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Major Applewhite Gets into Heated Exchange with DT Ed Oliver


Vic Mackey

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Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, an All-America talent in his third year as one of the best players int he sport, missed his fourth straight game on Thursday night, warming up but sitting out as the Cougars took on Tulane at home. 

Oliver, sporting team-issued sweats on the sideline, put on one of the oversized, heavier coats provided for the players during the first half of the game, as the temperature dipped into the low 50s. He was approached by head coach Major Applewhite, who told Oliver he had to remove the heavy coat because he was not dressed out to play with everyone else, according to ESPN's Laura Rutledge. 

At the end of the first half, ESPN's cameras caught Oliver being restrained as he and Applewhite shared a testy walk to the locker room. Oliver did not return to the sideline after halftime, though Applewhite indicated that he was welcome to.  

 

 

 

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11 minutes ago, BurntEyes said:

This is where I sit too.

Know who would have never skipped a game in order to preserve himself for the NFL? Major. 

I think that's probably why he over reacted, which he did. I know this place is torn on him, but no matter where you sit on him as a coach know two things about him as a player. Dude was an absolute gamer and left it all on the field. He also was as hardcore a Longhorn as anyone could be.

3. He's also kind of a dick. I'm sure this played into Oliver's reaction. I think it's fine to let Ed know the heavy jackets are for keeping guys in the game warm, so they don't pull a muscle. My guess is that Major went about it in a very Major way. Fairly confident this was the basis for the altercation, not the jacket itself.

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35 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Major shouldn't have yanked at the coat.  Being pissed about Oliver's bitchassedness is fine, though.

Boot him from the team and let him spend all of his time prepping for the NFL.  He's already not contributing anything as it is.

This is where I come in.  I'm not defending Oliver but it looks from my vantage point that major should've handled it better.  He's the adult.  

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48 minutes ago, Marfa Low Crown said:

If the dude wants to sandbag for the NFL I guess that's his prerogative and if Major wants to get pissy about it that's his.
What's not okay is going after your coach on national television...or anywhere else for that matter. That was probably the
 last time we'll see Ed Oliver on the UH sideline. 

It was poor form by Major. First of all he should have sat down with Oliver sometime before it came to this blowup and said you're either going to play because your knee is healthy enough to play or you're going to sit for the draft. If it's sit for the draft then you won't be traveling with the team and won't be on the sidelines. It's just a slap in face to the teammates that are playing that he's there jumping around on field before games and on sidelines healthy while quitting on them. 

Also, it was late 2nd quarter right before half. He should have just waited until they got in the locker room away from TV cameras then have the confrontation. 

If Opie wants to be able to recruit top guys in the future he needs to learn from this and avoid these kinds of public issues with top players. Unfortunately with the monetary model the way it is players who know they're getting drafted high just aren't going to finish out their last few games anymore going forward. Just have to deal with it better. 

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^^^^

Agreed, but players quitting on their team should not be allowed anywhere on the field.

I get the money/draft thing, but they are dishonorable IMO. And yeah, that includes the Horns who have bailed out on our bowl games recently. You make a commitment, you follow through on your word.

Remember when Cedric Benson was criticized for not being a team player? And I recall scores of other NFL-bound Horns over past generations who did not quit on their team.

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Fuck Ed Oliver. I’m guessing he had already been arguing with the staff member who was clearly talking to him and trying to get him to take the cost off when Major walked up. It was right before halftime and Oliver could have gotten a coat in the locker room shortly after he was asked to take the coat off. 

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6 minutes ago, Tex Pete said:

Fuck Ed Oliver. I’m guessing he had already been arguing with the staff member who was clearly talking to him and trying to get him to take the cost off when Major walked up. It was right before halftime and Oliver could have gotten a coat in the locker room shortly after he was asked to take the coat off. 

Yeah, maybe because it's Friday and I don't give a shit, but when asked Opie should very calmly and deliberately describe how much a talent Oliver is, but also how he's basically given up on his team, is a PITA to deal with, and has completely checked out on his team.  Then move on to the next question.  

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4 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

If it wan't Ed Oliver the player would have already been kicked off the team for that..

He didn't see too hurt when he went after Applewhite as well.

That's because he's not injured, he's just "hurt"

If the point of football is strictly, or primarily, to maximize your earnings potential, then he's doing the right thing by sitting out his semi-pro team's games at this point. 

Most fans don't look at it that way. It will be worth watching what happens to fan interest if players continue to take a primarily economic view of the game.

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37 minutes ago, Tex Pete said:

Fuck Ed Oliver. I’m guessing he had already been arguing with the staff member who was clearly talking to him and trying to get him to take the cost off when Major walked up. It was right before halftime and Oliver could have gotten a coat in the locker room shortly after he was asked to take the coat off. 

yeah, this is all on Oliver. and yes he's an adult. the dude isn't playing and he's not injured. I can see more coaches are going to start telling guys who are "draft hurt" to just go prepare and good luck. 

My guess is Major told the assistant coach to get the coat off of him and Oliver continued to be a bitch so Major tried to make a point that he runs the team, they are his rules, and get the fucking coat off on his sideline.  He's also standing up for his assistant who is trying to tell Oliver to take the coat off. Its a stupid bitch ass thing for Oliver to do.  from what I saw, Major didn't yell at him or confront him when Oliver was barking at the half.  He just stared at him like, "this is the way you want to go out, huh".

I'm no Major sycophant but good for Major.   I'm sure neither of them give a shit about the other at this point.  Major has to coach the players that want to play.

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5 minutes ago, Machinator said:

Yeah, they should definitely piss off one of the greatest players to pass through the UH program in a long time. That won't have any long-term ramnifications.

Ed Oliver can decide whether there is any long term ramifications.  not Major.

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