Dee Liner Cash Instagram Fuels Alabama Recruiting Conspiracy Theories
University of Alabama incoming defensive end Dee Liner posted a controversial Instagram this weekend that showed him and two buddies flashing huge wads of cash.
The thing is, as Alabama news source AL.com reminded us, Dee Liner had decommitted to Auburn earlier this year before he signed with Alabama. Now for all I know these three men just had a great Friday night at the poker table.
But all Twitter is an uproar about what some people believe could be evidence of Alabama recruiting violations.
And this story is not just confined to Alabama. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported it with the dry remark that “You never know what to expect out of college football recruits on the internet.”
AJC said bluntly that having cash isn’t proof that a college football violation was committed. And they’re right. But there will always be skeptics.
For instance, Sporting News seemed sarcastic about the Dee Liner Instagram. Their brief report said: “The four-star recruit chose the [Crimson] Tide instead, which appears to have been a good choice for him based on this photo.”
Dee Liner has now responded by removing the Instagram photograph. Unfortunately for the young University of Alabama player, it had already escaped into the wild.
Here’s a Twitpic from pro-Auburn Twitter account WarBlogle that I slightly edited in two places to remove a racial slur:
I don’t care if Liner got money from Alabama or a booster. I care that if he was committed to Auburn, the picture would be on ESPN all day.
— WarBlogle.com (@WarBlogle) July 28, 2013
Here’s just a tiny fraction of the Twitter reaction:
Alabama football player Dee Liner (left) shows how bad it looks to broadcast a ‘MoneyShot’. Athletes, don’t do this: pic.twitter.com/WZ1i0A2udD
— Adam Ritz (@AdamRitz) July 29, 2013
There are the usual Twitter responses:
@JayBilas @jadande And you guys say college athletes dont get paid… http://t.co/ae0l1Ymv7a
— Bryan Boyd (@bryanboyd10) July 29, 2013
Just when you think college athletes could not be stupider, this happens. http://t.co/Vk3jRoTjpD
— Crash (@CrashDavus) July 29, 2013
I smell an investigation coming if he keeps posting pics like this.. http://t.co/fcJciQaOFR
— Tommy Self (@Ala_StormChaser) July 29, 2013
In my humble experience, there’s usually no possible advantage to letting anyone know you have cash.
Apparently Dee Liner had to learn that the hard way.
Don’t judge me when u have no clue what I have been through!!!
— Dee Liner ? (@Liner_25) July 28, 2013
What’s your reaction to the University of Alabama defensive end’s cash-flashing Instagram?
[cash bricks photo by Africa Studio via Shutterstock]
