Krangodnzr
Captain of Team Conner
Hey, Stoops, don't recruit trouble to UA
Feb. 10, 2004 12:00 AM
If you're spending letter-of-intent day in a holding cell, odds are you're not the type of player a university should pursue.
That's why it's mystifying that Arizona is allowing its name to be attached to Kilgore (Texas) College defensive lineman Byron Smith.
Smith, a 6-foot-2 tackle and one of the most coveted junior college recruits in the country, was set to sign a letter of intent with Nebraska.
On the evening of Jan. 26, he and two others entered a Henderson, Texas, tobacco store and demanded money from the owner, according to a police report obtained by The Arizona Republic. One of the three pointed a gun at the head of the owner's 13-year-old son.
After the three escaped with thousands of dollars, the owner called police, who quickly apprehended the trio plus a woman who drove the car.
When the Cornhuskers received word of the arrest and of an affidavit in which Smith told authorities he had participated in the robbery, they quickly severed ties with him.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, who had recruited Smith before the incident, jumped back on board, although to what extent remains murky.
When asked Monday whether Smith had signed a letter of intent, Arizona spokesman Tom Duddleston said: "We're not yet ready to issue notice of a letter of intent."
That's not necessarily "yes."
But it's certainly not "no."
Arizona can hide behind the shield of prospective student-athlete privacy, but if it truly was not interested, it would have diffused the situation.
The Cornhuskers did it adroitly, discreetly sending out word that Smith was no longer a recruit in whom they were interested before news of the arrest broke.
New Arizona coach Mike Stoops had two ways to look at this:
• Give Smith the benefit of the doubt because he could be innocent of charges and everyone deserves a fair shake.
• Stay away from Smith, because no matter the outcome, it will generate unwanted negative publicity for the university.
Stoops should have opted for choice two. What's the worst-case scenario? That a great defensive lineman ends up at another university and is ridiculously successful? Like that's never happened to Arizona before?
If Stoops was simply trying to give a guy he believes is innocent a break, now's not the time to play humanitarian. Not when he's 10 weeks on the job and every move he makes is under a microscope. Not when he's taking over a program on the heels of a player rebellion that attracted national attention.
Yet Arizona finds itself linked with a player who faces five to 99 years or life if convicted.
Even though the police report is damning, for the sake of argument, say Stoops has reason to believe Smith didn't know the robbery was going down. Is it worth the risk?
Not from this corner.
For all the unwanted attention the program received last season, the Wildcats have rebounded nicely. Stoops was a sound hire who will work relentlessly to revive the program.
The athletic department is on solid financial footing, and most fans have remained loyal because they applauded the hiring of Stoops.
The program doesn't need this kind of publicity.
And it doesn't need Smith.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0210boivin0210.html
Feb. 10, 2004 12:00 AM
If you're spending letter-of-intent day in a holding cell, odds are you're not the type of player a university should pursue.
That's why it's mystifying that Arizona is allowing its name to be attached to Kilgore (Texas) College defensive lineman Byron Smith.
Smith, a 6-foot-2 tackle and one of the most coveted junior college recruits in the country, was set to sign a letter of intent with Nebraska.
On the evening of Jan. 26, he and two others entered a Henderson, Texas, tobacco store and demanded money from the owner, according to a police report obtained by The Arizona Republic. One of the three pointed a gun at the head of the owner's 13-year-old son.
After the three escaped with thousands of dollars, the owner called police, who quickly apprehended the trio plus a woman who drove the car.
When the Cornhuskers received word of the arrest and of an affidavit in which Smith told authorities he had participated in the robbery, they quickly severed ties with him.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, who had recruited Smith before the incident, jumped back on board, although to what extent remains murky.
When asked Monday whether Smith had signed a letter of intent, Arizona spokesman Tom Duddleston said: "We're not yet ready to issue notice of a letter of intent."
That's not necessarily "yes."
But it's certainly not "no."
Arizona can hide behind the shield of prospective student-athlete privacy, but if it truly was not interested, it would have diffused the situation.
The Cornhuskers did it adroitly, discreetly sending out word that Smith was no longer a recruit in whom they were interested before news of the arrest broke.
New Arizona coach Mike Stoops had two ways to look at this:
• Give Smith the benefit of the doubt because he could be innocent of charges and everyone deserves a fair shake.
• Stay away from Smith, because no matter the outcome, it will generate unwanted negative publicity for the university.
Stoops should have opted for choice two. What's the worst-case scenario? That a great defensive lineman ends up at another university and is ridiculously successful? Like that's never happened to Arizona before?
If Stoops was simply trying to give a guy he believes is innocent a break, now's not the time to play humanitarian. Not when he's 10 weeks on the job and every move he makes is under a microscope. Not when he's taking over a program on the heels of a player rebellion that attracted national attention.
Yet Arizona finds itself linked with a player who faces five to 99 years or life if convicted.
Even though the police report is damning, for the sake of argument, say Stoops has reason to believe Smith didn't know the robbery was going down. Is it worth the risk?
Not from this corner.
For all the unwanted attention the program received last season, the Wildcats have rebounded nicely. Stoops was a sound hire who will work relentlessly to revive the program.
The athletic department is on solid financial footing, and most fans have remained loyal because they applauded the hiring of Stoops.
The program doesn't need this kind of publicity.
And it doesn't need Smith.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/columns/articles/0210boivin0210.html
