Alshon Jeffery: Does His Ejection Hurt His Draft Status (Are you serious, Bleacher Report?)
by tryptic67 on Jan 2, 2012 11:06 PM EST
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PrintWading through Bleacher Report's CFB articles is a lot like grazing at a pot-luck supper in your church's fellowship hall. Sometimes you get a great piece of fried chicken. And sometimes you get burnt squash casserole.
Well, put these two Bleacher Report dishes by "featured columnists" Eric Bowman and Luiz Batlle on the do not serve table.
Bowman huffs that "Alshon Jeffery was doing wonders for his NFL draft stock by dominating the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but he threw it all away by getting into an altercation with Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard. "
Not to be outdone, Batlle goes even further into la la land, claiming: "NFL scouts will, more so than anything else, take into account his confrontation with Dennard to close out the third quarter" and that Alshon "believes he is bigger than the team, as he was willing to cost his team a flag and ejection in the process."
Are you kidding me? Who are these guys? (Batlle is a college student, and while that might be an explanation for moronic commentary, it's still no excuse; of course Bowman cannot plead youthful inexperience - or can he?)
My personal opinion was that Dennard should have been ejected for throwing two punches (including the first punch) and that it was a ridiculous over-reaction for Jeffery to have also been ejected for pushing back with open hands. This was supposed to be the "top" officiating crew from the Big East Conference, and frankly I was underwhelmed for the game as a whole, and absolutely gobsmacked by this particular "call"; I wonder if they lacked the courage to eject one (who deserved it) and not the other (who did not).
I do not think it is hyperbole to say these Big East officials stole from both South Carolina fans and Jeffery. From Jeffery, the took from him a chance for sole possession of most career TD receptions at South Carolina (the Hail Mary reception at the end of the first half put him into a tie with the great Sidney Rice). From Gamecock fans, they stole our right to see one of the greatest players to ever wear the Garnet and Black finish a Hall of Fame career with an ovation as he came off the field one last time. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. I would hope that AD Eric Hyman and the SEC would protest to the Big East (I won't hold my breath).
The Cap One Bowl Committee certainly made an unmistakable editorial statement by awarding Jeffery the MVP when they could just as easily (and perhaps with more justification) awarded it to Connor Shaw. The Feathered Warrior said it best in one of his game-thread comments that the MVP tells "you all you need to know about what most people thought of his ejection." I'm not saying that Jeffery is a choir boy - he may have baited Dennard and he is a physical player who will push-off with the best of them. But none of that is grounds for ejection. And it certainly doesn't raise character issues.
I'm not a NFL scout. But neither are Messrs. Bowman and Batlle. I think I'm on very safe ground, however, to say that Alshon Jeffery's draft status is not the least bit in jeopardy, and his character will not be questioned. He's never been suspended. He's never been arrested (you hear me, Corey Miller?). Even though he's been double-teamed and cheap-shotted (remember the uncalled face mask at Mississippi State?) all this season, and had every chance to sulk or quit, he was still one of our fiercest blockers and always among the first to congratulate other teammates who made TD receptions or runs that might have gone to him had Garcia not imploded or Shaw been more experienced and willing to take more risks. Alshon Jeffry is a prototypical NFL number 1 wide receiver. Tiffs like Jeffery/Dennard are part of the game, and Jeffery was defending himself.
So are Bowman and Batlle serious when they say "scouts" will downgrade him for the Cap One Bowl? Or write defamatory and factually unsupportable posts that Jeffery now has "character" issues? Are they out of their minds? Their contention is laughable to the point of absurdity.
And unpalatable to say the least. Pass me the Rolaids, brother.
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Sigh. Armchair draftniks.
The NFL only begins to care about character at a certain point. Jeffery—either for this or any previous actions—has not reached that point. By all accounts, actually, he’s a hard worker and good teammate, even if he’s physical and a little mouthy during games.
The only thing I saw today that may hurt Jeffery’s draft stock is his lack of true breakaway speed, which we saw on the first long reception.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
The ball was very slightly overthrown
Jeffery had to extend for it and lost his footing ever so slightly as a result, which allowed Denard to catch up. If it had hit him perfectly in-stride, it would have been an 85 yard touchdown.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Jan 3, 2012 2:19 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
True, but it also would have been a TD if he were faster. He still had separation when he regained his stride.
I’m not saying he’s not fast, but he doesn’t have what NFL scouts call elite speed.
Of course, as he’s proven many times, that may not be as huge an issue as some might imagine.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
Awesome rant.
Agree completely, Bleacher Report really sucks. The NFL would be lucky to be filled with players like AJ1.
Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.
The "Hail Mary" was a work of ART!
When does the team return to Columbia?
Jeffery would have gained 3 or 4 1st half first downs
from PI or defensive holding calls with an NFL crew. Scouts saw a guy who a first round corner couldn’t cover at all within the rules, and could barely contain even with the excessive grabbing and shoving.
"Lattimore, as the kids can say, can ball, and sometimes does it to the extent one might say [he] is out of control in his balling." - Spencer Hall
by GwinnettGamecock on Jan 3, 2012 2:22 AM EST via mobile reply actions
@veryfakebr is an excellent parody twitter feed
And an excellent send-up of one of the worst-written, most money-grubbing sports sites on the internet.
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 7:20 AM EST reply actions
Dennard's technique
Dennard’s technique resembles a gnat at a barbecue. He doesn’t do anything effective, but he just keeps buzzing around irritating the shi* out of you until you just can’t take it anymore. He reminds me of a slap fighter. He’s certainly not first-round talent, and if he goes in the first, the pool of DB talent is VERY thin.
Great Post
Officiating was a joke and what was done to AJ was inexcusable and warrants some sort of sanctions on those sorry refs. They kept NU in the game in the first half. They could have called illegal contact several times on that clown.
And why was the guy from NU not thrown out for the helmet to helmet on Shaw??? Seems like the Gamecocks have been subject to poor officiating all year, maybe next year the tables will turn.
Go Cocks! 11-2!
Check out the post-game interview with Spurrier and Alshon
You can find it here. Spurrier asks Alshon if he swung at that guy, and Alshon says “No, Sir.” And Spurrier goes on to say he would have been very surprised, b/c he had never seen Alshon swing at anyone. He goes on to criticize him getting kicked out.
Replay
clearly shows dennard taking two swipes at AJ, an uppercut and a haymaker. AJ is keep his distance. Personally, I think AJ exercised great restraint in not slugging the clown. If the refs had called the game properly, we would have kept getting 1st and tens like Gwinnett said.
by wilmywoodcock on Jan 3, 2012 2:10 PM EST up reply actions
Worst Potluck Ever!
Where is this fried chicken? I have continuously been disappointed in anything Bleacher Reports publishes. They’re the TMZ of sports reporting.
But anyway, it’s asinine to think this hurts Alshon’s draft order. If anything it helps him. He had a player swing on him and he didn’t retaliate with punches. Kept a cool head. Pushed off and just chirped.
In the end if this drops Alshon to 19th in the draft I’ll be completely ok with that. Cutler would enjoy him.
"Punching cabbies and scoring goals, that's what Patrick Kane does!"
by JohnFG on Jan 3, 2012 10:39 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
The sad thing is, as a huge Redskins fan, I wouldn't WANT him to go to DC.
I want him somewhere he can succeed. That is how bad it is.
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 12:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Great write-up...
Anyone who thinks that Alshon hurt his draft stock after being ejected for defending himself against a punk who swung at him twice before Alshon even retaliated with an open-handed shove is either a) a moron, or b) a Clemson/Georgia fan. Wait…those are the same thing. You get the point…
As far as Bleacher Report…biggest joke of a sports site out there.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
I may not always be right, but even a blind nut finds a squirrel every once in a while.
Off topic: I'm about to get my butthurt on.
I love EDSBS. Reference it constantly, have wiped tears after reading the satire held therein, and am so very glad it exists as a voice of reason in the convoluted world of CFB punditry. But I must say this: I’m growing weary of Spencer Hall’s steady dismissals of all things USC. While I can’t catalog the offenses, it’s been a trend I’ve observed over a few years. In his defense, he’ll compliment individual players—he loves Lattimore, of course, but who doesn’t. But he’ll turn around and habitually attribute our success to the shortcomings and screw-ups of other teams, insult our students, our state, and so on. All in good fun, I know, but man, it’s like clockwork.
One of the purest examples of veiled butthurt I ever read on EDSBS was the write-up he did after this year’s UF/USC game, wherein he scripted the Tim Brando play-by-play. Basically presented it as this dystopian non-game, bemoaning UF while slinging ad hominem barbs at all things South Carolina. (note: it was actually pretty hilarious, but c’mon. Hard to read that one without it seeming like he was trying to take us down with him.) And just yesterday, I listened to the pre-bowl podcast, featuring he and one of the other writers. Hall dismissively described Connor Shaw as nothing more than a sweep and dive quarterback who will occasionally throw, but bad things happen when he does. That description is paraphrased, but the sentiment is the same, and is a terribly misguided and editorialized analysis of what the kid’s done. He then rather acerbically called Alshon fat a few times. Charming! As incredible as a writer and thinker Spencer is, and as much as I don’t want him to button up and play nice because how boring would that be, it always seems like he’s losing his grip a bit when he’s writing about the Gamecocks. (Yes, I make that observation wearing garnet-tinted glasses. There may be a comment such as this on every program’s blog, except Clemson’s, due the required base understanding of grammar and technology that is involved.)*
In fairness, I’d imagine it’d be tough to see our lil’ never-was program on the rise and while his Gators tumble (at least as it is presently.) Not to mention we’re dating his ex in Spurrier. But here we are, having just won a high profile bowl game and becoming one of only a handful of 11-game winners this year, and Spencer decides to link and confirm Corn Nation’s postgame write-up that at least partially adopts Spencer’s “we lost, they didn’t win” mentality. I’m just not sure what we’ll have to do to be taken seriously by the guy. I’m thinking the answer is, “There is nothing we can do for SH to take us seriously.” And, hell, that’s OK. His Florida Gators are more than welcome to continue handing us unearned wins, as has evidently been the case. Anyway, thus ends my butthurt-fueled rant.
*OK, I admit. It is kinda fun.
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 12:16 PM EST reply actions
Reading it back, my description of Corn Nation's write-up made it seem nasty, and it wasn't.
It just happened to focus more on Nebraska’s miscues, which is expected from a Nebraska blog. But why not top billing for the winning team’s blog? Huh? I’m not being petty, YOU’RE being petty!
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
At least they don't say F Carolina....
- FOW
by skandrewj62j on Jan 3, 2012 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
THAT, is a good point.
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
Spencer's problem, IMO, is that he falls victim to the typical obedience to the narrative that characterizes most mainstream media.
Spencer does it with his usual gonzo-espue eclat, and that’s what makes his work so great and much more interesting than anything that’s actually mainstream, but it’s there all the same. We were told all year last year that the Gamecocks were finally succeeding because they had players like Garcia, Lattimore, and Jeffery who were making a difference for us. This year, Garcia and Lattimore were done by mid-season and Jeffery was mostly a non-factor. Therefore, any success the Gamecocks continued having must be pure luck, right? That sentiment has been sounded by many in the media, and Spencer is just keeping step, albeit in his zany way. The comments about Shaw are just silly. Shaw finished the season with a 140+ passer rating, so, clearly, the kid is more than just a runner. However, those comments fit with the old narrative that Spurrier only liked Shaw because there was some kind of feud between Spurrier and Garcia. Oh well. You can’t win them all over. I guess we’ll just have to keep beating the Gators.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
Spencer Hall actually worte a very nice piece about us for SB Nation proper before the season started.
He had nice things to say along the lines “Don’t expect this Gamecocks team to blow it just because that’s how the ball used to roll.” Honestly, take a step back and tell me it’s NOT easy to make fun of the state of South Carolina.
Putting out as much creative content as he does in a day, you have to expect him to lean on a few crutches here and there. It’s going to take more than a trip to the SEC Championship and an 11-win season to erase a perception of our program that’s been building for over 50 years. I’m just so glad for the “F*** Clemson” meme that I’m willing to forgive a whole host of injustices.
Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina
by The Feathered Warrior on Jan 3, 2012 8:24 PM EST up reply actions
That was a nice piece, but, going back to what I said a moment ago, the motivation was that Garcia, Lattimore, and Jeffery would carry us through.
Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.
Agreed with everything both of you said.
I remember that piece, and it was a nice read. Also agree that one season a program does not make.
But I also agree with GM, that since the big three went down, virtually every college football writer has viewed our offense as the presence of dysfunction and chaos that exists when our defense is off the field.
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by Gamecock'n'Balls on Jan 3, 2012 9:05 PM EST up reply actions
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