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Should Lillard be allowed to start -- or even play -- Saturday?
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008, at 5:26 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
I just received an anonymous telephone call from a woman who claimed to be speaking for a group of SEMO football supporters.
The woman told me that the group she was speaking for -- and I'm paraphrasing here -- was highly disappointed about SEMO coach Tony Samuel's plans to start quarterback Houston Lillard against Missouri State Saturday night. For anybody who might not have read or heard, Lillard was arrested Monday for failure to appear on a charge of indecent exposure. He was released on bond. Lillard was originally issued the indecent exposure summons -- a misdemeanor -- in early July for public urination in downtown Cape Girardeau. Lillard was scheduled to appear in court last month to answer to the charge, which had he pled guilty to would have likely resulted in a fine. After Lillard failed to show up, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Personally, I've got no problem with Samuel's plans to start Lillard Saturday. What Lillard originally did wrong -- urinating in public -- happened almost three months ago. If you're going to dole out discipline, do it then (which may or may not have happened -- if Samuel even knew about it at the time -- because Samuel declined comment on that when I asked him). The second thing Lillard did wrong -- not showing up for court and being arrested -- is really no different than if he failed to pay a speeding ticket and was arrested. One way or another, knowing Samuel, I'll bet Lillard has been or will be disciplined in some fashion. I don't condone Lillard's actions. But I would hate for people in the community to think poorly of Lillard simply because he made a foolish decision to relieve himself in public after what was probably a night out on the town. Interacting with Lillard the last couple of years, I have known him to be nothing but polite, personable and cordial, and I haven't heard anybody say a bad thing about him. I genuinely like the young man. What Lillard did was wrong, but how many college students have probably done the same thing without ever being caught? I'd bet that figure would be pretty high. Anyway, what do you think? Should Lillard be allowed to start Saturday's game? Should he begin the game on the bench and then come in at a later time? Or should he not be allowed to play at all? Comments Showing most recent comments first [Show in chronological order instead] |
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Having a high schooler I will be looking at the character of the coach.Iam not saying he doesnt I believe it makes him look bad, Samuels could have done a great deed for himself.they are now 2 different sititations. each should be handled
Should have left in on the bench in the first half. He looked as though he was going through the motions. Then, decided to play in the second half.
Why is everybody saying if he got disciplined in July for the original incident that he has already paid the price. Is this not a seperate incident(though related) and needs to be addressed as well. I would think his failure to appear is actually worse than the original charge.
There has been so many guys arrested, or getting in trouble, or what have you over the past few years, I know I am immune to it really. It is a good week or month when someone from that program doesn't get in trouble.
Sorry, guess I was too into SEMO baseball at the time to notice. I'm a fan of all seasons and sports.
Showstopper,
I can't believe as big a fan as you are that you missed it. At the time it was getting a lot of discussion.
http://www.semissourian.com/apps/pbcs.dl...
RCIR, I do agree with your logic for the part that now that it is gone public he probably should be suspended. And from what I have gathered I have a feeling that a differant coach would more then likely sit Lillard. But either Samuel doesn't feel the need to or just doesn't want to. Personally I don't think it hurts to give Scheible some more playing time under his belt. But then again i'm a little biased in that regard.
P.S. I knew about Holloman but I never heard about the shoplifting incident. Care to enlighten if you are in a position.
You know, it may just be that there have already been too many "breaks" given. Could that be a part of the problem?
Quite frankly, having a summons to go to court should have been top priority. But I believe he said something to the effect that his mind was on football, not going to court. Do you not see a problem with that?
If SEMO was 3-0 and nationally ranked no one would care if he missed court for peeing in public. People turn and look the other way when things are going right. Good Example is Mizzou, they had kids arrested for weapons charges and All that happened was a walk-on 6th string player got removed but here is the kicker, Maclin and Witherspoon were in the car and nothing happened to them. Think about that one when things go bad, everything is under a microscope. I have lived in this town for 15 years, I have seen the Mumford, Billings and now Samuel days and what does this town want for its football program? Because support for the program in my time here, has been horrible in my mind.
RCIR so what's your take on the Iowa, Penn State, Florida State football programs? All three programs have had numbers of kids arrested over the past year or so yet nobody talks about firing the head coach
This conversation is really funny to me.
By not showing up at court indicates that if disciplined previously, he still has a lack of personal responsibility - first to himself and then to the team. Agree that if he starts it will be another of several instances that reflects poorly on the university and their athletic programs. Sitting him for the first quarter or half will show that there is at least some discipline on the team.
Showstopper, I don't think putting someone in charge of making sure the football team keeps their nose clean falls under the category of "brilliant"....I would call it more along the lines of "being a thinker". C'mon showstopper how many strikes does Samuel get? Holloman busted for steroids, 3 players steal stuff from a local mall and now the most recognizable name for the FB program gets his name put everywhere because he can't make a court date. When are you going to stop making excuses showstopper? By the way I think it is a mistake not taking any action against Lillard as far as missing game time. Samuel needs to show the public that kind of action won't be tolerated. My advice to my friend showstopper, stop making excuses.
JackBauer, "The kid has already paid the price for his actions why discipline him again, with not being able to play Saturday." The answer to that is so simple. You discipline him again because he messed up again by missing his court date. This mess up allowed the public get wind of the situation. If I were Samuel I would be twice as mad now as I was back in July when the incident first happened. When the incident first happened back in July the public didn't know. Kind of a what you don't know won't hurt you situation. In my opinion for this latest mess up he should only miss the first half ot he Missouri State game.
I should also state that I have met Lillard and also found to be a great guy. Knowing this I believe that it is okay to be lenient on the guy. If he had the poor quality of some of the other players on this team then I would be more inclined to have said player benched.
If Lillard was disciplined back in July I think he should be allowed to play on Saturday. If he hadn't been I would say then that he should be suspended for atleast a quarter if not the whole game. Whether he was or wasn't disciplined remains to be a mystery to me.
RCIR with your attitude I really hope you don't attend any of the games. If nothing else maybe you should apply for the coaching spot in the offseason if it comes available. Since you seem to have so many brilliant ideas.
FYI....
http://www.ovcsports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...
Hey JackBauer,
Could you support the FB team anymore...How embarrassing!! Shouldn't the football program have a person who makes sure kids show up to their court date for pissing in public??
it makes the school look shady, whether coaches punished the kid back in july or not.
i like the comment jamie hall made on his blog today: "Whoever walks onto the field Saturday and lines up behind center will speak volumes about the character of Samuel and the state of Southeast football."
amen.
Houston has already been discipline for his actions back at the start of football season by coach Samuel. The kid has already paid the price for his actions why discipline him again, with not being able to play Saturday. I bet it was an honest mistake, give the kid a break. So let's say he made his court date and paid his fine, no one would even know he got a ticket in July. Why is it reported now but not back when it took place? It was in the paper under the police reports but no one made mention of it. Let be careful to come to conclusion on situation with out really looking at and understanding facts.
I've heard that Houston didn't tell Samuel about it when it happened, that Samuel just found out about it like everybody else did, but I haven't been able to verify that. Are you sure Samuel knew about it and Houston has already been disciplined? If that's the case, then I definitely think he shouldn't be disciplined again for something that took place almost three months ago.