re: Well, GP has bungled this up even more.

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As I see it, Gary had 3 choices:

#1) Tell the 32 protesting players that players don't tell the Head Coach when they will practice - it's the other way around. Practice will be held tomorrow at 3:00 as always and, as always, anyone not present without a medical reason will be considered to have quit the team.

#2) Tell the 32 protesting players that you are sympathetic to their cause and respect their position, but we are a family and we don't quit on our teammates. There are 90+ other guys on the team getting ready for a big game next Saturday and it's selfish & unfair to them to quit on them. Tell the 32 protestors that you are happy to support them by personally arranging a meeting with the president and/or chancellor to ensure that their grievances are heard at the highest levels, but we aren't quitters and we're not going to quit on our teammates.

#3) Allow the 32 protesting players to dictate to the Head Coach when they will practice, and completely acquiesce by coercing the remainder of the team to support the cause when many don't, just to create an illusion of unity, go on strike calling for the ouster of your boss' boss' boss, and generally embarrass the program and the university on the national stage.

#1 is certainly the path that would've been taken by legendary coaches such as Dan Devine, Vince Lombardi, Bear Bryant, etc. Even Pinkel's mentor, Don James.

But I understand that times have changed and modern coaches have to pander to their athletes, so option #2 is obviously the best choice IMO because it validates the concerns of the 32 protestors and even offers a way to ensure that their grievances are heard while still retaining control of the program.

Unfortunately, Pinkel chose to let the tail wag the dog with option #3, letting a portion of the team tell him when they will decide to return to practice, and playing an integral role in the national PR mess we are currently experiencing.

I realize this is pure speculation, but I'm curious if you think Pinkel made the wrong decision (in his presser, he said he would do it again) & what you think the situation would be if Pinkel had chosen option #2 instead.

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