buddy D article on turley

pakowitz · 03-16-2003, 10:54 AM

http://clarionherald.org/20030312/buddyd.htm

By BUDDY DILIBERTO aka buddy D

Private war of Kyle Turley is getting very public indeed

If he were writing a book, and don't rule out that possibility, I think a good title for an autobiography would be "Kyle Turley's Private War."

Turley reminds me of a person who has a hard time looking into a mirror and seeing the real image. It's almost like there is a face behind the mirror chanting, "Whose the greatest tackle of them all? You are, Kyle. You are."

Turley reminds me of a handful of U.S. servicemen fighting in Korea in the early 1950s when I was there as a member of the U.S. Army. I saw those individuals as brave men. They were fighting, and some dying, for a cause the U.S. felt necessary.

FORTUNATELY, my job as a war correspondent for "Stars and Stripes" didn't have me sitting in a bunker on the top of a hill all night while the enemy was attacking. I was a Purple Heart recipient for being wounded, but I never lost sight of the big picture. The soldiers fighting on the front line were my true heroes.

There was a handful of these soldiers who had no respect for the people whose homeland they resided (the South Koreans). I witnessed a number of incidents where these soldiers treated the Koreans with contempt in the strongest sense of the word. They were not my heroes. They were bullies who happened to be on the right team and citizens of the right country - the United States of America.

Because of its violent nature, football has often compared to war. But let's tell it like it is. On the battlefield, Kyle Turley has been an efficient warrior; off it there are questions to raise.

When I look into Turley's mirror the image I see is a bully, talented and strong enough to be a good player, but off the field a jerk more times than should be allowed.

TURLEY'S outburst and helmet-ripping incident in the 2001 game against the New York Jets was embarrassing to the Saints organization. Part of the small price Turley had to pay for this outburst was to attend anger management classes.

Turley made a mockery of this. The Kyle Turley that Kyle Turley sees in the mirror said, "This is stupid. I don't need this." In reality, he attended one class and has since made comments like, "Yeah, that anger management class really helped me." And then he would laugh.

The Turley story I witnessed came at a personal appearance at a car dealership in New Orleans East. It wasn't long after the helmet-ripping incident. Turley was to sign autographs on a Saturday at 2 p.m. A large ad with Turley's photo ran in the morning paper.

When I arrived before 2 p.m., I was stunned at the number of people who were standing in a line that stretched inside and outside the dealership. It numbered more than 100 - young, old, white, black, small children in arms. It was a wonderful picture and certainly a positive for the Saints organization.

TWO O'CLOCK arrived and no Kyle Turley. The owner had a concerned look on his face and a cell phone pressed to his ear. I asked what was wrong. The answer was, "Kyle took the wrong exit, but he's not that far away and I'm trying to give him instructions. Tell the people he'll be here shortly."

Five minutes later the car dealer told me he's not coming. "He said he had to get back to the facility for a team meeting."

That was a lame excuse. There was no 2 p.m. team meeting on a Saturday. It was scheduled for 6 p.m. Turley was angry because HE took the wrong exit and his reaction was heck with them. I'm going back home or wherever.

Anger management class? Why would Kyle Turley need that? In recent weeks Turley has slashed the Saints organization on several national media outlets, and last week on local radio and TV outlets.

The picture he paints is that "the Saints are a cheap organization, and when a player - any player - reaches a certain salary level, they get rid of him."

TURLEY USED the names Ricky Williams, Willie Roaf, Sammy Knight, Chris Naeole, Joe Johnson and La'Roi Glover to illustrate his point.

I'd love to debate Turley on that issue.

He has good features. Make no mistake about that. But Turley has mood swings that beg further examination as to the causes. In my eyes, Turley is like that handful of U.S. servicemen I encountered in Korea; brave and efficient on the battlefield, but jerks and an embarrassment to their country off the field of honor.

This is the Kyle Turley I see in the mirror. I could list many other Turley incidents and mood swings that I have been told about from people who were eye witnesses.

But Kyle Turley has already had too many "mulligans." Let him be traded. That's my picture of Kyle Turley.

03-16-2003, 10:54 AM	#1
pakowitz The Dark Overlord Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: dirty south Posts: 3,450	buddy D article on turley http://clarionherald.org/20030312/buddyd.htm By BUDDY DILIBERTO aka buddy D Private war of Kyle Turley is getting very public indeed If he were writing a book, and don't rule out that possibility, I think a good title for an autobiography would be "Kyle Turley's Private War." Turley reminds me of a person who has a hard time looking into a mirror and seeing the real image. It's almost like there is a face behind the mirror chanting, "Whose the greatest tackle of them all? You are, Kyle. You are." Turley reminds me of a handful of U.S. servicemen fighting in Korea in the early 1950s when I was there as a member of the U.S. Army. I saw those individuals as brave men. They were fighting, and some dying, for a cause the U.S. felt necessary. FORTUNATELY, my job as a war correspondent for "Stars and Stripes" didn't have me sitting in a bunker on the top of a hill all night while the enemy was attacking. I was a Purple Heart recipient for being wounded, but I never lost sight of the big picture. The soldiers fighting on the front line were my true heroes. There was a handful of these soldiers who had no respect for the people whose homeland they resided (the South Koreans). I witnessed a number of incidents where these soldiers treated the Koreans with contempt in the strongest sense of the word. They were not my heroes. They were bullies who happened to be on the right team and citizens of the right country - the United States of America. Because of its violent nature, football has often compared to war. But let's tell it like it is. On the battlefield, Kyle Turley has been an efficient warrior; off it there are questions to raise. When I look into Turley's mirror the image I see is a bully, talented and strong enough to be a good player, but off the field a jerk more times than should be allowed. TURLEY'S outburst and helmet-ripping incident in the 2001 game against the New York Jets was embarrassing to the Saints organization. Part of the small price Turley had to pay for this outburst was to attend anger management classes. Turley made a mockery of this. The Kyle Turley that Kyle Turley sees in the mirror said, "This is stupid. I don't need this." In reality, he attended one class and has since made comments like, "Yeah, that anger management class really helped me." And then he would laugh. The Turley story I witnessed came at a personal appearance at a car dealership in New Orleans East. It wasn't long after the helmet-ripping incident. Turley was to sign autographs on a Saturday at 2 p.m. A large ad with Turley's photo ran in the morning paper. When I arrived before 2 p.m., I was stunned at the number of people who were standing in a line that stretched inside and outside the dealership. It numbered more than 100 - young, old, white, black, small children in arms. It was a wonderful picture and certainly a positive for the Saints organization. TWO O'CLOCK arrived and no Kyle Turley. The owner had a concerned look on his face and a cell phone pressed to his ear. I asked what was wrong. The answer was, "Kyle took the wrong exit, but he's not that far away and I'm trying to give him instructions. Tell the people he'll be here shortly." Five minutes later the car dealer told me he's not coming. "He said he had to get back to the facility for a team meeting." That was a lame excuse. There was no 2 p.m. team meeting on a Saturday. It was scheduled for 6 p.m. Turley was angry because HE took the wrong exit and his reaction was heck with them. I'm going back home or wherever. Anger management class? Why would Kyle Turley need that? In recent weeks Turley has slashed the Saints organization on several national media outlets, and last week on local radio and TV outlets. The picture he paints is that "the Saints are a cheap organization, and when a player - any player - reaches a certain salary level, they get rid of him." TURLEY USED the names Ricky Williams, Willie Roaf, Sammy Knight, Chris Naeole, Joe Johnson and La'Roi Glover to illustrate his point. I'd love to debate Turley on that issue. He has good features. Make no mistake about that. But Turley has mood swings that beg further examination as to the causes. In my eyes, Turley is like that handful of U.S. servicemen I encountered in Korea; brave and efficient on the battlefield, but jerks and an embarrassment to their country off the field of honor. This is the Kyle Turley I see in the mirror. I could list many other Turley incidents and mood swings that I have been told about from people who were eye witnesses. But Kyle Turley has already had too many "mulligans." Let him be traded. That's my picture of Kyle Turley.