I can understand a kid leaving to start making a living to do something you love.NattyBumppo'sRevenge wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:11 pmAgreed. Duck wasn't getting drafted this year or next. He may make a roster, though. Why wait a year for the same result?ah59396 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:30 pmAppStFan1 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:49 amYou look at it as trashing but I look at this as a learning lesson for other players.AppGrad78 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:05 amI’m puzzled, AppStFan1, at why you think it’s your mission on this board to anonymously trash one of our former athletes? Time and time on here you’ve proven to be nothing less than a gigantic wind bag. But let’s suppose for argument sake that your information is reliable. Who, precisely, is it helping? It isn’t helping Duck’s family, who you’ve skillfully thrown under the bus by saying they gave him bad information. It doesn’t help our coaching staff, past or present, who unlike yourself have chosen to take the high road and refrain from making their opinions public on this matter. It doesn’t help your “source,” who I’m sure will be barred from future pro day events, should his or her name come to light. It doesn’t help the legitimate media members who cover this event because no doubt there will be more scrutiny of them and the information they’re allowed to publish. It certainly isn’t helping Duck, who must live with what surely is an extremely difficult decision. None of us — especially “insider” wannabes like yourself — will ever know Duck’s motivation. And in truth, it’s nobody’s business but his. He’s given his all to Appalachian State for three years and he has no one to apologize to, least of all some jerkwater on a message board. And finally, your crusade doesn’t help Appalachian State. In the next few months Duck will have a shot at making life-changing money. You say that won’t happen. That’s your opinion. Fine. But what if he does? Do you think he will be as willing to give back to our university after reading your trash jobs? Do you think his buddies Jalin Moore, Tae Hayes, Myquon Stout and Austin Exford will?
No, your posts are purely self serving. You’ve come across some insider intel and you think it somehow elevates your status here by demeaning and belittling a former athlete. In my eyes, the only person you’ve demeaned and belittled is yourself.
Can we agree on this?
1. I want all of our guys to get their degree.
2. I want all of our guys to be able to do well once they leave App and represent not just our school but their families and themselves well.
3. I want all of our players to get good advice and make the right decisions.
If you can agree with all of that, then we see everything the same. I just have gone about the reaction here different. I did not need inside info to think Duck would not get drafted. I wish he had but I was just stating the truth and what really happened here. I hope he makes it and do believe he can. I just know that he will regret listening to those he did because we could have a special season that he will miss out on and he is giving up one of the best years of his life- senior year of college.
I don't know if you realize but we already don't have a ton of former players who give a lot of money back to the school. We need more of them too. I love Duck and all of these guys but how is telling the truth just trashing our guys? We should be tougher on our own. I have seen players from all these P5 schools make mistakes and I certainly don't want to see a yearly thing of losing 1-2 players early to the pros who don't get drafted. Unless they have a 1st or 2nd round grade from the NFL they need to come back. I wanted Duck to stay and know that it was in his best interest.
I hope all of our guys make a team but we know they all can't. 99% of college athletes will go pro in something other than sports. Less than 1% of college football players make a roster and when about 140 players left early, and numbers keep rising, it is a lesson to stay in school unless you have done your homework and know you won't fall past the 4th or 5th round for sure. Duck did not do that and I hope that nobody else makes that mistake.
Just telling someone fluff and sugar coating everything does nobody any good. Life is hard and we make mistakes. I just hope this deal with Duck is a learning experience for the rest and it does not happen again. Do you think I liked seeing Duck go undrafted? It truly hurts me that we have a player who gave up his senior year and did not get drafted. It looks bad from the outside but I'm sure he feels awful. I hope he can somehow make it.
The biggest issue for Duck’s draft stock is his height. He could have played here for another decade and he wouldn’t have grown an inch. He left at the right time IMO.
However there are quite a few reasons to stay:
1. Earn a degree to use the rest of your life
2. Enjoy college life one more year
3. Get stronger and I imagine he would continue to improve with another year of experience