Fitz, Pledger Cited

[coolm]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

And Denver, enough with the "Like anybody else here has never done anything wrong."
I'm sick of seeing that whenever a college athlete gets in trouble.

No, I highly doubt that most of us here have ever been arrested before.
I can only speak for myself, but I know I have never shoplifted before.
The "kids being kids" argument is tired.

I am sorry, but Denver is correct...and the sentiment is likewise correct.

TU ... you misunderstand the motivation. It's normally not borne of peer pressure, but of boredom combined with a juvenile system of morals. Consequences aren't a consideration until the concept of mortality has emerged (at which point the behavior can start to be classified as anti-social and eventually psychopathic). They want an item or the thrill of swiping an item and their moral system doesn't outweigh the feeling yet so they do it.

There's a lot more to criminal behavior than just peer pressure and throwing people in jail or giving up on them.

 

[soonerbms]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Capel has to send the right message. One game suspension at least.

 

[IntenseDefense]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Wow, I'm speechless.

We really need these guys to play Saturday at OSU, but I don't think they deserve to.

Both of these guys contributed quality minutes against Texas and were earning trust and valuable experience.

I really feel for Capel in this instance. I bet he's thinking about growing his hair out just so he can grab it and pull it out.

Wow. Just wow.

 

[bocabull]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

The fine for petty larceny can be $50.

Somebody please explain what good would come from a suspension, which would blow this "petty" event out of proportion. What good to the team? The players in question? The school? Nothing good, that's what.

It's time for Capel to start backing his guys 100%. the only thing he should say about this is "we are handling it internally" and go about the business of winning games.

 

[goodolesooner]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

You're on a full ride to a major university. You have everything going for you. A quality education that is paid for. You are experiencing what the majority of us will never experience, which is play ball for a division 1 basketball team. You get to play in front of tens of thousands every game you play. There's not a lot that can compare to being a Sooner athlete. You are loved by OU fans everywhere and are treated like a king in Norman.

So, what do we go do? Let's goto the Sooner Mall and steal.

I wish Capel could send a REAL message and boot these guys for the season and let them EARN their way back on the roster. I'm sorry. It may be extreme, but we're talking about pure ignorance here. Total lack of self control and lack of respect for their teammates, coaches, their school, and themselves.

I would rather lose without thieves and crooks. Everyone deserves a second chance, but I'm afraid they're gonna get a slap on the wrist that will send the wrong message. It's ok to screw up. You'll just miss a game or two.

 

[soonerbms]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

The fine for petty larceny can be $50.

Somebody please explain what good would come from a suspension, which would blow this "petty" event out of proportion. What good to the team? The players in question? The school? Nothing good, that's what.

It's time for Capel to start backing his guys 100%. the only thing he should say about this is "we are handling it internally" and go about the business of winning games.

What good can come from a suspension? How about the fact that it will teach the two young men involved an important lesson? If Capel doesn't take away something they love, how will they learn? Doing conditioning drills isn't a punishment.

 

[goodolesooner]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

The fine for petty larceny can be $50.

Somebody please explain what good would come from a suspension, which would blow this "petty" event out of proportion. What good to the team? The players in question? The school? Nothing good, that's what.

It's time for Capel to start backing his guys 100%. the only thing he should say about this is "we are handling it internally" and go about the business of winning games.

It's an embarrassment to Sooner athletics and the university as a whole. If you just slap them on the wrist and say bad boy, someone else is gonna screw up down the road because they know there will be no penalty.

 

[DenverSooner]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

No, they aren't.

These kids aren't the bottom of the barrel. At least, in most cases they aren't. These aren't the kids that dropped out of HS. These aren't the kids, for the most part, that are still running around with gangsters.

Stealing is typically a peer pressure thing. Who in the hell would pressure those two to steal from Dilliards? Peer pressure I understand. Stealing just b/c, I don't.

I was arrested in college. Today I have a J.D., an LL.M. in Taxation (that is a second law degree) and have passed the CPA exam. A good friend of mine was arrested several times for drinking. Today he is a doctor that did a prestigious internship at Johns Hopkins. People make mistakes.

You don't have to be the bottom of the barrel to make mistakes. I grew up fairly privileged but I made plenty of mistakes. If you want to judge these guys and conclude they have poor character then go for it. I think they are fairly normal teenagers that made a stupid decision. I think they should get a deferred sentence from the judicial system, run a lot and miss a game or a few games (depending on Coach Capel's assessment). I don't think they should be judged to have poor character by people that don't even know them.

 

[BanjoCharley]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Learning that actions have consequences can be very valuable to a team or a player on that team. Are players forgiven for not practicing at 100%? for partying all night before a big game? for betting on their team? for betting against their team? for throwing a game?

I guess since less than $500 is a "petty" amount you would hardly object to my relieving your wallet of a couple of hundred dollars, a "petty" amount?

 

[DenverSooner]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

The fine for petty larceny can be $50.

Somebody please explain what good would come from a suspension, which would blow this "petty" event out of proportion. What good to the team? The players in question? The school? Nothing good, that's what.

It's time for Capel to start backing his guys 100%. the only thing he should say about this is "we are handling it internally" and go about the business of winning games.

I hope you will seriously think about what you are saying. The primary mission of the University of Oklahoma is to prepare young adults for life by providing them an education and a safe environment to grow. If the University were to set an example for its student body that shoplifting is no big deal and we just move forward as normal, the University would be failing at its primary mission. The sports are great, I love OU sports but the sports are merely a part of the overall University of Oklahoma and should never become more important that the primary goal. The guys have to suffer consequences. They get the privilege of playing sports for OU and with that comes added responsibility. They screwed up and now must deal with the consequences as young men. They will learn from this experience and hopefully be better people as a result.

 

[playmakr]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

What good can come from a suspension? How about the fact that it will teach the two young men involved an important lesson? If Capel doesn't take away something they love, how will they learn? Doing conditioning drills isn't a punishment.

I would have rather missed a game when I was their age then be dished out the punishment I was given for an offense most would consider more serious. I'm still winded from it, 10 years later. I guarantee they have ways to punish guys, internally, that would make average joe's cry just thinking about it.

With that said, I think every situation is different, and Capel knows his guys better than we do. If he thinks he best punishment is some sort of suspension, then do it. If he thinks running them until they vomit is the best punishment, then do it. Fair or unfair, I don't think you can treat every kid or offense the same. {see Chris Early (sp?)}

To say they should wildly be thrown off the team is a gross over-reaction, one being made out of anger or feeling the players let you down. I doubt either player is being defiant and not showing remorse.

 

[OKURanger]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

I was arrested in college. Today I have a J.D., an LL.M. in Taxation (that is a second law degree) and have passed the CPA exam. A good friend of mine was arrested several times for drinking. Today he is a doctor that did a prestigious internship at Johns Hopkins. People make mistakes.

You don't have to be the bottom of the barrel to make mistakes. I grew up fairly privileged but I made plenty of mistakes. If you want to judge these guys and conclude they have poor character then go for it. I think they are fairly normal teenagers that made a stupid decision. I think they should get a deferred sentence from the judicial system, run a lot and miss a game or a few games (depending on Coach Capel's assessment). I don't think they should be judged to have poor character by people that don't even know them.

I totally agree; please don't judge a teen for doing something stupid. What the heck is petty anyway? When I was their age, I got arrested for being stupid (drunk driving). Today, I wouldn't dream of making the same mistake. Also, because no one held that arrest against me, I am now a respected member of a society that espouses honesty, honor, character, etc.

Pledger and Fitz are young and stupid...shocking. Let Coach figure out what to do with them. I'm sure it won't be just a slap on the wrist, unless I misread Jeff Capel's character and values.

 

[thebigabd]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Capel should ask their parents how they think they should be punished and go forward with that. If the folks think they should run a lot, make em' do that. If they should miss a game, go with that. If they just want to yell at them over the phone for a few hours, leave it at that.

 

[GParker]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Capel should ask their parents how they think they should be punished and go forward with that. If the folks think they should run a lot, make em' do that. If they should miss a game, go with that. If they just want to yell at them over the phone for a few hours, leave it at that.

I wouldn't want to that if I were Steven Pledger. His father is both a coach and retired military! I bet Steven is really wishing that he had made a better decision last Saturday evening.

 

[campbest]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

I would have rather missed a game when I was their age then be dished out the punishment I was given for an offense most would consider more serious. I'm still winded from it, 10 years later. I guarantee they have ways to punish guys, internally, that would make average joe's cry just thinking about it.

With that said, I think every situation is different, and Capel knows his guys better than we do. If he thinks he best punishment is some sort of suspension, then do it. If he thinks running them until they vomit is the best punishment, then do it. Fair or unfair, I don't think you can treat every kid or offense the same. {see Chris Early (sp?)}

To say they should wildly be thrown off the team is a gross over-reaction, one being made out of anger or feeling the players let you down. I doubt either player is being defiant and not showing remorse.

My thoughts exactly...suspend them for a game, grueling workouts at 5 a.m. with Szendrei and let's move on with the season.

People are overreacting.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

I was arrested in college. Today I have a J.D., an LL.M. in Taxation (that is a second law degree) and have passed the CPA exam. A good friend of mine was arrested several times for drinking. Today he is a doctor that did a prestigious internship at Johns Hopkins. People make mistakes.

You don't have to be the bottom of the barrel to make mistakes. I grew up fairly privileged but I made plenty of mistakes. If you want to judge these guys and conclude they have poor character then go for it. I think they are fairly normal teenagers that made a stupid decision. I think they should get a deferred sentence from the judicial system, run a lot and miss a game or a few games (depending on Coach Capel's assessment). I don't think they should be judged to have poor character by people that don't even know them.

So b/c you made some bad decisions and got some good degrees, we should cut the kids some slack?

I don't consider what they did to be a mistake. A mistake is more of a peer pressure, heat of the moment type of deal. I also said that I understand young kids wanting to drink or fight. But stealing is a bigger issue. And just b/c some people do stupid stuff at that age and turn out fine, doesn't mean a) the majority do, and 2) that it is okay.

Again, there is still a reason that less than 1% of college athletes get into this kind of trouble.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

Petty

1. of little or no importance or consequence
2. of lesser or secondary importance, merit, etc.

This is a notch above a speeding ticket. They pay a fine and it's done.

Capel should ignore it. His job is to win basketball games. Let their dads discipline them (which should basically amount to, "hey idiot, don't do that again").

A suspension would be a ridiculous overreaction.

wow

 

[tkolax]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

i agree that stealing is a bigger deal than drinking/fighting. I bet capel sits them down and says you have lost my trust and the teams trust. how do we know you haven't been stealing from other players in the locker room, or stealing form the university? i don't think they should be kicked off the team, but i believed they should be punished and that will be left up to capel and what he see's fit.

 

[playmakr]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

So b/c you made some bad decisions and got some good degrees, we should cut the kids some slack?

I don't consider what they did to be a mistake. A mistake is more of a peer pressure, heat of the moment type of deal. I also said that I understand young kids wanting to drink or fight. But stealing is a bigger issue. And just b/c some people do stupid stuff at that age and turn out fine, doesn't mean a) the majority do, and 2) that it is okay.

Again, there is still a reason that less than 1% of college athletes get into this kind of trouble.

One reason is they don't get caught. At least 75% of every D1 team is breaking the law every week. I have no doubt.

Note that I'm not condoning their actions.

So b/c you made some bad decisions and got some good degrees, we should cut the kids some slack?

His point was probably that we can't just throw them out of school for this offense. (only a couple posters have suggested such a punishment)

 

[bocabull]

Re: Fitz, Pledger Arrested

What good can come from a suspension? How about the fact that it will teach the two young men involved an important lesson? If Capel doesn't take away something they love, how will they learn? Doing conditioning drills isn't a punishment.

How will they learn? Well they can learn two things.

First they can learn that when you break the law, you get arrested, get embarrassed with their name in the paper, have to pay a fine, possibly do community service, etc.

The second thing they could learn, is that every single human being makes mistakes, and that all good people realize this. And that when those mistakes happen, the good people in their life take them under their wing and have their back, they don't throw them under the bus. The good people in their life pat them on the back and say to shake it off because everybody makes mistakes.