GRAMBLING, LA – You might be used to seeing my weekly NFL Picks For Rugby Heads here every weekend… Well, this is my betting bye weekend, with the weekly selections returning next weekend. But to we’re only a consonant away from Gambling today, with the focus shifting to the wacky situation developing involving the football program at a NCAA Division I school… The Grambling State Meltdown.
Grambling State University was one of the nation’s best Division I Football Championship Series teams not too long ago. After a National Championship in 2008 and a Southwestern Atlantic Conference Championship, this team was one that was gaining recognition nationwide. However, after 17 losses in their last 18 games, and two coach firings later, the Tigers are back in the national spotlight… for all of the wrong reasons.
The debacle all started two weeks into the season after the Tigers fired head coach Doug Williams. That was the first domino to fall. Not only did the Tigers continue to lose, but the team’s funding began to decrease – to a point where the team had to take a 750-mile two-day bus ride for a game in Indianapolis. The team left for the game last Thursday at 6 p.m. and arrived at 9 a.m. on Friday. They then lost to Alcorn State 48-0.
Fast forward to this past week. During a team meeting with administrators Tuesday night, players walked out due to disgust with the team’s travel policies, poor facility conditions and recent coaching decisions. But it didn’t end there. They didn’t show up for practice both Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in the firing of newly-named interim coach George Ragsdale. And if you think this is bad… It gets even worse. The Tigers didn’t show up for this week’s bus to play Jackson State.
Quite the controversy for a school that is in extreme financial troubles, which are obviously rolling over to the football program. I have never seen anything like this and can’t believe the captains didn’t try to stop this meltdown. It’s truly one of a kind.
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