Damien Alford Grad Transferring to Utah

[JKinPhilly]

At least we aren’t talking about attendance, uniforms or other nonsense. Just different nonsense.

 

[GoSU96]

Sending a message, clearly.

What message is that? Don’t have a career discussion with your boss.

 

[OburgCuse]

The issue here is the delivery. Should Fran have kept it in house and let Alford leave on his own terms? Probably…and that certainly would have looked better from the outside.

Was Fran trying to make a statement to the players? Maybe but there probably would be better ways to go about it.

I’m assuming Fran was heated about something whether it be Alford directly or other goings on and this was an outlet that he let happen then tried to do a little damage control with Alford deleting and Fran’s post. Let’s not forget he’s been known to be a little hot on the keyboard himself ie. Alijah Clark/Duce tweet back in the day. He’s learning on the job and there are going to be plenty of mishaps. IMO he’s not going to be a player’s coach much like Dino…he is going to be very demanding and rub a lot of people the wrong way (more like Schiano). This what he knows and how he sees his path to success. He’ll get better with this type of stuff (Alford) but it won’t be the last time.

 

[djcon57]

everyone real comfortable saying “this player should get boot, that player should get the boot” on the bball board….yet here?

maybe Brown thought Alford wasn’t good enough for him to be acting like he had leverage? It’s not like weve been good

 

[JRHEETER]

The issue here is the delivery. Should Fran have kept it in house and let Alford leave on his own terms? Probably…and that certainly would have looked better from the outside.

Was Fran trying to make a statement to the players? Maybe but there probably would be better ways to go about it.

I’m assuming Fran was heated about something whether it be Alford directly or other goings on and this was an outlet that he let happen then tried to do a little damage control with Alford deleting and Fran’s post. Let’s not forget he’s been known to be a little hot on the keyboard himself ie. Alijah Clark/Duce tweet back in the day. He’s learning on the job and there are going to be plenty of mishaps. IMO he’s not going to be a player’s coach much like Dino…he is going to be very demanding and rub a lot of people the wrong way (more like Schiano). This what he knows and how he sees his path to success. He’ll get better with this type of stuff (Alford) but it won’t be the last time.

Fran is DEFINITELY not a players coach like Dino.

I said at his first press conference that he was going to piss some people off

There’s going to be plenty more.

Coach Fran is a guy where you either love him or you hate him

 

[David332]

Fran is DEFINITELY not a players coach like Dino.

I said at his first press conference that he was going to piss some people off

There’s going to be plenty more.

Coach Fran is a guy where you either love him or you hate him

Totally agree. And honestly, it must be tough for a guy like Alford going from four years of Dino to his last year with Fran. If I had a new boss come in and tell me my job was about to get exponentially more difficult I’d have a hard time with it as well.

Not saying he wasn’t hungry enough, but if that is what happened it doesn’t surprise me.

 

[wfschrec]

Am I the only 1 thinking the following?

- Ahmad leaked it to Thamel but didn’t expect it to go public
- He then leaves under bizarre circumstances
- Makes a tweet about trust (maybe aimed at Thamel)
- Then has to go back to PSU because his leak got him fired

 

[David332]

Am I the only 1 thinking the following?

- Ahmad leaked it to Thamel but didn’t expect it to go public
- He then leaves under bizarre circumstances
- Makes a tweet about trust (maybe aimed at Thamel)
- Then has to go back to PSU because his leak got him fired

Solid theory.

 

[dollarbill44]

Down to one punter on scholarship I believe.

Meh, if the lone punter gets hurt, just stop punting.

 

[wfschrec]

Solid theory.

After that I got nothin lol

 

[David332]

After that I got nothin lol

It’s the middle of February, I’ll take it.

 

[SuFTW]

Am I the only 1 thinking the following?

- Ahmad leaked it to Thamel but didn’t expect it to go public
- He then leaves under bizarre circumstances
- Makes a tweet about trust (maybe aimed at Thamel)
- Then has to go back to PSU because his leak got him fired

Timing is off. Ahmad tweeted goodbye last Thursday. Thamel reported on Alford on Monday.

 

[wfschrec]

Timing is off. Ahmad tweeted goodbye last Thursday. Thamel reported on Alford on Monday.

Well there goes that theory … so maybe Ahmad leaked it after he got booted?

 

[richmondcuse03]

Fran is DEFINITELY not a players coach like Dino.

I said at his first press conference that he was going to piss some people off

There’s going to be plenty more.

Coach Fran is a guy where you either love him or you hate him

Yup. And he’s not polished like Dino. He’s very intense. He’s not for everyone. He’s going to rub people the wrong way but he also connects with the kids we need to recruit in a different way.

We will see what happens on the field but he’s a way different type of guy than Dino.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Except, you don't make a public announcement about withdrawing a scholarship offer.

What message is that? Don’t have a career discussion with your boss.

Do you want to be here?

I'm not sure.

I'd like you to decide.

How about at the end of the semester?

I prefer you decide now. We want people who are committed to the team.

I can't say if I want to stay.

OK, then you can't.

 

[GoSU96]

Do you want to be here?

I'm not sure.

I'd like you to decide.

How about at the end of the semester?

I prefer you decide now. We want people who are committed to the team.

I can't say if I want to stay.

OK, then you can't.

Were you in the room?

it doesn’t sound like that’s what happened.

 

[Millhouse]

Am I the only 1 thinking the following?

- Ahmad leaked it to Thamel but didn’t expect it to go public
- He then leaves under bizarre circumstances
- Makes a tweet about trust (maybe aimed at Thamel)
- Then has to go back to PSU because his leak got him fired

This is a very plausible story especially because it involves thamel being the newhousiest newhouser

 

[Millhouse]

Do you want to be here?

I'm not sure.

I'd like you to decide.

How about at the end of the semester?

I prefer you decide now. We want people who are committed to the team.

I can't say if I want to stay.

OK, then you can't.

None of that needs to include one of them telling thamel he's been dismissed

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I want the privileges of being on the football team (special dorm, food, facilities, coaching, etc.) without actually saying if I'm going to stay on the team once the semester is over.

There are 84 other guys who want his reps, if he's probably not going to be here. That's why it was right to let him go. That's what I mean by privilege. Was he just negotiating for a bigger bag?

Are you in, or are you out? Fran answered that question for him, when Damian continued to want to keep his options open.

This happens all the time with scholarship offers - we're holding this spot for you, but we're not holding it open forever. At some point, you have to make up your mind, or else we have to move on without you.

It would be a privilege if they didn’t have to spend an extra 30 hours a week for FB, plus regular school requirements. It’s part of the compensation.

 

[anomander]

Not bingo

IF that were the case Damien would have known he was being dismissed and would not have posted that he learned of his dismissal after the program (Fran’s program - Fran’s responsibility) went public with the action and tweeted that Damien had been dismissed.

Keep in mind, word is there are a few players who had “the talk” in December and have been allowed to stay in the program so they can put together some film before they exit the program and hit the portal. So, although Damien should have game film and shouldn’t need film from the spring to show his skills, thus asking to stay in the program while you “consider” (decision not actually made yet) wouldn’t have been out of the question.

To me (just a thought), when a player who has previously been in good standing gets a face to face meeting with the head coach (because he’s been told that’s what men do) and tells the HC that he is “considering” leaving after he graduates at the end of the spring semester, it sounds like the player is seeking some guidance, some mentorship. It appears as though he was shown the door instead of receiving any guidance. A terribly lost opportunity to help this young man. When players are graduating and have eligibility still on the table they are faced with many decisions like do I stay and pursue a masters degree here at Syracuse? If I do, which program is a fit? Or should I look at other schools that have a a masters program that better suits me?

It’s a shame this young man who in his words was “considering” his future got kicked to the curb and his business was made public. It didn’t have to happen this way.

Understand your point, but I have no problem with it. Good kid and all, he was a captain last year after going in and out of the portal. He can be a great kid, but that tells me his heart hasn’t been here for a while now. If I am a new HC, who wants to change the culture of the program, something we know that was needed, then I wouldn’t want anyone who isn’t 110% committed to Syracuse Football.

 

[wfschrec]

Understand your point, but I have no problem with it. Good kid and all, he was a captain last year after going in and out of the portal. He can be a great kid, but that tells me his heart hasn’t been here for a while now. If I am a new HC, who wants to change the culture of the program, something we know that was needed, then I wouldn’t want anyone who isn’t 110% committed to Syracuse Football.

This ^^^. If I told my boss I was job hunting I’d be let go instantly.

 

[hungrychuck]

Am I the only 1 thinking the following?

- Ahmad leaked it to Thamel but didn’t expect it to go public
- He then leaves under bizarre circumstances
- Makes a tweet about trust (maybe aimed at Thamel)
- Then has to go back to PSU because his leak got him fired

The stuff with Thanel is almost pathological.

He’s a good reporter. He has sources everywhere.

Who’s to say one of the schools Alford is considering portaling to didn’t leak it?

Or perhaps Alford’s agent?

 

[anomander]

Yup. And he’s not polished like Dino. He’s very intense. He’s not for everyone. He’s going to rub people the wrong way but he also connects with the kids we need to recruit in a different way.

We will see what happens on the field but he’s a way different type of guy than Dino.

I love it. I got the feeling people assumed he was a players coach, but he seems to be the exact opposite, which is something sorely needed around here. Discipline on the field has been down right horrendous. I don’t think Fran will tolerate that. Not to mention being mentored under Kirby Smart. There isn’t a more intense individual. I have no doubt we will see kids leave because they feel rubbed the wrong way by the way he makes the team carry themselves, in class, in the community, and at practice. Not everyone can deal with that. I think it’s a good way to weed out the ones who aren’t made for this, while instilling his culture and mark on the program.

 

[GoSU96]

This ^^^. If I told my boss I was job hunting I’d be let go instantly.

That’s not true for everyone, trust me.

 

[MikeSU02]

everyone real comfortable saying “this player should get boot, that player should get the boot” on the bball board….yet here?

maybe Brown thought Alford wasn’t good enough for him to be acting like he had leverage? It’s not like weve been good

Agreed.

We’ve been bad or mediocre for over two decades.

How many more years do people think we can float at that level? Its go time. Fran is the head coach.

He has to get talent in, win games and bring in money.

We don’t have anymore runway.

The old way is out. New world order is in. You think the way Damien Alford was handled will impact the next four star guy Fran is chasing?