Do you agree with Shula?

[dave]

In light of the recent controversy of Shula changing the name on a spring training award from the Sylvester Croom to the Bart Starr, what do ya'll think?

[golfpro]

I disagree with Coach Shula. The award was created after a man who is a class act. Just because he is now on the other sideline makes no differance. He is still a great man and a class act. I've coached against several coaches that I respected and viewed them as heads above the rest. You can still compete against him on the battle field and respect him for who he is. We seem to have developed the attitude that the coach and the team across the way is the enemy and we therefore should hate them. Coaches and players can and should have respect for each other. After all this is suppose to be a "game". There are a lot more important things in life such as God and life.

[Roxanne]

I like Shula, but this was a bad call. Sylvester Croom deserves more respect than this.

[dave]

I don't believe the decision was racially motivated, which has been suggested, but just a stupid decision. the perception is a lot worse than what a possible recruit may think. It's not like Croom left Alabama or turned the school down for another job--quite the opposite. To not hire Croom, then take his name off an award puts Alabama in a bad light.

Also, even though Bart Starr was a very good NFL QB, his college career didn't even compare to Croom's.

[rammajamma]

There was no reason to do this in my opinion. If they had left things alone, I don't think that anyone would have noticed this award. Whats next? Are they going to remove his shoe and hand prints that are next to Denny Chimes? He could have and should have been our coach anyway. Its not like he has done something wrong. This is just one of many mistakes that Alabama has made lately and it saddens me.

[BIG JIM]

I hadn't heard about it. Why not just add Starr and make it the Croom-Starr Award? I think that would have been better than jsut removing the Croom name. Bad call Coach but It isn't gunna change my ways! ROLL TIDE ROLL!

[rob]

I'm sure Shula had a very valid reason for changing the name of the award.If nobody has heard his reasoning behind the change,then I don't think we should condemn the man just yet.I'm standing behind Shula.

[demopolite]

Actually, the gossip around the University is that the ultimate motivation behind changing the name on the award is Croom's remarks that he was not hired by Alabama for racial reasons.

"They" say that the upper echleons (far above Shula) decided to take the name off the award, and that Shula is trying to help the University save face by saying that Croom's name was taken off the award because he was another SEC coach.

Of course, take UA gossip for what you will.

[stickman]

Regardless of the reason for the name change, I definitely think it was not only a BIG mistake, but an even BIGGER slap in the face to Sylvester Croom to change the name of the award. The excuse UA gave was one of the crappiest excuses I've heard since the Mike Price scandal. Just another black eye for the Tide in my book.

However, Shula did the right thing by restoring Croom's name to the award, creating the new Bart Starr award, and apologizing to Croom for the sleight. It took a heck of a man to admit he made a mistake and to correct that mistake. Croom was just as big a man for accepting the apology and putting the incident behind them.

Just my 2 cents.