Can someone tell me what the story is with Duce Staley

grrrtiger · 2010-03-25T14:41:48.633Z

I hear it mentioned on Mickey's show today, but they didn't expalin what happened. Thanks

scooter

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that's just a very small part of it

Mar 25, 2010, 10:49 AM [ in reply to From what I saw he complained about his pay for.... ]

he felt he got screwed out of a job on Spurrier's coaching staff by the AD

http://www.postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks

Duce vents about USC, Hyman
Posted by travis_haney at 3/23/2010 2:30 PM EDT on Post and Courier

COLA -- Duce Staley had been in a slow boil the past few months, and he finally erupted Tuesday.

The West Columbia native who starred at South Carolina and in the NFL for a decade blew up today because he feels slighted by USC.

A job that was once promised to Duce will go to Terry Cousin, another former Gamecock who spent time in the NFL.

Staley seemed most upset that AD Eric Hyman didn't call or text him to inform him that Cousin would be hired for that job.

Duce, speaking on his afternoon radio show on 107.5 "The Game" FM, specifically addressed Hyman, who might've been listening.

"Today I'm very frustrated with you," Staley said. "Even though you decided to go another route, at least I could've got a phone call. I might not have liked what you said to me ... but, as a man, I would've accepted it a little better. This is a slap to my face."

Even though he wasn't hired for the job, Staley was still doing the job to some extent.

I know he talked some players off the ledge when they were frustrated, even convincing some not to transfer or leave early for the NFL. He said Tuesday that he's been in touch with some high school coaches, to improve relationships there. Duce has the ear, too, of former players -- even prickly ones such as Sterling Sharpe.

"While you were home sleeping, Eric, I was out helping my university," Duce said. "I'm always out carrying the flag for my university."

I've seen it firsthand on a number of occasions. Players of all ages look up to and respect Duce. He knows the game and he knows what it takes to be successful playing it.

But the school basically could not risk hiring Staley. That left bad blood that's only soured.

"How can I be fully committed to a university that's not fully committed to me?" Staley said.

Some history that will speak to why things didn't work out for Duce -- and what led to Tuesday's blowup:

A little more than a year ago, Steve Spurrier promised Staley he'd join the football staff as a player consultant (he'd help with high school, current and former player relations). I felt confident enough that it would happen that I wrote a story about it. Others did, too, after Spurrier confirmed just before the Outback Bowl that Staley would soon be hired.

Turns out, Spurrier spoke out of turn and the school didn't feel as good about hiring Staley as the Ball Coach did.

Hyman, and perhaps rightfully so, didn't feel comfortable hiring Staley. Namely, there were some question marks about Staley's track record. There were, and are, some issues there.

Additionally, (and this was more publicly known) the school said it couldn't hire Duce unless he completed his degree. Staley agreed to do so, but had a decent amount of credit hours remaining.

He attended some night classes, and continued to even after Hyman told him the school couldn't immediately hire him.

But a chasm began widening in the relationship between Staley and school, as it became clear USC wouldn't hire Staley. It got larger and larger until it all hit the fan with the internal news (yet to be released, as far as I know) that Cousin would be hired for the player liaison gig once promised to Duce.

It's an unfortunate situation for both sides. USC really wanted to hire Staley, but its hands were tied in various ways. That left Duce to sort of twist in the wind after the news became public and Spurrier confirmed it. You can understand his frustration, especially since it's obvious that he does care about the school.

Let's hope there's some sort of olive branch that can bring about peace between the sides so that Staley doesn't become just another disenchanted former Gamecock, as he claimed today that he would be.

"I understand why they're mad," Staley said of former USC players, especially those who've gone on to NFL success. "I understand why, when they go, they shut the door."

-- Trav

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Brandon Bennett tells me there are some question marks and issues relative to Staley's hiring, Staley knows exactly what they are, and that Hyman was completely justified in his decision.

Whether Hyman contacted Staley to discuss those issues and $CU's subsequent decision is another matter entirely.

That said, I'm not willing to point the dirty end of the stick at Hyman over this one just yet.

If Staley is really interested in helping the university and carrying the flag for the university as he says, it seems to me he needs to keep his mouth shut and handle this behing closed doors. This is an internal matter that should have remained internal and not hashed-out in the media or on local sports talk radio.

Can someone tell me what the story is with Duce Staley

From what I saw he complained about his pay for....

I have ZERO......ZILCH........NO sympathy/respect......

Just becuase he made alot of money doesnt mean he should

i didn't say that....

He could have quit, but he decided to compain.

that's just a very small part of it

Re: that's just a very small part of it

A good friend of mine and former $CU player

Re: A good friend of mine and former $CU player

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