frogbyproxy
New Member
Click on the story to read full article! I only posted a small portion but it's a great read for those feeling a little down right now! Even LT had a couple of problems in the beginning!
http://www.skiff.tcu...099/sports.html
Fumbles vs. faith
When Tomlinson pulled on his No. 5 jersey at TCU for the first time, he believed he was joining a program on the rise. But little did he know that he was joining a team that was destined for turmoil.
"I felt TCU was an up-and-coming school," he said. "I knew with their running back situation, that I could play right away. But I had no idea that my freshman year was going to be that bad."
Although Tomlinson rushed for 538 yards and six touchdowns that year, TCU lost all its games that season except for the season finale against Southern Methodist University. Along the way, Tomlinson suffered a couple of career lowlights.
In the Horned Frogs' 31-10 loss to Brigham Young, Tomlinson lost a key fumble at the BYU 1-yard line when the game was tied 3-3. Replays appeared to show that he cleared the goal line, but it was too late. Momentum changed hands shortly thereafter and TCU had lost its seventh game of the season. The day after the game, then-head coach Pat Sullivan resigned.
Three games later, Tomlinson suffered through two fumbles in a 24-17 loss to UTEP.
"I felt so terrible," Tomlinson said. "I thought I was the worst ball-carrier ever, but I got through that season. I just hated walking around campus and people would ask me what was happening. It hurt so bad because I didn't have any answers for them."
Tomlinson's sophomore season held much more promise. The addition of Franchione and a team scarred by losing culminated in a 7-5 season, including a Sun Bowl victory over 16-point favorite University of Southern California.
But at the start of the season, Tomlinson was moved to fullback in an effort to help the team put its best athletes on the field. He played as the blocking back in Franchione's offense for two games, running for a pedestrian 50 yards on 18 carries.
Needless to say, he wasn't happy with his new role.
"He just hated it," his mother said. "He looked down all of the time, and I knew it was just killing him inside. It really broke my heart. I just told him that the coach knew what he was doing, and that he would do what was for the best of the team. I knew eventually he would move LaDainian back to tailback."
Franchione did, and in the next game, Tomlinson rushed for 99 yards in an upset 35-34 victory over nationally ranked Air Force. He finished the season with 717 yards, eight touchdowns and earned second-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors.
But Tomlinson gained national headlines this summer not for his football skills but for an off-field incident that landed him in jail.
In July, Tomlinson and former TCU basketball star Lee Nailon were arrested on charges of marijuana possession and evading arrest. The case was eventually dropped, but the situation left Tomlinson miffed at what he felt was biased coverage by the media.
"I take being a role model seriously," Tomlinson said. "I thought it was really unfair how I was treated. Most of the people didn't know me and prejudged me. When I was cleared that didn't get as much press as when I got arrested. But I was mostly hurt for my mother and family. I've just had to learn from it and move on."
"When LaDainian called me and told me he had been put in jail, I knew it was some sort of mistake," Chappell said. "Anybody who knows him, knows he is not that kind of person. I just wanted to know how he felt about being in jail. When he told me that they handcuffed him I almost cried."
Tomlinson said his family and friends stood by him throughout the ordeal.
"I instantly knew it was a mistake," Coleman said. "LaDainian comes from a great family and strong background. I think he was caught up with the wrong crowd. The LaDainian I know wouldn't be involved in something like that."
Schultz agreed.
"L.T. was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "I just told him he couldn't worry about what he can't control. He is such a good kid. Anytime there is something to be done in the community, L.T. is the first to volunteer. People who judged him, really didn't know him."
http://www.skiff.tcu...099/sports.html
Fumbles vs. faith
When Tomlinson pulled on his No. 5 jersey at TCU for the first time, he believed he was joining a program on the rise. But little did he know that he was joining a team that was destined for turmoil.
"I felt TCU was an up-and-coming school," he said. "I knew with their running back situation, that I could play right away. But I had no idea that my freshman year was going to be that bad."
Although Tomlinson rushed for 538 yards and six touchdowns that year, TCU lost all its games that season except for the season finale against Southern Methodist University. Along the way, Tomlinson suffered a couple of career lowlights.
In the Horned Frogs' 31-10 loss to Brigham Young, Tomlinson lost a key fumble at the BYU 1-yard line when the game was tied 3-3. Replays appeared to show that he cleared the goal line, but it was too late. Momentum changed hands shortly thereafter and TCU had lost its seventh game of the season. The day after the game, then-head coach Pat Sullivan resigned.
Three games later, Tomlinson suffered through two fumbles in a 24-17 loss to UTEP.
"I felt so terrible," Tomlinson said. "I thought I was the worst ball-carrier ever, but I got through that season. I just hated walking around campus and people would ask me what was happening. It hurt so bad because I didn't have any answers for them."
Tomlinson's sophomore season held much more promise. The addition of Franchione and a team scarred by losing culminated in a 7-5 season, including a Sun Bowl victory over 16-point favorite University of Southern California.
But at the start of the season, Tomlinson was moved to fullback in an effort to help the team put its best athletes on the field. He played as the blocking back in Franchione's offense for two games, running for a pedestrian 50 yards on 18 carries.
Needless to say, he wasn't happy with his new role.
"He just hated it," his mother said. "He looked down all of the time, and I knew it was just killing him inside. It really broke my heart. I just told him that the coach knew what he was doing, and that he would do what was for the best of the team. I knew eventually he would move LaDainian back to tailback."
Franchione did, and in the next game, Tomlinson rushed for 99 yards in an upset 35-34 victory over nationally ranked Air Force. He finished the season with 717 yards, eight touchdowns and earned second-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors.
In July, Tomlinson and former TCU basketball star Lee Nailon were arrested on charges of marijuana possession and evading arrest. The case was eventually dropped, but the situation left Tomlinson miffed at what he felt was biased coverage by the media.
"I take being a role model seriously," Tomlinson said. "I thought it was really unfair how I was treated. Most of the people didn't know me and prejudged me. When I was cleared that didn't get as much press as when I got arrested. But I was mostly hurt for my mother and family. I've just had to learn from it and move on."
"When LaDainian called me and told me he had been put in jail, I knew it was some sort of mistake," Chappell said. "Anybody who knows him, knows he is not that kind of person. I just wanted to know how he felt about being in jail. When he told me that they handcuffed him I almost cried."
Tomlinson said his family and friends stood by him throughout the ordeal.
"I instantly knew it was a mistake," Coleman said. "LaDainian comes from a great family and strong background. I think he was caught up with the wrong crowd. The LaDainian I know wouldn't be involved in something like that."
Schultz agreed.
"L.T. was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "I just told him he couldn't worry about what he can't control. He is such a good kid. Anytime there is something to be done in the community, L.T. is the first to volunteer. People who judged him, really didn't know him."
