director of player engagement

[Duncan Idaho]

The coaching staff has changed their minds. Everyone will now be required to complete the latest version of The est Training

 

[BlueMAB]

Nice misquote. I didn't say his overall idea should be abandoned. I said the religious stuff is inappropriate And you are disregarding a very key part of what he thinks needs to be part of the spiritual philosophy, and it is that part that some kids would have to feel "welcome" to be exposed to which has zero to do with football and a lousy position to put a player in. You seem to fail to grasp that some or maybe a lot of t kids would feel "unwelcome" or like outsiders.

You want to disregard his point of emphasis on what he means by faith. The true bottom line is that he should not be bringing religion into the program period. I don't care what it would be. His overall program seems great, but he needs to understand that motivation and good citizenship don't need a religious foundation or if he thinks they do, the football program is not the place to implement it. .

 

[LRock34]

OMG! We are still talking about this?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[upstater]

I doubt he "mis-spoke". I think he meant what he said. It is a typical evangelical line that I've been in the presence of too many times when the occasion didn't call for it. His mistake would be in implementing his program as exactly as he stated it would be into a non-religious setting As I said, you can give direction without introducing religion into a non-religious setting that the players did not sign on for.

It is exactly that line you're hearing. In his list of "other" believers in God, there are a variety of Christians. Usually that line ends with "Even Catholics."

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@WingU-Conn The only person that seems to be getting " offended" and bent out of shape is you.

Spin the quote however you want, but it just comes off as maybe not "appropriate".

I'm not offended, I just don't want to hear about it. I'm sure on a football team kids coming from all over, there has to be some that share that view point.

If you want to praise a supreme being, do it in a place of worship or amongst others that definitely share your view point. Not that hard to ask that Jesus is kept out of the huddle.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Nice misquote. I didn't say his overall idea should be abandoned. I said the religious stuff is inappropriate And you are disregarding a very key part of what he thinks needs to be part of the spiritual philosophy, and it is that part that some kids would have to feel "welcome" to be exposed to which has zero to do with football and a lousy position to put a player in. You seem to fail to grasp that some or maybe a lot of t kids would feel "unwelcome" or like outsiders.

FIrst of all, this is all coming off a quotation from the Hartford courant in all of this. So there's an issue there at the fundamental level. What was actually said, and how, when it was said, and to whom, and how it is reported may not be accurate. Other news outlets reported that same material, and got no problems - and the links are right here in this thread.

In the Hartford courant media piece, there is a clear contradiction in the context of what was quoted almost directly from one sentence to the next. One quote is generally tolerant, and a non-issue, and the other is the 'evangelical' statement that clearly is not appropriate. Evangelical Christians can be pretty whacko too, but if you communicate with them to tone down, it's a non-issue.

I guarantee 100% without a doubt that this entire subject matter has been addressed within the program, and I suppose that a certain reporter, isn't going to make friends with the new program this way.

All of this, really is a complete non-issue, all of these coaches have been at public state institutions before, and should a complaint about behavior arise, I guarantee it will be dealt with appropriately.

In my personal opinion, it's some pretty careless writing by a long time writer for a state program, that is well aware of the culture in CT, and what working at a state institution means, to put statements like that together in a media piece, and leave it unaddressed and open ended the way it was. Not generating happy readers and new readers over there.....certainly not going to make friends with followers of UCONN football stirring up stuff like this....... But whatever.

For the love of Terry Caulley - can this go away?

 

[cohenzone]

Wing-U , you belong on a certain news network. You take two parts of a sentence, separated by many words, don't use ....... to show the gap, and leave it to look like one thought, unless of course you think, unlike me, that the coach can't do anything like his program without using religion. In that case, yeah, it should be abandoned. I hope he has more imagination than that.

 

[cohenzone]

FIrst of all, this is all coming off a quotation from the Hartford courant in all of this. So there's an issue there at the fundamental level. What was actually said, and how, when it was said, and to whom, and how it is reported may not be accurate. Other news outlets reported that same material, and got no problems - and the links are right here in this thread.

In the Hartford courant media piece, there is a clear contradiction in the context of what was quoted almost directly from one sentence to the next. One quote is generally tolerant, and a non-issue, and the other is the 'evangelical' statement that clearly is not appropriate. Evangelical Christians can be pretty whacko too, but if you communicate with them to tone down, it's a non-issue.

I guarantee 100% without a doubt that this entire subject matter has been addressed within the program, and I suppose that a certain reporter, isn't going to make friends with the new program this way.

All of this, really is a complete non-issue, all of these coaches have been at public state institutions before, and should a complaint about behavior arise, I guarantee it will be dealt with appropriately.

In my personal opinion, it's some pretty careless writing by a long time writer for a state program, that is well aware of the culture in CT, and what working at a state institution means, to put statements like that together in a media piece, and leave it unaddressed and open ended the way it was. Not generating happy readers and new readers over there.....certainly not going to make friends with followers of UCONN football stirring up stuff like this.. But whatever.

For the love of Terry Caulley - can this go away?

Carl, I don't disagree with what you wrote n general. All my original post on this thread said was that the coach should be talked to. and if he's bright enough, he'll get the message and devise a program that leaves religion out of it, let alone any Evangelical message. I suspect that the Courant quote is not inaccurate, reflected the coach's belief, and may not be a bad thing that it was reported.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl, I don't disagree with what you wrote n general. All my original post on this thread said was that the coach should be talked to. and if he's bright enough, he'll get the message and devise a program that leaves religion out of it, let alone any Evangelical message. I suspect that the Courant quote is not inaccurate, reflected the coach's belief, and may not be a bad thing that it was reported.

I agree cohen. I'd bet the farm that conversation happened, and is over and down with. My guess, is that the statement you (and I) have issues with, was something that happened among a few like minded individuals, rather than a blanket statement made to an entire press room. I would hope that was the case, and that the reporter used poor judgement in writing his piece. I am confident, that if such a statement were made broadscope, publicly, that the mistake has been addressed and will not be repeated, and I am confident that since all of these coaches have all worked at public institutions before, that they are well aware of what it means to be tolerant of an individual's choice of belief systems and religion and it's appropriate place in conducting business.

Go and read fuller's piece from the NH Register - it's linked on page 1. The statement that created problems is not in there. Why? Good question. If the statement was made to a broad spectrum press room - or if it was made to a smaller group of known like minded individuals?

I guarantee that the coaching staff is going to be very careful about what they say to certain people now though.

 

[CTMike]

 

[upstater]

In the Hartford courant media piece, there is a clear contradiction in the context of what was quoted almost directly from one sentence to the next. One quote is generally tolerant, and a non-issue, and the other is the 'evangelical' statement that clearly is not appropriate. Evangelical Christians can be pretty whacko too, but if you communicate with them to tone down, it's a non-issue.

Several of us have said that the preceding quote doesn't contradict the next one because he's expressing tolerance of various Christian sects. It's a line that's been uttered many times.

 

[sportsart]

See Des's blog.

 

[CAHUSKY]

When did freedom of religion become freedom from religion. I mean, what if a player decides on his own to start a prayer in the middle of the huddle...well, there may not be time as guess what, you are limited in time and need to make sure everyone in the huddle is aware of their assignments. However, in a locker-room if there is time, guess what, the player can pray...and not just in some building to be hidden away from others eyes because they MIGHT offend someone. The atheists law of silencing people is their version of a religious decree. People can and should pray where they want but they will be judged when doing it. Going to a theater and shouting a prayer would be offensive to most if not all people believers and atheists alike. But a person offering up a prayer on a street corner...doesn't bother me, offering up a prayer in the huddle and not getting the proper play calling...not appropriate. In the huddle and someone praying before a victory formation...Appropriate. Notice, it is the individual doing it, and for coach Diaco to say that JC will be in the huddle, whose to say on the sideline after the play was called in, that he is not praying for his team.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a player praying wherever he wants. There is a problem when someone in authority forces their beliefs down someone's throat. I'm fully on board with the coaches doing their all to produce great football players and better people but am just wary of religious zealotry as I've seen it be divisive in a locker room before. All that being said, I'm 99.9% sure that this will be nipped in the but and won't manifest in to nearly the issue it's become here

 

[BlueMAB]

According to Dez:

"what Jones meant: if a player has a need to be in touch spiritually, whichever direction that is, the player will be able to reach out to Jones and he will be able to point him – or them – in the right direction; that you don’t have to disconnect from your faith – if you’re faith-based – because you’re away from home."

Sounds like the fears of some on this board were justified, and Jews, atheists, Muslims, and maybe Catholics will not be welcome in the program. Clearly this is more evidence that Jones is pushing his religious views down the throats of the players.

#fireJones

 

[huskymedic]

See Des's blog.

desmondconner1:49pm via twitterfeed
In The Huddle With The Huskies: A Clarification Post original url/L0D8wR

>>What’s goin’ on?

Well it appears some feathers were ruffled from the “ in the huddle” comment from UConn running backs coach/director of player engagement coach Ernest Jones in the Sunday Courant.

In the end Jones just wants the players on the team to have a good sense of morals in addition to being solid football players.

We need to be clear on this though and here’s a clarification, what Jones meant: if a player has a need to be in touch spiritually, whichever direction that is, the player will be able to reach out to Jones and he will be able to point him – or them – in the right direction; that you don’t have to disconnect from your faith – if you’re faith-based – because you’re away from home.

DC<<

 

[Husky25]

See Des's blog.

There you go. The "talk" was had.

 

[CAHUSKY]

According to Dez:

Sounds like the fears of some on this board were justified, and Jews, atheists, Muslims, and maybe Catholics will not be welcome in the program. Clearly this is more evidence that Jones is pushing his religious views down the throats of the players.

#fireJones

I don't think anyone feared they wouldn't be welcome. They feared that some people would be turned off by proselytizing in the locker room.

 

[BlueMAB]

I don't think anyone feared they wouldn't be welcome. They feared that some people would be turned off by proselytizing in the locker room.

No disrespect but you clearly missed a lot of posts in this thread. It isn't worth rehashing, but they are there if you take the time to find them. That and worse.

 

[huskyblooz]

According to Dez:

"what Jones meant: if a player has a need to be in touch spiritually, whichever direction that is, the player will be able to reach out to Jones and he will be able to point him – or them – in the right direction; that you don’t have to disconnect from your faith – if you’re faith-based – because you’re away from home."

Sounds like the fears of some on this board were justified, and Jews, atheists, Muslims, and maybe Catholics will not be welcome in the program. Clearly this is more evidence that Jones is pushing his religious views down the throats of the players.

#fireJones

Lighten up Francis! How many players do you suppose he has met so far? Is your son in the program?

 

[BlueMAB]

Lighten up Francis! How many players do you suppose he has met so far? Is your son in the program?

/sarcasm

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Have to love Des' dismissive and condescending " ruffled some feathers" comment about the issue.

Hilarious coming from a guy who flips out at people on Twitter over nothing.

I would love to see Des' story if the coach said " Jesus and God aren't in this huddle because Christianity and the bible are fake".

Talk about some feather ruffling.

 

[uconnbill]

The nonbelievers are against you!!!!

Well maybe you should reread the article about guiding them to their faiths. Desmond clarified what he said today, but you and others are just out to push your political correct agenda

 

[NYCHusky]

Have to love Des' dismissive and condescending " ruffled some feathers" comment about the issue.

Hilarious coming from a guy who flips out at people on Twitter over nothing.

I would love to see Des' story if the coach said " Jesus and God aren't in this huddle because Christianity and the bible are fake".

Talk about some feather ruffling.

I also love his "What’s goin’ on?" with the missing 'g' from going. Is that the cool thing to do now?

 

[upstater]

Well maybe you should reread the article about guiding them to their faiths. Desmond clarified what he said today, but you and others are just out to push your political correct agenda

I can care less about being politically correct. You and I know that if someone actually said to this guy, " doesn't even exist," there would be ramifications. Or, Allah is the real God, Jesus is a fake. Etc.

Even the people defending it above recognize that someone had been "talked to." But go on...

 

[upstater]

Have to love Des' dismissive and condescending " ruffled some feathers" comment about the issue.

Hilarious coming from a guy who flips out at people on Twitter over nothing.

I would love to see Des' story if the coach said " Jesus and God aren't in this huddle because Christianity and the bible are fake".

Talk about some feather ruffling.

It really is just idiotic and stupid. Why get embroiled?