Have You Been Following The Caleb Campbell Story?

by Jimmy on Jul 24, 2008 11:32 AM CDT in News Comment 29 comments

This is pretty interesting. Caleb Campbell, a West Point grad, was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 7th round of this year's draft. The Army had a rule in place that soldiers could be excused from their 2 years of minimum duty if they signed a professional sports contract. Campbell was all set to begin Lions training camp until he received word last night that the DOD had changed their interpretation of the rule. He is now on his way back to West Point for his orders.

There had been a lot of media coverage of the whole thing, and a lot of talk about whether or not it was fair for Campbell to have that option. The Air Force and Navy do not allow their soldiers to sign professional contracts (see David Robinson) before completing their obligation.

Campbell was on The Dan Patrick Show earlier today, and he said the ruling came from somewhere higher than West Point. The plot thickens. Campbell is a class act who did not complian once during the interview. If I were him I would be really mad because the ruling didn't come out until the night before camp was opening.

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I've been following it.

I agree that the timing was suspect, but the ruling itself was 100% correct. As some of you may know, I went to West Point. I also had a classmate drafted. Pat Work was supposedly taken by the Cowboys in the 6th round. But he did not even apply to leave the Army and instead went straight to the Infantry Officer Basic Course—along with everyone else who branched Infantry.

The fact is that when you go to a service academy, you sort of realize that you’re putting your sports career second. I myself was a recruited swimmer out of high school and had a chance to swim at Tennessee. I knew going in that choosing Army was effectively NOT choosing the Big Time. It is what it is. I swam hard all four years at West Point, a thing I doubt I’d have done at a big time program. And I don’t regret the choice I made, not for one minute.

And yeah, swimming pays a lot less than the NFL, but then again, Caleb’s education cost you and me about the same as his rookie minimum salaree would have been. So… you gotta keep it all in perpective. The two-year rule he’s having to follow has been the military standard for a Heck of a long time, and I’m happy enough to see it upheld.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 11:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The Army

The Army used Campbell as a recruitment “feel good” story during the draft. Part of that feel good story was Campbell could play football instead of fight, and we fans (who were the target of this campaign) bought into it. Now, for no reason what so ever, the Army has turned its back on Campbell. To make a ruling like this is both disgusting and disgraceful, whether made by the Army or someone else. Whoever did this is a dishonorable turd of a person, and they better hope nothing happens to Campbell when he’s shipped to… wherever. Because if something does, it is a public relations disaster for a US Army still reeling from the Pat Tillman disgrace and the Abu Ghraib nightmare.

I’m so livid about this I want to spit. I understand Campbell has a duty to do, and he will do it. But the Army had a duty themselves, and as a fan I feel lied to. I can’t imagine what Campbell feels.

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by BigBlueShoe on Jul 24, 2008 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh Please

He made a commitment, he went to one of the best colleges in the country, and now you’re whining because he’s not playing pro football?

You consider it “disgusting and disgraceful” that the Army decided letting him off his obligation was sending the wrong message?

Tough.

Granted, the timing was off, but the decision was the right one. Campbell knows that, and two years from now, he’ll most likely be suiting up.

by Rustmeister on Jul 24, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely correct

You have a team that wasted a draft pick on an ineligible player because of a flighty, fickle military that changed its policy.

Whether it is right or wrong to exempt players for sports is a different issue. To use the exemption as a PR tool and then renege on it is poor management, and the military should apologize for its poor planning.

by BeansCarter on Jul 24, 2008 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Again

Someone show me where the Army used him as a “PR tool.”

I believe it was ESPN that made such a big deal out of it.

by gramsey712 on Jul 25, 2008 8:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I concur

by August West on Jul 25, 2008 8:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I appreciate the view as "a fan"

But as a marine who spent a tour in Iraq, I can also appreciate the fact that no one should get special treatment “just because they can play football.” He knew what he was getting into when he signed on the dotted line.

But to address the other point, was it the Army that was blowing up his story, or was it ESPN and the “media?” I don’t remember seeing anything put out by the Army, but I could be wrong. I don’t think it was the Army that was making such a big deal about it. I just remember Ron Jaworski just about blowing him on national TV.

And don’t get me started on the movie “Stop Loss.”

by gramsey712 on Jul 24, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ESPN absolutely jumped on this kid as THE story of the last 5 hours of the draft...

and it didn’t seem like they knew a ton about it when the reports started to pop-up on day 2. It really felt like a ‘phew, now we have a compelling story up until the end of the draft’.

The kid had a great attitude on the Dan patrick show today. He was very no-nonsense and understood that he has a duty to his brothers and his country (though, I think he’s going to serve as an assistant coach, not actually in action).

I don’t think the Army was so keen on it from the get-go.

by August West on Jul 24, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why should they be?

He effectively owes the Army $250,000!

I’m not saying anything about him, but the ruling itself is completely reasonable.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed. like I said somewhere else, I was really uncomfortable with the initial rule anyways

the Army got this one right, even if the execution was reminiscent of a Detroit Lions front office-style debacle…

by August West on Jul 24, 2008 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cray about it saddle bags.

the Army has a commitment to itself. Campbell has a commitment to the Army. The Army shouldn’t be taking into account how football fans feel about it’s policies, and thank jeeves they don’t.

by August West on Jul 24, 2008 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it would have set a terrible precedent to let him play under the guise of 'helping recruitment'...

because they’d basically be saying ‘Sign up for the Army and you might not have to serve!’

It stinks they jerked him around, but I can’t blame the Army one bit for the final decision.

by August West on Jul 24, 2008 12:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Another interesting part

There are at least 2 guys that have been playing minor league baseball and a guy that is playing minor league hockey. I guess they will be pulled out.

Also, Campbell just said on the radio he will be coaching for the next 7 months. He will not be deployed. This is really dumb.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on Jul 24, 2008 12:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You're over-reacting, Jimmy.

All they’ve done here is to uphold an existiing regulation that both has precedent and makes sense. Even that Grad-Assistantship is an ancient program. A LOT of guys do that who were big into their sports. He probably planned that assistantship long before the draft. Besides which, his normal commitment is FIVE years. That is what I served. That is what EVERYBODY serves. Letting him off after TWO is still a Hell of a bargain IMHO. And it’s not like they owe him anything. It’s he who owes them.

Moreover, this is hardly the last time he’s gonna get screwed over. Wait till he’s been in-country for eleven months and his tour gets inexplicably extended at the last minute from 12 to 16 months.

Besides which, Caleb was an idiot for letting them put him on TV like that. I would NEVER have done that-not as a cadet who’s never even been in a real unit! As if he’s some kind of hero for going to West Point. If he goes to Iraq, then maybe he’ll be a hero. But going to the Academy-by itself—is a pretty good deal. It’s not always fun, but having an education and no school loans is what allowed me to buy my first house. It’s not all bad, not by a long shot.

And Blue Shoe, man, save the histrionics. Campbell made a choice to serve. He had every opportunity to back out and didn’t.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing that I think is dumb

is that they just decided overnight to change the policy. He says he checked into it his sophomore year and was told that if he made a NFL team, he could do his however-many-years service while playing in the NFL.

I think the rule should be that he has to do his service just like everyone regardless of his ability to play football, but that wasn’t the rule until yesterday.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on Jul 24, 2008 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he got bad information back in the day.

The rule has always been that you have to serve first. The exception came recently. All three services have always had the same rule.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

From experience, I think it was probably a case of the wrong person giving out the wrong information. From what I read in the story, they keep saying “we checked with West Point,” but remember West Point does not make decisions for the regular Army.

by gramsey712 on Jul 24, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If that is the case

I stand corrected :)

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on Jul 24, 2008 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, the timing WAS terrible.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ALTHOUGH

You would expect that someone in the Pentagon would have been watching that draft and said “wait a minute, that guy doesn’t get to play football!”

But it is our government…....

by gramsey712 on Jul 24, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who gives a flying f*ck?

It’s a volunteer fighting force.

Give him the exemption but make him reimburse the cost of tuition. The only thing that could possibly be offensive to anyone is that the taxpayer shoulders the financial burden of his education and then he goes to play football professionally. So let him pay. quite simple.

by BeansCarter on Jul 24, 2008 6:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So when Beans is in charge of the Army

Where do you draw the line?

Do we give everyone the option to “reimburse the cost of tuition” if they do not want to fulfill their obligation? If daddy is rich and can afford it?

What about the minor league baseball player who hasn’t earned a big contract yet? Or the swimmer like DannoE who doesn’t make any money, but wants to compete professionally in his sport?

It’s a good thing that the Army is not run like the NFL.

by gramsey712 on Jul 25, 2008 8:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

In fairness...

...I could have competed on the “All-Army” team if I’d really wanted to. But at that point in my life, I was a lot more interested in being in the armored cavalry. Even today, though swimming is the strongest leg of my triathlons, I’d rather spend 2 hours on a bike than 45 minutes in the water.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 25, 2008 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

mmmm...

You can draw this line easily. If somebody has the ability to reach the pinnacle of a profession, such as being a pro athlete, let them go. Better someone be a great athlete than an average soldier. This country is about the pursuit of excellence after all, isn’t it?

What does it have to do with Daddy being rich? Who cares where the person gets the money, but if they can’t get the money, then they have to pay their debt by serving in the forces. I don’t give crap who does what with their lives, I just don’t want to finance a free-loader through tax receipts.

by BeansCarter on Jul 25, 2008 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So you don't have to serve if you can buy your way out of it?

And what if they want to go to medical school? Does the Army pay for the training to be a doctor, and then let the person buy their way out of service in that case?

There HAS to be a hard line. There is no other way to make it work.

by gramsey712 on Jul 25, 2008 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it's not just about the money

It’s about commitment and honor and integrity.

by gramsey712 on Jul 25, 2008 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My thoughts

This is Fooch from Niners Nation. I had a couple quick thoughts on this.

1. I’m guessing he knew this was coming down the pipeline before the night before training camp. Maybe not a lot of notice but he had to have heard this might happen.

2. I forget where I saw it, but one article made note of the fact that while he certainly won’t raise a ruckus about this, he could on the idea that it affected his choices. He had the opportunity to leave West Point if he really wanted to pursue a football career but chose to stay in part because of the respect of a West Point degree. I wonder if his decision not to transfer to a “football school” was influenced by the idea that he would have the opportunity to play when he got done with school. I don’t know the answer to that, but am certainly curious.

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by Fooch on Jul 24, 2008 2:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I was wondering that, too and remember the day I made that irrevocable choice.

Not with sadness or anything. I’d been decided for at leasat 18 months. But I still remember thinking that I needed to get a little more serious about all that Army crap because it was now definitely, hopelessly in my future.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on Jul 24, 2008 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ugh.

I was surprised at the discovery of the loophole that would allow him to play, but I am disgusted at the last-minute change.

I mean, this guy could have left West Point if he knew he had to commit to serve if football was more important to him, but he was given the impression that he would be able to play pro ball.

Instead, he gets thrown back into the military to… coach? I mean, seriously, he’s not being deployed overseas or anything.

One wonders, though: the Lions drafted him under the assumption he would be able play for them, or at least compete for a spot on the roster. By the time he finishes his service, he will be considered a free agent. So, through no fault of their own and not because of any off the field issues or an injury, they lost a draft pick. Any chance the NFL grants the Lions a compensatory 7th rounder next year?

by hartley on Jul 24, 2008 11:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs