FSU: Julian Pittman
Saab Siddiqui
http://www.news-observer.com/daily/1997/11/21/sports01_side1.html
And we quote: N.C. State center Seamus Murphy was
asked who is the best defensive lineman he has faced this
season.
Florida State players Andre Wadsworth and Greg Spires
quickly came to Murphy's mind, but he almost forgot one
Seminoles player.
"Which was the one that got out of prison down there?
[Julian] Pittman? He's pretty good.''
Pittman, who spent each night in jail for three weeks as
part of his work-release program, was reinstated to play
against N.C. State on Nov. 1 after pleading no contest to a
burglary charge earlier this semester.
Dale Leatherwood
Man, do you have some sort of macro that seeks out negative comments about
teams you can't beat so that you can post them?
Dang, I'll be glad when State starts winning again and/or gets that
arena built, so that you'll have something positive to talk about. In the
meantime, other fans will leave ol' State alone, it's no fun pickin' on
someone when they're down.
But obviously you think it's fun pickin' on others when you're down!
-Dale
remove "takethisoff" to reply
--
INDUSTRIAL POWER SALES, INC
http://www.ipstools.com
All opinions my own, etc..
Jeffrey James Price
Man, do you have some sort of macro that slams Saab whenever he posts
some informative, eye-opening facts about another school.
NC State has had their troubles in the past (recent and not so recent).
Just like every other school. Personally I find the Ram's Road a
disgrace to taxpayers, because it only serves a select few who park in
ONE small lot and happen to be BIG donors for UNC Sports.
I also find the incident with Mr. Pittman disgraceful. Did you know his
suspension was postponed until the spring semester so he could play
football this fall and winter?
PAUL L KETZLE
Jeffrey James Price (Jeff...@worldnet.att.net) wrote:
: I also find the incident with Mr. Pittman disgraceful. Did you know his
: suspension was postponed until the spring semester so he could play
: football this fall and winter?
I had better first say that I have very strong feelings against
special treatment of athletes, especially when it comes to breaking the
law. Lawrence Phillips is a good example. I do not know the details of
that case like this one, but anything that involves voluntary assault
against your girlfriend can't have too many good excuses. Phillips has
proven his unworthiness of a second chance, but that does not mean that
second chances are catagorically unadvisable.
It hurts to see players you like go wrong. FSU has had too much of
that going into this season, and I think the team was better off without
the distractions those players would have caused.
And to put this matter into some context, there were two other
players, experienced members of the secondary, who were faced with
suspension this semester and who are no longer playing at this school
because of it. Our secondary is MUCH less deep than our defensive line
(which was number one against the run for seven games before Pittman
returned).
But this is not so much a matter of what the Coaches did (and
Bobby B. did give character testamony at his suspension appeal), but what
Pittman did. The cold facts as relate to the case seem damning. He broke
into an apartment, while one of the girls who lived there sat terrified in
a closet, then he took a credit card of one of the roommates.
That was what I first heard. It made me mad and vindictive. Even
after I heard the rest of the story, I think a certain measure of harsh
punishment is necessary. How much punishment needs to be tempered by some
of these facts, though.
He has never been in the least bit of trouble with the law in his
previous twenty years (not saying he's done nothing wrong, but this is
still not an easy thing to do in this day and age)
He knew one of the roommates, who had also agreed to meet him in
that apartment, at that particular time.
He knocked several times on the door, shouting out his name.
Then he entered the apartment. I do not think the door was even
locked (but I won't swear to it). The other roommate hid in the closet,
and admitted that he did not know she was even there. (But the judge at
the sentencing said that her fear was one of the major points of this case
- why, I'm not quite sure)
He took a credit card belonging to one of the roommates (perhaps
his friend's?), returned to his room and bought a pizza.
I would not do these things, and I think he deserves punishment
for doing stupid and illegal things - but the consequences here are
severe. He spent some time in jail (which he later talked about, saying
that if he ever had to go back there he'd never make it). He also sat out
most of his senior year in college, crippling his potential stock at a
professional sports player (at least initially). Lastly, the man had to
learn to be humble, because up until the very last second, there seemed no
doubt he would never play college ball again.
When Randy Moss was kicked off the team two years ago for breaking
his parole from a high school incident, people like Peter Warrick (his
roommate) talked about how sad they were, but they also recognized that
it was fitting. It taught some of them a lesson about being responsible
for themselves. The reaction to Pittman's incident was totally different
for the team. Very few people who knew him thought the extent of this
punishment was fair to man who had royally screwed up, yes, but who also
showed so much potential to be better. They saw it as a double standard,
where athletes were held to much harsher penalties than everyone else. It
made them bitter, not respective and pensive.
If the purpose of punitive measures is to improve people, I
believe this whole incident was fair. Pittman screwed up, and paid a large
price, and very nearly paid everything. Taking away everthing helps almost
no one, but a man who has an opportunity to still succeed, who knows?
I don't excuse Pittman for this act, nor do I think (now) that he
was treated unfairly. There's nothing quite like ALMOST losing everything
to make you thankful for what you have.
-Paul
Chip V.
Jeffrey James Price <Jeff...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
<snipsaabing>
>NC State has had their troubles in the past (recent and not so recent).
>Just like every other school. Personally I find the Ram's Road a
>disgrace to taxpayers, because it only serves a select few who park in
>ONE small lot and happen to be BIG donors for UNC Sports.
I know I'm gonna get killed for this, but after being in Chapel Hill a
couple of days this week and reading about the so-called Ram's Road,
I'm still confused. Yes, the road will allow the back lots (off of
Manning, if I'm reading the maps correctly) to empty out easier after
games. I've read a hundred quotes to the effect that "those fat cats
should wait like everybody else..." But, follow me here, if those
lots (full of tax-paying citizens of the state of North Carolina) can
empty out via another route and can clear the area quickly, to be
followed by cars backed up from other lots as well, won't that take
pressure off all the other outlets and, therefore, allow *everybody*
(who are also primarily tax-payng residents of the state of North
Carolina) to move faster in post-game traffic? Or post- whatever
other concert or other event is held at the Smith Center?
I understand and expect the ABC ragging -- if it wasn't this, they'd
just make up something else. But there is a great gnashing of teeth
among Carolina people as well. Yes, the state was asked and agreed to
pay for a road to service what, in today's money, would be a $70-$80
million state building, paid for by those people who could really use
the road (which, of course, costs a fraction of the facility that they
have provided through donations)...
We've got a big crowd in Chapel Hill these days who loooove to get
their names in the paper and their mugs on television. Between our
own folks screaming about the road, the Nike deal, and the flap over
the UNC cop who cited the daughter of one of the BOT's, you guys
really don't need to put so much energy into trying to destroy
Carolina, our *own* are doing the job quite nicely... :)
OBTW, FWIW, (I love doing that!) if any of you Heel fans are in town
for the football game this weekend, you might want to go by Papagayo's
because it will be closing after next Monday night... Only one more
"Margarita Monday" to go... This was a fun spot -- at least back in
the ancient days when I was in school -- and one of the few that still
remained from that *vintage* era <g>. So, you ask, what wonderful
establishment will be replacing Papagayo's? What the hell else? A
*sushi* bar...
And, no, I sh*t you not... :)
- Chip
NOTE: Remove "x" for correct e-mail address (and for correct
"Reply-To" address).
Atlanta Tar Heel Web Page
- Keep up with all Atlanta area activities sponsored by the Atlanta
Chapters of the UNC Educational Foundation and Carolina Club.
http://www.mindspring.com/~Heels
Jeffrey James Price
Chip V. wrote:
> games. I've read a hundred quotes to the effect that "those fat cats
> should wait like everybody else..." But, follow me here, if those
> lots (full of tax-paying citizens of the state of North Carolina) can
> empty out via another route and can clear the area quickly, to be
> followed by cars backed up from other lots as well, won't that take
> pressure off all the other outlets and, therefore, allow *everybody*
> (who are also primarily tax-payng residents of the state of North
> Carolina) to move faster in post-game traffic? Or post- whatever
> other concert or other event is held at the Smith Center?
YES and NO.
Technically things will empty out faster. After all when you have ??? (I
don't even know how many cars are in the lot :P ) 300?? 400?? Less cars
things will empty out quicker. But when you take the likely 6,000-7,000
(figure around 2/car minus the student population) that carry people to
a game those few cars which would have been at the END really won't
matter a whole lot.
*cheap shot*
Of course I suppose it is a good thing for UNC, I suppose those Fat
Cats won't be in so much of a rush to leave the game next time UNC is
down by 10.
Dale Leatherwood
Jeffrey James Price wrote:
>
> Man, do you have some sort of macro that slams Saab whenever he posts
> some informative, eye-opening facts about another school.
>
> Just like every other school. Personally I find the Ram's Road a
> disgrace to taxpayers, because it only serves a select few who park in
> ONE small lot and happen to be BIG donors for UNC Sports.
>
> suspension was postponed until the spring semester so he could play
> football this fall and winter?
>
My apologies, I didn't realize that I posted my response to your
personal address as well as the groups, which I assumed prompted your
personal response. My newsreader is a little tricky at times.
The Ram's Road is certainly a disgrace to taxpayers, but the fault lies
with the DOT, who built the road, yet I don't see anyone slamming them
(except for hundreds of UNC, yes UNC, students who protest daily, yet
that's not mentioned either)
As far as Mr. Pittman's situation, it's not atypical for a football
factory such as F$U, Nebraska, etc, and no less disgraceful.
As far as Mr. Saab S, please tell me the number of times that I've
slammed the numerous (and I mean numerous) posts he's made sniping at
other schools. In fact, you may notice that prior to that post, I
bitched at some dude who slammed Saab by degrading his name and probably
ethnicity.
I don't know of anyone else who crossposts to several groups with the
sole message of "Hey guys, look what they did, na,na,na,nyaaa,na!".
Perhaps it's a symptom of the state of their athletic program (except
for the cross country team), but it comes across as pretty pathetic. I
simply decided to comment on this latest one.
And again, sorry to copy the post to you personally.
-Dale
--