Remember "Meat on the Hoof"

[Pony81]

For those on the board shocked by the dismissal of 9 players, I suggest you read that early '70's classic about Texas football titled "Meat on the Hoof".

It documented in excruciating detail how Texas over recruited (no scholarship limits in those days) to keep players from other teams. Once the player was on campus they brutally weeded them out. Absolutely used and abused these kids. Trully Darwinian.

Thank God for scholarship limits because now State U has to be careful who they sign. No longer can they sign 80 kids a year because State U is cheap and then run most of them off.

It is still a good thing that scholarships are year to year and kids have to keep performing to stay on the team. The coach who arbitrarily cuts a hard working, good attitude kid who may lack lots of talent sends a bad message to the rest of players. You really only want to cut those kids who don't do the work, are locker room poison, or who can't cut it academically.

[NavyCrimson]

If you don't perform in the classroom with that math or engineering scholarship you're out so what's the difference? Right you are - Pony81

[EastStang]

Yeah, I read the book. Then, we got Dave Smith, who sort of followed the Darryl Royal script on treating players. I know of at least four players who were living in the basement of Ownby.

JJ was fine to yank the schollies, he just should have kept his mouth shut as to why. Just say, the usual thing that privacy prevents him from commenting on the matter and then we could spend a lot more time trying to figure out why.

[Rayburn]

Meat on the Hoof is a look at football from the point of view of someone who never wanted to play football. Gary Shaw makes the statement in the book that his dad made him play. As Darrell Royal stated, "why isn't he mad at his daddy?"

Most of the book is true, as Royal himself stated, some of it is outright BS, but even a good deal of the true material has a dubious quality. Take for instance Shaw's account of Royal not recognizing him a year or two after Shaw quit the team. The reason was that the ex-player had lost 50 pounds and grown a beard!

When I first read Meat on the Hoof in the early 1970s, it was scary. Now, it's just a funny little curio.

[NavyCrimson]

Hey Rayburn:

Really like your "BUCK'EM STANGS" logo.

What year is that from - approximately? Really a classic!