It can happen here
by John Berkowitz on Mar 10, 2010 6:43 AM PST
17 comments
Winter and spring quarters are a time that makes the stewards of college football programs nervous. The players have more time on their hands and enivatably if you are going to have a breach in discipline and judgement it will likely happen this time of year.
Chip Kelly at Oregon has been dealing with it on a weekly basis this off season. I can only think of one quiet weekend for the Oregon football team law wise since classes began but even that was marred by one of the cheerleaders picking up a DUI.
As a Husky fan we look South and grin when stuff like that happens. It is a definite sign that there are problems deep within the Oregon program and that coach Kelly is struggling for control of a team that should go to the Rose Bowl again next season.
We all know Washington and every other football program in the country is not immune from bad behavior. When you put together a group of 105 18-22 year olds there will be problems no matter how vigilant you are. One of those problems happened this past weekend when Husky DE Andru Pulu alledgedly beat a 22 year old man senseless at a party. The police report says he kicked the victim repeatedly in the head while he was down on the ground. He came close to killing the victim.
While none of know anything other than what was written in the police report it is obvious that this attack was probably triggered by alcohol which seriously marred Pulu's judgement. We have all seen assorted skirmishes in this age group over the years because after all boys will be boys and boys will always be stupid when they have been drinking.
This one isn't just one of those boys will be boys type of things. This is a serious physical assault where a life was very close to being taken. There is no excuse for that type of behavior. While alcohol is likely a factor it has little bearing on this incident because of the total brutality of it. Just reading the police report sickens the average person.
Coach Steve Sarkisian did exactly what he needed to as a first step in this situation. He suspended Pulu indefinitely from the team. Due process needs to take its course but I would be very surprised if Andru Pulu is ever given a second chance. His potential loss hurts a program thin at the DE position but immediate boundaries with immediate repercussions is what Sark needs to do for the good of the overall program if the charges filed are accurate.
We watched the Oregon football program turn into a zoo this off season. It has become pretty obvious that the coaching staff has lost control of the behavior of their players. One reason for that has been inconsistent punishment for offenses. Washington needs to avoid going down road again because you don't have to have a very short memory to remember the days of Jeremy Stevens driving through retirement homes.
Sark needs to act firmly and decisively once he has all the correct information to make the proper decision. Something tells me he won't have a problem doing that.
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Agree, swift action first on such a serious charge
Playing football on a scholarship is a privilege. After the facts are known, then that privilege can be restored or denied forever. In this case, it doesn’t look good for Pulu.
thank you john
This is being investigated by SPD homicide detectives.
If this situation is corroborated and he is cited it will be for aggravated assualt.
This isn’t about what happens at Pullman or Eugene. It’s about doing the right thing.
Pulu is not smart enough to be on this team.
by PandG on Mar 10, 2010 7:33 AM PST via mobile reply actions
It has to play out
You always have two sides to any story….that is why they take the time to investigate it from all angles.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 10, 2010 8:01 AM PST up reply actions
It does have to play out ..
… but the indefinite suspension is the appropriate action. There is no presumption of innocence in football. The kids need to know that there is no tolerance for even just being in presence of trouble. The final punishment, of course, should be commensurate with the transgression, but suspension while the process works itself out is appropriate and a lesson that other programs might consider adopting.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
Second Chances
I’ve read a lot of differing opinions of whether or not college players should be given a second chance. It’s quite simple, you don’t get second chances in the real world. If I get a DUI, my career is over, no questions, no debate, end of story. Every last Oregon Duck (and duck cheerleaders) that got a DUI this offseason, have just cut their career options in half, they will have to live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.
I feel it’s quite simple, the best way to make sure the other 84 scholarship players stay out of trouble is to make an example out of the one that is already in trouble. This type of behavior is NOT tolerable at the UW, in the city of Seattle, in the state of Washington, or in the USA. If you can’t follow the rules, you lose the PRIVELEGE of playing football for the UW.
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
I'm sure I could come up with a ton of snide comments here
but I won’t (glass house and all). I’m sorry anybody, fan, university, or team has to deal with this kind of stuff. I hope Sark gathers all the inforamtion and makes the right decisions.
Let’s all hope this is the end of the off season troubles :)
Well Canzano, maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.
Addicted to Quack
i'm not sure what snide remarks you can come up with.
Sark has handled this situation in the way that Kelly ought to be handling his business. No arrest, no accusation … but enough evidence for the coach to put him on indefinite suspension. Yet, in Oregon, we have similar situations (some more developed) and yet here we are with guys like James and Masoli still not even suspended.
There is no doubt that Sark learned from Kelly’s missteps. The question is whether or not Kelly will learn from them. I think he’s a good man, so I’m sure he will.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I'm assuming a James suspension is coming
Since he’s pleading out tomorrow or Friday to a lesser charge (they say harassment).
As for Masoli, I, nor anyone else, really knows what’s going on in that case still other than him being in a police report. So I’m content to wait and see what goes on.
Pulu has not been arrested. Are their situations any different?
… my point is that coaches can get the most traction out of discipline for the whole team when they take immediate action when trouble occurs. Indefinite suspension pending outcome of investigation is reasonable. Kelly has not chosen to do that with either of his stars, but has been that heavy handed with his less important players. This is poor management in my estimation.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I agree with indefinite suspensions
The James deal is different as he was charged and everyone can go back and forth about how it was handled.
I don’t, however, think you can compare Pulu to Masoli. One was named in a vague report about a stolen laptop at a fraternity. Pulu’s case was a very violent assault (and I’m not saying he did or didn’t do it because I just don’t know).
Comparing Pulu to James may be an apt comparison, though.
First off, police reports are not all information in an incident. I would assume that Sark has more or at least enough information to be able to make the punishments and decisions he has. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Second, I also believe that Kelly has more information about what has happened to Alonso, and LMJ and Masoli, and will give him the benefit of the doubt until I learn more information.
Right now any judgments we are levying against coaches is based on very limited information and my remark about “snide comments” was based on the fact that I will refrain from jumping to conclusions about your team or program based on the limited amount of information that we are all dealing with.
Well Canzano, maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.
Addicted to Quack
BTW do not take this as a myopic stance to back Kelly and believe he has done no wrong. I am only saying that just like with Sark, I don’t have enough facts to judge their decisions at this point.
Hindsight will be 20-20 and when the facts come out, that will be the time to start to cast judgment.
Well Canzano, maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.
Addicted to Quack
and just as I finish writing this...
face, meet palm…ugh
Well Canzano, maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.
Addicted to Quack
So Masoli was going to be indicted by the Grand Jury
2nd Degree Burglary…isn’ t that Mandatory Jail Time. The benefit of doubt with Masoli is over. He is being Charged. He will be wearing a bracelet come Friday night or sitting in jail.
The Tunnel is Hallowed and Sacred Ground
by bigdawgdaddy999 on Mar 10, 2010 7:00 PM PST up reply actions
yup - completely unbelievable that Kelly hasn't suspended him indefinitely
… obviously, Pulu’s situation could result in a worse charge. But, for purposes of playing football, both accusations are way over the line of what is acceptable. The fact that Masoli is not yet suspended speaks to Kelly’s unwillingness to compromise the chance to win now and his inability to really judge the peril he might be putting his program in.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
They sure are making it easy on Chip Kelly
Two current players and one former player, all in court on the same day, at least he only has to make one trip!!
"Legends are made on the shores of Lake Washington"
"BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON"
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