CB/KR/PR Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu Kicked Out of LSU

[Cigaro]

Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

I don't even know what that is, so either it's a really big deal, or not that big a deal at all.

Its a mountain in the Himalayas. Supposed to be quite difficult, more so than Everest.

(It also a name for synthetic marijuana, with potentially serious side effects.)

[BamaFalcon59]

Second round pick, IMO.

[PossibleCabbage]

Originally Posted by Cigaro

Its a mountain in the Himalayas. Supposed to be quite difficult, more so than Everest.

(It also a name for synthetic marijuana, with potentially serious side effects.)

The first one I knew, but not the second. Interesting, the synthetic marijuana is significantly worse for you than the natural kind? I can't imagine anybody at a major university (least of all a major athlete) not having access to the natural kind (even if it is illegal.)

So that's kind of weird.

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

Second round pick, IMO.

You take a guy in the second round after he sits out of football for a year in order to get a serious drug problem under control? Especially a guy who doesn't fit an obvious NFL mold (just ask yourself "which current NFL players does Mathieu remind you of?")

Interesting.

[Cigaro]

Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

The first one I knew, but not the second. Interesting, the synthetic marijuana is significantly worse for you than the natural kind? I can't imagine anybody at a major university (least of all a major athlete) not having access to the natural kind (even if it is illegal.)

So that's kind of weird.

Can be. They are cheaply created chemicals created with little regard to health concerns. You can suffer extreme anxiety, heart attacks, seizures, organ failure and occasionally even death(a basketball player for my hometown university died of the stuff). Most people will just get high(although I have heard its not nearly as enjoyable as the real stuff), but there is no real way to predict how someone will react to it.

As for why its taken, there aren't any good reasons. Some people just want to try it, some people may have access to the natural stuff, but not as easily or cheaply so they just go with synthetic, and some use the synthetic stuff purely for the legality(possession, drug tests, etc.) Obviously LSU still disallowed the synthetic stuff and tested for it, so I honestly don't know what Mathieu's motivation to use this stuff would have been.

[fenikz]

the thing is its legal for some reason as apposed to weed :/

[ellsy82]

Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

I don't even know what that is, so either it's a really big deal, or not that big a deal at all.

I'm gonna go with the latter.

[PossibleCabbage]

Originally Posted by fenikz

the thing is its legal for some reason as apposed to weed :/

But they still get you in trouble with the NCAA and with LSU, which is something Matthieu should be much more concerned about than the cops. I mean "college student gets busted for pot" is not exactly a big deal as far as the law is concerned in most places. "Athlete gets busted with pot, whether synthetic or not" is a big deal with the NCAA and most colleges.

[Miaoww]

Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

You take a guy in the second round after he sits out of football for a year in order to get a serious drug problem under control? Especially a guy who doesn't fit an obvious NFL mold (just ask yourself "which current NFL players does Mathieu remind you of?")

Interesting.

Which current NFL player did Cam Newton remind you of?

Can't pigeon hole these guys.

[PossibleCabbage]

Originally Posted by Miaoww

Which current NFL player did Cam Newton remind you of?

Can't pigeon hole these guys.

But the "who does this guy remind you of" question is something that actual NFL scouts and general managers consider in actual NFL war rooms. It's possible that someone is an unprecedented talent, and that merits further consideration (though I would say that Cam Newton reminded me of Ben Roethlisberger, but with better wheels.)

The thing is though that guys who are unprecedented talents are rare. 5-9 180 lb defensive backs without great speed or technique are not especially rare. Mathieu's aggressiveness and instincts are rare, but the fact that he's short, small, slow, and his technique is iffy means that he's going to be a hard sell in a lot of war rooms, since he's not an obvious fit anywhere.

[Saints-Tigers]

I don't know where people get the idea that he's slow from. The dude is very explosive.

[Cudders]

Mathieu might be undersized, but there are two elements of his skill set that just can’t be taught. That’s aggressiveness and ball skills.

As a coach, I can teach him to shift his weight at the line. I can teach him how to use his hands. I can teach him proper footwork. I can teach him how to position himself at the top of his back pedal. If he shows he’s coachable at the Senior Bowl practices, and then does the same at the NFL Combine position drills, then I can teach him these things. Sloppiness in technique isn’t a permanent state.

What I can’t teach him is aggressiveness. That’s a mind set that’s tough to ingrain in someone. I’ve seen 6-2, 210 lbs. cornerbacks that are soft as Kleenex and couldn’t tackle themselves out of a wet paper bag and never improved. Mathieu is tenacious even though he’s just 5-9, 180 lbs. He’ll stick his nose in traffic in run support and he’ll battle with receivers in coverage no matter how much size he gives up to them. Cornerback is one of the most demanding positions in football. A lot of corners just can’t cope with blowing their assignments or having Calvin Johnson abusing them. Those corners wash out. I’ve seen some factors to suggest that Mathieu isn’t one of the ones that will get down on themselves and break.

What I can’t teach him are ball skills. And that’s what separates Mathieu from most of his fellow prospects. His ball skills are supreme. Both when the ball is cradled on a runner and when the ball is in the air. He finds it and he fights for it. Those, to me, are valuable qualities that don’t come around often at his position, so I’m willing to accept some of the less desirable stuff. He’s got innate football intelligence though. Your head gets your body to the football quicker than your legs ever can.

I expect Mathieu to time slow, too. He’s a short-strider. But, as long as his hips are flexible and his short-area quicks are there, I’m comfortable with his timed speed. I think he profiles best as a slot corner in the NFL. He won’t be matched up against a ton of blazers there, so his long speed isn’t as pressing of an issue.

Overall, before the drug issues surfaced, I thought the second round was a fair valuation. Since being dismissed from the team, I think he’s much closer to the fourth. He wasn’t a special talent to begin with and now he’ll have to deal with the stigma of being a user. Janoris Jenkins was a much better prospect as a pure cover corner and he slipped out of the first even though the value of that position is at an all-time high right now.

[underscore]

Honey Badger may have no choice but to go pro



A Sports Illustrated cover story reports that former LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu received benefits from a night club that could jeopardize his future eligibility.
"Since last January, Mathieu has allowed his image to be used on a flyer promoting an event at a local night club, appeared in several promotional videos online and... received benefits at the club that could affect his eligibility," the story reads. It is widely known that Mathieu is working towards rejoining the LSU football program, re-enrolling in classes after a four week rehab stay, and head coach Les Miles recently said he expects a "happy ending" regarding the two. The junior is obviously trying to make a positive change, but prior missteps may make it all for naught if eligibility cannot be achieved

[SniperDosPuntoCero]

Originally Posted by underscore

Honey Badger may have no choice but to go pro



A Sports Illustrated cover story reports that former LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu received benefits from a night club that could jeopardize his future eligibility.
"Since last January, Mathieu has allowed his image to be used on a flyer promoting an event at a local night club, appeared in several promotional videos online and... received benefits at the club that could affect his eligibility," the story reads. It is widely known that Mathieu is working towards rejoining the LSU football program, re-enrolling in classes after a four week rehab stay, and head coach Les Miles recently said he expects a "happy ending" regarding the two. The junior is obviously trying to make a positive change, but prior missteps may make it all for naught if eligibility cannot be achieved

Can you link?

[underscore]

From Rotoworld,. but it's obviously citing an SI story

[Don Vito]

******* ****** just got arrested for weed again

[vidae]

Better declare for the draft and enjoy that 4th-5th round salary.

[Don Vito]

I would have paid a lot of money to see the looks on the faces of Mathieu and Jefferson when the blue lights went off behind them. They saw the sportscenter update flashing before their eyes.

[BuckeyeDan17]

[G Mobile]

He doesn't have getting away from the cops speed

[SolidGold]

The dude is just pissing away his opportunity

[PossibleCabbage]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

******* ****** just got arrested for weed again

I'm pretty sure he's not draftable at this point. This is after he went through an exhaustive rehabilitation program. It apparently didn't take because the bust that resulted in the arrest of Matthieu as well as a few other former LSU Tigers occurred in Matthieu's apartment.

[Razor]

Mathieu apparently wasn't arrested on charges of intending to distribute. He'll "only" be charged with possession. Still wouldn't touch the guy.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...d-drug-charges

[Bengals78]

Okay, which is a bigger display of stupidity:

Tyrann - at any point in time apparently
or
Jevan Snead - believing Todd McShay

[Don Vito]

I believe in Snead

[jrdrylie]

Definitely not a draftable prospect. He's vastly undersized. He doesn't have a true position. He isn't that fast. And he makes Vince Young look like Albert Einstein. If anyone even signs him, Mathieu will be out of the league in two years.