Mack Brown Lays Down The Law
by Peter Bean on Aug 6, 2007 10:45 AM CDT
in Football
23 comments
There's a reason so many of us love Mack Brown. And there's a reason he's built this program into one of the very best in the country. And most of all, one we can be proud of.
He takes seriously his charge as the head coach of the state's most prominent university and understands the importance of his role. As Mack is so fond of saying, people love the head coach of the University of Texas, period. He's just a coach in that position and it's his job to represent the university and the state well.
He's right, of course, but we do love Mack, too. It's not just that he's the head coach of the football program. It's that he carries himself in a way that makes us proud as Texans, and as fans.
On Sunday, he did it again, taking the microphone to address reporters as the team reported for fall practice:
[...]
The two young men that had DUIs earlier in the year, Henry Melton, and a few weeks ago, Sergio Kindle, will report today. They will be involved with community service and with a mother who works with Mothers Against Drunk Driving who had her son badly crippled in an accident and later lost his life. So during the first few days of practice, these two young men will be sitting down, visiting with her, and let her explain to them how dangerous it is to be in a car after you have been drinking. They will also do community service for us and alcohol counseling, and they will be rejoining the team as soon as they get some of these things done, which could be as early as the end of the week. But they will miss the first three games of the season. They will not dress for those ball games or travel to those ball games. They will not play against Arkansas State, TCU, or Central Florida. At that time, I will sit down with both young men and see if we feel like they have learned from their experience and are ready to move forward as teammates. Obviously that penalizes our team as they are both talented football players, but with the problems with drunk driving and drugs in society right now, we thought it was a great opportunity for our team to stand up and take a strong stance against both of those actions and help get the attention of young people and adults in society. Also, it is a time where I need to stand up as a head coach and take responsibility for anything that is negative, be a strong leader, send a strong message and move forward with our football team.
Many of us were calling on Mack to send a strong message. He certainly did. I also called for 3-game suspensions for Kindle and Melton. Mack delivered there, as well.
Simply put: this is precisely how you'd like your head coach to handle something like this, and for all the hand wringing over these arrests, it's good to see that Mack Brown handled this as we'd expect him to.
This still isn't a good situation, by any means, but at least Mack Brown is taking it with all appropriate seriousness. Three game suspensions for Melton and Kindle is harsh, but fair, all things considered. Taking discipline into his own hands, with a note that this is separate from the legal process, is appropriately stern. If any players in the program had any doubts about the consequences of finding trouble while playing football at Texas, they don't any more.
Kudos to you, Mack.
--PB--
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Maybe...
I might be splitting hairs here, but at one point I thought Mack started treading into dangerous waters when saying that you can't compare these "incidents" to matters of life and death (Rucker's cancer, Cole Pittman, etc.). Aren't drunk driving and armed robbery matters of life and death?
Other than that, I thought the press conference was masterful.
I discussed this in an earlier thread, but I would hope that Mack or Dodds would come forward and call for a better internal support and oversight system for first and second year student athletes.
by TheJeezus on Aug 6, 2007 11:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
re: Drunk driving
"Aren't drunk driving and armed robbery matters of life and death?"
There are different levels of drunk driving, so without knowing the exact circumstances of each DUI I don't think it's proper to refer to these incidents as "matters of life and death". Kindle, for example, is underage. He could've received a DUI after having only one drink. There's a huge difference between blowing a .02 and blowing a .25. The latter is a huge deal, while I don't believe the former is.
I second PB in wholeheartedly supporting Brown's reaction to these incidents.
by Old Tex29 on Aug 6, 2007 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Semantics?
"There are different levels of drunk driving."
That's what I tried to tell my probation officer.
by TheJeezus on Aug 6, 2007 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't Kindle and Melton both charged with DWI (over the legal limit)?
by TheJeezus on Aug 6, 2007 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
APD Policy
When a car is pulled over for any reason, if the officer smells alchohol then the individual is arrested for a DUI. There is no BAC test administered until the suspect has been processed by the jail.
It is not illegal for those of us who are of age to consume some alchohol and then operate a motor vehicle. Melton and Kindle are held to a different standard because they are minors in alchohol world.
As the coach, in these situations I don't think Mack had any other choice.
by Bob LaBlog on Aug 6, 2007 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
huh?
"When a car is pulled over for any reason, if the officer smells alchohol then the individual is arrested for a DUI."
"It is not illegal for those of us who are of age to consume some alchohol and then operate a motor vehicle."
by thejahpaul on Aug 6, 2007 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
huh what?
That's the policy. It's consistent with the slogan "Drink. Drive. Go to Jail."
Blood-alchohol-content is not established until after the individual has been processed at the jail.
Departments stress this approach which can result in people who aren't intoxicated, but have consumed alchohol being arrested.
It's also true that people who are at or above the legal age can consume alchoholic beverages and then legally operate a vehicle. If you're 21 or over and your BAC is below .08, then you are legally allowed to operate a vehicle. There's some question to the relationship between .08 and impairment, but it is clear that a person with BAC of .08 is impaired relative to that same person with BAC of .00. The .08 legal limit in most states is in response to federal requirements for receiving federal highway funding.
by Bob LaBlog on Aug 6, 2007 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow
not disputing what you're saying, but man that policy (if true) is BS. Why would they bother giving field sobriety tests? Living in a police state sucks.
I don't think drunk people should drive, but I also don't think that .08 BAC = drunk/impaired.
by SelimSivad on Aug 6, 2007 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Field Tests
Field Sobriety tests are limited to basic motor skills for the most part because everything else is pretty unreliable/difficult to administer/ easy to contest. Everything is at the discretion of the officer and again, many municipal police forces encourage detaining any driver who has alchohol on the breath.
The legal standard should be impairment, not odor.
by Bob LaBlog on Aug 6, 2007 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wait a minute
seriously?
So if someone at a game spills a hipflask of Beam on a sober 20 year old (highly likely) and then the kid gets pulled over, its an automatic DUI simply because the officer spells alcohol?
That seems way too subjective. What if the officer has no sense of smell?
by the other Andrew on Aug 6, 2007 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
smells
not spells.
"a-l-c-o-h-o-l, there, I spelled it. Here's a D-U-I for you son."
by the other Andrew on Aug 6, 2007 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Probably Not
My guess is that the officer would have to smell it on the kid's breath, although the smell of alchohol in the car could be enough to get the underage guy in some trouble, though not likely.
by Bob LaBlog on Aug 6, 2007 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well
that's not what you said originally :)
"There is no BAC test administered until the suspect has been processed by the jail."
and I'm assuming you mean the blowjob deal? which from what I understand are fairly inaccurate and non-binding. if they really want to nail you and they don't think they have suffcient evidence (audio/video) they'll take your ass to the hospital immeadiately and get the real deal BLOOD alcohol test. they can FORCE YOU to take it. i.e. withdraw blood. I was under the impression they didn't do the blood test(s) in the jail. then again, it's been a while since I've graced 7th street w/my presence.
by thejahpaul on Aug 6, 2007 9:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No
They can't force you to give them evidence, they only consider it an admission of guilt if you refuse. You don't get the blood test until after you have been processed at the jail. You are arrested before you ever have your BAC determined.
by Bob LaBlog on Aug 6, 2007 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it may not be illegal, but...
A BAC below .08 doesn't necessarily get one of legal age off the hook. I'm pretty sure one could still be charged with DUI in Texas (I think on a county by county basis)... even if you pass a field sobriety test, even if you pass a breathalizer. This is according to one Dallas DUI defense attorney.
by Kool Hand on Aug 6, 2007 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
AAS reports
that Brown is also ordering the players to return their cars to their families. The 3 game suspensions are great and all, but it's the extra steps that Mack Brown takes to help these kids that impresses me.
Meeting with a MADD mother will certainly be enlightening for these kids and not having a car is a punishment that no one wants.
MB works to ensure our standards for class even in the grimmest situations.
by sharkbait101 on Aug 6, 2007 11:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Funny....
Although I agree with the punishments, I think its funny that Purify up here in Nebraska only got a one game suspension for two seperate alcohol related incodences.
by chieforangeblood on Aug 6, 2007 11:34 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Mack quote
"I've spent more time the last 10 days thinking about things other than football," Brown said. "I'd like to get back to football."
Amen to that!
by sharkbait101 on Aug 6, 2007 1:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I still think Mack is being reactive rather than
pro-active.
You want to send a message?
Tell the team the next player who gets arrested for anything, even excessive speeding, will get booted from the team. You'll see people shape up quickly.
This reminds me of the suspensions before the Ohio State game last year, where Mack waited until incidents piled up and piled up and piled up, until he was forced to come down hard on those players, and keep them out of a game.
And I'm sorry, PB, but it makes me laugh every time you talk about Mack recruiting good kids you can be proud of. Mack recruited and signed Ramonce Taylor, which completely shoots that 'good kids' claim to shit.
Let's not even mention the Erik Hardemans and Myron Hardys of the program.
I don't think this is a case of a lack of discipline on the team, I think it is a case of texas recruiting the same questionable character kids as any other program, and getting burned by some of them (badly burned, in some cases, but burned nonetheless).
I would be more impressed if, instead of starting off with an apology, Mack said "This crap is gonna stop, and it's gonna stop now", and took a hardline approach.
I suggest Mack go talk to Joe Paterno if he needs ideas on how to punish his players. Maybe some time cleaning the stadium and doing some janitorial work will teach these kids how good they have it.
BTW, anyone know what the school policy is for non-athlete students who get a DUI/DWI?MIP? I'm wondering if they're required to do alcohol counseling, etc.
by Beergut on Aug 7, 2007 1:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
When I was in school
for alcohol related offenses, you were put on probation (at UT) and required to meet with your counselor, do community service and basically maintain god standing in the community (not get caught in a alcohol related incident again). The length of probation and amount of community service were determined by the offense. If you wanted to you could fight it and be heard by a jury of your peers (other UT students). I would guess it would be similar now.
by billb on Aug 7, 2007 7:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's not completely fair
Mack has passed on several recruits for misbehaving. Look at Chris Collins with Okie State.
The problem is you probably don't hear about the troubled kids he doesn't offer.
It's not like Mack can come out and say, "were gonna pass on this recruit, because this kid's parents walked in on him banging the neighbor's cocker spaniel -- and he's plegged an allegiance to satan"
texas recruiting the same questionable character kids as any other program
It's nice to know you can look in to the souls of 15,16, 17 year old boys and see so much of their character. You should be on that telelvision show, Heroes, wielding your pyschic abilities.
IMO, kids who misbehave in HS are young enough they can still turn things around -- and hopefully leave trouble behind. Some of these kids deserve a second chance.
I don't have superhuman powers to read their minds, but I believe many have the opportunity to move past their problems, mature and learn in college.
I would not want Mack to completely abandon every prospect, because a few fans feel they are tainted.
I think you would be surprised by how many current adult football players you currently love and admire were trouble as kids.
by EYESofBEVO on Aug 7, 2007 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I remember the Collins incident
I remember wondering what the hell it took to get a scholarship offer pulled, b/c texas took their sweet time with him.
In fact, iirc, there was nothing ever in the media about Collins' scholarship offer being pulled; he just didn't show up with the recruits when Fall practice started.
I would have applauded Mack if he had pulled his scholarship right away, publically, saying "We won't allow that here". He didn't do that, though.
I think you would be surprised by how many current adult football players you currently love and admire were trouble as kids.
No, I wouldn't. I know not every player is a saint or perfect, and I have no problem with that.
However, when it is known since a kid was in MIDDLE SCHOOL that he's a problem kid, you shouldn't be recruiting him.
And please, spare me the 'they deserve a second chance' mantra. That was the same crap Nebraska fans tried to use to defend Tom Osborne when he let Lawrence Phillips back on the team.
by Beergut on Aug 7, 2007 2:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't buy that version of Chris Collins story
I remember Mack pulling the offer almost right away.
I would have applauded Mack if he had pulled his scholarship right away, publically, saying "We won't allow that here". He didn't do that, though.
Has a head coach ever done that? Is he publically supposed to condemn people that haven't even gone to trial?
That is just plain moronic to suggest he should.
From what I remember Collins was not charged early on -- and I would imagine, since Mack doesn't keep 24/7 surveillance of his recruits, he wanted to have his facts straight before pulling an offer. He wasn't even charged until late August.Charges in AAS August 29th
However, when it is known since a kid was in MIDDLE SCHOOL that he's a problem kid, you shouldn't be recruiting him.
How do you define "problem kid"? Again, you seem to live in a world with windows in to each person's soul giving perfect information to help predict future behavior.
Life and human beings don't work like that. There are very few absolute bad kids and I doubt you can sit behind a computer reading newspapers and chat rooms to determine which are and aren't.
by EYESofBEVO on Aug 7, 2007 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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