OT: Former UConn Soccer Player Sues School For Unfair Treatment

[Eggman]

Sounds like a ridiculous reaction by the school from her side of the story, which seems pretty straightforward. Not surprised either.

 

[CL82]

Not that being filmed should make one damn bit of difference, but

Erm, still doesn't address the issue of fairness. How is what she's doing in any way more severe than say, this?

Help me to understand why a (possible) assault by an Oklahoma player justifies a UConn giving the middle finger to a camera on a national telecast.

 

[j66kicker]

Not that being filmed should make one damn bit of difference, but

Erm, still doesn't address the issue of fairness. How is what she's doing in any way more severe than say, this?

Another life lesson: Joe Mixon's economic value to his university is far greater than Noriana Radwan's was to hers. Not saying it's right, but that's just the way it is, and it's not going to change. Also, I'm not defending Mixon, but when OU decided to suspend him for a year, it was about the same time (2014) when the NFL decided to suspend Ray Rice for 2 weeks for smacking his fiancee unconscious in an elevator.

 

[noirwestern]

Help me to understand why a (possible) assault by an Oklahoma player justifies a UConn giving the middle finger to a camera on a national telecast.

One, it's not a, "possible" assault. Way past that. Obviously. Two, it's an example provided to demonstrate the simple matter of scale. Or a garden variety of the double standard women have to work around on a daily basis. Not that hard to parse, really, unless you just don't want to. It's not that hard to imagine a man giving the finger and hearing the coach talk it away during his meet the press section as exuberance or heat of the moment bravado.

 

[noirwestern]

Another life lesson: Joe Mixon's economic value to his university is far greater than Noriana Radwan's was to hers. Not saying it's right, but that's just the way it is, and it's not going to change. Also, I'm not defending Mixon, but when OU decided to suspend him for a year, it was about the same time (2014) when the NFL decided to suspend Ray Rice for 2 weeks for smacking his fiancee unconscious in an elevator.

Wouldn't dispute the economic angle for love or money. Doesn't mean she was treated fairly and doesn't have a point. Or a case. Someone mentioned that UConn doesn't have, "scandals" but when she shows up with someone like Gloria Allred in tow there will be negative attention aplenty to go around. Or, more likely as universities are wont to do, a quick and quiet out of court settlement.

 

[sarals24]

So do we think there's a chance these two will lose their scholarships?
2 UConn football players suspended from team after being arrested last night

 

[sarals24]

The ironic thing about all this is that the revoking of the scholarship and the lawsuit are creating far more press on this issue than the initial incident ever did.

 

[huskymedic]

So do we think there's a chance these two will lose their scholarships?
2 UConn football players suspended from team after being arrested last night

One (Blackwell) has already been expelled...

 

[noirwestern]

How about this chap? He's going to have to try harder to not assault people, just like he had to try harder last year...and he's still suiting up. Good thing he had the temerity of mind not to give anyone the finger.

Grayson Allen tripped (or kicked?) an opposing player. Again.

 

[eebmg]

How about this chap? He's going to have to try harder to not assault people, just like he had to try harder last year...and he's still suiting up. Good thing he had the temerity of mind not to give anyone the finger.

Grayson Allen tripped (or kicked?) an opposing player. Again.

He is an all out psycho and Coach K should be ashamed of himself for making excuses. Did you see how Allen reacted on the bench? One second from spraying the gym with automatic fire. Its one thing if a new coach who can be fired acts like a scared mouse but a legend like him should have a spine. Unless he really believes his player is right in which case he should retire.

 

[StephStorrs]

How about this chap? He's going to have to try harder to not assault people, just like he had to try harder last year...and he's still suiting up. Good thing he had the temerity of mind not to give anyone the finger.

Grayson Allen tripped (or kicked?) an opposing player. Again.

I say the punishment needs to be taken out of K's hands, because it is quite obvious that K has not done enough as this kid is a repeat offender. Can the NCAA or ACC step up and suspend the kid?

 

[UConnNick]

He is an all out psycho and Coach K should be ashamed of himself for making excuses. Did you see how Allen reacted on the bench? One second from spraying the gym with automatic fire. Its one thing if a new coach who can be fired acts like a scared mouse but a legend like him should have a spine. Unless he really believes his player is right in which case he should retire.

Allen apparently relishes his status as the biggest punk in all of college basketball, considering he keeps doing the same thing he's now done multiple times. The failure of his coach and/or the school administration to do anything about it is appalling.

 

[stamfordhusky]

I say the punishment needs to be taken out of K's hands, because it is quite obvious that K has not done enough as this kid is a repeat offender. Can the NCAA or ACC step up and suspend the kid?

The ACC has the authority to suspend him.

 

[meyers7]

The double standard here is ridiculous. A suspension, sitting out some games, etc, would have been appropriate. Pulling her scholarship? That's insane. Unless there is more to the story, but from everything I've read it doesn't appear there is. Pick a school, any school, look at their football team, and I can almost guarantee there is a scandal much, much worse than this that resulted in...nothing.

She actually did have to sit out the next game (just happened to be their last game, they lost in the playoffs). Which seems reasonable to me. Then later, they pulled her scholarship, on top of that.

 

[mdakota]

Not that being filmed should make one damn bit of difference, but

Erm, still doesn't address the issue of fairness. How is what she's doing in any way more severe than say, this?

Get over it already... UCONN chose to hold their athletes to a higher standard... nothing wrong with that...

 

[CL82]

One, it's not a, "possible" assault. Way past that. Obviously. Two, it's an example provided to demonstrate the simple matter of scale. Or a garden variety of the double standard women have to work around on a daily basis. Not that hard to parse, really, unless you just don't want to. It's not that hard to imagine a man giving the finger and hearing the coach talk it away during his meet the press section as exuberance or heat of the moment bravado.

Yeah I think you are in weeds with that argument. Your argument is because some athlete did some thing bad somewhere, all athletes should not be held accountable for anything anywhere. Do see why it is problematic?

 

[HuskyNan]

Wouldn't dispute the economic angle for love or money. Doesn't mean she was treated fairly and doesn't have a point. Or a case. Someone mentioned that UConn doesn't have, "scandals" but when she shows up with someone like Gloria Allred in tow there will be negative attention aplenty to go around. Or, more likely as universities are wont to do, a quick and quiet out of court settlement.

I think she was treated fairly but I also think there's a double standard. I think Mixon should have been tossed out of Oklahoma on his way to jail.

When the kids accept a scholarship, they are agreeing to represent the school on the playing field. Since UConn is a state school, the players are also representing the state. If a professor had flipped the bird to the press while in his capacity as a professor, he'd be canned, rightly so. It's not too soon to expect a young athlete to be held to the same standard.

 

[Earls & Kings]

I thought the gesture was determined to be protected speech back in the 60's or 70's... a quick search turned up that it is "Almost always considered protected speech." I wonder if any one at UConn (a state institution) checked with the law school before pulling her scholarship.

 

[HuskyNan]

I thought the gesture was determined to be protected speech back in the 60's or 70's... a quick search turned up that it is "Almost always considered protected speech." I wonder if any one at UConn (a state institution) checked with the law school before pulling her scholarship.

A scholarship isnt guaranteed for four years; it's good for one year and renewable at the discretion of the school. And there are other instances of state employees being barred from certain forms of speech such discussing politics with the press.

 

[BigBird]

One (Blackwell) has already been expelled...

Is being sent away from the UConn football program considered a negative thing?

 

[easttexastrash]

No, what's ridiculous is Mixon's punishment. He obviously should have been tossed out of the school.

Yes he should have. His attack on that woman was disgusting and he should have been banned from the NCAA.

 

[katymarie82]

I thought it was fishy that the soccer player's scholarship was yanked, especially considering Collier did similar thing, maybe not as obvious, but yet was on national tv, and the picture is published. Why was not Collier's scholarship yanked as well? I think there is more to the story.

 

[CajunHusky]

I thought the gesture was determined to be protected speech back in the 60's or 70's... a quick search turned up that it is "Almost always considered protected speech." I wonder if any one at UConn (a state institution) checked with the law school before pulling her scholarship.

Interesting you should cite the law.... just a little bit about what i know from business law:

The scholarship is a contract between the school and the athlete. What may or may not be appropriate "punishment" is determined by the contract. What an aggrieved party may push forward is only important as to what the other party (the school) does in similar circumstances. Assuming the scholarship is pretty much a boilerplate then what the school does in similar circumstances are the only instances that may be relevant. The fact that she says it is unfair would in fact constitute a stipulation that the school did in fact have the right to do what they did. Now it is incumbent upon the athlete to prove that in similar circumstances with other athletes the school was more lenient without the benefit of any mitigating factors. The fact that the punishment is entirely subjective will make that rather hard.

With regard to free speech, in uniform at an official event representing the university the athlete is an "agent" of the university and must act in the best interests of the university, that is not bring discredit upon the university.

I have heard in passing in the past that for the big programs at least - football, and maybe basketball and soccer - universities shy away from four year scholarships and now grant one year renewable scholaships. Did the university revoke her scholarship or more simply not renew it?

 

[maddoggy]

1) Unless it relates to the particulars of a sport (i.e. different requirements for a basketball and a football player) a government institution like UConn should administer punishments proportionately, as should private schools under Title Title. It is fine with me if people want to mock her, boo her in person or boycott the team's games. If there's a team rule that benches athletes for conduct that brings the team into disrepute, then go ahead and bench her (remembering that a one-game suspension from one team's 30-game season is a bit different than a one-game suspension from another team's 10-game season). No player is guaranteed playing time even if their personal conduct is good. Taking away someone's scholarship seems like a very different of fish.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"If a professor had flipped the bird to the press while in his capacity as a professor, he'd be canned, rightly so."

Once upon a time that was probably true - now not so likely.