates run asylum.
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I don't think there are many people like Go4broke. Generally, I am a guy who doesn't believe a coach needs to be super strict and yell a lot (they can be, I think multiple ways can be effective). However, the most pro-player coach in the world would be bothered by AJ. It was the biggest temper tantrum that I've ever seen. It made Percy Harvin look like a grounded and well thought out individual. Dwight Howard would have rolled his eyes at AJ's "manifesto".
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
However, the most pro-player coach in the world would be bothered by AJ. It was the biggest temper tantrum that I've ever seen. It made Percy Harvin look like a grounded and well thought out individual. Dwight Howard would have rolled his eyes at AJ's "manifesto".
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Give me a break. Randy Moss was one of the most selfish and divisive players in the history of football. Here is how many second chances he was given because of his receiving skills and nothing else:

Minnesota Vikings (1998–2004)
Oakland Raiders (2005–2006)
New England Patriots (2007–2010)
Minnesota Vikings (2010)
Tennessee Titans (2010)
San Francisco 49ers (2012)

You guys are making way too much out of what a 20-year old kid did on the internet because he felt humiliated by his football coach in front of his teammates. Since he worked with kids all of his life Kill should have known exactly what to say and do to resolve the situation. Most football coaches with his experience would have been able to figure it out. Kill failed totally.
 

I dont think you can nomitate gopherholers for PST but comparing AJ Barker to Randy Moss....
 

Sportsfan24 said:
Folks who come from the position that AJ was the only person at fault don't want him back; folks (me) that believe his anger and subsequent rant (he certainly went to far) was the result of someone (medical staff) wronging him first, believe that there is room for Kill to give him a second chance. We also would understand if Kill didn't.

Like Chris Rock said, " it's wrong to hit your wife if you come home and find her sexing the mail man and the UPS guy, but if you do......I understand."

My point? AJ response was egregious and he was most certainly in the wrong......but I understand.
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Absolutely, spot on. I don't know how this flew under the radar. Well said.

And so I don't get accused of brown nosing Kim's dad: SF24, STOP HATING ON THE TEAM!! =D
 




Go4Broke said:
Give me a break. Randy Moss was one of the most selfish and divisive players in the history of football. Here is how many second chances he was given because of his receiving skills and nothing else:

Minnesota Vikings (1998–2004)
Oakland Raiders (2005–2006)
New England Patriots (2007–2010)
Minnesota Vikings (2010)
Tennessee Titans (2010)
San Francisco 49ers (2012)

You guys are making way too much out of what a 20-year old kid did on the internet because he felt humiliated by his football coach in front of his teammates. Since he worked with kids all of his life Kill should have known exactly what to say and do to resolve the situation. Most football coaches with his experience would have been able to figure it out. Kill failed totally.
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You realize you just compared one of the most gifted athletes at his NFL position all time to a walk on right? Okay, just making sure.
 

Moss and AJ in college= love Mary Jane. Honey weasel was also kicked off a college team and will be drafted? Moss also attended a school that wasn't in his top choices. C'mon man!
 

There is no way I'd take him back under any condition. He wouldn't be looking to come back if he didn't make a mess for himself in Houston and now he wants the program and coach he threw under the bus to bail him out. Good luck FCS AJ.
 

AJ's a punk...always has been. He has zero chance of playing football after this year anyways, so he should just focus on getting back into some school and get himself a degree. He's a dime-a-dozen on the field. Engel can replace him just fine...without the headaches.
 



GopherHomer said:
AJ's a punk...always has been. He has zero chance of playing football after this year anyways, so he should just focus on getting back into some school and get himself a degree. He's a dime-a-dozen on the field. Engel can replace him just fine...without the headaches.
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Sooooo, you are saying that gophers receiving core currently does not have a dime a dozen WR on it (to date Engel is not as good as AJ)?
 

Sportsfan24 said:
Sooooo, you are saying that gophers receiving core currently does not have a dime a dozen WR on it (to date Engel is not as good as AJ)?
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Basically (maybe Harbison and McDonald would qualify but neither can really be counted on right now for very different reasons). I'm not denying that Barker was our most productive receiver last year (when he wasn't doing his best Tyler Hirsch impression), but that doesn't mean he's going to be able to play football for a living. I don't think he would have seen the field on too many other teams in our conference.

As for Engel, neither one of us has any proof but I don't think there's really a drop-off between the two. I guess my main point is that I believe Barker needs the U more than the U needs Barker at this point, and after the way he disrespected his HOMETOWN university I say we banish him to land of wind and ghosts (wisconsin).
 

GopherHomer said:
As for Engel, neither one of us has any proof but I don't think there's really a drop-off between the two. I guess my main point is that I believe Barker needs the U more than the U needs Barker at this point, and after the way he disrespected his HOMETOWN university I say we banish him to land of wind and ghosts (wisconsin).
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I don't know how in the world you can possibly say that. Antics aside, Barker was our best receiver last year; that is absolutely without question. The Gopher football program is a multi-million dollar operation, of which Barker sees zilch as a walk-on player (in fact he pays the U). So far in this relationship they have benefited FAR more from him than he has from them.

If you want to make this about his disrespect and such, that's fine, but from a purely cost-benefit analysis it's not even a question when a guy contributes to your program for absolutely free.
 

GopherHomer said:
Basically (maybe Harbison and McDonald would qualify but neither can really be counted on right now for very different reasons). I'm not denying that Barker was our most productive receiver last year (when he wasn't doing his best Tyler Hirsch impression), but that doesn't mean he's going to be able to play football for a living. I don't think he would have seen the field on too many other teams in our conference.

As for Engel, neither one of us has any proof but I don't think there's really a drop-off between the two. I guess my main point is that I believe Barker needs the U more than the U needs Barker at this point, and after the way he disrespected his HOMETOWN university I say we banish him to land of wind and ghosts (wisconsin).
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What lesson are we teaching if there is no forgiveness. Some of the same people who are unwilling to give AJ a second chance have asked for one themselves at some point in their life. Baker has options to play scholarship football; I've heard those options don't appeal to him...mainly because he wants to be a gopher.

I know it sounds weard but think about it; ever break up with a girlfriend because you thought you could do better but regret it later when you realize that warts aside, she had it going on and is better than what's out there?

Engel? I will just say this, Barker is a damn good receiver who most certainly would see playing time at the majority of the schools in the Big Ten. In fact, if he were on one of the better Big Ten teams folks would be saying "how did we ever let him leave the state."
 

Sportsfan24 said:
What lesson are we teaching if there is no forgiveness. Some of the same people who are unwilling to give AJ a second chance have asked for one themselves at some point in their life. Baker has options to play scholarship football; I've heard those options don't appeal to him...mainly because he wants to be a gopher."
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Sure didn't seem like he wanted to be a Gopher when he published his rant online. It wasn't a heat of the moment interview or tweet we're talking about it was a 4,000 word University and program bashing letter to the world. Like I said before had he not made a mess of his situation in Houston he wouldn't be trying to come back here. I'm guessing is options are few and far between beacuse no program wants the baggage or headaches for a slightly above average WR.
 

What lesson would you be teaching he and all of the other players if you let him re-join the team after bashing the coach & school?!

"Please feel free to walk all over us with no consequences."
 

pointman99 said:
What lesson would you be teaching he and all of the other players if you let him re-join the team after bashing the coach & school?!

"Please feel free to walk all over us with no consequences."
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Maybe Kill wants to show that he's a big enough man to accept an apology from a kid that completely bashed him in he media....maybe that would be the lesson he is teaching his players. Forgive and forget. Just saying.
 

pointman99 said:
What lesson would you be teaching he and all of the other players if you let him re-join the team after bashing the coach & school?!

"Please feel free to walk all over us with no consequences."
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If someone wrongs you be the better man by not holding a grudge, excepting their appology, admitting your own role in the disagreement and give them a 2nd chance.
 

No thank you

Sportsfan24 said:
If someone wrongs you be the better man by not holding a grudge, excepting their appology, admitting your own role in the disagreement and give them a 2nd chance.
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It's not about holding a grudge. AJ showed who he is and that type of personality is not productive to helping build a program. I don't know if we have any better receivers or not, but that is not the point. This kind of player is a chemistry killer. Ain't nobody got time for that! (sorry, that clip still makes me laugh and it seemed appropriate) :)
 


Sportsfan24 said:
What lesson are we teaching if there is no forgiveness. Some of the same people who are unwilling to give AJ a second chance have asked for one themselves at some point in their life. Baker has options to play scholarship football; I've heard those options don't appeal to him...mainly because he wants to be a gopher.

I know it sounds weard but think about it; ever break up with a girlfriend because you thought you could do better but regret it later when you realize that warts aside, she had it going on and is better than what's out there?
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Forgiveness isn't about getting everything back the way that it was. Sometimes in life there are repercussions for your actions. AJ's not a criminal and he could very well just have been a very confused and immature kid who did something that he regretted, but life is full of things that you need to be held accountable for. There are plenty of things that I did at 21/20 that I shouldn't have done and I felt the repercussions for those actions. In fact, in some ways those repercussions were precisely the way I learned my lesson.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure getting another shot would be the best thing for AJ. This is a spoiled kid who has run into issues in HS and college. I'm not sure AJ wouldn't be best served as a person if he was forced to eat his humble pie.


As for your GF example, yeah, I agree it's a good example for someone like Max Shortell. It isn't a good example for AJ because AJ did more than want to leave, he tried to trash everything on the way out. Try breaking up with that girl and call her mother a disgusting whale, her brother a creepy weirdo, key her car, publish bad photos of her on your instagram and talk crap about her around town. . . AND THEN ask for her back. He didn't leave with class, he didn't simply think that grass was greener.
 

Sportsfan24 said:
If someone wrongs you be the better man by not holding a grudge, excepting their appology, admitting your own role in the disagreement and give them a 2nd chance.
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Fool me once, shame on you....fool me twice, shame on me...
 


Sportsfan24 said:
What lesson are we teaching if there is no forgiveness. Some of the same people who are unwilling to give AJ a second chance have asked for one themselves at some point in their life. Baker has options to play scholarship football; I've heard those options don't appeal to him...mainly because he wants to be a gopher.

I know it sounds weard but think about it; ever break up with a girlfriend because you thought you could do better but regret it later when you realize that warts aside, she had it going on and is better than what's out there?

Engel? I will just say this, Barker is a damn good receiver who most certainly would see playing time at the majority of the schools in the Big Ten. In fact, if he were on one of the better Big Ten teams folks would be saying "how did we ever let him leave the state."
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Forgiveness is not the same as getting another opportunity. You can forgive while moving on at the same time. There's different levels of mistakes too. Your wife throwing out your favorite t-shirt is not the same as if she cheated on you. You can forgive in both situations but I don't think you'll treat both mistakes the same.

From what we know from the outside, I wouldn't let him back on the team. I wouldn't be surprised either way though.
 

Sportsfan24---- ZERO D-I schools offered AJ, including the Gophers, If he was as good as you think, he wouldn't be a walk on, that doesn't want to listen to the coaching staff, trainers or Dr.'s, he would be a scholarship player that did what was asked of him to help the team. He is a cancer to any program he becomes involved with and is full of more drama than 7th grade slumber party. If Kill allowed him back on the team, I would seriously question the decision making skills of the program. Kill is a man of class, AJ is not, therefore the discussion is pointless. Let AJ go smoke pot and the Gophers move on without a second thought.
 

We still have no reason to think he is coming back besides the report that there was a meeting, right? I can see Kill being the kind of guy who would be willing to take the time to sit down face to face and explain why he is not going to be taking AJ back.
 

EliteHSscout said:
Sportsfan24---- ZERO D-I schools offered AJ, including the Gophers, If he was as good as you think, he wouldn't be a walk on, that doesn't want to listen to the coaching staff, trainers or Dr.'s, he would be a scholarship player that did what was asked of him to help the team. He is a cancer to any program he becomes involved with and is full of more drama than 7th grade slumber party. If Kill allowed him back on the team, I would seriously question the decision making skills of the program. Kill is a man of class, AJ is not, therefore the discussion is pointless. Let AJ go smoke pot and the Gophers move on without a second thought.
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You really put yourself in a box.

Zero of the wr's Kill gave scholarships too, has proven to be better than Barker so based on your analogy Kill isn't a good coach and I guess you should already be questioning the decision making skills of the coach?

The truth of the matter is just like the NFL where free agents or lower drafted players out perform higher drafted players, receipt of a scholarship doesn't guarantee that some walk-on player won't eat your lunch.

Medical staff? They couldn't find their ass with both hands so who cares what their opinion is.....it would be wrong anyway?

AJ is a cancer? You certainly are entitled to your own opinion but I sure would like to know how arrived there?

Question? Assume AJ was misdiagnosed and the extent of his injury minimized. Assume he knew his injury was much more severe than putting some freaking ice on it. Assume that he had teammates who had had positive results from acupuncture so he went that route because the U was not helping.
Assume he believed he was being pressured to play hurt in lieu of a scholarship that in his opinion he had already earned by being the best wr on the roster.

My question is; based on that, while we would still agree that he was wrong wouldn't you also agree that it wasn't his mistake alone and that a second chance would not be so out of he question?
 

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