I just got off the phone with both Turner Baty and his father, Greg.
Turner didn’t want to say too much about his moving out of New Canaan tomorrow morning other than his decision to move is a family issue, which is supported by both his father and Rams coach Lou Marinelli.
Turner’s parents are divorced. He is going to live with his father in the Fort Laurderdale area. His mother, Kathleen, who moved up here for a job opportunity, is going back to California for a better job, along with her two other sons, who are 13 and 9.
“I’m really bummed out that people think my moving is anything more than this,” Turner said. “Today is going to be the last time I live with my two brothers and that’s pretty hard. I’ve really had a good time in New Canaan and made a lot of good friends. If I wasn’t a football player none of this would be happening. I’m just a 17-year-old kid.”
Greg said that the decision for Turner to move to Florida with him is for “selfish reasons.”
“I haven’t lived with Turner for six months and I want to have that opportunity because he will be going to college soon,” Greg said.
Turner said he still has not decided where he is going to college next year and is exploring several opportunities.
Finally, Greg had some words for those who think his son’s arrival was a calculated move by Marinelli to bring in a hired gun to win games.
“Anyone who thinks he had something to do with this or did something wrong is barking up the wrong tree,” Greg said. “Lou, the coaching staff, all the teachers and people in New Canaan have been wonderful. This is just a family decision and nothing more.”
Life can often be complicated; most especially for kids that are coming of age in a town like New Canaan. This issue is assuredly multi-faceted and deeper than can be explored here.
Let’s hope that Turner is able to bond with his father over the next six months and thereafter re-kindle his bond with his siblings.
While I’m sure it is disappointing to Coach M, it is undertandable (not excusable) if some of Turner’s teammates did not welcome him or continued to defy his leadership as a QB. He was not there to suffer with them over the summer or during two-a-days and after all they are teenagers.
Coach M and Willie O led the team with class, dignity, selflessness, and the winning character that is emblematic of Ram football. There will be know-it-all detractors, and do-nothing doubters, but at the end of the day Coach M, his staff, Willie O, and the vast majority of his teammates, will know that they tried to do the right thing, given the remarkably complex circumstances that life thrust upon them on the eve of kickoff.
I think Turner, his parents, Willie and his, and all of the extended 2009 Rams will look back with gratitude – not because they won – rather because of what they learned on the journey.
I don’t think I’d want to play the Rams on opening day next year!
Comment by Paul M — February 9th, 2010 @ 4:42 pm
Paul,
Woderfully stated. I think everyoe agrees in wishing the Baty’s well in their endeavors. I feel badly for Turner and his brothers.
Comment by NC RAMSFAN — February 9th, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
That was beautiful Paul. To bad it’s all BS. No one can tell me this kid came from Cali and Florida by chance. It was set up in house so the rams could keep winning state titles. Lou knew 2 weeks prior to him “showing up” he was coming through the back door. I know this is true as my sources are in house at NC high and former players. People can believe what they want but there is much more to this. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter anymore its done and over with. Lets move on to 2010. NC should be good again but with the new state format a state title is not a lock anymore.
Comment by Brian — February 9th, 2010 @ 9:49 pm
Once again, Marinelli had nothing to do with this. It was all Hanratty. He was the one who knew Baty’s dad and set this all up. Marinelli and Hanratty don’t even like eachother. Lou couldnt tell the kid and his family not to come. He could have chosen to not play the kid, however he chose to play the BETTER player.
Comment by DDD — February 9th, 2010 @ 11:55 pm
Based on what was written back at the end of the football season, this really should not come as a surprise. Unfortunately, Turner Baty ends up being the bad guy, but he’s right — he’s just a kid…
I can’t say I blame the NC players for their less-than-warm reception of Baty — seeing Ouellette was a teammate since grade school, they rightfully have a deep sense of loyalty to “their guy” — I would think that any coach would love that quality in their team. But to make Baty an outcast? That might be going a little too far. Not knowing the dymanics of the locker room or teen social scene in New Canaan,there might be more to it, or not — can’t say…
To say Lou Marinelli is reproach here is wrong, too — he runs one of the best programs in the state — you don’t have the level of succcess NC has had without the coach having a pulse on the entire program — that includes boosters, parents, etc. I sincerely doubt he wasn’t given a “heads up” when Baty was coming..to make it sound like this kid just showed up at his doorstep, I beelieve, is inaccurate.
Botttom line is New Canaan had a great year, and the kid Ouellette gained a ton of respect for how he handled the situation. If Turner Baty is the quality kid he appears to be, I would think he’d have no problem landing on his feet somewhere — I doubt college coaches would give a lot of thought to his “travels” — if he can help them win, that’s what counts.
Comment by fciacfootballfan — February 10th, 2010 @ 8:31 am
Kudos to the Batys for speaking out. Good luck to them in their future endeavors. All the other garbage that has been written about them is unfair and unsubstantiated. If the person a few blogs up has sources then come clean and expose this story.
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 10th, 2010 @ 10:22 am
Good luck to Turner and his family. He is a nice kid, as is his little brother Ramsey who was very sweet to my young son at the various football games we attended, teaching him how to throw and catch. It’s too bad Turner got caught up in all this. The kid obviously breathes football, and I hope wherever he lands, (Ivy League I’m told) he will be able to play and succeed.
A tip of the cap to Willie Ouellette, one of the nicest, classiest kids you will EVER want to meet. A hell of a football player in his own right, a true leader, who rightfully comes out of this with more dignity than anyone involved. He is someone I want my own kids to emulate. My youngest now wants to wear #8 when he plays football because he idolizes Willie. I couldn’t be more thrilled, and if he grows up to be half the person Willie is, then I know I’ve done my job as a parent.
Looking forward to attending some NC baseball games to watch this outstanding young man actually ENJOY playing a sport. God knows how difficult it must have been for him to keep showing up and playing his heart out every Friday night this past fall.
Comment by TD — February 10th, 2010 @ 4:37 pm
Full Disclosure – If you go to the other story on the blog on this topic there is now a link to an article from the NC newspaper with reactions about this story. I think that article will back up my claim that Marinelli was not involved in this whole thing and it was all Hanratty’s doing.
Comment by DDD — February 17th, 2010 @ 12:49 am
Dave…I won’t comment on this story since I have no insight or opinion, and think it’s really beating a dead horse, anyway…However, since this one seems to be the most recently posted on, I thought I would slightly change the subject…
I was on Sean’s blog, yesterday & today, on 2 different threads…But, tonight I realized both articles were in a way connected…Sean may be on a well deserved vacation so my comments are still in suspended animation (awaiting moderation) on his blog…
So here I am on your blog…I answered “big guys” question to Sean about CT recruits, which (and it’s my only source) led me to MaxPreps..I found out, that, thru yesterday, 12 CT football players have committed & signed to D-1 colleges..I made note of where each of them went to High School in CT…Then I responded to a comment on a different thread about the McDonald’s CT selections for consideration in their High School Basketball game March 31st…
I then noticed what you may already know…At least 1/2 of the McDonald’s male BB players were from private schools..I didn’t check the girls, sorry…And when I checked out, yesterday, MaxPreps for the signed D-1 recruits from CT, 9 of the 12 were from (expensive)private schools, leaving only 3 from all of Connecticut’s Public High Schools…
My question is, Why?…Are the private school kids truly better at their sport & position?..Or, are the D-1 colleges making sure that their signed recruits are going to be academically OK?..It’s as if the D-1 colleges are using private schools as their minor leagues, ya?…Screening them thru the privates (Salisbury, Hotchkiss, Cheshire Academy, King, etc.) for academics as well as ability?..Maybe this has been going on for years, and I didn’t know it…
Anyway, I’m just wondering, and throwing it out there for discussion, if for nothing else, to get off the Baty thing…
Comment by ghsgrandpa — February 17th, 2010 @ 9:51 pm
Grandpa: I can’t comment about schools outside my area, but I would guess it is a cyclical thing. The three kids at King decided that was the best place for them, and they have had wonderful experiences, both academically and athletically.
There are also a lot of top prospects in public schools — more than I can remember in some time. I think the bottom line is that if you are talented scouts and schools will find you. You have kids like Conor Hanratty at New Canaan an Tommy Jordan at Ridgefield, juniors who will be among the top recruits in the country a year ago.
I can’t really speak for why someone decides to go to a public school or private school. I think it is a personal decision in which athletes — or just students — pursue what they consider the best opportunity for their educational and athletic pursuits. You would need a wider sample pool of years to make any definite conclusions.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 18th, 2010 @ 5:21 pm