Lamarr Houston Apologizes, Will Return Saturday
by Peter Bean on Sep 8, 2008 3:57 PM CDT
in Texas Longhorns Football
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PrintStarting defensive tackle Lamarr Houston's suspension ends at one game and he will return to play against Arkansas this Saturday. Readers of this site know how I feel about him both as a player and upstanding young man, so I'm especially pleased to see him handle this mistake the way he has. From the Statesman:
Houston asked to attend Monday’s news conference to address the media and to offer a public apology. “First and foremost, I thank God that I’m alive. … I’d like to apologize for making a bad decision …. I’m very remorseful. It’s not how I was raised.”
Houston teared up as he recounted how he had apologized for his actions to his 9-year-old nephew, someone who looks up to the Longhorn defender. Houston addressed his teammates the day after the arrest. “That was the toughest thing,” he said.
He said he will undergo counseling, work with homeless people and work with the Mitchie Mitchell Foundation, an anti-drunken-driving group.
How you handle mistakes is as sure a sign as any of what kind of man you are. A ten-gallon hat tip to Lamarr for accepting responsibility for his actions. Apology accepted.
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The encouraging thing
to me was that he was willing to talk to the press and MB let him. I don’t think many players, given the choice (and maybe he wasn’t given the choice) would have talked. And there are lots of coaches who would have kept him a football field away from any reporter for weeks.
Honorable
He may have made a stupid mistake, but I have to respect the way he’s handled it. Being accused of a serious crime is an uncomfortable situation at best, and is all the more difficult when played out in the public eye. Houston seems to be a class act that made a very poor choice. I hope he’s able to quickly put it behind him.
RECRUITS: Jordan Leslie (Tomball TX Tomball); Jaime Peebles (Klein TX Klein).
Lamarr has completely demonstrated his maturity and poise. When I heard about the arrest, I truly did not want to believe that a fine student athlete (really, the textbook definition of such) could be guilty of this wholly preventable crime. I appreciate his candor and wish that everyone handled their misdoings in this manner. It is easy to be a role model when the going is good. It becomes much more difficult when problems arise and mistakes are made. Hook ’em, Lamarr.
Dumb mistake
But apology accepted. If only some NFL players would be as remorseful when they screw up.
I hope to see Lamarr back in form this Saturday.
by TheElusiveShadow on Sep 8, 2008 4:43 PM CDT reply actions
Thank g-d he didn't kill anybody
I have done some stupid sh*t in my day and what I am most thankful for is that I didn’t kill anyone. That is, by far, the main reason one shouldn’t drink and drive: not because of the danger to yourself but because of the danger you pose to others.
Drunk driving isn’t ‘riding a motorcycle without a helmet’ stupid; it is a complete disregard for the lives of all those using the roadways.
That being said, thanks for the apology. How about we stomp them aggies this year?
Hook ’Em!
Lamarr
A great kid made a dumb mistake. He has done all the right things to make amends as much as one can. He is a real class act with a wonderful sense of honor.
Lord willing it won’t ever be a lesson he has to learn twice. I hope he has a great game Saturday. He deserves it.
1 Peter 2:17
to quote BFAUT86..
..KICK HIM OFF THE TEAM!!!!….
jk..although it was a dumb mistake, I’m glad he’s man enough to apologize to the public and those who he let down. Welcome back, Lamarr!
Go easy of BFA
The seriousness one takes the crime of drunk driving is directly proportional to how much it has screwed up your life or the life of one close to you – as either the perpetrator or the victim. Houston didn’t injure anyone but himself (mildly) and his poor car, others aren’t so lucky.
In my honest opinion BFA overreacted, and didn’t really help himself by ignoring any mitigating circumstances for Houston. It’s not right to ruin a young man’s life over a single, relatively harmless incident but it’s important to demonstrate to the team and the campus community that there are things significantly more important than football. In that respect I can see where BFA is coming from and I, personally, would feel better as a UT alumnus if Houston were suspended for more than a single game.*
I am proud that he’s a longhorn, I understand that he made a mistake of youth, but I also would like Mack Brown to utilize this moment and his position to teach a life lesson in the forgiving environs of UT.
*Full disclosure: I have been hit by a drunk driver.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Sep 8, 2008 11:20 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I agree...
..but the fact that BFA overreacted and would not see the whole picture, hurt his point. I wish that players would learn from others getting punished severely, but IMO, they don’t learn until it’s too late. Many athletes have driven while intoxicated, and they don’t seem to learn from other’s mistakes or their own (ie Leonard Little).
As stated earlier, I’m glad he was man enough to apologize to the public, and I hope he can learn from his mistake.
by vy til i die on Sep 9, 2008 12:28 AM CDT up reply actions
While we agree that BFA objectively overreacted, and note the mitigating circumstances for Lamar Houston, I’m also attempting to acknowledge the mitigating circumstances for BFA. I do not know him and it would be wrong of me to speculate on his behalf, but as I noted earlier DWI/DUI can be emotionally charged crimes.
For my own case, had the driver in my accident injured me permanently, or injured someone I care for instead of just me, I would be much more inclined to drop the hammer on a 21 year old kid. That doesn’t make it right, those crimes are not Lamar Houston’s (alleged) crimes, but BFA’s is a point of view which I think should at least be acknowledged, and respected. That doesn’t mean that we have to agree with it; we probably should not, but in my opinion we should acknowledge and account for the emotional component inherent in crimes like these.
As for whether or not players learn their lessons, they’re human just as anyone else – just bigger, stronger and faster. If you treat them as unteachable, they will be; if you treat them as above the law, they will have no respect for the law; and if you treat them as indispensable, they will consider themselves as such. By the same token, if you treat them as adults, and as longhorns, that is what they will be.
proud to swim home
Overreaction? Yes and no.
I enjoyed reading this thoughful conversation, learned hand and vy til i die.
In hindsight
“..KICK HIM OFF THE TEAM!!!!….”
may have been too harsh, but a one game suspension is as ridiculous as a slap on the wrist. I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of Mr. Houston’s mea culpa and from what I read he seems like a decent young fellow. That does not mitigate the seriousness of his actions.
How anyone cannot seem to grasp the concept of not driving when you have been drinking is beyond me. I have unfortunately lost a number of loved ones and friends over the years at the hands of idiots who just cannot seem to get it.
Anyway, that’s it. Hook ’em.
Manning up
I heard part of the interview on the radio this afternoon and as best I could tell he was sincere. I’ve heard so many other forced apologies where the culprit made a lot of excuses, turned to Jesus, or otherwise tried to bullshit his way through, but Houston seemed genuinely remorseful and committed to getting himself right.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
His apology
I listened to it just now… what a great kid. Fortunately he has learned his lesson it sounds like, and it was a blessing no one was hurt during the incident. That young man has character. If he uses this the right way it should make him a better team mate and human being. I was impressed.
1 Peter 2:17
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