By LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky coach Joker Phillips had a bit of a different answer when asked about his opinion of giving college athletes a $2,000 per year stipend over their athletic scholarship.
“You don’t want to know what I think. I agree that players should way we can pay them. But I am not willing to supply more tattoos, more dogs, more cell phones,” Phillips said. “I’ve had kids come up with a new tattoo on their arm and ask them what it cost and he’s told me $250 and it wasn’t finished yet.
“I would like to put money aside for retirement for them. But I am not one that wants to give $2,000 more and now a player will have four body tattoos and two bulldogs. I would love to see the money put aside for retirement or something.”
7 Responses to Kentucky coach Joker Phillips not in favor of $2,000 stipend to spend on tattoos, dogs, cell phones
Leave a Reply
Blue Zoom Radio Show
Polls
Loading ...Choose Your Favorite!
I agree with coach on this one. Thats actually rather humorous. Although at Ohio St. you just trade in some jerseys and autographs for some new ink.
I agree – not for Tattoo’s!
Remember Southern Cal players get paid more??
What a great response from Joker. I have been as upset as anyone over the past two seasons but Joker definitely puts life into perspective. Sometimes winning is not all that matters, just as the folks at Penn State.
With Coach Phillips, Eric, indeed, winning is “not all that matters.” I’ve repeatedly shared my deep respect for Joker in that regard. One of the best examples, as I’ve previously pointed out, is that Joker had had a very decent chance of winning the bowl game in Birmingham and becoming the first Kentucky coach since Blanton Collier, I believe it was, to have had a winning season in his first year as head coach. THEN his starting quarterback messed up, and Joker benched him for the entire game — something very few head coaches would have done in the same situation (and, yes, I think it made the difference in the outcome of the game). Whether or not one thinks the discipline was too severe, the point is that Joker then made it very clear that winning was NOT all that matters. Further, again, he made it very hard for him himself to achieve something very special for his own legacy, something not so many coaches would be willing to do. Plus, we all know about the anti-Joker sentiment that partly resulted from the dismal bowl game performance and first losing season in five years.
By the way, I later read Joker’s words about his priority’s ultimately being the type of young men his players become — that they will experience consequences in real life and he would prepare them for real life. Mike Hartline evidently understood (for he was standing on those sidelines at that bowl game) his coach’s caring about him and his future, his learning a lesson that would make him a better man. Again, while many fans think winning is all that matters, I, too, Eric, I have the utmost respect for Joker’s not being “a win-at-all-costs” coach.
Further, I also respect how Joker stands up here and says something that’s probably not “popular” with players and recruits. He’s talking in favor of money for their retirement, not for tattoos and more expensive cell phones, etc. I remember some who knew both well saying that Joker is more “old school” than Coach Brooks. Players who were late for meetings ran steps for Brooks. Joker sat them down for halves or games. Winning was not the top priority. Again, folks can agree or disagree with the strict discipline, BUT the point is that Joker is, again, truely caring about what these players become as young men, and I respect that.
Yes, now the victories must come, though. He knows that. I and every fan surely expects that. Yet, I should think most fans should realize that we have a program that is being run the right way by a man who bleeds as blue as anyone I know. That some fans even seem to want Joker not to succeed bothers me. Little would make this fan happier than Joker’s being successful here (and I truely believe that enough success this season to keep Joker at Kentucky will mean success in recruiting and eventual REAL success for Kentucky football, something ALL of us surely want). Sorry for the length of this post — but it has given me the opportunity to express some sincere sentiment. GO CATS!!!
Despite what the records will reflect. No one can argue that Joker is trying to shape players off the field to have success whether it be in football or in life after college and after football. I believe this is what turns programs in a stronger direction when you have a young group of athletes. James Franklin head coach at Vandy is really been the poster child for this concept about developing the whole package athlete. If you teach them a certaing ethic on and off the field it will enable the team to become more sound force to push themseleves for excellence mentally, physically and academically!
After reading over that lengthy post, I want to add one thing. Coach Rich Brooks, likewise, ran our program the right way. He, likewise, cared first about his players’ becoming good men. He, likewise, made a beloved senior sit out a bowl game. He, likewise, did not think of himself first — he refused to pull redshirts when doing so could have brought the wins when angry fans had wanted his contract terminated. How lucky Kentucky football, in my opinion, has been to have had both of these coaches in that regard! Joker, the young and supposedly cooler guy than the supposedly old and out-of-touch Brooks (bull!!!), is, in fact, more “old-school” (based on quotes from those who know both). Thankfully, both of them obviously do not see winning as all that matters. This fan appreciates that. GO CATS!!!
Pingback: Phillips doesn’t want to fund tattoo’s, cell phone’s and dogs | Bleed Blue Kentucky