jamar smith update

[VromanFan]

I am just going to play Devil's Advocate here...not saying I want him, but would we be bashing Jamar if Jim Les thought he truly had a change of heart and character (like Matt Salley did) and wanted to be a Brave?

We've had guys with some serious baggage (most recently Matt Salley), and taken the stance that the BU 'family' atmosphere would take these guys and put them in a position to succeed (which I agree with). I just don't think we should put this guy under the bus when, if/when Illinois sends him on his way he doesn't look to the hometown school for assistance. It might happen. Hopefully it doesn't.

I'll draw a bright line here. I don't want Bradley University giving athletic schlorships to convicted felons. Period.

Just my two cents.

I agree. Methinks if Jamar is jettisoned from U of I, he'll find a soft landing at DePaul, ISU, or SIU.

I mentioned this on the other board...but I think the U of I people didn't feel the question was relevant :wink:

Can you think of any example of a school keeping a student/athlete on scholarship after they've been convicted of a felony that they committed while a student?

You know I can't think of one. Even Pierre Pierce doesn't fall into that category.

You know there's folks out there soft selling the issue so much. Its more than a tiny little mistake. Its a big deal. That's what a felony is. And if U of I is even thinking about letting him play they better be prepared to defend their decision and get ready to take a ton of flak for it.

 

[Da Coach]

I didn't notice if this has been posted yet, but here is Bruce Weber's response....

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

"I can't rally comment on (Jamar's) situation, I have to get together with my A.D. and the Chancellor and see what they think. And that probably won't happen for another week or so."

Wayne McClain said..
"I'm going on record and saying I know Jamar is a very good kid who made a bad decision," said assistant coach Wayne McClain, who accompanied Weber to O'Brien Field. "He's gotta keep working and continue to prove he's the person that everyone thought he was (before the accident)."

So they are waiting to decide what action to take regarding Jamar Smith. I personally find this stance by Weber and McClain astounding. It's not like he needs to wait to see how things play out, or to see if Jamar is really guilty of anything. He was sentenced to jail time for a commission of a felony (aggravated DUI, leaving the screne of an accident), not to mention numerous team rules violations!. He is the head coach, for crying out loud, show some leadership and discipline! What is this crap about having to discuss things with the AD and chancellor? Why does he have to see what they think before he shows some balls and announce a disciplinary action like dismissal from the team? Unbelieveable! :roll:

I suspect what BW really wants to do is wait until some of the attention dies down, then designate some meaningless punishment like suspending Jamar over the summer when they don't play any games. Watch for statements like "He's suffered enough with his injuries and the injuries to Carlwell, and his jail sentence".
Then Weber will want to see what kind of team he has next year before he decides what kind of suspension he will apply for next season. Maybe he might need Jamar back at the 2-guard spot?

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

 

[VromanFan]

I didn't notice if this has been posted yet, but here is Bruce Weber's response....

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

"I can't rally comment on (Jamar's) situation, I have to get together with my A.D. and the Chancellor and see what they think. And that probably won't happen for another week or so."

Wayne McClain said..
"I'm going on record and saying I know Jamar is a very good kid who made a bad decision," said assistant coach Wayne McClain, who accompanied Weber to O'Brien Field. "He's gotta keep working and continue to prove he's the person that everyone thought he was (before the accident)."

So they are waiting to decide what action to take regarding Jamar Smith. I personally find this stance by Weber and McClain astounding. It's not like he needs to wait to see how things play out, or to see if Jamar is really guilty of anything. He was sentenced to jail time for a commission of a felony (aggravated DUI, leaving the screne of an accident), not to mention numerous team rules violations!. He is the head coach, for crying out loud, show some leadership and discipline! What is this crap about having to discuss things with the AD and chancellor? Why does he have to see what they think before he shows some balls and announce a disciplinary action like dismissal from the team? Unbelieveable! :roll:

I suspect what BW really wants to do is wait until some of the attention dies down, then designate some meaningless punishment like suspending Jamar over the summer when they don't play any games. Watch for statements like "He's suffered enough with his injuries and the injuries to Carlwell, and his jail sentence".
Then Weber will want to see what kind of team he has next year before he decides what kind of suspension he will apply for next season. Maybe he might need Jamar back at the 2-guard spot?

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

DC,
Do you think McClain, Weber and company are concerned about how future recruits in the Peoria area are viewing this situation? Do you think that was a consideration in anyone's minds in deciding not to kick this kid off the team when the crime was committed...or when he was convicted of a felony...

Sadly, I think its possible.

 

[tornado]

Watch for statements like "He's suffered enough with his injuries and the injuries to Carlwell, and his jail sentence".
Then Weber will want to see what kind of team he has next year before he decides what kind of suspension he will apply for next season. Maybe he might need Jamar back at the 2-guard spot?

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

I have already seen some talking heads on message boards saying exactly this.

If "being designated a felon for the rest of your life" is sufficient penalty for every felony, then I guess we don't need any jail.

Then of course how many numbskulls have you seen posting this kind of idiocy,
"what Jamar did was a victimless crime, in the end there's nobody really hurt..."

I wonder if Jamar robbed a bank, got caught and the money returned, then should he be let off free, since nobody got hurt?

Anyway, everyone knows Illinois will need experience at the shooting guard position next year,
so Weber is trying to position himself so he can say he had no choice but to keep Jamar, since
it was his AD and Chancellor who told him to do so.

 

[Stryker]

I can't believe that anyone can say that Jamar's crime doesn't really matter because it didn't hurt somebody. He frickin wrecked his car, got a DUI, and left his teammate for dead! The only kind of victimless crime is not a crime or it is breaking a "parent" law, like being required to wear a seatbelt.

 

[Illini Fan]

As I've seen pointed out here, and not anywhere else, Jamar has yet to be disciplined by Bruce Weber. As far as I can find, Jamar was said to have "voluntarily" left the team late last season, but I cannot find anywhere that Bruce Weber suspended him.
So, as an Illini fan, I want the best for Jamar, but the longer this drags out, the worse it is for the team. I would hope the coach makes a decision soon, now that the legal issues have played out.

 

[Braves4Life]

As I've seen pointed out here, and not anywhere else, Jamar has yet to be disciplined by Bruce Weber. As far as I can find, Jamar was said to have "voluntarily" left the team late last season, but I cannot find anywhere that Bruce Weber suspended him.
So, as an Illini fan, I want the best for Jamar, but the longer this drags out, the worse it is for the team. I would hope the coach makes a decision soon, now that the legal issues have played out.

It seems to me that Jamar was already disciplined by the authorities. Is it a coaches role/responsibility to discipline a second time? I don't agree with anything this kid did but I think his punishment has already scarred him for life. How many on this board can say they never drink/drank and drive? How many can say they never did anything stupid and irresponsible while in college? The difference is that Jamar wrecked and was "caught". I know I did a lot of dumb things in my youth and was never caught. I'm actually quite thankful that I'm still alive

 

[ManMythLegend]

In this story Jamar says

"Since the accident I have become a better person.
My goals are to obtain my college degree, speak to teens and schools all over Champaign-Urbana
and Peoria about my experience so they can learn from my mistake"
http://illinoishomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=6157

But do young teens actually learn from such an example? I really doubt it.
Or do they see a guy who partied, was horribly irresponsible, nearly killed someone, tried to run away and hide, and yet was welcomed back on his team, was virtually undisciplined by the Illini, kept his scholarship, is going to play next year, and ends up overall with a very light punishment?
Do young people essentially see that he did exactly what he's telling people not to do and essentially got away with it.

It's like rehabbed druggie ex-jocks and stars (like Conseco & Schwarzenegger) telling kids not to drink and do drugs,
when what the kids actually see is how famous and wealthy those guys got by doing erxactly what they now say not to do?

The reason he plans on doing this is because it counts towards the 100 hours of community service he needs to perform and it makes him look like a 'good guy'. He's not fooling anyone, he could have killed a teammate, himself, and possibly completely innocent people. IF that had happened, I don't think there would be anyone stepping in saying that he was a 'good kid that made a bad decision'. My .02 cents.

 

[it's boogie time]

I really can't see the University of Illinois renewing the scholarship of a convicted felon. That's a big hurdle to clear. I'd be interested to see if they even can since there is a code of conduct that has to be followed.

 

[tornado]

Never underestimate the desperation of Bruce Weber.

Recall that he brought Jamar back and played him in the Illinois-Bradley game barely more than week after the kid had sufferted a very severe high ankle sprain.
Weber did whatever he had to do to beat Bradley, and essentially tanked the entire rest of the season in doing so.

Turns out that playing against Bradley set Jamar back so much that he had to sit out again several games, and was never the same after than, hitting a dismal 9-58 (15%) of his 3-pointers during the Big Ten season.
His overall FG shooting was 22.8%, compared to 47% in the games before the Big Ten season.

 

[Chico]

Hate to disgree ManMyth, but just read the paper. Everytime something bad happens to a kid, it's always the same. He is such a good kid, etc. In Jamar's case, I had never heard of him being in trouble and read stories about him and he seemed an alright kid. Hope the best for him.

 

[tornado]

Some, perhaps many, NCAA institutions have explicit statements in their Student Athletic Code of Conduct that requires any player convicted of a felony to be immediately expelled.

Don't believe it?

Check this out:

"If convicted of a felony, a student-athlete will be immediately expelled from his or her athletic team....any remining athletic aid will be terminated immediately"
http://www.csufresno.edu/humres/MAPP/II/E/E-04.pdf
(page 6)



also this one...
"A student athlete convicted of a felony after enrollment...shall be removed from the team and shall not be allowed to participate again in intercollegiate athletics (state) public college or university..."
http://www.boisestate.edu/policy/index.asp?section=4&policynum=4250
(note I. C.)


But then, some schools are just desperate enough to play criminals and thugs.
Anyone remember Rolan Roberts?

Rolan Roberts was a player at Virginia Tech when he was accused of assault and sexual misconduct, and found guilty by
a university judicial review.
Never mind, that he was booted out of Virginia Tech...guess where he transferred to?

He transferred to Southern Illinois University and head coach Bruce Weber.--
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20030219/ai_n12494362

 

[meth]

I never heard of Roberts, but it is apparent Bruce Weber is not bothered by playing kids with criminal backgrounds.

 

[Da Coach]

As I've seen pointed out here, and not anywhere else, Jamar has yet to be disciplined by Bruce Weber. As far as I can find, Jamar was said to have "voluntarily" left the team late last season, but I cannot find anywhere that Bruce Weber suspended him.
So, as an Illini fan, I want the best for Jamar, but the longer this drags out, the worse it is for the team. I would hope the coach makes a decision soon, now that the legal issues have played out.

It seems to me that Jamar was already disciplined by the authorities. Is it a coaches role/responsibility to discipline a second time? I don't agree with anything this kid did but I think his punishment has already scarred him for life. How many on this board can say they never drink/drank and drive? How many can say they never did anything stupid and irresponsible while in college? The difference is that Jamar wrecked and was "caught". I know I did a lot of dumb things in my youth and was never caught. I'm actually quite thankful that I'm still alive

Jamar broke numerous team rules by drinking, driving drunk, and getting into trouble with the law. I can't agree with you that the coach shouldn't impose some kind of punishment. Getting a full scholarship to represent a state university on a varsity sport is a rare priviledge, not some kind of right.
Most coaches would have already dismissed someone with these kinds of serious (felony) crimes. But it's strange no punishment has come down yet. Bruce Weber has already shown a tendency toward light punishments, as in the Richard McBride DUI case (recall it was not his first legal transgression, yet he got an unusually light suspension).
We'll see how he handles this one.

 

[chitownBUB]

A new rumor as to why the Illini are coddling Jamar
http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=169#S=169&F=2616&T=567826

 

[cpacmel]

A new rumor as to why the Illini are coddling Jamar
http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=169#S=169&F=2616&T=567826

This rumor has been shot down here:

http://www.news-gazette.com/chats/2007/06/06/chat_with_paul_klee__bob_asmussen

First, let's dispel this myth. Follow with me: Jamar Smith and D.J. Richardson are NOT cousins. This is an Internet-born myth that is absolutely not true. Say it again: Jamar Smith and D.J. Richardson are not cousins. If I had a dime every time I heard that, I would buy a fifth Allen Iverson Georgetown jersey. I asked Smith about it during the season, and he said they are not cousins. I've repeated that several times. They know each other, yes, but they are not related.

 

[MacabreMob]

Say it again: Jamar Smith and D.J. Richardson are not cousins. If I had a dime every time I heard that, I would buy a fifth .....

I thought he was gonna say a fifth of tequila.

:lol:

 

[vbird]

Jamar broke numerous team rules by drinking, driving drunk, and getting into trouble with the law. I can't agree with you that the coach shouldn't impose some kind of punishment. Getting a full scholarship to represent a state university on a varsity sport is a rare priviledge, not some kind of right.

He did all of that, as well as leaving his teamate for dead in the car.

 

[chitownBUB]

That's why I noted it was only a rumor.
Smith and DJ are not related.

 

[tornado]

here is Bruce Weber's response....

http://ciproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2554

"I can't rally comment on (Jamar's) situation, I have to get together with my A.D. and the Chancellor and see what they think. And that probably won't happen for another week or so."

So they are waiting to decide what action to take regarding Jamar Smith.
I suspect what BW really wants to do is wait until some of the attention dies down, then designate some meaningless punishment like suspending Jamar over the summer when they don't play any games.
Watch for statements like "He's suffered enough with his injuries and the injuries to Carlwell, and his jail sentence".

Da Coach.........you were right on.

Bruce Weber appeared yesterday on a radio interview in Champaign, and a little discussion of what he said is on the Illinois premium board.

But here it is in short:

"Weber.....Said decision on Jamar may come in the next week - feels that he has been punished enough but it is not in Bruce's hands."

Yup...exactly what was predicted.
Weber will dole out a relatively meaningless, soft penalty and claim it is out of his hands and was decided by someone else......