Early in the Marvel film "The Avengers" when Asgardian Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) makes his initial appearance, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) says, "We have no quarrel with you."
Loki responds, "An ant has no quarrel with a boot."
That statement made by the would-be conqueror of earth describes my thoughts the first time I saw Vernon Adams in person.
It was Nov. 2, 2013 and Adams led the Eastern Washington University Eagles into Holt Arena in Pocatello to face the Idaho State Bengals. EWU prevailed 55-34 as Adams threw for 432 yards and five touchdowns.
I remember saying, "How in the world is this guy at an FCS school? He's incredible."
Adams, a redshirt sophomore at the time, was the boot. The Bengals were the ants.
Flash forward a little over a year and Adams is on his way to Oregon as a graduate transfer from EWU, much to the dismay of Eagles head coach Beau Baldwin.
"Obviously Oregon doesn't feel like they recruited or developed a guy to the same level we did in Cheney, Washington," Baldwin said in a radio interview. "I'll be honest, that can be a little bit frustrating and I would ask the question because I don't see myself finding my next QB at (Division III) Linfield in that regard."
Baldwin has subsequently barred Adams from working out and using Eastern Washington facilities. It's a petty act soothed only by the knowledge that EWU opens the 2015 season against its now former quarterback and the Ducks in Eugene, Ore.
I take issue with Baldwin's words, however. It is hypocrisy at the highest level.
In 2010, Eastern Washington welcomed junior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell into the program, a transfer from FBS school Southern Methodist University in Texas. Mitchell proceeded to lead the Eagles to the FCS national championship that year.
Baldwin, the same man criticizing Oregon for not developing a quarterback on its own, held up the title trophy that his transfer quarterback helped win.
Pot meet kettle.
Eastern Washington got yet another transfer from SMU in 2012 as Kyle Padron joined the team. He was a key part in the Eagles' continuing success.
That hole you're digging for yourself is getter deeper, Mr. Baldwin.
The NCAA has made it possible for fifth-year players to transfer to a different college with no penalty so long as the new school offers a graduate program that the first does not. Whether or not Adams and his decision to transfer follows the spirit of the law is a completely different discussion. And if it does not, that's an NCAA issue.
Can the case be made that Oregon -- and many other FBS schools -- made a mistake by overlooking Adams, a Pasadena, Calif., native, in the recruiting process? Sure. But once again, that's a different argument.
Baldwin's strong statement is a double-edged sword. He better have another quarterback developed and ready to take over at EWU or he'll come off as even more of a bitter hypocrite.
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