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The whole thing reveals our whole society is full of pansies.

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Or maybe the few that think this is excusable are just out of touch meat-heads.

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Exhibit A

Some execute discipline for show (who's the boss around here? huh? huh?!) and others do it because the offending party most likely brought on it on themselves. As public a display as this was, the action had to be just as openly outward. The guy at tu just doesn't impress me as a football genius. We'll see.

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No, this was the correct route.

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As somebody who supervises 30 twenty somethings, this didn't actually have to be done. Specifically, D1 isn't real life. Move him to the back, get him to the sideline . By accounts, he is a good guy with potential.

But no, the zoo wouldn't have that, no.

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D1 football is real life for him, his teammates, his employer and a multimillion $$ business. This is not volunteer work at the local soup kitchen. This is national TV.

Right move by Sumlin.

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You just have to wonder what the hell was going through his head because his actions were beyond stupid.

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You ever been around football coaches? They're a fiery group. See Woody Hayes. It isn't part of the game, but some of the greats get out of control.

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I spend a lot of time around football coaches and they are fiery, but they also value people who don't embarrass their program in very public settings by losing their cool multiple times. Sumlin could have given him permanent locker room or press box duty for the rest of his time at A&M, but he chose not to as is his prerogative. Had a college or HS coach done what MR did, he would have been fired the next day and could possibly face further legal action.

Hopefully, MR can finish his degree and get a job working as a coach if that's really what he wants to do. I guarantee he won't make that same mistake next time he's on the sideline of a game.

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We have insufficient information to have an opinion on Sumlin's decision.

Was this a completely out of character, heat of the moment action than friends and coworkers just couldn't believe he was capable of? Or was this sort of thing typical for the guy and he's already had a couple of warnings?

We have no way of knowing.

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I disagree. It doesn't matter if this was his first offense or he was on double secret probation. His offense was egregious and he deserved to be dismissed. He didn't drop a customer's french fries on the floor.

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Was this a completely out of character, heat of the moment action

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He did it twice. The first time he could have possibly gotten away with a suspension. After the second hit, Richardson pretty much severed his own ties with TAMU.

Wondering why seniors, other coaches or A&M personnel missed the first incident. Two is way over the top.

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The whole thing bothers me. First off both hits were cheap and cowardly. But everyone freaking out over this tiny bump on the sidelines that would have been laughed at as a pansy hit if it occurred three feet in bounds, makes no sense to me.

It wasn't long ago you had to be careful when you ran onto the other teams sideline and nobody freaked out over a little bump.

I think what he did was wrong but rank it up there with spitting your gum out on the sidewalk. Why are we even talking about a football player getting pushed while playing football in full pads. My kids push each other harder wrestling in the living room at night and they don't even get in trouble.

Richardson was dumb, but all the pansy reactions are even dumber to me. The whole thing reveals our whole society is full of pansies. /Rant

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Those who excuse what happened are the pansies. What happened to accountability and responsibility for your own actions?

There are consequences for screwing up.

(if this happened three yards in bounds, MR would have been removed right away and we would have suffered a PF penalty. If this had been a player - it might have been OK. But MR isn't a player, get it? )

I do not agree with Sumlin dismissing him. I think it does a disservice and I think it got blown out of proportion. He's a 20-21 year old kid who is not that far removed from the game. He got caught up in the emotion. If I was the head coach I would discipline him, but if he really was passionate about going into coaching I would put him in the booth. There's a lot he can learn about the game from the booth. And breaking down film. He wouldn't be on the sideline next year but I would keep him in the program. This strikes me as a knee jerk reaction to the "sensationalism" of the media when it happened. He is still a young man and they do make mistakes.

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No, this was the correct route.

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As somebody who supervises 30 twenty somethings, this didn't actually have to be done. Specifically, D1 isn't real life. Move him to the back, get him to the sideline . By accounts, he is a good guy with potential.

But no, the zoo wouldn't have that, no.

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It's exactly this attitude that has millenials thinking that actions have no consequences. If one of your twenty-somethings embarassed your company on a national stage and you didn't fire them, you deserve to be fired. His actions did harm to the A&M brand. D1 is real life to every one of the people who's careers are tied up in A&M football. A&M won their bowl game, but the benefit of that to the brand was overshadowed by coverage of his actions. As a spokesperson for my company, if I embarass them or bring negative media coverage to our organization, I'd be unemployed in a heartbeat.

TxElsie:

Thanks for that! WAY too many young people who have not learned about consequences to their actions either at home or at school. They are in for a RUDE awakening in the world that awaits them.

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Just issue an apology and suspend. This was the wrong route.

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No if he had done it once it might have been too tough but he did it twice in the same half. That shows lack of judgement on Michael and Sumlin did the right thing. At some point people should be held accountable for their actions and hopefully this will be a learning lesson for this young man.

Sumlin handled this whole thing appropriately, and the necessary actions were taken.



However all of the people who are hyping this up. You are feeding the media and other institutions that literally HATE Texas A&M. I have seen this all over facebook, on KBTX, Yahoo Sports, 247, ESPN.com etc.etc.

Right now we are in the process of a Potential groundbreaking DC hire, so would you kindly stfu and carry on with the REAL news? That issue is behind us.

Count me among those who 100% support Michael Richardson.

Top 50 state recruit (espn 300) who commits to the ags early in 2011. Keeps Desoto pipeline going

honors his commitment despite coaching change in 2012.

Plays in first game as true frosh against Florida in 2012

Makes 5 tackles and BREAKS NECK against Sam Houston in 2013. Very nearly a "CATASTROPHIC" injury according to Sumlin.

Sticks with program and school and continually supports team mates despite a MAJOR life set back.

Continues to tweet and support Aggie Football throughout recovery

Gets overhyped, over-excited, over-everything and shoves two WVU players during an exceptionally emotional bowl game *see skylar Howard and 4 (5?) aggie first half personal foul/unsportsmanlike conduct calls.

Gets called out as a "coach" by enthusiastic, un-uninformed ESPN commentators

Apologizes profusely for his behavior

WVU player he shoved first is pissed, then realizes it is an injured PLAYER and says "we're good"

Then, he is booted out of program.

An incredible series of events fueled by social media and folks trying to be holier-than-thou by denouncing his poor behavior.

He messed up...but I think he is a good ag anyway.

I'm for punishing him but not for criminalizing him. Way to harsh for a guy who would be on the field barring a career ending neck injury while playing for his beloved Texas Aggies.

Good. His idiotic behavior overshadowed a good victory for this team and brought A&M a bunch of unnecessary negative publicity.

Kudos to Sumlin for cutting this guy off immediately.

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20-21 year old

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kid

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Does not compute

Sumlin did what he had to do. One offense, sure, suspension, but two in the same game? That said I kinda feel bad for the guy and hope that Sumlin keeps him in the loop and helps him behind the scenes to achieve something for himself.

I am for redemption and second chances. Throwing people away isn't the way to help him.

Hawg fan lurker here...

I cannot throw rocks as Hawgs have had their own albatrosses to deal with.

I can say way for Sumlin to show the integrity. -- slow clap --

When Petrino rode his motorcycle into the ditch with his side-piece onboard... a good many Hawg fans said "find anyway you can to punish him but for God's sake keep him".

Instead Long cowboyed up and fired the lyin cheatin scumbag pons-head Petrino.. like he needed to.

again, kudo's to Coach Sumlin for his actions.

good bull indeed.

-- slow clap again --

Carry on.

Life lessons are hard sometimes, but:
* embarrass your boss in front of a peer or two, and you'll get your ass chewed
* embarrass your boss and the entire organization in a public setting, and KNOW that you will be fired

That's reality. I've no idea if MR is a thug or a great person who made a simple mistake with terrible consequences. Either way, Sumlin dealt with it appropriately. It is up to MR to learn from his mistake - or not - and adjust his behavior in the future. I hope he does.

It's not a death sentence. It's not even a carreer ender.

He should be able to keep the schollie and finish school. But, no longer on the sideline or associated with the program. Unless he breaks the law or some such, deliver on your original promise to educate him.

glad not all are infected with the gen Y disease of "hey, we heard an apology, let's just forgive and move on"

We can absolutely forgive him, and help him.... but that doesn't mean you don't do what you absolutely need to do.

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I am for redemption and second chances. Throwing people away isn't the way to help him.

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0gimme a break.... he did something inexcusable. Even the great Woody Hayes- one of the all-time great football coaches and face of the Ohio St. U was "thrown away" after he hit an opposing player on the sidelines.

you think Texas A&M should not dismiss a student assistant from the team??????? you live in lala land.

Yeah the Woody Hayes thing is totally the same.

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I do not agree with Sumlin dismissing him. I think it does a disservice and I think it got blown out of proportion. He's a 20-21 year old kid who is not that far removed from the game. He got caught up in the emotion. If I was the head coach I would discipline him, but if he really was passionate about going into coaching I would put him in the booth. There's a lot he can learn about the game from the booth. And breaking down film. He wouldn't be on the sideline next year but I would keep him in the program. This strikes me as a knee jerk reaction to the "sensationalism" of the media when it happened. He is still a young man and they do make mistakes.

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There's a political component to CFB because recruiting is about image to a large extent. When you embarrass your boss publicly (especially very publicly, like on national TV), you get the axe. That's just how PR management works. Sucks for Richardson that a spur of the moment decision costs him this dearly, but CFB is the real world.