espn: Revisiting Tom Osborne's handling of Lawrence Phillips

[BobPSU92]

See the link below.

"When Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne reinstated tailback Lawrence Phillips from a multi-game suspension in 1995 after Phillips had attacked his girlfriend, many writers (including me) protested with self-righteous fervor. The reinstatement seemed facile, especially as the Huskers drove to repeat as national champions. Osborne never wavered. He took the step because he thought football was the only chance that Phillips had to escape his demons. It didn’t work. Phillips flushed himself out of the NFL and landed in prison, where he died this week at 40. The more we learned about Phillips, the more I understood why Osborne didn’t take the easy way out."

What a load of crap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/p...ng-tom-osbornes-handling-of-lawrence-phillips

 

[RochLion]

Who was the player Joe kicked off the team after he slapped a girl at a bar. Wasn't it Olinemen Tommy Hugh? No doubt I think JoePa would have sent Phillips packing for good.

 

[justnitts]

And when good ole Tom was hiding one of his players handguns in his home safe, a gun that was being looked for by the police, a gun that had been fired criminally, what was his wonderful motivation? "Ahh, shucks I didn't know anyone was looking for that"

 

[justnitts]

And what did Tom do after one of his players comitted suicide because, according to his girlfriend, he was despondent about how much "bigger" his teammates were getting than he was? The next year the Huskers are playing for the NC and 'roid' stories start to surface. Did Tom know nothing of this and it's effects?

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

See the link below.

"When Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne reinstated tailback Lawrence Phillips from a multi-game suspension in 1995 after Phillips had attacked his girlfriend, many writers (including me) protested with self-righteous fervor. The reinstatement seemed facile, especially as the Huskers drove to repeat as national champions. Osborne never wavered. He took the step because he thought football was the only chance that Phillips had to escape his demons. It didn’t work. Phillips flushed himself out of the NFL and landed in prison, where he died this week at 40. The more we learned about Phillips, the more I understood why Osborne didn’t take the easy way out."

What a load of crap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/p...ng-tom-osbornes-handling-of-lawrence-phillips

These are tough situations for coaches, teachers, parents, etc. Props to anyone that gives a KID a chance. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Unlike the Barry Switzers of the world at least Osbourne stuck with the kid long term. Like so many that judged, and still judge, JoePa's actions from ten thousand feet away, it's wise to walk in another mans shoes first and ignorant to judge someone's intent. The Phillips bad behavior could have occurred immediately after Osbourne kicked off the team permanently, and could have been worse. Then how would you feel if you were the last person, like Osbourne, that could have helped the kid? The great thing about sports is that it's often times the only structure or opportunity for those who weren't born in a solid environment. Easy to sit there in your cushy job and judge others with through your iMac.

 

[AWS1022]

These are tough situations for coaches, teachers, parents, etc. Props to anyone that gives a KID a chance. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Unlike the Barry Switzers of the world at least Osbourne stuck with the kid long term. Like so many that judged, and still judge, JoePa's actions from ten thousand feet away, it's wise to walk in another mans shoes first and ignorant to judge someone's intent. The Phillips bad behavior could have occurred immediately after Osbourne kicked off the team permanently, and could have been worse. Then how would you feel if you were the last person, like Osbourne, that could have helped the kid? The great thing about sports is that it's often times the only structure or opportunity for those who weren't born in a solid environment. Easy to sit their in your cushy job and judge others with your iMac.

I might agree with this if Phillips was a third string walk on who needed football. Osbourne's motives were clear here, he wanted Phillips so he could win. It was way more for Tom than it was for Lawrence.

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

I might agree with this if Phillips was a third string walk on who needed football. Osbourne's motives were clear here, he wanted Phillips so he could win. It was way more for Tom than it was for Lawrence.

So if the kid is a nobody then it's ok to offer help? But if you try to help kids who are athletic then it's not acceptable?

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

See the link below.

"When Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne reinstated tailback Lawrence Phillips from a multi-game suspension in 1995 after Phillips had attacked his girlfriend, many writers (including me) protested with self-righteous fervor. The reinstatement seemed facile, especially as the Huskers drove to repeat as national champions. Osborne never wavered. He took the step because he thought football was the only chance that Phillips had to escape his demons. It didn’t work. Phillips flushed himself out of the NFL and landed in prison, where he died this week at 40. The more we learned about Phillips, the more I understood why Osborne didn’t take the easy way out."

What a load of crap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/p...ng-tom-osbornes-handling-of-lawrence-phillips

Osbourne was a self-interested "enabler" of Lawerence Phillips and his criminal behavior. The notion that Osbourne was trying to help anyone or anything but his own self-interest and agenda in regards to how he handled Phillip's repeated criminal and fraud-student behavior is laughable. He repeatedly let Phillips off the hook despite being a clearly fraudulent student-athlete and a criminal....and repeatedly gave him "another chance" for a very simple reason....and that simple reason is that he would win more games if Phillip's played than if he didn't play. Urban Meyer is the modern day "awe shucks" window-dressing hypocrite equivalent of Osborne with his Bible-thumping BS while he's busy pumping Co-Eds and playing whoever's necessary fraud student or not....

 

[91Joe95]

See the link below.

"When Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne reinstated tailback Lawrence Phillips from a multi-game suspension in 1995 after Phillips had attacked his girlfriend, many writers (including me) protested with self-righteous fervor. The reinstatement seemed facile, especially as the Huskers drove to repeat as national champions. Osborne never wavered. He took the step because he thought football was the only chance that Phillips had to escape his demons. It didn’t work. Phillips flushed himself out of the NFL and landed in prison, where he died this week at 40. The more we learned about Phillips, the more I understood why Osborne didn’t take the easy way out."

What a load of crap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/p...ng-tom-osbornes-handling-of-lawrence-phillips

That's just extraordinary.

 

[BobPSU92]

These are tough situations for coaches, teachers, parents, etc. Props to anyone that gives a KID a chance. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Unlike the Barry Switzers of the world at least Osbourne stuck with the kid long term. Like so many that judged, and still judge, JoePa's actions from ten thousand feet away, it's wise to walk in another mans shoes first and ignorant to judge someone's intent. The Phillips bad behavior could have occurred immediately after Osbourne kicked off the team permanently, and could have been worse. Then how would you feel if you were the last person, like Osbourne, that could have helped the kid? The great thing about sports is that it's often times the only structure or opportunity for those who weren't born in a solid environment. Easy to sit their in your cushy job and judge others with your iMac.

Wow, you're a "genious".

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Wow, you're a "genious".

Actually given this screed, I think we may have misjudged him - I may not be an ASWP troll....he clearly shows a depth of knowledge and sympathy that clearly points to the strong possibility he is a UNL troll....

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

Wow, you're a "genious".

Hank you.

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

Osbourne was a self-interested "enabler" of Lawerence Phillips and his criminal behavior. The notion that Osbourne was trying to help anyone or anything but his own self-interest and agenda in regards to how he handled Phillip's repeated criminal and fraud-student behavior is laughable. He repeatedly let Phillips off the hook despite being a clearly fraudulent student-athlete and a criminal....and repeatedly gave him "another chance" for a very simple reason....and that simple reason is that he would win more games if Phillip's played than if he didn't play. Urban Meyer is the modern day "awe shucks" window-dressing hypocrite equivalent of Osborne with his Bible-thumping BS while he's busy pumping Co-Eds and playing whoever's necessary fraud student or not....

I don't claim to know the stories so I'll let someone like you who reads those great two sided fair articles do the judging. You know the same authors who provide the whole PSU stories? I'm simply pointing out that I lean on the side of anyone who gives KIDs that weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth a chance no matter what the consequences. Judging someone's motivation or intent without walking in their shoes and knowing their thought process at the time is silly.

 

[AWS1022]

So if the kid is a nobody then it's ok to offer help? But if you try to help kids who are athletic then it's not acceptable?

Show me a track record of kids who were nobodies that Osbourne bent team rules to help or went out of his way to help. It comes down to motivation, was he doing it to help a player or to help himself? When a coach gives a star athlete multiple chances, it's about the coach.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

I don't claim to know the stories so I'll let someone like you who reads those great two sided fair articles do the judging. You know the same authors who provide the whole PSU stories? I'm simply pointing out that I lean on the side of anyone who gives KIDs that weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth a chance no matter what the consequences. Judging someone's motivation or intent without walking in their shoes and knowing their thought process at the time is silly.

Huh? Not holding kids accountable for their mistakes especially in regards to criminal behavior is "enabling" their behavior, not "giving KIDS another chance". All animals learn via "trial & error" and it has been proven many times over that all animals, including humans, learn from their mistakes when made accountable for those mistakes. When you reward mistakes and had behavior you only beget more of it via "enabling" which short-circuits the natural learning process. Furthermore, Osbourne was "enabling" Phillips out of his own sel-interest, not some bull$hit "concern for KIDS" that you claim - if Osbourne was concerned about Phillips, he would have shown him "tough love" and punished him severely...and made him earn his way back on the team and playing time via proven improved behavior. You reward improved behavior - not bad behavior - and you demand proven effort not empty promises about the future. Had Osbourne really been concerned with making a difference in Phillips life rather than his own self-interest, Phillips might never have gone on to lead a life of crime and died in a prison - a result that Osbourne clearly contributed to with his "enabling" approach.

 

[The Spin Meister]

I don't claim to know the stories so I'll let someone like you who reads those great two sided fair articles do the judging. You know the same authors who provide the whole PSU stories? I'm simply pointing out that I lean on the side of anyone who gives KIDs that weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth a chance no matter what the consequences. Judging someone's motivation or intent without walking in their shoes and knowing their thought process at the time is silly.

So what did Osborne do after Phillips used up his eligibility and/or left the program? Joe was famous for keeping after kids after they were done playing, as was Woody Hayes.
I don't know the answer...if Osborne continued helping the guy then kudos. But if not, it then shows the real reason Phillips played when other options may have been netter.

 

[Cletus11]

Nebraska under Osbourne in the mid 90's was the leading PED college team in the country. Osbourne let that go. Phillips was a really bad dude. Giving him a chance is one thing, but Osbourne went beyond that and with the amount and severity of the Phillips transgressions should have been kicked off the team.

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

Huh? Not holding kids accountable for their mistakes especially in regards to criminal behavior is "enabling" their behavior, not "giving KIDS another chance". All animals learn via "trial & error" and it has been proven many times over that all animals, including humans, learn from their mistakes when made accountable for those mistakes. When you reward mistakes and had behavior you only beget more of it via "enabling" which short-circuits the natural learning process. Furthermore, Osbourne was "enabling" Phillips out of his own sel-interest, not some bull$hit "concern for KIDS" that you claim - if Osbourne was concerned about Phillips, he would have shown him "tough love" and punished him severely...and made him earn his way back on the team and playing time via proven improved behavior. You reward improved behavior - not bad behavior - and you demand proven effort not empty promises about the future. Had Osbourne really been concerned with making a difference in Phillips life rather than his own self-interest, Phillips might never have gone on to lead a life of crime and died in a prison - a result that Osbourne clearly contributed to with his "enabling" approach.

Was speaking more in general about kids and providing opportunities. I don't know enough about the Nebraska-Phillps situation though and won't judge based on one sides articles. I just get a little irritated when all these high and mighty folks in our own fan base act ignorant and foolish like we're better than the rest. And anyone who can deny a kid (take Phillips out for a second) a chance (or second chance) in an activity like sports needs their head checked.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Was speaking more in general about kids and providing opportunities. I don't know enough about the Nebraska-Phillps situation though and won't judge based on one sides articles. I just get a little irritated when all these high and mighty folks in our own fan base act ignorant and foolish like we're better than the rest. And anyone who can deny a kid (take Phillips out for a second) a chance (or second chance) in an activity like sports needs their head checked.

A second chance without paying their dues for their mistake? Absurd, kids are not owed a "second chance" if they have no desire to MAKE AMENDS and BE ACCOUNTABLE for the transgression that cost them their original "opportunity". It's called an "opportunity" and not "entitlement" for a reason.

 

[dawgduice]

Osborne and Nebraska always recruited "very questionable" athletes.

 

[LionwiththeDevil]

A second chance without paying their dues for their mistake? Absurd, kids are not owed a "second chance" if they have no desire to MAKE AMENDS and BE ACCOUNTABLE for the transgression that cost them their original "opportunity". It's called an "opportunity" and not "entitlement" for a reason.

Who said anything about not paying their dues? I think you have your focus too much into that situation and the article about Phillips to see my point. If you're interested reread my post that you responded to. If not, big deal, and have a good one.