Getty Image / John Wilcox
I think we all know in the back of our heads that star players in sports are held to different standards than players that aren’t necessarily as good. It’s something that’s reinforced when we first start playing sports.
It’s not good or bad, necessarily, it’s just how it is. Keeping your best players happy is generally a good strategy in sports.
But, rarely does someone involved in playing or coaching say that out loud. After all, no one likes to admit to favoritism. But, former Division 1 football star and PAC 12 position coach turned podcast Adam Breneman talked about it on a recent episode of his podcast, Next Up With Adam Breneman. Take a look at the clip.
@adambreneman81 Coaches will say everyone gets treated the same on their team. But the reality is — there’s a sliding scale. If you’re a playmaker on Saturdays, you get more leeway off the field. If you’re not a good player, you better never miss a class! It’s the harsh truth! #collegefootball #cfb
If that name sounds vaguely familiar, you’re a good college football fan. Adam Breneman started out his career at Penn State as a five-star recruit at tight end, where he was named freshman All-American. But, a serious knee injury before his sophomore season curtailed his career at Penn State, and he retired from football. That didn’t last long, as the Harrisburg-area native came back to play for UMASS and racked up over 1500 yards receiving in 2016 and 2017, being named to All-American teams both years.
An NFL career didn’t work out due to the issues with that knee, and he spent a few years on staff at Arizona State under Herm Edwards before going into media. And, with viral clips like these, he’s going to continue making quite a name for himself in the college football media space.