OT: LiAngelo Ball, two other UCLA players arrested in China for shoplifting

[Adios]

China is going to use LeAngelo Ball as a gesture of goodwill to Trump? This is a very low standard.

 

[SubZero]

Hopefully President Trump will and strong and dare China to lock up the little criminal for 10 years.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Yes quite seriously.

When you create a culture around your sport where student-athletes rarely pay any price for serious criminal transgressions, dropping the product of that culture into China is a horrific idea.

The entire sport is built on corruption and criminal activity. That most people are naive or don’t want to acknowledge this reality doesn’t excuse the highly paid administrators who profit from the grift.

Now that I know you are quite serious, who are the "they" who should be "tarred & feathered?"

And just above, who is the "you," because I'm pretty confident you aren't referring to me.

Accepting, with hope, that "tarred and feathered" is simply a metaphor, I'm still pretty unclear about your pronouns.

 

[dennismenace]

This is really bad. The last thing you want to happen when you are in another country is get in trouble with the law. Who knows how this shakes out, but It does not sound good at all.

Here is a story that talks about the Chinese legal system:

LiAngelo Ball and UCLA teammates could face 3-10 years in prison if convicted of shoplifting

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Hopefully President Trump will and strong and dare China to lock up the little criminal for 10 years.

Seriously?
And just how do you mean the word "hopefully?"

 

[whaler11]

Now that I know you are quite serious, who are the "they" who should be "tarred & feathered?"

And just above, who is the "you," because I'm pretty confident you aren't referring to me.

Accepting, with hope, that "tarred and feathered" is simply a metaphor, I'm still pretty unclear about your pronouns.

Tarred and feathered - the admins who thought this trip was a good idea. Yes, it’s a metaphor I’m not suggesting that as a literal punishment.

‘You’ - the coaches, administrators, NCAA and corporate interests who have corrupted the entire college basketball industry with grift, fraud and criminal behavior.

This only seems like a crazy opinion to those who are in abject denial about how the sport and system operates.

Are you proposing that college basketball and football student-athletes are treated like the general student population with respect to legal, academic or behavior issues?

Should the ‘adults’ in this equation not understand the risks since they are the ones most handsomely rewarded?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Here is a story that talks about the Chinese legal system: LiAngelo Ball and UCLA teammates could face 3-10 years in prison if convicted of shoplifting

From the article: "The case could also be dropped to the lower 'administration violation' rather than robbery, which would lessen any potential penalty including prison time, according to Jeremy Daum, an attorney and research fellow at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center based in Beijing."

With a 90+% criminal conviction rate, China's legal system does not screw around. The latter absolutely includes shoplifting, particularly of purported luxury goods (ironically flying in the face of looking the other way on sales of some fake luxury products, e.g., faux Louis Vuitton). Additionally, western expats, especially with South Asians and individuals of African origin, absolutely get special attention.

Had UCLA's 3 Stooges been in Guangzhou with a relatively large African presence for China or even in Shanghai or Beijing, the rather tall guys might have been blended in ever so slightly more than in less international Hangzhou (pop. ~9m). Besides being 3 basketball players known by Chinese authorities and media to be in a group visiting Alibaba's Hangzhou headquarters and staying in the quite nice Hyatt Regency, shoplifting at the nearby, high-end Westlake mall may not have been the sharpest decision.

As I suggested above, UCLA's 3 fools may benefit from President Trump's visit and shared desire by Chinese authorities to conveniently make the issue (them) go away. Not that I'm a gambler, but I'd put some of whaler's money on Beijing pressuring local Hangzhou law enforcement to continue holding the 3 Stooges for a few days in their lakeside hotel. Or, they may be quietly scooted over to UCLA's Shanghai hotel.

Then, UCLA's jerks will be found guilty of the lesser "administration violation" charges. When UCLA's team boards their return flight at Pudong airport after Saturday's game in Shanghai, the guilty idiots will be deported to LAX. Safe to say, none of the 3 Stooges will obtain future visas to visit China nor to play in the CBA (Chinese Basketball Association). Well played boys!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Tarred and feathered - the admins who thought this trip was a good idea. Yes, it’s a metaphor I’m not suggesting that as a literal punishment.

‘You’ - the coaches, administrators, NCAA and corporate interests who have corrupted the entire college basketball industry with grift, fraud and criminal behavior.

This only seems like a crazy opinion to those who are in abject denial about how the sport and system operates.

Are you proposing that college basketball and football student-athletes are treated like the general student population with respect to legal, academic or behavior issues?

Should the ‘adults’ in this equation not understand the risks since they are the ones most handsomely rewarded?

I "proposed" nothing, though I'd suggest your dialing back the hyperbolic language, dispensing with self-certainty, and using nouns prior to referential pronouns for clarity's sake. All of these suboptimal communication methods align more with what you'd like changed than how you'd like the changes to show up. In other words, you could begin by modeling adult behavior precisely because you seem to believe you see the situation clearly and have the capacity to anticipate risks. If so, you have an opportunity to make a positive contribution rather than register criticism however warranted it may be.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[whaler11]

I "proposed" nothing, though I'd suggest your dialing back the hyperbolic language, dispensing with self-certainty, and using nouns prior to referential pronouns for clarity's sake. All of these suboptimal communication methods align more with what you'd like changed than how you'd like the changes to show up. In other words, you could begin by modeling adult behavior precisely because you seem to believe you see the situation clearly and have the capacity to anticipate risks. If so, you have an opportunity to make a positive contribution rather than register criticism however warranted it may be.

Thanks for the grammatical insight. I look forward to your ongoing work in that capacity. I agree the message I typed on my phone while multi-tasking wasn’t perfectly clear. There looks to be a lot of room for improvement BY-wide on this topic.

I merely stated an opinion that the ‘adults’ in this situation are in many ways responsible for what happened. If me feeling strongly about that offends you then a thousand apologies. I’ll look forward to your lectures this winter for others when they feel strongly about their opinions.

I’m not exactly sure what I can do to help the administrations at UCLA and Georgia Tech make better decisions, nor do I see how I would root out corruption in college sports. Your suggestion seems to be I can impact these things through the style by which I post. However, you sure used a lot of big words and posted that real fancy like and I’m not sure it had a huge positive impact?

 

[superjohn]

I'm not surprised that the self-made, do-things-the-right-way crew has made their opinions heard in this thread, but that thinking is distorted by their own experiences and not a basis for any type of reasonable policy. The idea that someone could take joy in the public shaming and humiliation of a 19-year-old kid is actually quite sad. The fact that they could serve real time for what amounts to a speeding ticket is unjust and downright scary to consider. Then again, some of you strike me as the type who are genuine in craving a return to corporal punishment and the like, so my stance that their punishment should include a fine and maybe some community service may come across as soft.

None of this should necessarily preclude people from making jokes or finding creative ways to rub their nose in it when they hit the road, but generally speaking I'm of the mindset that humility can be garnered from an act of entitlement and immaturity without inflicting a trauma that compromises their futures.

I did all sorts of stupid stuff at that age but this is unfathomably stupid. One thing I always had was street smarts. You don't go to a foreign country and break their laws, especially friggin' China.

 

[SubZero]

LeAngelo Ball is leading the NCAA in steals.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Thanks for the grammatical insight. I look forward to your ongoing work in that capacity. I agree the message I typed on my phone while multi-tasking wasn’t perfectly clear. There looks to be a lot of room for improvement BY-wide on this topic.

I merely stated an opinion that the ‘adults’ in this situation are in many ways responsible for what happened. If me feeling strongly about that offends you then a thousand apologies. I’ll look forward to your lectures this winter for others when they feel strongly about their opinions.

I’m not exactly sure what I can do to help the administrations at UCLA and Georgia Tech make better decisions, nor do I see how I would root out corruption in college sports. Your suggestion seems to be I can impact these things through the style by which I post. However, you sure used a lot of big words and posted that real fancy like and I’m not sure it had a huge positive impact?

Merely?

 

[Kaizen]

I don't think, and hope not, Trump will even mention those 3 players in his China trip. Shoplifting is a crime in all countries and no any excuses.

This time the Ball family really lost their balls ...

 

[ChampHusky]

UCLA has a direct pipeline to China. I am willing to bet many current students are the sons and daughters of influential Chinese officials. Many officials are likely UCLA alums. The University will work their contacts and make this go away.

 

[superjohn]

The multi-billion dollar co-founder of Alibaba will be able to get the charges dropped.

 

[whaler11]

Merely?

Yes.

There are pretty much only two functions of a message board. Sharing facts and sharing opinions. I’ve only shared an opinion - so yes ‘merely’. Are you also our resident etymology expert? That’s a heavy teaching load for you this winter. Btw: merely (adverb) just, only.

Are you really so upset that I have a strong opinion? I guess we could all caveat every post and never take any strong positions. Sounds like a hoot.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I don't think, and hope not, Trump will even mention those 3 players in his China trip.

Sometimes, well known things don't need to be mentioned. For example, mutual face saving particularly in China and more generally in Asia.

 

[Kaizen]

Lonzo Ball's brother and two other UCLA players reportedly released on bail and ordered to stay in China hotel until case is resolved.

The trio were reportedly released on bail Wednesday morning, but their journey through the Chinese legal system is far from over.

LiAngelo Ball, UCLA players released on bail and ordered to stay in China after shoplifting

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Yes.

There are pretty much only two functions of a message board. Sharing facts and sharing opinions. I’ve only shared an opinion - so yes ‘merely’. Are you also our resident etymology expert? That’s a heavy teaching load for you this winter. Btw: merely (adverb) just, only.

Are you really so upset that I have a strong opinion? I guess we could all caveat every post and never take any strong positions. Sounds like a hoot.

Strong opinions and how they're expressed are two different things. I have no upset to speak of.

 

[gtcam]

UCLA has a direct pipeline to China. I am willing to bet many current students are the sons and daughters of influential Chinese officials. Many officials are likely UCLA alums. The University will work their contacts and make this go away.

All major American Universities have this pipeline

 

[whaler11]

Strong opinions and how they're expressed are two different things. I have no upset to speak of.

Like I said many posts ago - one thousand apologies.

Someday, I hope to meet your exhaulted
standards of posting style.

I am hopeful that I can develop greater compassion for people who do and say foolish things. This includes myself.

Much luck with this impressive and meaningful goal. Certainly you don’t need any work at being passive-aggressive, maybe you could teach us that this winter if you have extra time between all your other responsibilities. Fingers crossed!

I would note you took the time to come up with that catchy tagline - perhaps salvation lies within?

 

[Blueballer]

Lonzo Ball's brother and two other UCLA players reportedly released on bail and ordered to stay in China hotel until case is resolved.

The trio were reportedly released on bail Wednesday morning, but their journey through the Chinese legal system is far from over.

LiAngelo Ball, UCLA players released on bail and ordered to stay in China after shoplifting

Good idea. I'm sure they're not flight risks

 

[HuskyHawk]

All major American Universities have this pipeline

Not quite like UCLA. There’s a reason they are playing there. They may be the most popular U.S. college in the country and admit more Chinese students than most others. I assume Cal is also high on that list.

 

[huskymedic]