BREAKING NEWS: Nu'Keese Richardson, Mike Edwards Dismissed

by cocknfire on Nov 16, 2009 2:00 PM EST in Football Comment 12 comments

Lane Kiffin lowers the hammer on prized recruit WR Nu'Keese Richardson and DE Mike Edwards for their roles in an ALLEGED attempted armed robbery.

"After extensive and thorough research of the situation over the last four days and considering various disciplinary options, I've decided it's in the best interest of our program to remove Nu'Keese and Mike," Kiffin said. " ...Our student-athletes must be responsible members of society, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated."

Gentlemen, Jacksonville State waits with open arms if you manage to beat the system.

As for DB Janzen Jackson, Kiffin is waiting for "additional information" before making his decision, though he's apparently still not allowed at team activities for the time being. That's not really a surprise; all indications are that Jackson, the most productive of the three players, was not as deeply involved in the ALLEGED attempted armed robbery as his teammates, if he was involved at all.

And so we continue to gather evidence that Lane Kiffin is not Phil Fulmer -- and that, in some ways, that's a good thing.

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Kudos to Kiffin.

It was pretty clear that Nu’Keese was going to be trouble, whether this incident or another. So props to Kiffin for going ahead and doing the inevitable early.

I’d say Jackson ends up missing the rest of the year, which given UT’s record isn’t that big of a deal. I doubt he’ll be kicked off, though.

Richardson and Edwards are screwed now, legally. You can always count on some alumni to pull strings in the DA’s office when it comes to players. Now, they’re all alone.

by Giant Catfish on Nov 16, 2009 2:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

"You can always count on some alumni to pull strings in the DA’s office when it comes to players."

I can’t speak to the intregrity of the Gainsville or Knoxville DA’s offices, but I can assure you that that is not how things go down in Columbia.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to hyperbole.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 16, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't stand him

But Kiffin did the right thing. The first respectable thing he’s done as the head coach in Rocky Top, IMO.

Gator Bait: The first, and still the best.

by colombo259 on Nov 16, 2009 3:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yawn.

Forgive me if I don’t award Lane Kiffin a merit badge for making what should have been the easiest decision of his young career. It’s not like these kids were caught with a little personal use dope in their back pocket, they were arrested for “allegedly” robbing someone at gunpoint – for no discernable reason other than they couldn’t think of something better to do. "A lapse in judgement" does not even begin to describe this type of behavior.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 16, 2009 4:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

And all he really did was get rid of the two slam-dunk perps before Hamilton, Simek, or the legal system did it for them. It will take a lot more for me to praise Kiffin for anything more than winning a couple of ball games.

by PhilipVU94 on Nov 16, 2009 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Um

Jamar Hornsby

SEC coaches have exercised very poor judgment in the past and Kiffin deserves some credit for getting one right.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Nov 17, 2009 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am giving him some credit.

He’s remaining at the same level on my integrity scale instead of sliding further down it. But let’s not go crazy here.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 17, 2009 7:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"It will take a lot more for me to praise Kiffin for anything more than winning a couple of ball games."

I read this sentence several times. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t make any sense.

________________________________
Eric Berry is better at football than you.

by kidbourbon on Nov 16, 2009 6:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

HAHA

“It will take a lot more for me to praise Kiffin for anything more than winning a couple of ball games.”

its a riddle, you dont get it yet…

by Hook85 on Nov 16, 2009 10:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No, I just get in a hurry and try to put 3 thoughts in a sentence

I just meant that Kiffin has done slightly better than I expected on balance in his first year on the field. But I’m not really impressed by this move, dismissing players who are obviously on their way out anyway. So it will take a more decisive action than this one to get me to praise Kiffin’s integrity.

by PhilipVU94 on Nov 16, 2009 10:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Kiffin did the correct thing in dismissing the two players...

…and I think he is doing the correct thing in not making a decision yet on JJ. Now, I don’t think that Kiffin deserves songs of praise for kicking the two kids off the team…I actually think it was an easy decision.

My concern is that yourself — and others like you — who say “it will take a more decisiive action than this one to get me to praise Kiffin’s integrity,” are essentially saying "Kiffin should also kick off JJ. And I don’t think that is the correct conclusion. I don’t know how much you have read on the incident but JJ didn’t take part in the actual attempted robbery and it is unclear what role — if any — he may have played. Given the evidene that we know, it is not outlandish to think that Edwards and Richardson acted totally of their own volition and JJ either (a) didn’t know what was about to go down, or (b) didn’t have time to react in any other manner than to say “let’s go guys.”

In other words, I hope opposing fanbases don’t run with the fact that JJ is the best player of the bunch as the reason he is being treated differently. The reason he is being treated differently is that he wasn’t the one brandishing the pellet gun and asking poor country kids from Maryville for everything they had.

________________________________
Eric Berry is better at football than you.

by kidbourbon on Nov 17, 2009 7:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I, for one, am not saying anything about JJ.

The reports I’ve read have listed two perpetrators, and Kiffin has kicked two players off the team. That math checks out. JJ could be completely innocent for all I know – or care. I’m judging Lane Kiffin on the entirety of his actions, which so far have included calling other coaches cheaters, calling graduates from my University “gas pumpers,” and generally just being an ass. He can exercise good judgment when it comes to discipline and still be an ass, which he is. I think this is what PhilipVU94 was getting at.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on Nov 17, 2009 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs