Larry Bird was a transfer. He played every game of his college career at Indiana State, scored all of his 2,850 points for the Sycamores and led them to the NCAA championship game in his senior season. He became one of the greatest players in the history of the game, a member of the Dream Team and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and a succe sful coach and executive with the Indiana Pacers.To repeat, though:He was a transfer. He enrolled at Indiana University D'Vaughn Pennamon Jersey in 1974, decided in short order Bloomington wasn't for him, and went home until he decided on a school that was more suited to his temperament.Are we to think le s of him for this?MORE: The nations No. 1 college basketball team is led in rebounding and blocks by a transfer, Brandon Clarke. The nations No. 2 team is led in rebounding and a sists by a transfer, Dedric Lawson. The No. 4 team (Virginia, Braxton Key) and No.5 team (Michigan, Charles Matthews) feature transfers as key members of their rotations. Should we look askance at all their succe s because these players began their college careers in one place and continued them in another?Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts is being celebrated this week, not because he entered Saturdays SEC championship football game after starter Tua Tagovailoa was injured and led the Crimson Tide to a victory over Georgia but simply because he was around to play the game.This is why you dont pout and transfer, of Outkick The Coverage.Jalen Hurts lost his starting job. Didnt pout. Didnt transfer, tweeted Utiversity of Austin Katstra Jersey the Cumberlands baseball coach .Hurts became a hero because he didn't transfer but notbecausehe didn't transfer.In 2016, Hurts became the first freshman to start at quarterback under legendary coach Nick Saban, and remained the starter in that position until he was benched at halftime of last seasons national championship game in favor of Tagovailoa, a freshman who then led the Tide to a comeback win.Hurts could have decided to transfer following that game, or after spring practice. Tagovailoas ability as a pa ser always indicated he was the likely choice at starter, if healthy. By transferring, Hurts could have preserved his final two years of eligibility and handpicked a high-level school that was in Henry Anderson Jersey need of a quarterback for the 2019 season.Instead, he choice to remain with the Tide and serve as backup. It has been reported widely that one reason he followed this course was Alabamas hiring of Dan Enos as the teams quarterbacks coach. Enos is considered an excellent tutor at the position, and Hurts believed he could learn from him and develop as a player. He threw only 58 pa ses in 2018 before going 7-of-9 pa sing for 82 yards and a touchdown in the SEC title game (he rushed for another, the game-winner).He got to be the hero of the seasons most important game. He made the choice that worked best for him, and it worked out. Wonderful.MORE: There's lots of absurdity in the transfer game. So many athletes who do not become immediate stars in college will hear parents or former coaches or friends grumble that their current coaches are holding them back, notallowing each player to show off his or her game. This often leads to players bolting from situations where they might eventually flourish, often to programs or schools le s suited to their talents or personalities.This is how life functions, though. Not many Americans join a company fresh out of college or high school and work for that outfit for four decades until retirement. Sometimes the employees choose to move on to what seems to be a more appealing situation. Occasionally, the choice is made for them.Should it be any different in college Landon Collins Jersey sports? Joe Flacco was beaten out for the starting quarterback job at Pitt in 2004 by Tyler Palko. Aware that. for strategic reasons, few coaches will alternate quarterbacks, Flacco chose to transfer and finish his career at Delaware. He led the Blue Hens to the NCAA FCS title game and became a first-round NFL draft pick and, eventually, a Super Bowl champion.Power forward Eric Paschall transferred after averaging 15.9 points at Fordham during his freshman season in 2014-15, following the dismi sal of coach Tom Pecora. Paschall wound up at Villanova and averaged double figures on the 2018 NCAA Championship team.Nigel Williams-Go s transferred after two years at Washington and became a first-team All-American at Gonzaga, which he led to the 2017 Final Four and NCAA title game for the first time in school history.There are dozens if not hundreds of succe s stories regarding college athletics transfers, but those invested in themythology that an athlete who follows the best course for him or herself is inherently selfish are Austin Shepherd Jersey seizing upon Hurts story to advance that agenda. The humor in that: Hurts will graduate following the fall semester, and this time be in position to transfer and play immediately at his new school. It's quite po sible this is the direction he will choose.Hurts handled his benching last January with tremendous grace, ardently supporting Tagovailoa as he rallied the Tide against Georgia. Hurts was ready last weekend when his opportunity developed to make a difference for Alabama in an e sential game. He is enough of a hero for each of these items that its unnece sary to invent a new category of praise to flatter him.Every college athlete who transfers didnt pout or quit on teammates. Most often, they simply went searching for a better fit. Many of those who found one have performed heroically, as well.