Brandon Tarr

[sports89]

Brandon...I am very impressed with your statement regarding your coach. This is an opinion thread so I guess it opens it up for everything. But I am so surprised that it opened it up to the level of negative that it did. That being said most were very pro towards Big G. You made a decision to take a season off...as everyone can get burned out. Then realized that you missed your team, coach and senior season. We have all done similar things in some part of our life. Best of luck to you.

 

Big G, It took alot of guts, I believe, to have opened the door up for Brandon. I only say this because you knew the possiblity of people looking for only the worst sometimes. I commend you for this Coach.

[NedNatterjack]

Big G, It took alot of guts, I believe, to have opened the door up for Brandon. I only say this because you knew the possiblity of people looking for only the worst sometimes. I commend you for this Coach.

 

 

Is this some kind of joke? Did it really take a lot of guts to let him back on the team? This kid is a solid player, what kind of guts does it really take to let a good player back on a struggling team? From a coaches standpoint, I think it takes more guts to look at the growth of the team and see that in the long run the team is better off without an indecisive senior.

 

As far as this being a "team decision", I highly doubt it. Let's ask the kid that will be sitting out now that he has decided to come back. It has been 2 months of missing practice, conditioning, bus rides, learning how to persevere in times when you didn't really want to but you know that your teammmates are counting on you. Where were you during these times?

 

I admire Coach G for his ethical decisions and reasonings, but the reasonings behind this one doesn't make sense. In order for young men to grow they must live with the decisions they have made, wrong or right. He bailed on his team during the toughest part of the season. As a teammate of his, I would think it would take more games than the season has left to gain his trust.

 

As for Tarr, of course you're going to stand by your coach's decision. We don't know the whole story, but he let you back on the team under circumstances that many coaches would not. You figured out 2 months in to the season that you missed the game of soccer. I'm afraid there won't be many opportunities for a 2nd chance once you get out of high school. So, good luck. I hope, somehow, you can grow and learn from this experience.

[soccer19]

as others have said, why does it matter if G lets him back on the team or not.it's not your team so quit the crying. as far as i'm concerned, everyone who is hatin on G and tarr are just scared of CAK making another run at the state title

[Hoya]

everyone who is hatin on G and tarr are just scared of CAK making another run at the state title

 

 

Honestly, I don't think you have read the posts above carefully enough. Very few of these comments are about "hatin on G and [T]arr" or are written by folks "just scared of CAK". Your summary of this thread isn't fair to the Board. Differences of opinion do not mean the advocates are "hatin". They are "state'n" and that is what this Board is all about.

 

Having read all of the above, I stick by my initial thought. There are no losers with these decisions. Mr. Tarr, because of the special nature of his school, his team and his coach, has a chance to correct what he (and I) think was a mistaken decision. No, we don't all get a second chance every time we go down a wrong road, but it sure is a wonderful relief when we get the chance for a do-over and I doubt many of us would throw away the opportunity to get things right. He's fortunate and my guess is he will make good on his opportunity --- to the benefit of all involved. "Tough love" isn't the only way to teach or to learn.

 

As for BigG, I know of no single instance since I have known him--and competitively it hasn't always been friendly and nice---when I felt that he acted other than in his players' best interests. He is a teacher first and a fine soccer coach. Second guessing his motives just isn't in the cards for me. With Mr. Tarr his team will be better; however, because a number of my club players have also played for him at CAK, I think I know something about this coach. I truly believe he would have done this very same thing if the regretful senior had been at the bottom of his team's depth chart. It is about sports, teaching and the team, not about competitive advantage. The fact that it was Mr. Tarr clearly makes the CAK team stronger, but, in my opinion, the opportunity to rejoin the group would have been extended to any similarly situated CAK player regardless of skill level .

 

BigG, Mr. Tarr and the Warriors soccer team got this one right. Congratulations to all of them.

 

Now, the Irish will have the opportunity to beat the Warriors at their best. Go Irish! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[WhatUpYo]

What I don't understand is why everyone should care? You all say you respect G for who he is and his opinions correct? Then let him make his decision and move on. I can see the only reason behind everyone bashing brandon being they don't want him to play because cak will be that much better. Lets just move on and brandon knows his place. If im not mistaken TNFC is the U18 state champs(over the crush) and brandon does play for them but doesnt make them an amazing team because everyone does there part. Brandon let god always lead you in the right directions and always follow your heart. As i can tell G really has touched your life and that is one relationship that you should cherish for the rest of your life. Good luck cak and play well. Brandon, will always be a good friend and a good teammate!

[Bighurt]

Obviously, BigG is willing to take the criticism or he would not have started this topic. I admire him for going through the process and making a decision that he felt was best for all concerned.

 

IMHO, it is indicative that there has been zero criticism from the people directly involved - CAK players, coaches, students or parents. I think it would behoove us all to walk in their shoes before we criticize their actions.

[govols14]

 

I admire Coach G for his ethical decisions and reasonings, but the reasonings behind this one doesn't make sense. In order for young men to grow they must live with the decisions they have made, wrong or right. He bailed on his team during the toughest part of the season. As a teammate of his, I would think it would take more games than the season has left to gain his trust.

 

Brandon Tarr never bailed on us as a team. He was there supporting us throughout all of it. We never lost trust in him, we all supported him in his decision. Yes, it was a team decision because the captains speak for the players and they did. As a member of the CAK soccer team, I am honored to be able to play with Brandon and have him as a teammate. Go Warriors!

[NedNatterjack]

Brandon Tarr never bailed on us as a team. He was there supporting us throughout all of it. We never lost trust in him, we all supported him in his decision. Yes, it was a team decision because the captains speak for the players and they did. As a member of the CAK soccer team, I am honored to be able to play with Brandon and have him as a teammate. Go Warriors!

 

 

Please understand that I meant no disrespect to Tarr or Coach G as person. It is true, we do not know the whole story behind this decision. That's why this is a forum. We take topics that pertain to us and we discuss them. This situation has, no doubt, touched all of us in a certain way. We can all relate and we can all add our personal experiences and thoughts. How interesting would it be if we all agreed, all the time?

 

I am happy to hear that Tarr supported his teammates during his transition period. And I am also happy to hear that everyone on CAK's team welcomes Tarr back with open arms. It is hard to find a team where every player on the team thinks of the team first. I have found that some kids these days are more worried about their playing time, rather than the improvement of the team. That is nice to hear. Thinking of the team first is not something we see often in high school all the way up to the professional sports.

 

I have the utmost respect for BigG. Sorry if my words were a little blunt, I'm sorry. I have an unbiased opinion, so I thought it was important to look at all aspects.

 

Good luck to CAK. This season should get a little more exciting now.

[BigG]

Please understand that I meant no disrespect to Tarr or Coach G as person. It is true, we do not know the whole story behind this decision. That's why this is a forum. We take topics that pertain to us and we discuss them. This situation has, no doubt, touched all of us in a certain way. We can all relate and we can all add our personal experiences and thoughts. How interesting would it be if we all agreed, all the time?

 

I am happy to hear that Tarr supported his teammates during his transition period. And I am also happy to hear that everyone on CAK's team welcomes Tarr back with open arms. It is hard to find a team where every player on the team thinks of the team first. I have found that some kids these days are more worried about their playing time, rather than the improvement of the team. That is nice to hear. Thinking of the team first is not something we see often in high school all the way up to the professional sports.

 

I have the utmost respect for BigG. Sorry if my words were a little blunt, I'm sorry. I have an unbiased opinion, so I thought it was important to look at all aspects.

 

Good luck to CAK. This season should get a little more exciting now.

 

I gotcha Ned, I knew what you were saying. No hard feelings!

[sports89]

Is this some kind of joke? Did it really take a lot of guts to let him back on the team? This kid is a solid player, what kind of guts does it really take to let a good player back on a struggling team? From a coaches standpoint, I think it takes more guts to look at the growth of the team and see that in the long run the team is better off without an indecisive senior.

 

No it is not a joke. I stand by my statement that I think it took guts for Big G to do this. Because he knew he would be questioned for all sorts of reasons by some people thinking he was doing it just to help out a struggling team....as you put it. Question it all you want as this is for all opinions. But I think he did it for all the right reasons...and that is not just to win. He realized I am sure that he would take a hit for this from some. Say what you want...but that is why I think it took guts. However, there has been more positive reactions than negative.

[Govolsknox]

For all of the tough love, live by your decision guys out there, I suspect you have made a decision that you concluded was a mistake, asked for a second chance, and received understanding and a second chance from another party at some point in your life. (Whether this is in your job, marriage, school, with your children...) If you haven't, you probably will at some time. I hope that if and when you do, you receive the same understanding and thoughtful decision making that Big G and the team exhibited here, and not just an arbitrary decision to have you learn a life lesson that you have to live with your mistakes.

 

There are some things that are so egregious that as a society we can't afford to consider a second chance. Team sports are not one of those. In my opinion, you are missing it if you don't see that all involved here will learn life lessons about commitment, friendship, leadership, establishing priorities, mercy, forgiveness, putting the group ahead of one person's interest, giving a second chance, etc.

 

There is no question that Brandon would have learned a life lesson if he had been forced to live with his mistake, but I submit that the whole team including Brandon will learn many more life lessons with this outcome.

[pseudophobia]

my question is this would any other player at CAK that decided not to play this year be afforded the same opportunity i would say not G i would have to say this is wrong from a team stand point but i understand a national team player on your highschool team is hard to turn away no matter what and of course the team is going to vote him on whats your record 2-2-1 they see the writing on the wall without him they cannot win state but with him they have a good shot but i think Catholic will be a force this year

 

Easttnref, This is a very good question? I would say that MOST coaches would not allow this. Big G has his own reasons and, obviously, so does Brandon Tarr. I respect them both. In my own experiences with players that were on a team that I coached or with my own children (all 6 of them) their decision made on whether to play or not was final. Period. One of my son's who decided to sit out a season asked to play a few weeks after a season began. I did not allow it. Not that I was trying to punish him...it was simply not fair to the others who had put up with everything they had to do to prepare for the season. I still don't know if it was the right decision....but either way to was very, very tough to do. The important thing is that I made a decision and stuck with it. This, I believe, is a completely different circumstance......none of us will ever know everything about the situation- but at least I can believe that Big G, Brandon and the entire CAK team......do!! I say welcome back, be thankful and go on with it. Besides, CAK got EXTREMELY lucky beating Catholic 2 years ago in the Championship game......I don't think that will happen again!!!

Hah ha....there's a poke at CAK (Sorry Big G)! I think this is Catholic's year.

Pseudophobia

P.S. Hey Big G.......why in the heck is the CAK vs Catholic game AND the Bearden vs Farragut game on the same day AGAIN???????? Aren't you 4 coaches smart enough to figure this thing out??? I want to see both games!!! Figure it out man!! Please!!