Teammates Say Gary Nova Has Received Death Threats

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2014/11/critics_of_rutgers_qb_gary_nova_have_made_threats_according_to_teammate_leonte_carroo.html

NJ.com-  Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova has dealt with plenty of criticism during his tumultuous four-year career. But some fans have crossed the line by making death threats, according to teammate and longtime friend Leonte Carroo.



​Some would say Rutgers' arrival into big time college football was when they stormed the field after defeating #3 ranked Louisville in 2006. Others would say their recent entrance in to the Big Ten, a premiere football conference, marks their ascension into relevance. They would both be wrong. Your fan base isn't deserving of respect in college football until your quarterback is getting death threats. That's just a fact. You think the UConn quarterback gets death threats? How about the Syracuse quarterback? They probably have to wear their jerseys around campus just to get recognized. I bet Ryan Hart would have killed to get death threats while at Rutgers.

Should college kids, that put their heart and soul on the line for no monetary compensation, have to deal with such ridiculousness? No. I think everybody realizes that. Except for the people hiding behind keyboards shooting empty threats out all across the worldwide web. However, that's just the age we live in. The TwittERA, if you will. Anyone who is anyone receives death threats now a days. It's a sign that people care about you, hate is just well disguised love. Gary Nova should respond with a resounding 'thank you' to each and every fan that ridicules him in public. The fans, rational and irrational alike, are the reason he is a starting quarterback in a power conference like the Big Ten. Despite the media exposure of the NYC market, Rutgers would not be in the Big Ten without a passionate fan base. 

Gary Nova has been the Rutgers starting quarterback, on and off, for 4 years. I know for a fact I have said "I am going to fucking kill Gary Nova" more than once. There were probably games where it was coming out of my mouth like it was on a loop. I didn't mean it. If i saw Gary in the bar tomorrow I would buy him a beer and give him a nice stiff pat on the ass. In the infamous words of Terrell Owens, "that's my quarterback", for better or worse. Lord knows the kid has been through more than any of his detractors could even imagine. He has had more emotional peaks and valleys than a pregnant woman. In fact, his career is eerily reminiscent of the longest premenstrual cycle in recorded history. The Scarlet-blooded Knights fans have been with him along the way for this epic journey. It's a tale of sorrow and a tale of persistence. It's like the greatest drama ever written played out in front of our eyes over the course of 4 years. Of course we are emotional. Some fans just let out that emotional through less than constructive criticism.

On Saturday, Gary Nova plays his final home game in front of the Rutgers crowd. When the clock hits zeroes, come victory or defeat, I will be putting my hands together for a kid that has had to endure more scrutiny than most will encounter in their entire lives. I have a pretty good feeling that those that authored those threatening tweets and misguided fandom will be right there along with me. Say what you want about Gary Nova, but he has been present for, even responsible for, some of the most memorable moments in Rutgers football history.