On Sunday, November 18th, A.J. Barker, wide-receiver for the Minnesota Gophers,  announced that he’s leaving the Gophers.  Barker created an online blog where a descriptive message to Gophers head coach, Jerry Kill, explains why he made a decision to quit the team, explaining that Kill is ‘manipulative’ and that the past between them hasn’t been ‘loving’.

You can read the letter in full by clicking here. *Warning: Explicit Language*

Here are a few highlights,

Now, in honor of my family and myself I’m done with you for good. In light of that pathetic, manipulative display of rage and love you put on this past Thursday, I have come to the decision, with the guidance of my parents and my closest friends, that my time on this team has come to an end. It kills me that I have to do this before the season’s over, but this is the only way I can protect myself against the manipulation and abuse I’d have to endure from you the rest of this season.

 

Well, Jerry Kill, I don’t choose to believe I’m a dime a dozen.  My parents raised me in the most honorable and noble way possible, they never took from me. They never lied to me, or hurt me.  There weren’t any “****ed up” things that happened to me growing up and it’s a disgrace to the effort my parents put forward every single day they were around me to insinuate anything of that sort.  My parents and friends are extremely proud of me.  They don’t view me as screwed up. In honor of everyone I associate myself with, I will not accept your ruthless attempt to degrade and belittle me.  I am an upstanding member of society and a paying/honest student at the University of Minnesota.  I haven’t got in trouble with the law.  I don’t have any demons in my closet.  I don’t mistreat or hurt the people around me.  I carry myself with dignity and respect.

It was during this discussion that you came over and exploded on me in front of the entire team in our indoor facility. “YOU DON’T ****ING GET TO TELL THE TRAINER WHAT YOU DO!” followed by a 20 minute tyraid where you attacked everything about me, from an athlete to my character as a person.  I took every word of it replying faithfully “Yes sir. Yes sir. No, sorry sir” and watched as you demeaned me to a point of no return.  You took the one thing you had a say in (my football playing career and my future) and you held it against me in an attempt to break me, going as far as to tell me I’ll never get a scholarship or see the field again.

In just 17 hours on the internet, this letter to Jerry Kill has circulated heavily.