'16 TN ATH Darel Middleton (Tennessee signee)

[Darth_Shiveman]

When he accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee he made it our business.

Sorry, but just because he might (probably won't) go to the school you root for doesn't make it your business. He's 16.

By that logic the life and activities of all future UT students on scholarship is your business. By that logic my life was your business as an undergrad at UT. Neither of those things is true.

 

[LebanonVolunteer]

Being a student at Tennessee and deciding to play college football at Tennessee are just not the same. When a recruit decides these days to announce where he will play his college ball, it's a spectacle. These kids want the attention, they feed off it. They put it front and center for the fans and they flat out enjoy it for the most part. Of course when it all goes bad, they can't just act like it never happened. Darel loved the spotlight of being a Tennessee commitment. It just stands to reason that when he blew that opportunity, people would dissect it and have some not so nice things to say about it. The kid has no one to blame but himself.

 

[BondJamesBond]

No one is beyond the judgments of others. I'll be judged on this post. People should be honest and compassionate in their judgments, and maybe they should keep their judgment to themselves. But they will judge.

I find it ironic that in saying to someone, "You shouldn't judge another person," you are in fact judging them.

I don't know the kid, I don't know his circumstances. I don't know his family. But he appears to be making mistake after mistake. It may ultimately cost him millions of dollars. I hoped better for him. I still do.

 

[onevol74]

Sorry, but just because he might (probably won't) go to the school you root for doesn't make it your business. He's 16.

By that logic the life and activities of all future UT students on scholarship is your business. By that logic my life was your business as an undergrad at UT. Neither of those things is true.

NO, you are probably not that important unless you were a recruit in football.

 

[VolSteve]

Being a student at Tennessee and deciding to play college football at Tennessee are just not the same. When a recruit decides these days to announce where he will play his college ball, it's a spectacle. These kids want the attention, they feed off it. They put it front and center for the fans and they flat out enjoy it for the most part. Of course when it all goes bad, they can't just act like it never happened. Darel loved the spotlight of being a Tennessee commitment. It just stands to reason that when he blew that opportunity, people would dissect it and have some not so nice things to say about it. The kid has no one to blame but himself.

:thumbsup: This!

 

[Vols4us]

Football is not even relevant in this discussion - at least it should not be. What is relevant is the character issue. Regardless of the condition of our families, neighborhood, community, culture, whatever - we make personal choices that influence the outcomes of our lives. Simply - high road or low road. Choose wisely. It is not judging to say that young Mr. Middleton has chosen the later at times to this point. That is factual. Hope he changes his trajectory before it is too late for him to utilize his talents somewhere.

 

[VolSteve]

Football is not even relevant in this discussion - at least it should not be. What is relevant is the character issue. Regardless of the condition of our families, neighborhood, community, culture, whatever - we make personal choices that influence the outcomes of our lives. Simply - high road or low road. Choose wisely. It is not judging to say that young Mr. Middleton has chosen the later at times to this point. That is factual. Hope he changes his trajectory before it is too late for him to utilize his talents somewhere.

Too many people these days excuse bad character and make excuses for those who exhibit bad behavior. Probably why there is so much more of it than there was a generation ago when bad behavior was not so lightly excused and when it was not blamed on everybody and everything else but the individual with the character issues.

 

[SteelerVol]

I guess the racketeering got him in the end.

Ps- that's still DMs business, and none of yours. He is a kid and has to carve his own path. Who are we to judge him? The fact that you don't get that is astounding.

The moment the kid's name appeared on Volnation he became our business. That might not be fair but too bad, that's life.
He better learn some respect or life will chew his azz up and spit him out and thenhe can spend the rest of his life mumbling about how he got screwed by "The Man".
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[Playdo]

Walking into this thread after the Drew Richmond debacle:

 

[OrangeHammer]

This kid reminds me of a kid that used to play at Oak Ridge that went to Alabama and got kicked out Shaun Bohannon. He was a great player and athlete he just always seemed like he ways always intitled to something. Middleton seems to be heading down the same road.

Watched SB play many years ago. That Oak Ridge team was something serious, but I was glad to watch that goal post get ripped down by my fellow Dragons the year after.

You are getting desperate now. It's Kingsport's fault. You must be very young

Says the guy who's been here since Oct '12.

I haven't backed up this kid once. All I've stated is that you grown ass men sitting around beating his name into the dirt.. calling him a thug.. is just sad. DM may bring a lot of things on himself, and he may be childish. Hell, he may even end up in jail..

 

[vols 30]

Watched SB play many years ago. That Oak Ridge team was something serious, but I was glad to watch that goal post get ripped down by my fellow Dragons the year after.



Says the guy who's been here since Oct '12.

I haven't backed up this kid once. All I've stated is that you grown ass men sitting around beating his name into the dirt.. calling him a thug.. is just sad. DM may bring a lot of things on himself, and he may be childish. Hell, he may even end up in jail..

What does how long I've been on VN have to do with anything?

 

[VolFan4Life10]

Watched SB play many years ago. That Oak Ridge team was something serious, but I was glad to watch that goal post get ripped down by my fellow Dragons the year after.



Says the guy who's been here since Oct '12.

I haven't backed up this kid once. All I've stated is that you grown ass men sitting around beating his name into the dirt.. calling him a thug.. is just sad. DM may bring a lot of things on himself, and he may be childish. Hell, he may even end up in jail..

I was to i graduated from clinton. Bohannon was something special just didnt have his head on right. I remember when oak ridge had shawn summers that team was insane. Same thing happened woth him at UT

 

[Burger]

I'm sorry for being extremely nasty to people on here. You guys don't deserve it. This kid has four chances. Do you think he will honestly get it together? Darel may not have had a male role model, but he makes his own decisions with awareness. He's not innocent.

I'll work on being less harsh in my judgements. Judgements can always change also, nothing is set in stone until ya die.

 

[vols 30]

I'm sorry for being extremely nasty to people on here. You guys don't deserve it. This kid has four chances. Do you think he will honestly get it together? Darel may not have had a male role model, but he makes his own decisions with awareness. He's not innocent.

I'll work on being less harsh in my judgements. Judgements can always change also, nothing is set in stone until ya die.

You didn't say anything that wasn't true.

 

[85SugarVol]

What does how long I've been on VN have to do with anything?

absolutely nothing

 

[Playdo]

You didn't say anything that wasn't true.

That doesn't mean it's something you should discuss in a public forum which Burger very maturely acknowledged SO WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN THIS FOR US

 

[Burger]

You didn't say anything that wasn't true.

Calling him a thug when he's a spoiled punk is wrong.

 

[SteelerVol]

Watched SB play many years ago. That Oak Ridge team was something serious, but I was glad to watch that goal post get ripped down by my fellow Dragons the year after.



Says the guy who's been here since Oct '12.

I haven't backed up this kid once. All I've stated is that you grown ass men sitting around beating his name into the dirt.. calling him a thug.. is just sad. DM may bring a lot of things on himself, and he may be childish. Hell, he may even end up in jail..

You know what really gets old? We keep calling these young men kids. They're
young men. They should act like young men.
They should be treated like young men. When we quit treating them like kids they may learn to act like young men. They might learn to say yes sir to their teacher, their coach or whatever adult they bump into at school, church or the darn grocery store.
A little dose of Scared Straight might wake this young man up so he'll quit acting like a punk, brat kid.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

 

[Burger]

You know what really gets old? We keep calling these young men kids. They're
young men. They should act like young men.
They should be treated like young men. When we quit treating them like kids they may learn to act like young men. They might learn to say yes sir to their teacher, their coach or whatever adult they bump into at school, church or the darn grocery store.
A little dose of Scared Straight might wake this young man up so he'll quit acting like a punk, brat kid.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

Couldn't agree more. These aren't kids. These are guys who could get tried as an adult. They do need to be held accountable for their actions. How many chances can you give someone?

 

[vols 30]

Couldn't agree more. These aren't kids. These are guys who could get tried as an adult. They do need to be held accountable for their actions. How many chances can you give someone?

According to One particular poster, chances are unlimited.

 

[OrangeHammer]

You know what really gets old? We keep calling these young men kids. They're
young men. They should act like young men.
They should be treated like young men. When we quit treating them like kids they may learn to act like young men. They might learn to say yes sir to their teacher, their coach or whatever adult they bump into at school, church or the darn grocery store.
A little dose of Scared Straight might wake this young man up so he'll quit acting like a punk, brat kid.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

You and Darel must have been brought up the same way as kids. Oh wait...

 

[Burger]

According to One particular poster, chances are unlimited.

Lol, that's crazy to me. I believe in the three strikes you're out rule. We are human, we all make mistakes. The problem is when you keep making the same ones or blatantly don't care about the consequences of your actions.

I think there is always a reaction to your actions. Those are called consequences.

 

[Burger]

You and Darel must have been brought up the same way as kids. Oh wait...

You cant make excuses for people who choose to act the way they act. Everybody on this forum has had some type of adversity as a child. You can either choose to be strong or weak. Darel is accountable for his actions like the rest of us. He has to follow the same rules and procedures as his teammates and members of societies.

The variables of life don't care if you're a foster kid or privileged, its your choice to succeed, or fail.
Assuming Darel can't succeed because of his adversity is what I'm having a problem with. That's setting him up for failure. Nobody wants that.

 

[OrangeHammer]

You cant make excuses for people who choose to act the way they act. Everybody on this forum has had some type of adversity as a child. You can either choose to be strong or weak. Darel is accountable for his actions like the rest of us. He has to follow the same rules and procedures as his teammates and members of societies.

The variables of life don't care if you're a foster kid or privileged, its your choice to succeed, or fail.
Assuming Darel can't succeed because of his adversity is what I'm having a problem with. That's setting him up for failure. Nobody wants that.

Again, DM made his bed and he will lay in it. He will suffer the consequences of his actions and it will affect him for the rest of his life. However us mulling over his racketeering and thuggish schemes, childish behavior etc is stupid.

Please let this thread die.

 

[delfonic]

Couldn't agree more. These aren't kids. These are guys who could get tried as an adult. They do need to be held accountable for their actions. How many chances can you give someone?

In the perfect world the answer to that question is one more... always one more.