Anthony Hines opts-out
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By now you know that presumed starting linebacker Anthony Hines III has opted out of the beating-down-our-door right-around-the-corner so-close-you-can-taste-it 2020 Aggie football season. He first posted the news to Twitter, posting on Sunday evening and clarifying his decision today.
When I first read the news, I was frustrated as hell. How can a starting linebacker bail on his teammates six days out from showtime? In a year when this team has a real shot to make noise? Yes, there is plenty going on in the world outside of football - but many are dealing with similar situations. And aren’t your teammates the ones who will help you through tough times like these? Won’t playing every Saturday give you a bigger platform to address the issues you want to have an impact on?
I thought it was a weak mentality. A carryover mentality from the Sumlin years. That’s the old way, this is the new way. You can’t allow outside distractions to affect your vision. It’s tunnel vision time. We want dogs. When that helmet rolls into town, hell rolls with it. Players hungry with a purpose and to be part of something greater, part of something to topple the SEC blue bloods, make the College Football Playoff and bring a title back to A&M. And this wasn’t it. It was bailing on your teammates.
Do you see any Alabama players opting out? No. How about Ohio State? No, they actually have guys opting back in! Why? Because they’re DOGS. Strong mentally and physically. Do their job. Put in the work. Championship-hungry tunnel vision. There for championships and to better themselves for the league. Some are willing to wait their turn for years to start for the Tide and the Buckeyes. We still have guys who will opt out three weeks and six days before a season.
That is the old way - it’s time for the new way to truly take hold.
Rumors have swirled that Aaron Hansford was starting to see more time with the first team, which may have factored into Hines' decision. It’s possible, but we’ll likely never know if that was what really tipped the scales.
I still am frustrated by the Hines decision, particularly the timing. But after my initial reaction, I read a tweet that checked me and made me come to a different conclusion. Oftentimes we do not really know the full story of what someone is going through. Things are not always as they appear. Only Anthony Hines and the guys who are in that locker room know what really is going on. We’re sorry for the loss Hines suffered and hope he can have the impact he wants to have.
Lastly, the vitriol that Hines received on Twitter was (sadly) expected but wrong. I understand fans' frustration, as I was frustrated myself. But there is no need to tweet vitriol at a young man who donned the Maroon and White for three years, and fought through injury. He’s an Aggie. Aggies take care of Aggies. It would do us well to remember that.
We wish him the best and hope he can help his community as he says. We hope to see Hines back in an Aggie uniform again. We doubt we will, but at the end of this semester, he will be an Aggie graduate. We can all applaud that.
Next man up. #BTHOVandy.
