Brittney Griner & Glory Johnson Arrested for Assault

[ndmb]

I ignored your good advice and looked. And may I say - ick. There's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Oof.

 

[ndmb]

You're treating this like some boxing or wrestling bout, where if they're evenly matched it's somehow okay to ignore it. What if Glory Johnson were to grab a knife? Does size matchup matter then? Griner knows how to hunt. What if she were to grab a gun? The worst thing you could do right now is to act like this occurance is meaningless and to ignore it. The league should feel obligated to send the message if the legal system won't. You can not use violence to solve your differences. Moreso than the other professional leagues, the WNBA works with children and is a family-oriented league. It's important that it's players are held to the highest standard.

I didn't say it was OK to ignore it. I said the opposite. I said that what they did obviously wasn't OK.

 

[UcMiami]

Just wondering if this might be an appropriate response by USABasketball...thoughts?

USABasketball [with the #1 coach in the land at the helm] is holding a workout from May 4-6 with around 35
2016 Olympic hopefuls. I would suggest that USAbasketball quietly disinvite Brittney from attending.
They could issue a very bland statement about Brittney is working through some personal issues.
Privately they could inform Brittney that she is still very much expected to be a vital part of the Rio team...if there are no further
incidents such as this one. Wish her luck....offer some suggestions as to possible counseling ventures.etc.
Tell her that if there is another incident, she will no longer be considered for the 2016 team....period.

The team should win the gold with her or without her. The last thing the team needs is to be linked to violence....questioned about it...have
Griner take up negative attention from the media when the team and the sport should be lauded on a world stage.

Is this idea nuts....or just an overreaction....or an appropriate warning shot to Brittney, an orange alert designed to head off a red one?

Interesting question, but this is quite a different situation than league play - this is a training camp, and beyond expenses none of the athletes are being paid.
The NFL which probably has had the harshest discipline for 'conduct detrimental' still allows players to attend all off season training and camps unless the player has been suspended from play for an entire season.
I would expect the USA folks to have a quiet word with BG and explain that should there be repeat occurrences, her position on the team is in jeopardy but allow her to train with the team in May and next fall or whenever they next schedule.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I ignored your good advice and looked. And may I say - ick. There's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Tried to save you! Even for that bunch, a new low perhaps.

PS. And yeah, I'm still mad about their BS. Would like to think we'd outgrown ugly stupidity like that.

 

[j66kicker]

As has been said, those two things are really, really different. What Griner and Johnson did is obviously not OK, but the fact that these are two relatively evenly matched athletes makes violence between them far less significant than and NBA player assaulting his wife. Many good people have, in their past, gotten into stupid fights. A 6'10" NBA player hitting his 5'5" wife is inexcusable.

There may have been part of a cycle of emotional or physical abuse that would make this rise to that level, but I haven't seen any evidence that would convince me of that.

What about professional athlete Hope Solo attacking her large NFL player fiancé?

 

[Blueballer]

What about professional athlete Hope Solo attacking her large NFL player fiancé?

I don't believe she attacked him. Her domestic violence charge stemmed from Solo assaulting her sister and nephew last year. Her suspension from the US Team was a result of her making “a poor decision” that negatively impacted the team. Her former NFL Husband was arrested for DUI while driving a US team Van. Solo used her cell phone to record the arrest and argued with officers, nearly leading to a disorderly conduct arrest. Even thoguh she was suspended from the team I don't think she ever missed a minute in any of their important games.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Seems way over the top to me. And I am not so sure that we will win gold without her as it does not appear that we have the defensive presence in the paint to stop Cambage. If Cambage and Jackson are healthy for the Olympics Australia will be a tough out for the US.

I agree on both counts. In addition to Cambage and Jackson there was another Aussie post,
whose name escapes me, who performed very well in the last Worlds. Australia is looking
scary good in the post (if healthy). And if Penny and some of the other stalwarts are good
to go, they will, as you say, be a very tough out.

 

[ndmb]

What about professional athlete Hope Solo attacking her large NFL player fiancé?

I really don't know enough of the specifics to comment. It's not OK to attack your partner under any circumstances, but I maintain that not all cases of someone assaulting their significant other are equally pernicious. In my experience, the cycle of emotional abuse, fear, control, and threat of escalation associated with domestic violence are often more damaging than the violence itself. The thing that puts a male professional athlete attacking his non-athlete wife in the horrifically awful category is the obvious power dynamic associated with their relative size and strength. Going back to Hope Solo, obviously a lot more goes into a couple's power dynamic than physical size, and there are certainly cases of women who abuse their male partners, so it can be hard to tell from an article.

As I said above, it may well be that Griner and Johnson's relationship is abusive, but based on the little I've read, I haven't seen convincing evidence that this was more than a mutually initiated fight. If that's the case, it's a universe away from, say, the Ray Rice incident.

 

[j66kicker]

I don't believe she attacked him. Her domestic violence charge stemmed from Solo assaulting her sister and nephew last year. Her suspension from the US Team was a result of her making “a poor decision” that negatively impacted the team. Her former NFL Husband was arrested for DUI while driving a US team Van. Solo used her cell phone to record the arrest and argued with officers, nearly leading to a disorderly conduct arrest. Even thoguh she was suspended from the team I don't think she ever missed a minute in any of their important games.

You're right - she didn't attack him. Two separate incidents though. The hubby DUI thing you mentioned was this January. Her arrest on two 4th degree assault changes was last June, when she attacked her sister, 17-year-old 6'9" 280 lb. nephew, and her mother.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...solo-domestic-abuse-charges-dropped/21708551/

 

[meyers7]

100K isn't "superstar" money. just ask my wife, she'll be glad to tell you.

Griner's getting a lot more than that.

 

[stamfordhusky]

You're right - she didn't attack him. Two separate incidents though. The hubby DUI thing you mentioned was this January. Her arrest on two 4th degree assault changes was last June, when she attacked her sister, 17-year-old 6'9" 280 lb. nephew, and her mother.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...solo-domestic-abuse-charges-dropped/21708551/

For full disclosure, in case readers don't open the link: All charges against Solo were dropped. Her attorney said that the incident was precipitated by her nephew hitting her in the head with a broom handle. The three on the other side all refused to cooperate with the investigation.

 

[j66kicker]

For full disclosure, in case readers don't open the link: All charges against Solo were dropped. Her attorney said that the incident was precipitated by her nephew hitting her in the head with a broom handle. The three on the other side all refused to cooperate with the investigation.

Expect the same result in the current Brittney/Glory situation.

 

[DaddyChoc]

they appear to be happy again (posted pics) they are actively seeking help and the wedding plans are still on

 

[easttexastrash]

they appear to be happy again (posted pics) they are actively seeking help and the wedding plans are still on

I've seen this many times in gay relationships where there is a physical altercation and the couple has made up within a few hours or the next day. If USA Basketball decides to engage in this situation they will offer support and direction.

 

[Shades]

they appear to be happy again (posted pics) they are actively seeking help and the wedding plans are still on

Yeah, well Ray Rice got married right after he was charged. Seems kinda similar to this. There comes the realization that getting abused isn't enough motivation to stop that flow of money.

 

[HuskyNan]

Yeah, well Ray Rice got married right after he was charged. Seems kinda similar to this. There comes the realization that getting abused isn't enough motivation to stop that flow of money.

Bet you're a single fella.

 

[Striper69]

they appear to be happy again (posted pics) they are actively seeking help and the wedding plans are still on

Freakin' "happy" couples don't get into fights like that...

Sorry but they better hope they don't get kicked out of the league.

 

[Striper69]

Yeah, well Ray Rice got married right after he was charged. Seems kinda similar to this. There comes the realization that getting abused isn't enough motivation to stop that flow of money.

Knocking your fiancée out in an elevator at a casino does not seem like a great pre-honeymoon activity...

I don't want to see RR play again in the NFL nor do I want to see Pacquio lose this weekend.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Freakin' "happy" couples don't get into fights like that...

Sorry but they better hope they don't get kicked out of the league.

are you a fan of BG?

 

[Bayareahusky]

Knocking your fiancée out in an elevator at a casino does not seem like a great pre-honeymoon activity...

I don't want to see RR play again in the NFL nor do I want to see Pacquio lose this weekend.

Yeah, who knows what the relationship is between Ray Rice and his wife. But one thing is for sure. Whatever she gets, she deserves from this point forward. And no, I am not talking about physical abuse which is against the law. She just deserves him as he is if she has made the decision to continue on with him.

If we are to believe the two of them, he had a problem and it has been/is being fixed. That just seems to be a huge assumption on what I consider to be a more chronic behavioral problem. Stuff like that doesn't get fixed overnight. I hope they have a happy life together. But I wouldn't bet a dollar for a calm loving future.

 

[HuskyNan]

Yeah, who knows what the relationship is between Ray Rice and his wife. But one thing is for sure. Whatever she gets, she deserves from this point forward. And no, I am not talking about physical abuse which is against the law. She just deserves him as he is if she has made the decision to continue on with him.

Battered woman syndrome

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . Sorry but they better hope they don't get kicked out of the league.

You know as well as I that there isn't a chance in hell of that happening,
however much you may wish it.

 

[Orangutan]

If they try to stay together then the WNBA should require them to both take anger management training as well as marriage counseling.

IMO they aren't remotely prepared for marriage.

I really don't see how it's any of the WNBA's business whether they stay together or not, at least from a disciplinary perspective.

 

[psconn]

I agree on both counts. In addition to Cambage and Jackson there was another Aussie post,
whose name escapes me, who performed very well in the last Worlds. Australia is looking
scary good in the post (if healthy). And if Penny and some of the other stalwarts are good
to go, they will, as you say, be a very tough out.

Tolo was the other post, I think.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Yeah, who knows what the relationship is between Ray Rice and his wife. But one thing is for sure. Whatever she gets, she deserves from this point forward. And no, I am not talking about physical abuse which is against the law. She just deserves him as he is if she has made the decision to continue on with him.

If we are to believe the two of them, he had a problem and it has been/is being fixed. That just seems to be a huge assumption on what I consider to be a more chronic behavioral problem. Stuff like that doesn't get fixed overnight. I hope they have a happy life together. But I wouldn't bet a dollar for a calm loving future.

If we are to believe her - if it happens again she is outta there. Her and her mother seemed very strong on that point.

My thing has always been, and continues to be - yes, serious punishment deserved for what he did - totally outrageously inappropriate. A disgrace to him that he cannot remove with apologies, and as I have said before, I am completely uncaring if he ever plays again, won't cry if he never plays another minute. BUT - the one incident does not make battered wife syndrome. It opens the possibility of it - but I have never seen any evidence that he has been reported as behaving that way any other time .

In the Griner / Johnson case, as I tried to imply previously - maybe it was just a fight. Maybe the fact that they cannot apparently handle their anger [with each other or in general as the case may be] might mean that they shouldn't be together. It might mean they are ill-suited (I remember a movie where the couple killed each other, IIRC, in their constant fighting, although I would hope it isn't at that level) to being a couple. But it doesn't mean that there is a pattern of abuse between them, either.