Elam-Urban connection revisited.
I was unaware of the Elam-Urban connection even though I’ve heard that Matt Elam met Urban Meyer when he was 8 years old, due to his older brother Abram playing for ND when Urban was a wide-receivers coach there. I aksed my self why Elam would ever hint of going anywhere but UF if the connection is really that strong.
I looked up Abram Elam’s profile on the Cleveland Browns website. Says he played for Kent State. Urban didn’t coach at Kent. Looked up Urban’s profile. He was a wide receivers coach for ND until 2000. Abram Elam plays safety as he did at ND. So he wasn’t directly coached by Meyer.
Did some more researching to try to figure out when Abram was at ND and when did he switch to Kent State and why would he switch if he was so in love with Urban. Obviously he had the skills because he is playing on the next level. I found the news report below. As best I can tell, Urban and Abram Elam were only in ND one year together, with Abram playing a backup safety and Urband being an offensive position coach. Urban left for Bowling Green and well… Abram became a convict and received a large monetary contribution from the "community" so that he could go to Kent State. The following article can be a bit explicit, but it describes what happened to Abram, how he found his way from ND to Kent State, and what happened to the other Elam siblings.
Putting the timeframes together, it doesn’t seem like Urban was around when this stuff happened and I don’t know how close they would have been even when they were at ND together—given their respective roles and the brief time. Seems big brother’s love was for the golden dome. I know Elam has been holding fast to UF publicly, but I don’t know that it is due to a love of Meyer. Please forgive me for digging a little deeper.
The article doesn’t mention Urban, it just explains Abram’s college career, what happened to him and the other siblings, and that Abram’s love was for the golden dome. Here’s the article about brother Abram.
There is a fanshot about Elam’s TV appearance Sunday night where he said he is still locked into FU. However, I don’t see that as changing anything because he did this public commitment thing with Urban and brother Abram back in October and yet the rumors about the possibility of Elam to FSU (from Genron and even Elam himself) still followed.
I don’t think he’s coming to FSU. I’ll be surprised if he does come to FSU. But I don’t know that it’s over until the 18th.
Article on Elam's brother: http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/archives/2009/08/20/abram-elam-from-scenes-archives
8 months ago
NoleLaw
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It will be much earlier than NSD
He is an EE so we will know on the 18th
It's a beautiful day in Tallahassee
I agree that it's extremely doubtful he becomes a Nole.
But he did this public announcement with his brother after talking to Urban thing back in October, much like the Sunday night TV spot. Even after that, Tally has still had some sort of strong draw on him. It would be a HUGE surprise if he becomes a Nole. I just don’t know that it’s over until the 18th.
I also don’t know whether he would follow in his brother’s footsteps and be gone shortly after he arrives. You hope someone can learn from the mistakes of the past. With the trouble his brother and the rest of his family have had with violent crime, you just don’t know whether this apple will fall far from the tree.
I thought it would be awesome to add this kid to the secondary
along with the other talent we have coming in, but now that I read more about his family, the last thing we need is a potential thug from a line of thugs. Hopefully he’ll go to UF and screw up.
Why would you wish anyone failure in life?
You can have a hatred for the Gators, but to wish a 17 year old kid that you do not personally know to screw up? Wow…
by basbalstr101 on Dec 14, 2009 10:58 PM EST up reply actions
a "potential" thug from a line of thugs
As I said:
I also don’t know whether he would follow in his brother’s footsteps and be gone shortly after he arrives. You hope someone can learn from the mistakes of the past. With the trouble his brother and the rest of his family have had with violent crime, you just don’t know whether this apple will fall far from the tree.
You hope that the kid would learn from what’s happened to his family. Older brother Abram could have easily been living the thug life if it hadn’t been for 10s of 1000s of $$$ donated from the “community”.
I didn’t really see any reason why Urban (WR coach) would stay in touch with a backup safety after he left ND. If he did keep in touch during Abram’s troubles, you wonder why Abram went to Kent instead of Bowling Green or Utah. Thus, I highly doubt that Urban was part of the “community”.
The whole point is that I think everyone (including Meyer himself) has been milking this thing about Elam knowing Meyer since he was 8 as well as the connection between Urban and Elam’s brother. Urban may have used that as a foothold to get in tight with Elam while he has been recruiting him. But I’m thinking that the recruiting relationships started off on a much more level playing field than you would have guessed from simply hearing that the two have known each other for years.
too risky.
There does not seem to have been much of a positive influence or someone to help him him learn good judgment. He may be fine, but there is just no reason for FSU to take this kind of risk anymore. That’s how we’ve gotten in trouble in the past. We can’t confidently recruit “character” that overcomes such a past during the short recruiting process.
I wish the kid the best and hope he does well in Gunsville. If not, they have an “understanding” district attorney.
"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." Jack Handy
Put it this way
Strong leaving? Did not affect Elam.
Gonzalez leaving? Did not affect Elam.
Meyer leaving? Elam is a Nole.
They are close, whether you want to admit it or not. Meyer has been Elam’s main recruiter forever. They’ve known each other a long time.
Curiosity supposedly killed the cat, but as to the article,
I wonder two things.Did anybody besides me find it curious that the subject of the article"ran on the beach" to keep in shape and “studied” when friends wanted him to play.WHO was supporting the three children he apparently found the time to conceive??? I understand " change" has taken place since my youth, but in my day the Dad had to work and pay child support?Hopefully he will make millions at the next level and feel some duty to pay back his dues to society.
This research you've done is all well and good
but the key factor is you never actually spoke with Elam about this. So honestly, no matter what you deduce from your research, it must be taken with a grain of salt without any material straight from Elam himself. It’s all secondary source material without Elam as the primary source.
Co-conductor of the "Kirby Smart for DC 2010" Train!!!!
by NoleThruandThru on Dec 15, 2009 3:25 PM EST reply actions
My gut says Elam goes Gainsville
Thanks for the research, NoleLaw.
As euphoric as times have been, I think Elam might be the one that gets away despite what we wish. Who knows? Might be best for us in the long run.
Maybe Coley can snag some of USC’s kids.
Stay classy, Tallahassee!
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