Saunders .. d'oh

[mu_hilltopper]

The other board has a poster who's reported that Damian Saunders has been arrested on drug charges.   

Looks like it's getting confirmed from various places.

http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=415#S=415&F=2850&T=671845

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

Could solve our scholarship problem.  If you had to pick one of the four he or Hazel would be the one to go anyhow.

[Harrison]

no way either one of those two can be any more ...than Blackledge.

[The Lens]

Color me skeptical.  I can't find anything online.   

[ozmetal71]

Yeah, Blackledge....

I have no respect for guys who don't get it done in the classroom.

Edit: Yeah, that's pretty unnecessary.

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

I resemble that remark, did graduate eventually.

[Henry Sugar]

Yeah, Blackledge . EDITED

I have no respect for guys who don't get it done in the classroom.

Should Blackledge get his grades in order and eventually contribute to the program, good for him and good for Marquette.  In that instance, it would be a clear example of someone using Division 1 basketball to get a quality education, despite limited contributions on the court.

<corrections made.  good show by mods and oz>

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

Yeah, Blackledge EDITED

I have no respect for guys who don't get it done in the classroom.

Wow... In that instance, it would be a clear example of someone using Division 1 basketball to get a quality education, despite limited contributions on the court.

Are you talking about Mike Kinsella?

[ChicosBailBonds]

no way either one of those two can be any more ... than Blackledge.

Seriously, do we have to talk about 18 and 19 year old kids this way?

[4everwarriors]

then Crean has to have the kahunas to kick him to the curb.

[ChicosBailBonds]

then Crean has to have the kahunas to kick him to the curb.

Not quite that simple...an arrest doesn't mean he's found guilty, etc, etc.   

Something to watch for certain....I'm a zero tolerance guy myself on drugs, but I also realize that many folks are in the camp of second chances (and third, fourth, fifth, sixth, etc chances).

[ozmetal71]

I apologize for the terminology that I used to describe Blackledge.

However, I don't respect athletes who are on full scholarships who don't get it done in the classroom.  I hope that Blackledge gets his grades in order, and if he does, that is great. 

I don't see him contributing much to the team right now other than taking a scholarship that we could use.

If I offended anybody, I apologize, but I expect Marquette athletes to perform in the classroom.  Its one of the things that separates us from the Cincis and Memphises of the college world.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'm not sure it offended anyone .. well, no, strike that, it probably did.   There are plenty of folks who really frown upon talking poorly about teenagers.

It just doesn't need to be said. -- Also, I do worry about exactly what kind of issues these kids have.  We really don't know if Trend is trying hard, but just doesn't have the horsepower to get it done.  There's a world of difference between a screwoff and a guy who struggles in class.

[tower912]

I am shocked.   Saunders is the first 18 year old I have ever heard of that used poor judgement.    Seriously, this is unfortunate.   What are the current rules at MU for students caught with illegal recreational pharmaceuticals?  Does he qualify as a MU student yet?    Are our rules as stringent as ND's?   What are the NCAA's rules and regs on this?   Does he count as a student under the NCAA's definition?    I would red-shirt him, let the legal process play out, see if this is an anomaly or an indicator, and make a final decision at the end of the 07-08 academic year.    If he is a kid who did something dumb but is redeemable, keep him.   If not, turn him loose.

[NYWarrior]

update. I picked up a hardcopy of the Waterbury paper this afternoon

http://marquettebasketball.blogspot.com/2007/06/issue-with-mu-signee.html

[ozmetal71]

Hilltopper....I understand, and apologize again.

[nathanziarek]

then Crean has to have the kahunas to kick him to the curb.

Not quite that simple...an arrest doesn't mean he's found guilty, etc, etc.   

Something to watch for certain....I'm a zero tolerance guy myself on drugs, but I also realize that many folks are in the camp of second chances (and third, fourth, fifth, sixth, etc chances).

I'm a second chance kind of guy -- especially for kids. When it comes to folks in the spotlight or adults, I too get pretty close to zero tolerance. I think one-and-done in the NFL/NBA would do both leagues a world of good. But for college kids, I have a hard time not allowing a mulligan.

[ecompt]

Hell, at Madison, he'd be suspended for a practice.
TC is in a no-win situation here. He'll be called a hypocrite by his haters no matter what he does.

[MUDPT]

Wasn't B Bell gone for similar offenses?

[bma725]

Wasn't B Bell gone for similar offenses?

Essentially yes.  Bell wasn't caught, but you used the key word in his case, offenses.  It wasn't a one time thing for him, he was given more than one chance.  We don't know yet if its the same for Saunders.

[jutaw22mu]

i agree, he deserves a second chance, but i think our punishment ought to mirror that of NDs.  we have very similar standards for our university and how it is represented.  that being said, saunders should be suspended for a semester and then allowed to re-enroll.

this may have determined who gets to redshirt, if anyone.

[ilovefreeway]

I agree, if it turns out that all this was is a little weed and that there are no deeper issues, no mid-night madness, no canada trip, no island trip and no games until X-mas vacation might be just what is needed to get the point accross.

[77ncaachamps]

I agree, if it turns out that all this was is a little weed and that there are no deeper issues, no mid-night madness, no canada trip, no island trip and no games until X-mas vacation might be just what is needed to get the point accross.

I agree with punishing him, but that long of a punishment can really make a kid jaded and dislike being at MU. I say, TOUGH CRAP, KID...we have standards to uphold. Yet the hand "that strikes" must also be the hand "that encourages." I hope Saunders can see that he made a mistake, accept responsibility and the accompanying punishment, and have a positive attitude about letting his teammates, his coaches, his family, and himself down.

EDIT: Didn't see it posted, but Todd Rosiak wrote about it in the JSonline.com website: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=626545

Recruit arrested on drug charges
Saunders still awaiting scholarship
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 29, 2007

Damian Saunders, a member of Marquette University's 2007-'08 recruiting class, was arrested earlier this week on drug charges in his hometown of Waterbury, Conn.

According to a police report in the Waterbury Republican American on Friday, Saunders, 18, was charged by Waterbury Police with possession of a controlled substance other than a narcotic or hallucinogen, or less than 4 ounces of marijuana.

Waterbury Police provided no additional details when contacted Friday evening, and Saunders could not be reached.

Golden Eagles coach Tom Crean learned of Saunders' arrest Friday and spoke with the 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward.

"We were broadsided with this," Crean said. "I have expressed my disappointment to Damian and have reiterated to him the high standards we have in this program for responsibility and accountability.

"From this point on, it will be a private matter that we will follow closely."

Saunders was the final member of a four-man recruiting class for the Golden Eagles, and signed in November even though they technically had no scholarship to offer him then.

With Dominic James returning to MU for his junior season, the Golden Eagles still are one scholarship short and would need to make some sort of roster move in order to accommodate Saunders, assuming he qualifies academically and deals sufficiently with his pending case.

Saunders played last season at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., where he averaged roughly 8.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and close to 3.0 blocked shots per game as a part-time starter on a team that finished 32-3 and won the national prep-school championship.

Next season, Saunders would figure in the mix at both small forward and power forward at MU, and have the potential to play early on because of his ability to guard bigger players and rebound.

Crean said he had no idea how quickly Saunders' legal problems could be ironed out.

"That's between him and his family, to work on that," Crean said.

[mviale]

18 yr olds make mistakes - probation for 1st offense.  Probably good this happened now and not in Milwaukee.

[jutaw22mu]

i think the punishment would have to be worse if it had happened in milwaukee as a student.  since this happened in CT prior to enrolling at MU its not as big of a deal imo.