Amani Toomer’s Table for One

I’ve heard Amani Toomer speak in the media and always considered him a good M man and certainly never heard of any rift between he and the program. That changed today. Check out this interview the Detroit Free Press did with former Michigan receiver. Here’s the section that threw me back a bit:

Did you hear from any of your former U-M teammates or Lloyd Carr after the win? No. The last time I heard a word from Lloyd was when I was playing in a (Michigan) game; it was my last play of my senior year. I caught a touchdown from Brian Griese, and I was walking off the field and Lloyd looks at me, looks at Griese, looks at me again, and goes, “Good throw, Brian.” And that’s the last thing he ever said in my direction.

Did you have a good relationship with Carr while at U-M? I thought we did, but I guess we didn’t. So I don’t know. I wasn’t too upset to see the whole regime change.

So I read the answer to the first question above and I’m thinking, well that’s odd. That’s definitely not what you hear from most players. Then you read the next part about how he “thought” he and Carr had a good relationship but wasn’t too upset to see the change. Still a little puzzling and unfortunate.

But then the interview continues:


Which former U-M teammates do you keep in touch with most?
Shoot, I don’t keep in touch with any of them.

Will you reach out to the athletic department to get more involved, or are you waiting to hear from Rich Rodriguez? You know, I’m not really waiting to hear from him. I think he has enough (to do). I don’t know, I just feel like there’s a lot of guys. (My Giants teammate) Plaxico (Burress) went to Michigan State; he loves Michigan State. They welcome him with open arms. I’m definitely kind of jealous about that … but I don’t really have any ties.

Then you read he doesn’t keep in touch with ANY former teammates and is jealous of how Michigan State treats Plax? I hope someone has some insight here but it’s pretty clear to me that Toomer is the problem. How can you go through a college football program and leave with zero friends?

9 Comments

  • Cowbell Commander

    Totally agree! What Toomer says contradicts everything I’ve ever read about Michigan Men being friends until their dying days. I don’t know what could have caused this potential rift, but I think you’re right – the disconnect is probably on Amani’s end.

  • Baba Booey

    Was Toomer a pot head? Maybe he never shared his stash with the fellow team tokers and that is why no one cares to KIT with him. Please correct me if I am wrong

  • BiggieMunn

    This is odd because it sounds like he is the giants team cut-up.

    Also, in fairness the article does point out his total dislike for OSU and his hopes that M lands Pryor.

  • Greg

    we also need to take into consideration that Plax is probably the most successful player Michigan State has ever had.

  • Gabe

    I don’t think he’s the problem. This sounds to me like a guy who trying to come off as impartially as he can. He doesn’t say anything in anger or out of bitterness towards Michigan, it’s like Amani’s shrugging and saying he doesn’t really know what happened. I feel for the guy.

  • Webmaster

    Gabe, that’s one way to interpret this. He certainly didn’t say anything bad about the University in the interview. But I think your argument is difficult to accept given the time Toomer spent with the team. Four years+ of his life with a program and a staff and he keeps in touch with no one? That’s odd. If this were a summer job or something then I might accept “he really doesn’t know what happened.”