KCCI.com, IA
02/03/06
Fans React To ISU Players' Status
Fans Say Berryman Blew Second Chance
AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University Football Coach Dan McCarney Thursday suspended two players from the team.
Greg Coleman and Durrell Williams were suspended, and they both face assault charges stemming from a weekend bar fight.
Fans are disappointed, especially this week when they would rather be excited and talking about new recruits.
Any Iowa State fan at Tradewinds Café will tell you it hasn't been the best week for the Cyclones.
The dismissal of Jason Berryman, and then the suspension of Coleman and Williams has given the program a bit of a black eye.
"I feel bad about our defensive end he's a pretty good young man and I feel worse for Mike Nelson the defensive live coach who's nurtured him and brought him along and for coach Mac who's worked hard to make sure the young men become bigger men," said Lindsay Ellingson, a Cyclone fan.
Fans said they are not disappointed with players such as Berryman who threw away his opportunity after he was already given a second chance.
"I think that he's had a couple of chances already and if it really meant a lot to him to play football at Iowa State, he would of blew his chances," said Darla Nostwich, a fan.
A lot of fans said they were surprised by McCarney's decision to dismiss Berryman for what they call a minor infraction, but they say Berryman should have known to stay out of trouble.
"Jason had his second chance -- he blew it. The kid was given a break, and I don't think he really realized what kind of break Iowa State and Coach McCarney gave him," said Tom Hansen, a fan.
"We're going to miss Berryman. I think that the coaches did the right decision because they had no choice; they warned him," said Steve Risdal, a fan.
One fan pointed out that on the football field these players must be aggressive, but he said those same players must be responsible for controlling that aggression off the field.
"It is disheartening as a fan who invests money and time into this football team to see them almost turning their backs on the fans and the coaching staff after we put so much trust and faith in them," said Robbie Maass, a fan.