Former Gopher A.J. Barker arrested UPDATED 5/9: Sid says AJ wants back on team

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Should have transferred to Colorado or Wazzu.
 


you get to make mistakes in life but if you bunch em all together it can get really bad. for example... you yell at your neighbor -1 you then punch neighbor -2 you punch cop -3. 3 is pretty much the magic number in life for good or bad. easy does it AJ.
 




Houston athl. spokesman: "A.J. Barker is not a member of our football team and was not offered a scholarship as some outlets have reported"
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I'm guessing A.J. Barker and his family reported it originally, which makes this whole situation even more bizarre. Maybe A.J. thought he could just show up and get a scholarship like when George Costanza did that at an office when he didn't even know if he had the job or not.
 


I can almost guarantee what happened is the EXACT same thing that AJ would have gotten in MN.

He was probably told that they'd like him to be a member of the football team and that there was a 95% chance a scholarship would open up post-signing day. He accepted that offer and fibbed in leaking the story because he didn't wanted to make Kill look like he was doing something outside of the norm by witholding on the scholarship until post-signing day (per usual for a lot of walk-ons).

This kid is a fraud. I'm not just saying that because of this possession. I don't think it's that big of a deal, but when you're coming out of a controversy like AJ, why wouldn't you use your head a little? This kid might end up at Mankato after all.
 



I was both wondering when the story was gonna break and how much heat was he was going to take?

The truth of the matter is this story shouldn't have anything to do with the other story. However; I do understand that folks who disliked him because he said what he said will want to pretend like this somehow voids or make what he said untrue.

I will say this.....the stupidness of kids (AJ) never ceases to amaze me! When you put yourself on the radar by making the accusations he did; you had sure better make sure you don't get caught smoking mary jane and kicked off the team, days before actually being ON the team. Good kid, beyond dumb mistake.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'm guessing A.J. Barker and his family reported it originally, which makes this whole situation even more bizarre. Maybe A.J. thought he could just show up and get a scholarship like when George Costanza did that at an office when he didn't even know if he had the job or not.
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YES! Nothing better than the Seinfeld reference again GophersInIowa! :)
 


Sportsfan24 said:
.... Good kid, beyond dumb mistake.
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While I usually agree with you Sportsfan, I would not consider AJ to be a good kid. In my book, good kids take responsibilities for their actions, respect authority, think about the consequences of their actions, and avoid burning bridges. AJ has shown himself to be a self-entitled, responsibilty shirking, media grabbing, hypocrite that has no problem destroying relationships for his own end. I have no time for him ... and I think those initially coming to his defense are jumping off that bandwagon in droves.
 



Rumor has it that it wasn't Barker's weed, he was just holding it for his mom's friend
 

Waiting to read his rant about this...

Hey AJ, where is your 10,000 word rant about how mean and unfair the police are? Or does your moms best friend think you are still the best? Perhaps old AJ has a LITTLE problem with rules and authority figures?
 

All I really want right now is to see one of those classic mugshots of him. That would the cherry on top.
 


Rescooter said:
While I usually agree with you Sportsfan, I would not consider AJ to be a good kid. In my book, good kids take responsibilities for their actions, respect authority, think about the consequences of their actions, and avoid burning bridges. AJ has shown himself to be a self-entitled, responsibilty shirking, media grabbing, hypocrite that has no problem destroying relationships for his own end. I have no time for him ... and I think those initially coming to his defense are jumping off that bandwagon in droves.
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No....those would be PERFECT kids.

I hear what you are saying though and would agree that he certainly deserves the heat that is coming his way. I hope that was some bomb weed.
 

I still don't see where Barker should be viewed as self-entitled. The guy played was in the program for three plus years without a scholarship.
 

Sportsfan24 said:
No....those would be PERFECT kids.

I hear what you are saying though and would agree that he certainly deserves the heat that is coming his way. I hope that was some bomb weed.
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I think when I was a kid I held myself to the 4 standards Rescooter listed, and I was far from perfect. Sure I screwed up, but I took responsibility, as many kids do. If you think he is a good kid, what evidence do you have that he is?
 


I find the use of former gopher offensive. He was a quiter. He left, and burned his access to The Gophers. He has no link, no team mates, no coaches, AD or staff at Minnesota. He will find justice in Texas. Pay back is a bbbbbbbbbb
 


I was busy working the fall harvest - 16 hr days, 7 days a week, so I know very little about what went on with the whole AJ situation, but I will say one thing,

there are some people who seem to attract trouble like stink on shxx. No matter where they go or what they do, things just do not seem to turn out well, for them or anyone they are know or are involved with. Now as has been alluded already, many people believe in the whole 3 strikes idea, and AJ has arguably 2 strikes against him now. Any bets on how long before we hear about strike #3? My guess is it won't be long. Now don't get me wrong, I feel the animosity towards the kid from Gopher fans, and a part of me wants to laugh about this, and honestly, my first thought was "karmas a bxxxx, kid, haha", but I've known people like that, and its not just the person that gets hurt, and in fact, the person themselves rarely feels the hurt like normal people do. They let it fuel their mental disease, it drives them to act worse and be angry at the world, to lash out, to consider themselves the victim, and all of the people around them or associated with them end up being the ones who get hurt.

So while a part of me wishes bad luck to the kid, another part of me hopes that things turn around for the kid before things get really ugly. The University of Minnesota is one of the largest schools in the world, so guess what, not everyone who ever goes there is going to be made happy. There will be some unsatisfied customers. And the U can't please everyone or be down on themselves when that one person out of every hundred does bitch or complain. It sucks when they are someone the media thinks is a story, and so it kind of makes the U look bad, and we as Gopher fans take that personally sometimes, and that is very understandable. But for the hundreds of people that could be negatively affected throughout the rest of AJ's life, we should think of them, and hope the best for the kid, as much as we may not want to, or as much as we may not think he deserves our best wishes.

And I just remembered, a former Gopher is the coach down in Houston, so right there is an example of someone who could be hurt by an AJ downward spiral. Wouldn't it be nice if AJ got his life on the right path, and then helped Tony Levine's Houston team to do well?
 

Gopherocious said:
I think when I was a kid I held myself to the 4 standards Rescooter listed, and I was far from perfect. Sure I screwed up, but I took responsibility, as many kids do. If you think he is a good kid, what evidence do you have that he is?
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Now keep in mind you went down this road. I like to operate from the position we all have opinions and one is not more valuable than any others.

My answer is the obvious one....also; I'm very familiar with his initial accusations and know there to be some truth in what he claimed. Where I didn't choose sides at was coach Kills involvement, because I was not privy to that conversation and personally never had one that resembled what AJ claimed he had. In essence, I did not believe I could choose sides. I also said at the time that there may be another (third) option. That they both for the most may be correct and both may have been operating with faulty information. Either way, again; I didn't believe I had enough information to choose sides.

So that's my answer. Now a question for you, how do you know AJ never took responsibility? Is it because he never told YOU, or is it that he never told a reporter? How do you know that he did, and it wasn't written or reported? In fact how do you really know anything? How do you know that he should take responsibility? How do you know he wasn't spot on in his accusations, therefore there was no reason for him take responsibility? Me, I don't know so I'm not comfortable saying AJ or even the Jerster is wrong.

What I do know is AJ made an ass of him self on a national scale and brought into question the legitimacy of his claims.
 

Sportsfan24 said:
Now keep in mind you went down this road. I like to operate from the position we all have opinions and one is not more valuable than any others.

My answer is the obvious one....also; I'm very familiar with his initial accusations and know there to be some truth in what he claimed. Where I didn't choose sides at was coach Kills involvement, because I was not privy to that conversation and personally never had one that resembled what AJ claimed he had. In essence, I did not believe I could choose sides. I also said at the time that there may be another (third) option. That they both for the most may be correct and both may have been operating with faulty information. Either way, again; I didn't believe I had enough information to choose sides.

So that's my answer. Now a question for you, how do you know AJ never took responsibility? Is it because he never told YOU, or is it that he never told a reporter? How do you know that he did, and it wasn't written or reported? In fact how do you really know anything? How do you know that he should take responsibility? How do you know he wasn't spot on in his accusations, therefore there was no reason for him take responsibility? Me, I don't know so I'm not comfortable saying AJ or even the Jerster is wrong.

What I do know is AJ made an ass of him self on a national scale and brought into question the legitimacy of his claims.
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I'm sure there was some truth to both sides of the initial argument. Almost always is. And sometimes it is best for both sides to go their separate ways, which happens all the time in CFB. And I would agree again, what we do know is that he made an ass of himself in the public view, he now has a minor beef with the law and apparently the scholarship he was reportedly getting is a mirage. At this point all I can say is it a sad story. My guess is he still has a little growing up to do, but that also is pretty common for his age.
 

Sparlimb said:
I'm sure there was some truth to both sides of the initial argument. Almost always is. And sometimes it is best for both sides to go their separate ways, which happens all the time in CFB. And I would agree again, what we do know is that he made an ass of himself in the public view, he now has a minor beef with the law and apparently the scholarship he was reportedly getting is a mirage. At this point all I can say is it a sad story. My guess is he still has a little growing up to do, but that also is pretty common for his age.
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I couldn't have said it better. I agree 100 percent.
 

Sportsfan24 said:
Now keep in mind you went down this road. I like to operate from the position we all have opinions and one is not more valuable than any others.

My answer is the obvious one....also; I'm very familiar with his initial accusations and know there to be some truth in what he claimed. Where I didn't choose sides at was coach Kills involvement, because I was not privy to that conversation and personally never had one that resembled what AJ claimed he had. In essence, I did not believe I could choose sides. I also said at the time that there may be another (third) option. That they both for the most may be correct and both may have been operating with faulty information. Either way, again; I didn't believe I had enough information to choose sides.

So that's my answer. Now a question for you, how do you know AJ never took responsibility? Is it because he never told YOU, or is it that he never told a reporter? How do you know that he did, and it wasn't written or reported? In fact how do you really know anything? How do you know that he should take responsibility? How do you know he wasn't spot on in his accusations, therefore there was no reason for him take responsibility? Me, I don't know so I'm not comfortable saying AJ or even the Jerster is wrong.

What I do know is AJ made an ass of him self on a national scale and brought into question the legitimacy of his claims.
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I never once said he didn't take responsibility. You originally said this...

"Good kid, beyond dumb mistake."

Rescooter then said, "While I usually agree with you Sportsfan, I would not consider AJ to be a good kid. In my book, good kids take responsibilities for their actions, respect authority, think about the consequences of their actions, and avoid burning bridges. AJ has shown himself to be a self-entitled, responsibilty shirking, media grabbing, hypocrite that has no problem destroying relationships for his own end. I have no time for him ... and I think those initially coming to his defense are jumping off that bandwagon in droves."

I agree with him. What I want to know is, why you think he is a good kid? I have never seen him exemplify the characteristics that would make him a good kid. That's why I asked you why you thought that way. I never attacked him or you, I was simply asking why you felt that way.
 

Gopherocious said:
I never once said he didn't take responsibility. You originally said this...

"Good kid, beyond dumb mistake."

Rescooter then said, "While I usually agree with you Sportsfan, I would not consider AJ to be a good kid. In my book, good kids take responsibilities for their actions, respect authority, think about the consequences of their actions, and avoid burning bridges. AJ has shown himself to be a self-entitled, responsibilty shirking, media grabbing, hypocrite that has no problem destroying relationships for his own end. I have no time for him ... and I think those initially coming to his defense are jumping off that bandwagon in droves."

I agree with him. What I want to know is, why you think he is a good kid? I have never seen him exemplify the characteristics that would make him a good kid. That's why I asked you why you thought that way. I never attacked him or you, I was simply asking why you felt that way.
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Poor, poor, poor old AJ.

The kid has some issues.
 

Sparlimb said:
I'm sure there was some truth to both sides of the initial argument. Almost always is. And sometimes it is best for both sides to go their separate ways, which happens all the time in CFB. And I would agree again, what we do know is that he made an ass of himself in the public view, he now has a minor beef with the law and apparently the scholarship he was reportedly getting is a mirage. At this point all I can say is it a sad story. My guess is he still has a little growing up to do, but that also is pretty common for his age.
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Yep, I agree with this post 100%. I don't personally think the pot, alone, is that big of an issue. I also don't think it's a big issue for a kid to choose to play elsewhere because a conflict of personalities with a coaching staff. However, there is no excuse for AJ's manner of blowing up the issue. His timing showed a complete disregard for his teammates and his style was incredibly bizarre. Mind you, I'm not one of those guys who rips on kids for speaking text-speak on twitter or anything like that. However, even if his claims had credibility (which I'm sure there were grains of truth), the way he went about it is what people have been blasting him about.

The pot and the "scholarship", I think it just goes further to show that the kid isn't able to appreciate the situation and might be grasping at straws.

I think he deserves to be blasted, I think he's full of chit, but I really do wish him the best. I don't think this means he is permanently broken and I know some productive members of society who were more lost than AJ at 21.
 

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