First of all, I want to congratulate our Horns247 staff - especially EJ Holland and Mike Roach - for their incredible work leading up to and covering the first Early Signing Period. Amazing work and fun to read.
Now, for the apparent (bleep) storm centered around me ...
Apologies for my delay in getting to the board. I was preparing dinner for out of town family guests (two of whom cousins of mine who arrived yesterday and I hadn't seen in 10 years) last night and honestly was unaware that Tom Herman, while talking about the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, made a comment about "internet" reporting about the team that had to be addressed with recruits.
Herman specifically said Todd Orlando had to do a great job in coaxing in Ayodele Adeoye because of it.
And then - Jeff Howe - told me this morning, several of our members wanted me relocated to Planet Neverland.
I've addressed this already, but I'll gladly address it again.
My report in the Eyes of Texas was a response to ALL the questions we'd gotten right here, from our Horns247 community, about the attrition that was occurring on this team, including four fifth-year senior offensive linemen who were choosing to walk away from college football before your ideal season as an offensive lineman (your fifth year, when you're at your biggest and strongest).
Maybe I should have spelled it out more or phrased it differently in letting everyone know that the subject matter of the post mostly centered around attrition candidates.
Nonetheless, I make no apology for the content of the post - because it addressed exactly what was being asked of us to address regarding the attrition. And I'll go eyeball-to-eyeball with Tom Herman and anyone else about the content of that post. My sources are money. And I left out a ton I could've also reported.
I had been gathering information for that post for a week. And we typically run The Eyes of Texas on Thursday, but it was decided we'd move it up to Tuesday this week, so it would not to get lost amongst signing day. So the timing is what proved to be the most unfortunate thing about all of this.
So apologies for the timing. It wasn't a hit piece. It was part of an insider notes package behind a pay wall - something that shouldn't be taken from here and posted on other boards. I apologized to my fellow Horns247 staffers, especially EJ Holland, for the timing as well.
If you simply don't like me, I'm a big boy I can handle it. I've been loved and hated - hated and loved - for all of the 25 years I've been covering Texas. But don't take that out on the incredible staff here at Horns247.
Everyone here loves the work - and should - of EJ Holland and Mike Roach - on recruiting. And that's what should be celebrated here at Horns247 in the wake of Texas signing the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. Choosing to focus energy anywhere else would seem to be an energy drain, especially two days before Christmas.
Texas signed the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. That - and the coverage of it by EJ Holland and Mike Roach - is what should be celebrated.
If we can have a civilized conversation about this, let's do it. If we can't, we'll probably lock this thread and allow folks to move on to egg nog, wrapping presents and chestnuts roasting over an open fire.
Merry Christmas!!
Now, for the apparent (bleep) storm centered around me ...
Apologies for my delay in getting to the board. I was preparing dinner for out of town family guests (two of whom cousins of mine who arrived yesterday and I hadn't seen in 10 years) last night and honestly was unaware that Tom Herman, while talking about the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, made a comment about "internet" reporting about the team that had to be addressed with recruits.
Herman specifically said Todd Orlando had to do a great job in coaxing in Ayodele Adeoye because of it.
And then - Jeff Howe - told me this morning, several of our members wanted me relocated to Planet Neverland.
I've addressed this already, but I'll gladly address it again.
My report in the Eyes of Texas was a response to ALL the questions we'd gotten right here, from our Horns247 community, about the attrition that was occurring on this team, including four fifth-year senior offensive linemen who were choosing to walk away from college football before your ideal season as an offensive lineman (your fifth year, when you're at your biggest and strongest).
Maybe I should have spelled it out more or phrased it differently in letting everyone know that the subject matter of the post mostly centered around attrition candidates.
Nonetheless, I make no apology for the content of the post - because it addressed exactly what was being asked of us to address regarding the attrition. And I'll go eyeball-to-eyeball with Tom Herman and anyone else about the content of that post. My sources are money. And I left out a ton I could've also reported.
I had been gathering information for that post for a week. And we typically run The Eyes of Texas on Thursday, but it was decided we'd move it up to Tuesday this week, so it would not to get lost amongst signing day. So the timing is what proved to be the most unfortunate thing about all of this.
So apologies for the timing. It wasn't a hit piece. It was part of an insider notes package behind a pay wall - something that shouldn't be taken from here and posted on other boards. I apologized to my fellow Horns247 staffers, especially EJ Holland, for the timing as well.
If you simply don't like me, I'm a big boy I can handle it. I've been loved and hated - hated and loved - for all of the 25 years I've been covering Texas. But don't take that out on the incredible staff here at Horns247.
Everyone here loves the work - and should - of EJ Holland and Mike Roach - on recruiting. And that's what should be celebrated here at Horns247 in the wake of Texas signing the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. Choosing to focus energy anywhere else would seem to be an energy drain, especially two days before Christmas.
Texas signed the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. That - and the coverage of it by EJ Holland and Mike Roach - is what should be celebrated.
If we can have a civilized conversation about this, let's do it. If we can't, we'll probably lock this thread and allow folks to move on to egg nog, wrapping presents and chestnuts roasting over an open fire.
Merry Christmas!!
