Tom Savage situation turning ugly?

So much for hopes that Tom Savage could make a clean getaway from Rutgers.

The Miami Herald has reported that the former Scarlet Knights quarterback has drawn interest from Miami but that head coach Greg Schiano is blocking a transfer to the Hurricanes. And Savage's father is unhappy with that decision.

"Miami called his high school coach and said they really like Tom and he would fit well in their offense and they are really interested," Tom Savage Sr. told the paper. "Tom is interested. He has always loved Miami."

Schools often block transfers within their own conference or to teams that will appear on future schedules within a player's career. Neither of those is the case with Miami. The Scarlet Knights' only possible justification for preventing Savage from going to Florida is that they recruit heavily in that state.

"I don't understand how one person can be dictator over your son's future," Savage Sr. said. "I know they recruit Florida, but the ones that want to go to Rutgers are going to go to Rutgers. … It's just wrong."

Savage Sr. said the family has spoken with an attorney and has filed an appeal on the blocked transfer. The appeal will be heard within 10 days.

It's distasteful how many cards schools hold over players. A player is granted a one-year, renewable scholarship and can be asked to leave if he underperforms or is recruited over. If he wants to go to another school, he has to sit out a year, and his old program can dictate where he can and can't go. Meanwhile, coaches are free to change jobs at any time.

I think teams end up looking petty when they try to restrict players from transferring to a preferred destination. Losing Savage already hurts, but if he ends up in Miami it is not going to permanently damage the Scarlet Knights in any way. It's sad to see things come to this, after Schiano and Savage seemed to have such a strong relationship in the previous two years.

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Cringe-worthy and Stomach Turning for Lions Fans

Matt Millen. Oh my sweet lord, is he not everywhere on my football television? Is nothing sacred? At long last sir, have you no shame?

There is obviously something about the man’s good nature that endears him to NFL owners and studio executives. To Lions fans, though, he is the devil. It may be hyperbole to blame Mr. Millen for all the Lions woes over the past decade, but he gets credit for most of them.

And yet, here he is on my television every weekend lecturing us about football. Even more galling is that his niche as a color commentator seems to focus on player talent evaluation. Really? Matt Millen knows player talent? Really? The guy who overruled his head coaches to draft Joey Harrington and Mike Williams is getting paid to talk about player talent? If I have to listen to MATT FREAKING MILLEN tell me one more time about how good this young wide receiver or that up-and-coming linebacker is going to be, I may have to go on a rampage.

Mr. Millen, although you had no experience running a football team, you felt comfortable taking over the reigns of a mediocre Lions franchise. During your tenure, you took them from the middle of the pack to the bottom of the barrel. You made them into a late night talk show punchline. Now you’re back behind the microphone acting like that never happened.

We remember, Matt. Here in Detroit, we will never forget.

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