I haven’t mentioned the whole Ereck Plancher thing before. Partly because I wasn’t there and don’t know all the facts. Partly because the kid obviously had a defect that the coaches weren’t aware of. Partly because football coaches need to be able to push kids to give that little extra they never knew they had. What happened is a terrible tragedy and I would not wish it on anyone. That doesn’t mean it was anyone’s fault. that doesn’t mean it could have been avoided. But now it has happened again. In a weightlifting session? A kid collapses from dehydration? Excuse me? Don’t these people life weights indoors? Is there not a water fountain available? Are we running a football team or a prison camp? Newsflash George. The season is OVER! It was a miserable failure. So is your answer now to make them sweat until they pass out? This is supposed to accomplish what exactly? Is one lawsuit not enough for you? I thought the NCAA had rules against these kids serving in a year round state of servitude to the football team? The season is OVER! Why are the coaches even allowed to oversee their workouts in the first place? Aren’t there rules against this kind of thing? Is he now trying to land us on probation? O’Leary needs to go.
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December 5th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
What happened to the player today?
December 7th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Just FYI the coaches and trainers DID know about Planchers condition. The Trainers had recently come back from a conference for trainers where they learned more about this condition, its consequences, symptoms and how to deal with it. Everyone that needed to be aware was, they just didn’t care enough.
December 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Devin,
The kid is in the hospital with kidneys that are failing.
To all,
I am a casual observer of UCF football and have been to many games since the new stadium opened. I don’t have an axe to grind with O’leary other than I think he’s not a very good head coach but I don’t think this issue with Plancher or Davis should go away. It needs to stay in the forefront and be fully investigated. Ereck’s death is obviously bad enough but for a player to collapse from dehydration at an off season indoor work out, and be hospitalized, is not acceptable. Plenty of water available at the facility so the question is, was he denied the water or simply didn’t want any? And what was the temperature inside where the workout was taking place? Lets hope it was a temperate 72 degrees because I doubt you need to crank up the heat to lift weights in the off season.
The stories need to stay out there people because we need real answers as to what’s happening to these players. If O’leary and his staff are responsible it needs to come out and they need to go down the road before more players end up with the same fate.
December 8th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Well I am a casual observer, and I don’t hear players come out and complaining they are facing dangerous conditions. I don’t see how you fire O’Leary over problems with training (which he doesn’t spearhead). And after their first conference win last year, and a very strong year from the defense combined with a young offense, I don’t see the big complaints. So we’re middle of the pack in CUSA recruiting??? For a team that appears to have only SIX seniors (on a quick roster glimpse from Yahoo), I’m not surprised! And as to replacing O’Leary with Tuberville… #1 I seriously doubt we could land him… #2 you’re replacing one name coach who failed at the top level with another.
I have no significant interest in O’Leary… but man, after what I’d call the best year in UCF history last year, some fans can be so ridiculous.
December 8th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Kudos on the mention on Channel 9 Eleven O’Clock news for your coverage on the Plancher and Davis affair… here’s hoping O’Leary is sent packing before year’s end. I’d personally rather see us try to recruit Buffalo’s coach ASAP. Tommy Tuberville is also available.
We as donors and alumni owe it to Plancher’s memory, and we owe it to Davis and other current & future players at our beloved and worthy alma mater.
December 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Yes well I guess when you are ten games under .500 during your coach’s five year tenure, I guess demanding more is being fickle. I guess we should just gladly fork over our hard earned money in an economy that is so bad we don’t even know if we’ll be able to pay our bills.