Hunt

[GoSU96]

Tremendously sanctimonious post. Par for the course with what you've been posting lately--regardless of what your background is.

I still maintain that there were a lot of ways for Hunt to be punished. He shoplifted a trivial item--let's not equate what he did to a more serious transgression. He didn't assault anyone. He didn't commit academic fraud. He wasn't caught doing drugs or underage drinking. His violation happened off campus, and had nothing to do with the university.

Did he deserve to be punished? Absolutely. Did that punishment absolutely have to be a suspension? Not necessarily. There are literally 1,000,000 punishments that Marrone could have imposed that would have been more arduous, tested Hunt's commitement more, and forced him to prove himself more than suspending him. Anyone who thinks otherwise is nuts.

Are we sure he was completely cut off from the program?

 

[cusestudent]

I want to clarify my position, because I obviously haven't made my point clearly if you are concluding that I am downplaying stealing or advocating leniency / preferentially favorable treatment for Hunt just because he's a QB. I am glad that Marrone is a hard ass. I am glad that Hunt got punished--deservedly so. One of the most important things that Marrone has done [my opinion only here--so apologies in advance for the soapbox] was changing the culture of the program and instilling discipline amongst the players.

Hunt committed a crime. He absolutely deserved to be punished in some fashion. I don't take issue with that punishment being severe, or with Marrone meting out a punishment that he deems appropriate to the circumstances. I just wish that the punishment wasn't him being suspended for spring practice [couldn't care less about him being held out of the spring game as part of the punishment], because it is counterproductive from a development standpoint as Tomcat explained in his post.

Two other things. Me talking about Hunt's infraction relative to other things isn't chalking it up to "boys will be boys." I believe there is a substantive difference between what Hunt did and infractions involving drugs, fighting, sexual abuse, etc. I don't condone shoplifting--it was a stupid mistake that the kid made. I just don't view it on par as the things listed above. That doesn't mean that stealing isn't a problem, or that it doesn't warrant a steep penalty.

Also, I agree that we don't have all of the information that Marrone is privy to. Maybe there were other things--like the pattern of behavior you allude to--that required a more severe penalty. Then again, maybe there wasn't. In that regard, the opposite of your point is also true--absent a pattern of negative behavior, that should work in the player's favor in terms of a lesser penalty if this is a first offense. If Hunt is a good student, didn't have issues on / off the field, etc. then maybe a suspension is too harsh. And if there were underlying issues, then perhaps the suspension was right on the money. As you point out, we don't have all the facts. I just wish that there had been a way to penalize the sh-t out of the kid without him having to miss spring practice because it hurt the team.

You summed up my view on this perfectly.

 

[OrangeMaNPD]

Re: "his options were as follows"

Those options came from?

A. TGD

B. TWO

Bob Casullo.

 

[tep624]

From what I understand - very good source - his options were as follows: (1) kick him out of school; (2) suspend him from the football team for one year or (3) suspend him for spring practice.

Coach Marrone preaches accountability on and off the field. He had to take some action.

I understand that Terrel was very contrite and was willing to accept whatever punishment was given.

It seems that he is a good kid who made a mistake.

I for one hope and expect that he will have a great summer and will be ready to compete in the fall. Heck, Greg Paulus hadn't played in four years and didn't have a spring practice - and he was able to play effectively in the fall.

So, I would not give up the ship just yet.

Thanks for posting this. Puts a lot of this in perspective. I was hoping the severity of the punishment had more to do with the politics behind the scenes and less to do with a pattern of behavior from Hunt.

 

[SUFAN1]

It's called accountability and that is not being an Idiot that's called Tough Love. What do you think Hunt's Parents would have said or done ?

 

[RF2044]

Thanks for posting this. Puts a lot of this in perspective. I was hoping the severity of the punishment had more to do with the politics behind the scenes and less to do with a pattern of behavior from Hunt.

Agreed. In light of that information, it is much more understandable that Hunt was made an example of.

 

[sufandu]

I'm fine with Doug punishing Hunt the way he did. I think part of what Doug wants to teach is that what you do off the field has an impact on what you do on it, including having it taken away. Hunt is also learning (hopefully) that he has let his teammates down too. I'd rather him learn these lessons now, while he has a chance to catch up, rather than when he becomes the projected starter (hypothetically). If we remove our orange colored fan glasses for a moment, we can see a bigger picture.

 

[WickedOrange]

Now I get it. The closed practices were a cover to allow Hunt to practice. Marrone... you're good you.

 

[OttoMets]

Regardless of whom those options came from, it is obvious someone on the hill whether it be Marrone himself, TGD, TWO or OTTO was fed up with the off the field issues the past year or so. Someone said enough is enough, we are laying down the hammer. Hunt was the first after that and caught by bad timing.

I will say (and I've avoided the lacrosse board and tried to bite my tongue on this as much as possible) that that strikes me as a little unfair, considering the Kevin Drew situation.

Again, like everyone else, I'm probably short on facts on the Hunt suspension. Haven't got any problem with the length of it; I'll defer to Marrone's judgment.

But if the athletics department or the chancellor is concerned about off-the-field trouble and anxious to meddle, the hammer should've been brought down on Drew, who committed a truly serious crime.

 

[rrlbees]

I will say (and I've avoided the lacrosse board and tried to bite my tongue on this as much as possible) that that strikes me as a little unfair, considering the Kevin Drew situation.

Again, like everyone else, I'm probably short on facts on the Hunt suspension. Haven't got any problem with the length of it; I'll defer to Marrone's judgment.

But if the athletics department or the chancellor is concerned about off-the-field trouble and anxious to meddle, the hammer should've been brought down on Drew, who committed a truly serious crime.

You can add Drew to the list of troubles we have had the past year in the athletic department. I forgot about him. But look at the fball, bball, and lax legal issues. Hunt was the last of the lot.

 

[OttoMets]

You can add Drew to the list of troubles we have had the past year in thew athletic department. I forgot about him. But look at the fball, bball, and lax legal issues. Hunt was the last of the lot.

Yeah, that's true. The Drew thing had already been resolved when Hunt developed his sticky fingers.

Ah well. Karma's going to richly reward Mr. Hunt and his teammates with a winning season and a bowl game, while the lacrosse team spirals into mediocrity due to its indefensible reinstatement of a criminal (sorry, couldn't resist sneaking that in).

 

[Toga]

So basically we now know that Hunt took a hit that was fairly out of line with the history of punishments at SU. That's all a number of us were saying. So by luck of the draw (and yes his own stupidity) it happens to get dished out to the kid who has recently lost both of his parents and (and hearing nothing to the contrary) has not been in trouble before. Nice

 

[orange79]

Hunt was the first after that and caught by bad timing.

I know what you are trying to say, but there's no good time to be caught shoplifting.

 

[rrlbees]

So basically we now know that Hunt took a hit that was fairly out of line with the history of punishments at SU. That's all a number of us were saying. So by luck of the draw (and yes his own stupidity) it happens to get dished out to the kid who has recently lost both of his parents and (and hearing nothing to the contrary) has not been in trouble before. Nice

We don't know anything. That's my hypothesis is all. For all we do know there have been other issues with him. Also, for all we know players were told exactly what would happen if there were other legal issues. If so, he is even more at fault. People are more up in arms about Hunt than they were about Sales for reasons unknown in 2010, yet he was a bigger impact to team at the time. Must be because he is a QB and/or it's the sympathy vote.

 

[rrlbees]

I know what you are trying to say, but there's no good time to be caught shoplifting.

Very true.

 

[Toga]

We don't know anything. That's my hypothesis is all. For all we do know there have been other issues with him. Also, for all we know players were told exactly what would happen if there were other legal issues. If so, he is even more at fault. People are more up in arms about Hunt than they were about Sales for reasons unknown in 2010, yet he was a bigger impact to team at the time. Must be because he is a QB and/or it's the sympathy vote.

Probably the sympathy vote for having lost both parents. No apologies for that. None - not when combined with apparently being held to a new standard. And that combined with no (public) knowledge of his having had other problems. Gee, why might some of us had questions/concerns about this situation?

 

[rrlbees]

Probably the sympathy vote for having lost both parents. No apologies for that. None - not when combined with apparently being held to a new standard. And that combined with no (public) knowledge of his having had other problems. Gee, why might some of us had questions/concerns about this situation?

You're argument is only valid if there was a new standard and that new standard was kept in complete secrecy from the players, which isn't how things usually work. He either got what he deserved based on things we don't know or he was punished per a new standard that I doubt was kept a secret. Either way, he did it himself. I hope he learned his lesson and others will learn from it too. He can be a key guy next year and maybe even this fall.

 

[Toga]

You're argument is only valid if there was a new standard and that new standard was kept in complete secrecy from the players, which isn't how things usually work. He either got what he deserved based on things we don't know or he was punished per a new standard that I doubt was kept a secret. Either way, he did it himself. I hope he learned his lesson and others will learn from it too. He can be a key guy next year and maybe even this fall.

Either way, I'm really pulling for this kid.

 

[rrlbees]

One of the most important things that Marrone has done [my opinion only here--so apologies in advance for the soapbox] was changing the culture of the program and instilling discipline amongst the players.

Many people have said this but I still can't get my head around it. He may be trying to change the culture, but based on facts off the filed, it isn't sinking in. Look at the list of players mentioned just in the past year that we know about. That is more trouble in the legal way than we have had at any time that I can remember. So they either aren't listening or they method of delivery isn't working. Hopefully Hunt is the end of a string of off field issues.

If we are talking about on the field, that is a lot harder to gauge but IMO, it certainly isn't better. It may not be worse but with the number of penalties and mental mistakes we made last year, to me that is a lack of discipline.

So I can't buy into, yet, the idea that he has changed the culture when it comes to discipline. If anything, it is certainly worse.

 

[rrlbees]

Either way, I'm really pulling for this kid.

No doubt we all are. He'll get a 2nd chance and hopefully he is that guy we have been looking for for so long. A dual threat QB with a good head on his shoulder and a firm grasp of the playbook and the position.

 

[OrangePA]

Many people have said this but I still can't get my head around it. He may be trying to change the culture, but based on facts off the filed, it isn't sinking in. Look at the list of players mentioned just in the past year that we know about. That is more trouble in the legal way than we have had at any time that I can remember. So they either aren't listening or they method of delivery isn't working. Hopefully Hunt is the end of a string of off field issues.

If we are talking about on the field, that is a lot harder to gauge but IMO, it certainly isn't better. It may not be worse but with the number of penalties and mental mistakes we made last year, to me that is a lack of discipline.

So I can't buy into, yet, the idea that he has changed the culture when it comes to discipline. If anything, it is certainly worse.

I think Marrone has taken some chances in an effort to improve the athletic ability of the team. I also think he has tried to be careful not to bring too many challenging kids to the program.

There have been some surprises and some situations that were not so surprising. We are still dealing with kids - some of whom have not had a lot of guidance in the past.

I believe that Terrel Hunt is a good kid who, like many us when we were 18 or 19, did a stupid thing.

I have little doubt that he will move beyond this and suspect that he and the team already have moved beyond this.

 

[bothsocksup]

bees not to get off topic, but what player on the team are you most excited about for next season, and what player should a fan on the outside pay close attention to as someone who will is 'flying under the radar."