Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

[CatchEmAll]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Some pretty harsh words directed at TOB...but I would expect nothing less. Here's the reality, none of us are TOB and none of us knows what's going on in his world. Do we all feel he let down his teammates, coaches, fans, etc...sure. It's a natural reaction. But, did somebody let TOB down that lead to this decision?

Fact of the matter is unless you've gone through what a college athlete goes through to prepare and try to live up to expectations don't spout off about someone being a quitter or doing his teammates an injustice. Do you know what the hardest thing for a college athlete to do is....walk off the field of play for the final time. TOB just chose to do it at what is considered an inopportune time. Reality check...if his heart wasn't in it would you want him out there leading the team? I think not and he just made that decision for himself.

The truth will never come out because a bunch of loudmouths hiding behind a chat board moniker will make up rumors as to why this happened.

Closed Captioned to TOB...life will go on and in 5, 10, 15 years you'll be known for the man you are at that time not the college athlete you are today. Stick by your heart. Get an EDUCATION and be a productive member of society. Have a family if that's what you choose and be a good human being. THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

As Nidaros posted before...."it's just a game".

And all of this comes from someone who lived in the trenches, laid it all on the line for SDSU, and lives with very few people now knowing about that past life. Football ends...life is forever.

Signed,
Jake Hines
Jackrabbit Alum '91-94

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

This whole thing just has a dirty feel to it. Welcome to the ugly side of college athletics. Obviously things didn't go the way any of us had hoped on the field. Who knows what all went on behind the scenes but in the end it was bad enough that TOB gave up his scholarship and left the team. That is the most unfortunate result. It reflects bad on everyone involved. Kids leave programs, tranfer, or quit all the time and for many reasons. To see it go down like this is really rare.

At the end of the day, we need to remember that these are college athletes that have a full-time job as a student and chose to take on another huge load as a student-athlete. Sure, they are rewarded with scholarships that pay for their education but these are not paid, professional athletes. We are not Ohio State, Nebraska, or Florida with 80+ million dollar budgets. It is still big enough business but we still have that smaller school feel. Certainly winning is a factor. I'm not that naive but is it the only thing? These kids are here to get their education and play a sport to pay for it. The pressures to win are huge. No position in sports is that more true than at quarterback. I can see where that pressure could be overwhelming. As kids on the playground, we all wanted to just play a sport. Some are good enough to play in high school. A few of those play in college. A minute number get a chance to get paid. Too many times the game turns sour.

I hope that we haven't lost that more personal feeling with the move to D1. Until this situation I haven't felt that we have. This just has a bad feel to it. I feel for TOB, the other players, and the coaches. This has to be killing Stig. You won't find another coach that cares more about the men in his program and what type of human beings they become after the pads are hung up for good.

Tonight, I will say a prayer for TOB. I wish him nothing but the best for his future. By all accounts he is a fine young man.

Let's hope in some strange way this brings the team together and they are able to turn things around. For themselves, the coaches, and least of all us fans.

But for tonight, this is a dark day for SDSU Athletics. Even tonight, it is still good to be a Jackrabbit!

SUPERBUNNY

[Jacked_Rabbit]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Some pretty harsh words directed at TOB...but I would expect nothing less. Here's the reality, none of us are TOB and none of us knows what's going on in his world. Do we all feel he let down his teammates, coaches, fans, etc...sure. It's a natural reaction. But, did somebody let TOB down that lead to this decision?

Fact of the matter is unless you've gone through what a college athlete goes through to prepare and try to live up to expectations don't spout off about someone being a quitter or doing his teammates an injustice. Do you know what the hardest thing for a college athlete to do is....walk off the field of play for the final time. TOB just chose to do it at what is considered an inopportune time. Reality check...if his heart wasn't in it would you want him out there leading the team? I think not and he just made that decision for himself.

The truth will never come out because a bunch of loudmouths hiding behind a chat board moniker will make up rumors as to why this happened.

Closed Captioned to TOB...life will go on and in 5, 10, 15 years you'll be known for the man you are at that time not the college athlete you are today. Stick by your heart. Get an EDUCATION and be a productive member of society. Have a family if that's what you choose and be a good human being. THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

As Nidaros posted before...."it's just a game".

And all of this comes from someone who lived in the trenches, laid it all on the line for SDSU, and lives with very few people now knowing about that past life. Football ends...life is forever.

Signed,
Jake Hines
Jackrabbit Alum '91-94

This is best post I've ever read on this message board. Thanks, Jake.

[zooropa]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Lol @ Zoo getting told by TV to shut it.

Shocking.

Not what happened, but if it makes you feel happy to think so, be my guest.

[Nidaros]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

This is best post I've ever read on this message board. Thanks, Jake.

I second this comment. Thanks Catchem.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Some pretty harsh words directed at TOB...but I would expect nothing less. Here's the reality, none of us are TOB and none of us knows what's going on in his world. Do we all feel he let down his teammates, coaches, fans, etc...sure. It's a natural reaction. But, did somebody let TOB down that lead to this decision?

Fact of the matter is unless you've gone through what a college athlete goes through to prepare and try to live up to expectations don't spout off about someone being a quitter or doing his teammates an injustice. Do you know what the hardest thing for a college athlete to do is....walk off the field of play for the final time. TOB just chose to do it at what is considered an inopportune time. Reality check...if his heart wasn't in it would you want him out there leading the team? I think not and he just made that decision for himself.

The truth will never come out because a bunch of loudmouths hiding behind a chat board moniker will make up rumors as to why this happened.

Closed Captioned to TOB...life will go on and in 5, 10, 15 years you'll be known for the man you are at that time not the college athlete you are today. Stick by your heart. Get an EDUCATION and be a productive member of society. Have a family if that's what you choose and be a good human being. THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

As Nidaros posted before...."it's just a game".

And all of this comes from someone who lived in the trenches, laid it all on the line for SDSU, and lives with very few people now knowing about that past life. Football ends...life is forever.

Signed,
Jake Hines
Jackrabbit Alum '91-94

Great post.

[zooropa]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

in 5, 10, 15 years you'll be known for the man you are at that time not the college athlete you are today

That's good advice, tough to put in practice at 21, though. In many ways you're worse off if, 5, 10, 15 years after college you're still trading off your collegiate accomplishments.

[LakeJack]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

http://www.argusleader.com/article/2...news|text|Home

[Danger41]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Take this for what it's worth from a guy who has been there. I also "quit" on the team a year early to move on to the next phase of my life. Luckily, I was able to leave on the highest note for a former walk-on and directly into my dream job. I was able to leave with no regrets and on my own terms. Main difference is that I knew I was doing it, the coaches and players knew I was doing it, and I did it after the season. Plus, I wasn't the QB.

I don't want to cast dispersions on the guy, but I really hope that he made a well thought out, emotion free decision. I hope he doesn't have a change of heart because he has done the equivalent of swearing in front of his mom (there ain't no takin' it back).

I wish nothing but the best to a Jackrabbit bro! Here's to you TOB!

[jackmd]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

I'm a little confused by what it seems some people are inferring. Is there a sense that he quit because of fan displeasure? If that is so then its probably good he did quit. I refuse to believe anyone would quit if they had the support of their coaches and teammates and the only detractors were the fans. Go out and prove them wrong it that's the case, don't quit. Deciding to walk away from an athletic scholarship, the teammates and coaches you've spent the majority of the last 3 years with and the expectations of a fan base because those fans have been critical of your performance just seems implausible to me.

[RabbitNation]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Sure we have all been all over TOB, and that is part of being the QB of a football team, but we have not been the same since the 2nd half aganist Montana! yep, I said it. I may be the only one who thinks this, but STIG hung him out to dry aganist Cal-Poly. Down by 30 late in the game, we all know about the slide and the int's, A change needed to be made if nothing else for a series or two during the first 3 games. Nebraska take out Martinez a lot when he is not playing well.

Hopefully we can rally and win some games, but it should not happen just because a player quit.

[joeboo22]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

I'm a little confused by what it seems some people are inferring. Is there a sense that he quit because of fan displeasure? If that is so then its probably good he did quit. I refuse to believe anyone would quit if they had the support of their coaches and teammates and the only detractors were the fans. Go out and prove them wrong it that's the case, don't quit. Deciding to walk away from an athletic scholarship, the teammates and coaches you've spent the majority of the last 3 years with and the expectations of a fan base because those fans have been critical of your performance just seems implausible to me.

Maybe he quit because he felt that he was becoming more of a distraction for the team and was sick of all the Sh*t and didn't feel it was worth it any more. I never had to worry about pleasing people when it came to sports, because they knew they weren't getting much from the start. But 1 of my best friends quit once and though at first I didn't get it, after awhile I did, he wasn't having fun anymore, he was sick of having to perform or get heat from the parents saying he was the reason the team struggled. It was weird how after he quit how people thought different of the situation. Coach Alford at Iowa quit at Iowa after he couldn't do a damn thing right. (look how that one ended up) Sometimes its not worth it any more.

I've never quit at anything (sports related) in my life though looking back there are times where I probably should have. If something is not fun any more why do it. I took a class and it investigated why so many teachers quit, and even though most studies say its because of pay, it really wasn't it was because it wasn't fun getting treated like sh*t for the pay you get. Not the pay you get. Everyone is different. Some people don't have problems with what people think of them while others do. And at the end of the day the only person you need to please is yourself.

[67jack]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

Sumner, if he is to be the starting QB this weekend, has been sizzling in the frying pan and now will be tossed into the fire. Don't judge this redshirt freshman too soon on this weekend's performance....win or lose!

[jackmd]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

When the going gets tough the tough....... someone help me finish this one.

If it is to be it is up to......again I need some help here.

Now, interpret this for me.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

Dale Wimbrow (c) 1934

[rabbits64]

Re: Thomas O'Brien Quit the Team

I wish TOB the best in whatever he decides to do, obviously if it wasn't in his heart, he made the right decision. I do not have any sympathy for TOB, he doesn't need it. Obviously he wasn't cut out for this position. My biggest concern is about the well being of our team and how they will respond.
We all know in our work lives that people quit all the time, sometimes they are a part time employee, sometime they are the best employee who took another opportunity they felt was better. No different here. Just like at our workplace, life goes on and the job at hand remains.
CHANGE CREATES OPPORTUNITY. It is just up to the people who step in their place to seize upon the opportunity given to them. I hope whoever steps in shows great leadership and can get the team to follow his lead.