Clarification on Carroll
Sorry guys, I was writing three stories and going generally nutso. Anyway, I talked to Neuheisel and Carroll about the Twitter incident and while there's going to be a story in tomorrow's paper and online, this is basically what went down.
Talked to Neuheisel immediately after the game and he dismissed it initially, thinking that it was a question of Carroll questioning play-calling. Wasn't happy about it, but figured it was worth a talking to and no more, lesson learned.
Talked to Carroll in the locker room and he was apologetic. Said that he loved Norm Chow, that he was one of the main people to recruit him to UCLA and that he didn't mean any disrespect, that he was just frustrated about losing. Reiterated that he wasn't sure if Chow trusted the freshman, but said that he shouldn't have said it on Twitter.
Neuheisel called all the UCLA reporters right before the Bruins got on the plane and said that Carroll would be dealt with for "derogatory, offensive and deplorable comments." Said that he didn't know about the racial part of the post and said that the type of conduct wouldn't be allowed in the program. Said he hoped to use it as a lesson for the other players.
After all this I did some googling and found the actual slur that was used - published reports by the L.A. Times didn't mention it. It was a slur, but it was not a slur that referenced Chow's Chinese ancestry. In fact, it didn't reference any Asian ancestry at all. I'm not going to say it in here for obvious reasons, but it is commonly said in hip-hop and rap music. I'm sure you can figure it out from there.
Does this condone what Carroll did? Of course not, it was a stupid thing to say, especially on a public forum such as Twitter. But I felt that the context of the slur should be mentioned, because it changes the baseline perception of the remark. I don't think Carroll should be suspended for more than one game, if that, but I think he should be running some steps this entire week.
Also, Riley went on record with another reporter of ours - Miguel Melendez of the Pasadena Star-News - and said that he never saw the message in question. He vouched for Carroll, though expressed confusion at why Carroll would say things like that in a public forum.
I hope that sheds a bit of light on this whole brouhaha.
He should be suspended
Theres a difference between nigger and nigga. If you're white and over 30 you probably dont know the difference.
this is such a non-issue. open your eyes to the urban youth of america and you'll understand. maybe 1-game suspension for questioning coaching...
IF you look at the context of how he used the word, its not a big deal at all. For our generation (I am slightly older) some people use that word interchangeably with Dude, or Bro. Some people may not like the word because its not politically correct, but RC didn't mean it offensively. And it shouldn't be taken in that way because of its context.
Right, because 30 is SO OLD...
Stay classy bruins!
How can it be a non-issue? Even if he didn't mean to use the N-word or if you look at the context of how the word was used was no big deal, he still needs to be punished.
True Bruins and Bruin commits tweet their friends, trying to get them to commit to UCLA. He was basically recruiting against UCLA by degrading Chow and questioning his judgement of players. It's hard enough to compete with suc, Cal, and Norte Dame for top high school players as it is. We don't need an internal cancer wearing Blue and Gold working against us. If Carroll can't understand that, he needs to get the hell out and transfer to suc.
WHY CANT UCLA EVER FIGURE'S IT OUT!!! I'VE BEEN A FAN FOR 20 YEARS AND I'VE TAKEN THE GOOD WITH THE BAD BUT THIS IS GOT TO STOP!!!! MY FAITHFUL WIFE THINKS I SHOULD HANG UP THE BRUINS FOR GOOD BECAUSE SHE CANT STAND TO SEE ME DISAPPOINTED ANYMORE!! AND NOW I THINK SHE'S FINALLY RIGHT.. SAD TO SAY..
I'm out of the loop, what happened?
It was Carroll's second offense. He was suspended from the Kansas State game.
So what do you do with a guy who's already been warned to behave?
Initially when I read that it was a racial slur directed at Chow, I thought it might be an asian one. Which probably would have meant game over for Carroll. He said, that N word Chow. I don't think what he said was as bad as what it signified. It signified a team losing it's morale. It signified a kid who made a very bad choice and who resorted to verbalizing his frustration and in the process negative recruiting.
However, in the big scheme of things, it might mean nothing. People talk trash all the time, about their friends, about their bosses, about their family, about their teachers, kids talk bad about their parents. It's trash talking, a great american past time and it might mean nothing. That being said, he needs to learn a lesson and that there are consequences for his actions. A message should be sent, a suspension is in order, Neuheisel needs to address it with Carroll individually and with the team. Neu should ban Twittering.
This whole internet blogging age is a whole new world. Many times people write things without thinking correctly. They say things out of frustration spontaneously. Think about how many e-mails you would like to take back. Leach had a similar problem at TT, when a FB player said he wondered why he was sitting at another stupid team meeting that his coach couldn't even make it on time to. The NFL and MLB has had similar problems.
I then came to the realization that we are making such a Big Deal, because we are Bruins and we hold ourselves to a higher standard. At SUC, with all the assaults, attempted murders, felony assaults, rapes, and white supremacist Facebook Groups, this would not have even been mentioned. If you want to talk about staying classy RammedAGuyTrOJan?
SUC has never had a problem overcoming SCandals, and we shouldn't let this minor isolated incident do it either. We will rise above this and come together.
I actually agree that the coaches need to give some of the Freshman more chances, including Carroll, but this was not the right forum. I look at all the successful WR reverses AZ ran and thought what Carroll would look like running one. We now have ALL this speed and we don't use it at all. The worse thing is, nobody looks like they are having fun anymore. Design some trick plays specifically for these speedsters and let them have some fun.
I'm so glad you guys got this guy. Have fun dealing with the crap that comes with him.
I don't think the guy is very good at football anyway. They've tried to go long to him about four times this year that I can remember and, even with his gigantic speed advantage, he has been unable to separate from defenders. Also, it looks like he has hands of stone. With his speed, you'd think he'd run back kicks once in awhile but I'm sure there's a reason he doesn't (maybe he has trouble catching the ball or running in any direction other than in a perfect staight line). Chow and Neuheisel know football, so I'm sure there's a good reason this guy doesn't get a lot of balls thrown his way. Why they recruited him is beyond me, however. Maybe they were mesmerized by his speed. He should go Tweet for another school.
STOPTHEPLAIN- Jump ship- and into SHARK-INFESTED waters!!! Oh, and here's to listening to your wife, bud! RANDALL CARROLL- Fans love that you're here as a BRUIN- get it together, grow up, and use better judgement. See ya in two weeks! TROJAN FAN- Yeah, as if your spot-free program(s) need any more negative light! LAMBDA CHI TROJAN- As if SUC knew anything about class!!!
UCLGAY FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!! LOSERS!!
The said "Stanford, Cal and Oregon should have been wins" and "dat niggah Norm Chow don't trust us"
Only a completely out of touch idiot or someone trying to make a story where one doesn't exist would construe that use of "niggah" as a racial slur. My god people.
And his "first offense" was having a girl in his room after curfew. Clearly Randal Carroll should be banned from football for life. What saints all the critics must have been at 18 years old.
This entire offense is playing freshman all over the field. Blocking, running, passing...everything. I don't know where UCLA fans get off expecting great things at this point. There is ZERO basis for those expectations after what a horrible decade it has been.
Neuheisel has had to rip the entire foundation of the offense out and start over after the train wreck that was last season...and people are impatient. I wish those fans who haven't got the first clue what they are talking about would go over to the other side and never come back.
The said "Stanford, Cal and Oregon should have been wins" and "dat niggah Norm Chow don't trust us"
Only a completely out of touch idiot or someone trying to make a story where one doesn't exist would construe that use of "niggah" as a racial slur. My god people.
And his "first offense" was having a girl in his room after curfew. Clearly Randal Carroll should be banned from football for life. What saints all the critics must have been at 18 years old.
This entire offense is playing freshman all over the field. Blocking, running, passing...everything. I don't know where UCLA fans get off expecting great things at this point. There is ZERO basis for those expectations after what a horrible decade it has been.
Neuheisel has had to rip the entire foundation of the offense out and start over after the train wreck that was last season...and people are impatient. I wish those fans who haven't got the first clue what they are talking about would go over to the other side and never come back.
niggah please.
Put him on the shelf for the second half of the season. If you let one player get away with being disrespectful to anyone on the staff, everything falls apart.
Everyone says USC has a program gone wild, run by the players. Anyone want to see that happen here?
What shocks me about the Carroll tweet is the terrible spelling and grammar! How was he admitted to an academic powerhouse like UCLA?!
First off, to say anything like this disrespecting the coach staff on a public forum is stupid and immature. If you have something to suggest to a coach, it should be done in the coach's office.
That said, making this out to be a racial slur is RIDICULOUS! The word he used is commonly used as a synonym for friend, buddy, person, guy, dude, etc. If you don't realize this then you are out of touch with today's youth..plain and simple. He showed frustration with Chow's playcalling and questioned his coach publicly---but race was not even addressed in his message.
RC is an embarrassment to the program and am soooo glad he is a B-Ruin. If this is how NewWeasel expects to even-up the recruiting in Los Angeles, well good luck, because that Tweet was to a recruit. RC is one heck of a salesman - ha ha. Great advertisement for the fUCLA programs folks. And he already was suspended for "unnamed" misconduct. Fight On.
For all of you who think that particular slur is part of the common, accepted vernacular, then try posting something like "That niggah Randall Carroll can't run worth a lick" and see how much flak you get accusing you of being a racist. I'm sorry, but taken in the context of the entire sentence, I don't see how it could be construed as anything more than demeaning.