Allan Trimble Suspends Himself for Year

The sad thing going unmentioned in the AREA media in OK is the AD, guidance counselor, et al that cleared Lake to play and declared him eligible. They really are crushing this man - I understand that there are libelous things being said. Wow, may God spare me from such a mob. Not suggesting anyone here is going after him hard - we're just reeling from the story - but it's pretty bad in Tulsa.

Jenks didn't win the State Championship last year with Lake. However, they had won 9 of the previous 12 prior to Lake and back to back before him - does it really make sense to think they would intentionally endanger their situation for 1 athlete when they have won without it for so long?

Every story has two sides, and the more I hear about this story, the more I am convinced that there is only one side coming out, and its a sad day for a good man.

I was an AD and Head Football Coach, and while I certainly can see how some of these things would look to the reader. Just leave out a few things, or add a few things, and it can be made to look any way you want. If this kind of thorough study of every kid in every program was done, I am sure there would be many kids in strange circumstances.

I don't ignore the poor decisions made to let Jarrett participate in practices and camps, but in context, those opportunities look more consistent with trying to give a kid a chance to be involved, not trying to gain advantage if he had paperwork in, etc. I am sure if you went down the street and evaluated other successful programs in the area, you would find things that didn't add up, but when you aren't winning I guess no one is sending in anonymous e-mails about you.

I can only imagine what would have happened if someone had interviewed 11 different people, all seeking to protect their reputations on some level, about things I said and did with kids in my programs over the years.

I never broke the rules with malice, or intent to benefit my program, and without the full story from Trimble, this is just a report of the events from one individual 's vantage point - and it is assumed that this individual, and the recollection of the 11 others is completely unbiased in every way.

This is a tough, tough situation, and a great study in the human condition - imperfect, and indiscernible in terms of motive of the heart - only God knows what each was thinking.

I refer back to the original thread heading, "Trimble suspends himself..." When you want to see a man's intent and character, you have to take a lot more into account than one situation, which is what is at issue, and especially more than one man's account of the facts as they are laid out. The way a man handles these accusations can say as much about his intent as the actual story that is recalled.

It is just too easy to spin. It would be a grave mistake to assume that Trimble would knowingly jeopardize such a body of work as he had amassed at Jenks for 15 years, for one kid so cavalierly as they painted.

Did he make mistakes in this process? Yes, but all of them can be understood in a different light if you know the man, and that is what is left out of the docs - and that is too bad, because it doesn't take that into account - nor is it intended too. This is about the letter of the law. There are administrative timelines and paperwork that are not brought into the discussion which can easily turn those mistakes into grievous evil intent.

This is why it is so darn hard to be a Head Coach anywhere, because the rules exist in spirit and in letter, and in that gap lies the rub for any man's conscience in trying to help a kid. Even if it might put you at risk. He certainly, according to the rules, crossed some lines, but to who's benefit ultimately? Jarret has a full ride to OU, and is playing at another school. The man who helped him is being lynched, and we don't know what we don't know. The whole Hargrave thing is a debacle.

Jarrett Lake wasn't their best player last year, nor was he their best receiver, but none of that matters...

It is the simple appearance of impropriety that matters in today's world, which guarantees that no one can truly succeed in every way, the right way. Just look at the rules on D1 coaches - They have to have an entire compliance office devoted to following the rules, and they still break the rules, everyday! My son is playing for a D1 school right now, and they are breaking the spirit of the rules in ways that are irritating to me as a parent, but hey, everybody does it. That is what Rodriguez had to defend - spirit vs. letter - it is a slippery place.

Someone much greater than me said, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." As I recall, not one stone flew that day He said. Why? I think it made each man look at himself without prejudice, and they found no innocence in themselves to start chucking. If I did that more in my life, I would probably judge a lot less. I am not defending the rules infractions, I am just seeking to offer a character support, because it appears that will go unnoticed if someone doesn't speak up for the man.

In the end, Allan will have to address the mistakes he made and how they were made based on what he knew, or thought he knew, and hopefully his total body of work will be considered in context as it is decided.

But which of us would survive this kind of scrutiny in our simple efforts to help a kid succeed. I know what he has done for all kinds of kids in his program that didn't get scholarships, and he didn't need this one to win - he already showed he could do that.

I just hope someday when, not if, my name is attached to this kind of evaluation, people will look deeper than an attorney's report of the events. do we really believe that an attorney's intentions are the only pure ones here?

God help us if that is the case, and help Allan Trimble, one of the kindest and biggest hearted coaches I have ever known.