Re: Bad Reputation Get Real

[BonaWolf]

I don't believe Bob Lanier not getting into Canisius has anything to do with criminal activity....get real!

[bva]

What makes Tyler Relph's situation different from Mario Boggan's last year? Will be interesting to see how Solomon remains "firm, but fair."

[ThePhantom]

Look long and hard, you certainly can find some trangressions in any and all programs. But for a guy, who stakes his reputation for doing the right thing and building a program with character guys, you have to admit there have been a series of follies under his watch. This program in particular, in light of our situation can not afford the attention we are getting!

Just because we may or may not of done certain things when we were younger, " does not make it right, then or now"!!! Unfortunately, with their high profile and status does come a bit more responsibility.

[hnk373431]

Bob Lanier was heavily recruited by Canisius. He was sent a rejection letter after he had chosen Bonaventure. Was less Canisius rejecting Bob Lanier than Bob Lanier rejecting Canisius.

[ceharv]

Bona87 - I'm not attacking the kids - or judging them. I'm concerned about the school's rep. The school's reportedly in financial trouble, the faculty's upset, and now more bad press - the reality is that after our president and coach were fired over a recruiting scandal that made us a national laughingstock, we needed to be squeeky clean. Instead, problems persist - are we just unlucky, or are we lowering our standards? That's my concern. I hope time will prove it's just a bad streak and these kids will all do us proud. But there's reason to worry.

[Deleted]

My point is that it is no different now than it has ever been. College kids make bad choices now as they always have. When dealing with 18-22 year olds this is what you are going to get. They deserve equal treatment to other students, no better or worse. If the faculty is upset so be it. Academics vs. Athletics is always an issue. This program is in good hands. 15 wins next year would calm a lot of people down.

[mbish9]

Bona87 you are all over this one, and I agree with you 100%. Kids are kids and are going to make mistakes. Now if this situation doesn't wake Relph up, then get rid of him. His transgressions of the last year are only magnified by the fact that he is, not an athlete at SBU, but a Men's Basketball player at SBU; there is a difference. If a Women's Lacrosse player at SBU was charged with a DWI would this be an issue. Absolutely not. Hopefully he can learn and make some changes in his life that everyone goes through as they grow up.

[FroMunga]

Finally some common sense appears in Bonnie Land.

I've been preaching all along how biased the majority of people are on the various boards throughout the years when it comes to the basketball team. As for the
recent troubles, those of you who shrug their shoulders and chalk it up to kids being kids or that it's just a part of learning should be ashamed. What about learning lessons in accountability? Then again, if that
question is directed toward you then you are probably the same ones that praised the team that quit, so accountability isn't in your vocabulary.
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First of all, student athletes should be held to a higher standard than the regular students. Why? The university is paying for their education and the athletes represent the school in a public forum. I understand that people make mistakes etc., but in a small town atmosphere, the basketball players are often considered high profile people (a notion that makes
me laugh but that's another story). Heck, all of the insiders on these boards have given personal accounts of their interaction with the players when they seem them in public. For one, it's not that hard to identify a
basketball player in Olean given the demographics. Heck, even the people on this board have speculated about potential recruits because they saw someone that was 6' 6" walking down the street and wanted to know who it may have been.
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Now certainly if members of the tennis team were copying papers or drinking
and driving, most people probably wouldn’t hear of it. Then again, does the tennis team get 4,000 people per match? Speaking of other teams, how many of them have players that get into trouble? I know the baseball team is kept on a very short leash. If a baseball player ever found himself
in a similar situation I wouldn't want to be in his shoes! Athletes aren't just a reflection of their team or their coach, but they also represent that name across the front of their chest, the university as a whole.

What about all the stories that were served up about Robert Cheeks working with the elementary schools? You people were quick to claim how SBU
turns out great individuals and people who care. Now that the shoe is on the other foot all of the sudden you are making excuses for their poor choices.
When was the last time the basketball team generated any good publicity for the program or the school?

This university has been lacking in leadership skills for quite some time. Without rehashing the JVBK incident (by the way...I told you he would
get paid!), it's clear that problems exist in the highest levels of the university. Even after what some claim were rogue administrators and coaches left the university the problems continue to persist. You
could take the past few weeks of the basketball teams OFFSEASON and have enough
material for an ESPN basketball version of Playmakers. Plagiarism, circumventing grading procedures, underage drinking, DUI allegations, JVBK settlement, recruiting people with GEDs...I can't wait for the next
episode.

Sounds like the university has come a long way in cleaning up its public image.

Fro all of you who seek the truth, I am your Munga.

[MFS]

Fro, that's the best post you've ever made. You still can't resist the urge to bring up VBK in every situation, but the rest of your points are right on the money.

[Phantom]

Love'm or hate'm, not a bad post. But I still don't inderstand the love affair with Sgt (JVBK) Schultz!

[bonagoose]

I agree it was good post. Up until the part in which he concludes this shows a lack of strength on the part of administration. After we see how the player's are dealt with, then we can start making those sort of conclusions.

[Bubba]

Some of the site's posters act like SBU is the only school in America where its athletes get into trouble inside and outside the class room.

Whatever! Get real all you concerned citizens! This sort of thing happens on campuses everywhere to regular students and athletes.

Does it mean we've got a bumch of bad kids in our program? Absolutely not! We've got some kids who exercised bad judgement - they need and should be disciplined - but there's no way, they should be shown the door - unless the individual(s) continue to find themselves "outside the white lines".

Thankfully, our Lord is all about second (even 3rd) chances. SBU should be too.-