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By Wally Hall
Arkansas Online
DALLAS — He wasn’t talking about it.
Darren McFadden could not be teased, tricked or coerced into talking about the overblown reports about him and an $80,000 Cadillac Escalade (which seems to increase in value by the day).
Ask him the color and he says: “They tell me it is black.”
When asked about the gas mileage, he just sat and looked.
When he walked into his final news conference at the Cotton Bowl, which is presumed to be his final college football game, every reporter and photographer but three were waiting in front of the little stage reserved for McFadden.
As Darren trudged up the stairs as enthusiastically as he might approach a guillotine,Cotton Bowl officials were handing out a two-paragraph University of Arkansas release that stated that while the inquiry continued, McFadden “has not been ruled ineligible.”
The first questions were about the investigation into him and the $85,000 car, which began when KARK-TV, Channel 4, in Little Rock reported McFadden’s eligibility might be in question.
Since then, newspapers allover the country have written stories about him and the $90,000 Escalade.
ESPN still had a trailer running Friday night during the broadcast of a bowl game, and for more than half the game, it said Mike Conley was involved with the purchase of the $100,000 car.
Make no mistake, Mike Conley was not there or involved. He is just one of several people McFadden is considering hiring as an agent if (when) he declares for the NFL Draft, and there was a growing feeling that someone had planted the story in an attempt to hurt Conley’s chances.
Currently, Conley isn’t even licensed by the NFL and, the truth is, he is too honorable to do something like that.
When Conley’s son Mike Jr. and Greg Oden, whom he also represents, signed their NBA contracts, he took them on a shopping spree at Best Buy. Their limit was $300.
It is totally unfair to characterize Conley as anything but an ethical person.
And, make no mistake, this fiasco is taking a toll on McFadden. That was obvious in the usually happy-go-lucky guy’s demeanor Saturday.
He was frowning or stoic instead of his usual smiling, laughing self.
When questions started about the $110,000 Escalade, he said emphatically: “I don’t have anything to say about any of that. I’m here focused on the Cotton Bowl. I’m enjoying my time here with my teammates.”
Back at home, his mom, Mini Muhammad, was ticked off. Not at her son, but the circumstances surrounding him.
“The car is in Cookie’s name and the paperwork, too,” she said. “This is getting ridiculous.”
Cookie McFadden is Darren’s stepmom, and she and her husband, Graylon, have always been very involved in Darren’s life. When Mini struggled with personal problems, Darren lived with Cookie and Graylon for much of his youth.
The last thing Darren McFadden wanted Saturday was to be the center of attention during this week.
Thanks to both Heisman Trophy races, the Doak Walker presentations and all the All-America honors, McFadden hasgrown to not like the spotlight. He prefers to talk about his teammates, football or even the well-known, friendly tricks he’s played on people.
Saturday, he lit up a little one time when a reporter from Missouri asked him about the WildHog.
“We’ve added some wrinkles,” he said with a slight smile, then turned somber again. “That’s all I’m going to say about that. I don’t want to give away the game plan.”
McFadden’s final official news conference as a college football player was fairly harmless.
Reporters have to ask questions, and he gave them his answer.
He’s here to play football, not discuss $125,000 Cadillacs.
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/razo...-one-ride-mcfadden-could-do-without-20071230/
=================
This piece deconstructs the tall tales surrounding DM and the appreciating Escalade. His mistake was driving the thing down to Dallas. But raise your hand if you never exercised poor judgement when you were 21. Overall he's a good character guy and he will play in the Cotton Bowl. Once again, more home-grown drama from the state of Arkansas surrounding the Razorbacks. The entire state needs a spanking.
Arkansas Online
DALLAS — He wasn’t talking about it.
Darren McFadden could not be teased, tricked or coerced into talking about the overblown reports about him and an $80,000 Cadillac Escalade (which seems to increase in value by the day).
Ask him the color and he says: “They tell me it is black.”
When asked about the gas mileage, he just sat and looked.
When he walked into his final news conference at the Cotton Bowl, which is presumed to be his final college football game, every reporter and photographer but three were waiting in front of the little stage reserved for McFadden.
As Darren trudged up the stairs as enthusiastically as he might approach a guillotine,Cotton Bowl officials were handing out a two-paragraph University of Arkansas release that stated that while the inquiry continued, McFadden “has not been ruled ineligible.”
The first questions were about the investigation into him and the $85,000 car, which began when KARK-TV, Channel 4, in Little Rock reported McFadden’s eligibility might be in question.
Since then, newspapers allover the country have written stories about him and the $90,000 Escalade.
ESPN still had a trailer running Friday night during the broadcast of a bowl game, and for more than half the game, it said Mike Conley was involved with the purchase of the $100,000 car.
Make no mistake, Mike Conley was not there or involved. He is just one of several people McFadden is considering hiring as an agent if (when) he declares for the NFL Draft, and there was a growing feeling that someone had planted the story in an attempt to hurt Conley’s chances.
Currently, Conley isn’t even licensed by the NFL and, the truth is, he is too honorable to do something like that.
When Conley’s son Mike Jr. and Greg Oden, whom he also represents, signed their NBA contracts, he took them on a shopping spree at Best Buy. Their limit was $300.
It is totally unfair to characterize Conley as anything but an ethical person.
And, make no mistake, this fiasco is taking a toll on McFadden. That was obvious in the usually happy-go-lucky guy’s demeanor Saturday.
He was frowning or stoic instead of his usual smiling, laughing self.
When questions started about the $110,000 Escalade, he said emphatically: “I don’t have anything to say about any of that. I’m here focused on the Cotton Bowl. I’m enjoying my time here with my teammates.”
Back at home, his mom, Mini Muhammad, was ticked off. Not at her son, but the circumstances surrounding him.
“The car is in Cookie’s name and the paperwork, too,” she said. “This is getting ridiculous.”
Cookie McFadden is Darren’s stepmom, and she and her husband, Graylon, have always been very involved in Darren’s life. When Mini struggled with personal problems, Darren lived with Cookie and Graylon for much of his youth.
The last thing Darren McFadden wanted Saturday was to be the center of attention during this week.
Thanks to both Heisman Trophy races, the Doak Walker presentations and all the All-America honors, McFadden hasgrown to not like the spotlight. He prefers to talk about his teammates, football or even the well-known, friendly tricks he’s played on people.
Saturday, he lit up a little one time when a reporter from Missouri asked him about the WildHog.
“We’ve added some wrinkles,” he said with a slight smile, then turned somber again. “That’s all I’m going to say about that. I don’t want to give away the game plan.”
McFadden’s final official news conference as a college football player was fairly harmless.
Reporters have to ask questions, and he gave them his answer.
He’s here to play football, not discuss $125,000 Cadillacs.
http://www2.arkansasonline.com/razo...-one-ride-mcfadden-could-do-without-20071230/
=================
This piece deconstructs the tall tales surrounding DM and the appreciating Escalade. His mistake was driving the thing down to Dallas. But raise your hand if you never exercised poor judgement when you were 21. Overall he's a good character guy and he will play in the Cotton Bowl. Once again, more home-grown drama from the state of Arkansas surrounding the Razorbacks. The entire state needs a spanking.
