Biannca Ward

[chitownBUB]

Sun Times has the story of Biannca Ward whose academic performance had fallen, and was suspended from the reigning state champs Richwoods, and now she's facing some serious jail time for burglary.

This is so sad, as I had heard from a relative of hers that she was being recruited heavily by most of the top womens college programs in the nation, and was leaning on going to UConn, one of the powerhouses of womens college basketball on a full ride.
Biannca had her ticket to superstardom all but punched, and then this. Sure hate to see a kid's life ruined by such horrible choices.
The Richwoods girls team is up here in Chitown playing in the MLK Classic at Chicago Young HS.

[Big Mike]

I also think it's a sad story...........On a serious question, is there such a thing as PREP schools for girls? Like if she doesn't get charged for a crime.....can she go to a PREP like a BTMA for girls.......not sure if I ever heard of one? :?

[Da Coach]

http://pjstar.com/stories/011406/HS__B8ML5LMV.067.shtml

I have never heard of one either.

This story reminds me of a couple other sad stories of Peoria kids who had great potential to get a scholarship and a college education with their basketball skills, but got into trouble. I hope she can get things straightened out.

Does anyone remember the Jordan brothers from Peoria Central a couple decades ago? They were fantastic basketball players, but I don't think they ever played a college game because of trouble with the law.

[tornado]

I also think it's a sad story...........On a serious question, is there such a thing as PREP schools for girls? Like if she doesn't get charged for a crime.....can she go to a PREP like a BTMA for girls.......not sure if I ever heard of one? :?

if they did, it would likely be GTWA :lol:
Maybe I could start one up, but unfortunately the $$ wouldn't really be there since WNBA contracts aren't the megamillions.

[tornado]

a little update
http://pjstar.com/stories/081906/TRI_BANASB4Q.064.shtml

[flipper]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.

[McFly]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml

[Roll with the Funches]

She's so young that you hate to see her locked up for 6 years, but at the same time, she has to suffer the consequences of her extremely foolish actions. I really hope for her sake that she does this boot camp thing, makes it through, and learns from her past mistakes.

On a side note, I'm originally from Wyoming, IL, the town where the holdup victim was from. It's a really small community (1,500), and just seems really strange to me that somebody from Wyoming in Peoria shopping would be held up. Just a random coincidence I guess.

[flipper]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml


i have some first-hand knowledge of her situation. i have absolutely no sympathy for anyone doing crack and committing burgulary. crack is so much worse than smoking pot like ray brown did. she turned into a gang-banger.best to get her off the streets.

[McFly]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml


i have some first-hand knowledge of her situation. i have absolutely no sympathy for anyone doing crack and committing burgulary. crack is so much worse than smoking pot like ray brown did. she turned into a gang-banger.best to get her off the streets.


I dont get your point. She was arrested. She has been incarcerated for 6 months. She has been convicted. She has been sentenced. No one has denied the drug use, the crimes, the emotional scars left on the victims. She is going to apply for the camp. If she gets in shes in for a heck of a test. If she makes it she has a chance at a second chance when she's still a teenager. If she doesnt make it, she likely never will. I am no fan of hers, but for the good of society I'd rather have her in an intense boot camp and out with a chance while she's young than hitting the streets when she's 24...

[dogsrus]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml


i have some first-hand knowledge of her situation. i have absolutely no sympathy for anyone doing crack and committing burgulary. crack is so much worse than smoking pot like ray brown did. she turned into a gang-banger.best to get her off the streets.


I dont get your point. She was arrested. She has been incarcerated for 6 months. She has been convicted. She has been sentenced. No one has denied the drug use, the crimes, the emotional scars left on the victims. She is going to apply for the camp. If she gets in shes in for a heck of a test. If she makes it she has a chance at a second chance when she's still a teenager. If she doesnt make it, she likely never will. I am no fan of hers, but for the good of society I'd rather have her in an intense boot camp and out with a chance while she's young than hitting the streets when she's 24...


Well said.....she IS being punished but also (hopefully) will be rehabilitated. Simply locking her up for 6 years and turning her back on the streets doesn't seem like the answer.

Its up to BW to take this opportunty and use this to turn her life around.

With all this said I do feel for the victim and hope the state is offering her help.

[flipper]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml


i have some first-hand knowledge of her situation. i have absolutely no sympathy for anyone doing crack and committing burgulary. crack is so much worse than smoking pot like ray brown did. she turned into a gang-banger.best to get her off the streets.


I dont get your point. She was arrested. She has been incarcerated for 6 months. She has been convicted. She has been sentenced. No one has denied the drug use, the crimes, the emotional scars left on the victims. She is going to apply for the camp. If she gets in shes in for a heck of a test. If she makes it she has a chance at a second chance when she's still a teenager. If she doesnt make it, she likely never will. I am no fan of hers, but for the good of society I'd rather have her in an intense boot camp and out with a chance while she's young than hitting the streets when she's 24...

my point is she has had several chances to turn her life around. she was blessed with some god-given talent that open doors for her and could have provided an education. she had many people go to bat for and reach out. she responded by turning her back, defying authority.she has messed up so many times. i just don't see her as a sympathetic figure. she is getting what she deserves. do i wish she gets off drugs and stop her criminal activity. yes. like i do everyone that is in prison. but she is not special to me because she can play basketball.

[tornado]

I believe that it is in the best interest of society to go a little easy on 17 year olds, who prior to a few months ago had absolutely no record of any crime.

Virtually all jurisdictions, states, and regions must essentially agree, since they have such programs for young people to demonstrate their desire to change their lives and not get stuck in prison for years.
I am not saying those offenders DESERVE 2nd, 3rd, etc. chances, but they are offered because they do work.

The repeat offender rate among people with jail sentences of 5 years+ is every bit as high and more than for first and second time offenders like Biannca.

If she works hard, she can get a HS degree by the time she's 19, go to juco and still have the possibility of a fine career.

[McFly]

this girl is nothing but trouble. she already had more chances than others because she is good basketball player. hasn't helped her be a good person. she is bad news.


Sounds like you have your mind made up, but here is KW's latest.

http://pjstar.com/stories/082006/KIR_BANM7T26.037.shtml


i have some first-hand knowledge of her situation. i have absolutely no sympathy for anyone doing crack and committing burgulary. crack is so much worse than smoking pot like ray brown did. she turned into a gang-banger.best to get her off the streets.


I dont get your point. She was arrested. She has been incarcerated for 6 months. She has been convicted. She has been sentenced. No one has denied the drug use, the crimes, the emotional scars left on the victims. She is going to apply for the camp. If she gets in shes in for a heck of a test. If she makes it she has a chance at a second chance when she's still a teenager. If she doesnt make it, she likely never will. I am no fan of hers, but for the good of society I'd rather have her in an intense boot camp and out with a chance while she's young than hitting the streets when she's 24...

my point is she has had several chances to turn her life around. she was blessed with some god-given talent that open doors for her and could have provided an education. she had many people go to bat for and reach out. she responded by turning her back, defying authority.she has messed up so many times. i just don't see her as a sympathetic figure. she is getting what she deserves. do i wish she gets off drugs and stop her criminal activity. yes. like i do everyone that is in prison. but she is not special to me because she can play basketball.


Well then we are in agreement. She is getting what she deserves and I also dont find her sympathetic. No one that I have seen thinks she desreves special treatment becasue she is an athlete.

[flipper]

no problem mcfly.didn't mean to infer that i don't want her to rehabilitate and be a productive member of society someday. but now if the time to start that process,imo and the judges.

[tornado]

... No one that I have seen thinks she desreves special treatment becasue she is an athlete.

I have seen this reference to getting special treatment because she is an athlete.

Are there people who do?
Name one, and I mean name one who got special treatment by the justice system.
I don't think OJ is an example, because being a high profile athlete probably dooms him in the eye of most citizens, and the reason he got off was because he and his lawyer convinced the jury, not because he was an athlete.
And the local kids like Richard McBride, Luther Head, Jabbar battle all seem to have gotten what they deserved from the justice system.

What gets me though, is not any such special treatment by the justice system, but I believe I see special treatment by certain basketball coaches, when kids are troublemakers, criminals, bar fighters, and the like, then they transfer to New Mexico and they become the next Danny Granger.
If they are deep subs, then they are gone from the program. But if they are stars with the potential to float the program, then they are coddled, and welcomed back.

That's the special treatment that I see. How about you?
Here are the links to the four different basketball players from University of Tennessee who have all had multiple drug related arrests and offenses in the past six months, and only the deep sub was dismissed, and the other three were welcomed back.
http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=21031#21031
http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2418
http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=22743#22743
http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1103

Nope, it's not the justice system that seems to be so biased, it is the coaches themselves who see only the talent and treat players differently based on the talent.

[McFly]

Right. I think that in Bianca's case there was no such thinking from coaches etc......she was 16 at the time and just a soph in high school...the justice system did what it was supposed to do.

Regarding college athletes I agree that the coddleing seems to come from the support group rahter than the justice system