Former Michigan wide receiver Ron Bellamy discusses Ohio State and 7-on-7 football
Ron Bellamy, the former Michigan wide receiver turned West Bloomfield High football coach, wasn't surprised by the scandal at Ohio State that led to Jim Tressel's resignation.
He said he had heard stories about Ohio State and other schools in NFL locker rooms all the time. Bellamy discussed that and his hatred of the proliferation of 7-on-7 high school football summer teams on WTKA's Michigan Insider with Ira Weintraub and guest host — and AnnArbor.com reporter —Michael Rothstein on Tuesday.
Bellamy also talked about the Big Ten's new thoughts about the cost of attendance proposal that will be discussed at a high-level NCAA retreat in August.
"I do not think college athletes should be paid," Bellamy said on WTKA.
Listen to the complete interview: WTKA - Ron Bellamy and reaction.mp3
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by email at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein
Comments
tater
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 1:58 a.m.
Michael: I have enjoyed your work on WTKA so far. I don't always agree with you, but I am quite impressed with your objectivity and how hard you work to keep it. You do have a bit of a thin skin, but that really works to your advantage; it's good to hear someone call BS on an occasional caller. If you ever decide to be more of a homer, you would do great on local radio, but I expect to see and/or hear you in the national media someday.
ohiowolverine
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 10:22 p.m.
This just in on NBC4 Columbus news, Pryor has quit the Buckeyes. Made anouncement at 6:00 pm
1st Down
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 9:45 p.m.
To the guy who is trolling today with his hatred for Lloyd Carr and love for Rich Rodriguez. The numbers speak for themselves mr. conspiracy hat: Lloyd Carr - 122-40, 5 BT and 1 NC Rich Rodriguez - 15-22 (including 2 non BCS wins), 6-18 in the Big Ten. 6 BT wins in 3 years. 6. Rolled by every good BT team. 0-9 vs. top BT rivals MSU, PSU and Ohio. Rolled 52-14 in the one bowl game vs. 5th place SEC West team Miss State. NCAA sanctions. Oh yeah, that was all Lloyd's fault wasnt it? The numbers speak for themselves. Now, go away with your stupid agenda. You are off topic and have been reported.
missionbrazil
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 9:06 p.m.
Ed "Thus it was full speed ahead with his offense which was within three yrs the #2 national offense in country." Ed, if whatshisname's 2010 O was tied for # 3 in the Big Ten, how could it have been # 2 in the nation ? 32.8 ppg ... virtually tied with Illinois for 3rd ... <a href="http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/stats/2010-2011/confldrs.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/stats/2010-2011/confldrs.html</a> # 22 scoring O in the nation - not # 2 ... <a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/stats/byteam?cat1=offense&cat2=Total&conference=I-A_all" rel='nofollow'>http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/stats/byteam?cat1=offense&cat2=Total&conference=I-A_all</a> And besides, 6-18 in the Big Ten is terrible, absolutely terrible. MCC, move on !
heartbreakM
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
@Ed: Nothing former coach did showed that he knows how to be a winning coach. He took a team that had not had a losing record in 4 decades and led them to 3-9 and 5-7 records. He did not prepare his team to even show up at PSU after a week off this past October, and he did not have his team ready to play a middle of the road Mississippi State team. If it were a once in a while thing, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but it was 3 long years of bad fit, bad coaching, and no leadership. I was not in favor of him from day one, thinking it was a bad choice (I was always skeptical why he would leave his natural home--it wasn't just a guy looking for a good job, but he WAS West Virginia). But he showed on so many levels that he did not fit here, that he could not coach in the Big Ten, and honestly, I don't know why anyone would think he is a good coach. Look at the actual results. And why should former coach encourage Denard to transfer? Denard was getting mauled every week. He will be a better total QB in the next 2 years, shouldn't get tackled 50 times a game, and I believe he will shine.
tim
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
I can see why some coaches don't like 7 on 7 football or AAU basketball for that matter, but for kids from small schools or under performing high school sports programs those "club sports" are life savers. The knife cuts both ways-- some club sports have lousy coaches and that is also true for many high school sports programs. Ron Bellamy had great training- so the kids West Bloomfield are in good hands but here are plenty of examples were high school athletes never get anywhere near their potential due to poor coaching.
ed daggett
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 4:05 p.m.
David: interesting you did not reply to most of my other comments but here is what I will say about Mallett. When RR arrived he was most talented QB on roster. Upon his departure they had nothing that could contend for anything with Sheridan & Threet. Thus it was full speed ahead with his offense which was within three yrs the #2 national offense in country. Regarding running DR to much etc much of this was a first yr QB & lack of experience in letting plays develop. M team was not stellar in D under last few yrs of LC. Remember Oregon, App State, 45 pts to OSU & beat down by USC. Last yr on average every team M played averaged starting 13 repeat 13 more seniors than Mich. You cannot win with inexperience & walkons playing. He was forced to play frosh/sophs with little experience. At one time , he had two walkons starting on D (Leach & Kovacs). When has that ever happened at M. Nothing against LC the coach. His teams at M in latter yrs were out of shape & did not perform to capability of athletes. RR brought in to make changes & than when did not win immediateley with sub par talent (see NFL draft the last three yrs) people were impatient--especially with the behind scenes campaign LC was leading.
KeepingItReal
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 3:41 p.m.
michboy40: The exploitation of 15-18 year olds are already out of control. The current system can no longer be considered an amateur/collegiate system. As long as these kids see the type of money being made in the semi-pro sports called college athletics, they are going to want a piece of the pie. Even pro athletes who are compensated quite well for their efforts want more. What make you think that as college sports make more money that it would not be feasible to reimburse the athletes accordingly. Talk to any bright college athlete and they will give you insight into the sport that is unbelievable. Football and mens basketball foot the bill for every other college sports. There are those who feel that if the athletes in the major revenue producing sports are compensated, other sports may not be able to offer scholarships because this divert money from these other sports. Therefore, the fee structure for athletics will have to change which means that the cost will be passed onto the fans. UM athletic director will be adding Lacrosse as a NCAA sport at UM. How do you think the UM is proposing to cover the cost of this sport? Through the exploitation of those 15-18 years that you are concerned about. Eventually, these 15-18 year olds are going to wake up and realize the power they have. When that happens, college sports will change.
Ed daggett
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
David Vande Bunte : are you aware of the following: 1) Mallett skipped the first team meeting when RR became the coach 2) RR set up two individual meetings to meet one on one with Malllett and that he skipped both meetings 3) in RR's first job as coordinator they threw 60 passes a game. Given these facts any Div 1 coach would conclude the kid did not want to be at M & was unrealiable. No coach--especially one with a different offense---would invest the majority of spring practice snaps going to a kid like this who likely leave before the next season started. Like RR or not he was a successful Div 1 head coach who knows how to win. Had Mallett stayed the o of M would have been much different. LC always said he told kids to pick a school with the idea he would get hurt the first day of practice and never play again & how valuable an M degree was. Apparently that thought process changed if LC could get the #1 QB to transfer & hurt the team & new coach. Given what the public has now found out about the character of Boren & Mallett you should be able to see the type of hand that RR was provided. Also, keep in mind only one starter on offense was returning, 6 total offensive lineman which provided M in 08 with the least experience on OL in the entire Big Ten since 2003
DFSmith
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.
Ed- please stop being an apologist for Coach Rod. Yeah, maybe he wasa good guy. But, the bottom line is this- Coach Rod came in, fired all the people from the previous regime, and then, proved to be a major failure as a Head Football Coach. He had 3 years to show his stuff, and he failed. That is all.
David Vande Bunte
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 3:49 p.m.
If Mallett was such a hard case, then why complain about his leaving? Hmmmm? You just talked yourself into a huge conundrum. You blame Lloyd Carr for Mallett leaving, and then talk about how Mallett was so unreliable. Pick one. Was Ryan Mallett the best hope for RichRod, or wasn't he? Was the program hurt by his departure, or did he save RichRod some grief because he was irresponsible. Stop trying to have it both ways and pick one. I was a RichRod slappy. When he first came into town, I loved the guy, because he was going to run pretty much what I do in NCAA Football video games. I approved of the change in offensive direction. As we went through the three years, I found myself being cured of the RichRod slappiness. I saw how he refused to adapt to the talent he had, saw how he continuously tried to fit square pegs into round holes that first year, saw how he demonstrated his complete lack of understanding about what type of defense is necessary in the Big Ten to stop those power run games as he turned what was traditionally a stellar defensive team into the laughing stock of the NCAA, saw how he paid no attention whatsoever to special teams, and saw how he stupidly ran his stud QB way too many times so that he was injured. I saw RichRod fail to understand efficient clock management as well. RichRod was a successful head coach, in the Big East. Lloyd Carr was a far more successful head coach, in the Big Ten.
michboy40
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 2:55 p.m.
I agree with Bellamy that college players should not be paid. It does not matter what the system is, boosters will always try to find a way to sweeten the pot. Lets say you pay each kid $10,000/year. Well, you know an Auburn or OSU booster is going to go back door and offer the kid another $10,000 or more to go to a certain school, with the promise of performance bonuses to follow. So where does it end? It ends with the football programs becoming independent entities, funded by ulumni and boosters. Each program would be run like a business, and the exploitation of 15-18 yr old kids would be out of control. The overwelming popularity of the sport will eventually cause it to implode into a minor league system with no real meaningfull attachment to the University itself. So keep it like it is, bust EVERY school for violations if you have to, and do everything possible to keep the "student athlete" model, because it is what makes college football great.
Ed daggett
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
I applaud Bellamy for not being one to be critical of the former coach like so many of LC's former players. LC & those players of his--so called M Men---embarressed themselves & the football program on a national level by there undermining the last staff. How MSC allowed this to happen while the university was paying LC $388K shows a complete lack of leadership. Perhaps RR should be helping Denard look to transfer like LC did with Mallett.
1st Down
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 9:41 p.m.
boo hoo
missionbrazil
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
same old tired song, just a new singer.
Terry Star21
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
@David....agree, your information is correct. LC personally told Mallett to meet with the coach and RR kept sidestepping him. Mallett's father was correct in saying LC encouraged him to leave - a good choice for Mallett, but unfortunately Michigan's loss. Why ? Because I believe Mallett would have been so aggressive, so proven, that RR would have been forced to work him in - and then the magic begins ! Some people don't realize how close DRob was to leaving before Hoke/Borges meet with him. They had a detailed plan to present to him, not just some 'words' to keep him here - they showed him exactly how they wanted to use him, and he saw positive !
David Vande Bunte
Tue, Jun 7, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
oh goody, another MCC'er who still wants to believe the lie that Lloyd drove Mallett out...Mallett came to Carr for advice, only AFTER he had repeatedly tried to get in contact with RichRod, and RichRod had not responded to him. You MCC'ers always leave out the part where RichRod didn't want anything to do with Mallett. One of the first things Brady Hoke and Al Borges did when they got to Ann Arbor was to reach out to Denard Robinson, let him know what he would be doing differently in their offense, made him feel comfortable, and let him know that they would adjust their offense to better accomodate him...basically everything that is the opposite of what RichRod did. RichRod made no attempts to communicate with Mallett, refused to budge on his offense despite not having any dual threat QBs, and pretty much made the entire offense as inefficient as possible that first year. If RichRod had told Mallett that he understood Mallett wasn't really his kind of QB, and that he would adjust the offense for Mallett, who was by far the best QB on the roster, then perhaps Mallett doesn't transfer. But RichRod didn't do any of that. He didn't let Mallett know he was still welcome, didn't show him what would be expected, didn't attempt at all to keep him. Really, you guys need to give up the Lloyd Carr stole Mallett from RichRod excuse, it's pathetic.