Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I don't know Rice, Jr. I just know if he were interviewing for a job or trying to date a friend or relative, or even someone wanting to be a part of an organization besides the military; I'd want no parts of him just based on his past. I did look at his dad and I did make several harsh judgments.
...
I am surprised that 95% seem very happy with this pick. Experts eschew the gun, dismissal, and court part. The first stupid thing this guy does will bring all kinds of bad press and old footage of gun gate.
I fussed on draft night. Then did my research. Now I'm okay. He's in the family now, let's give the kid the benefit of our best wishes and hopes.
What I want to know is whether you have seen any of the interviews or read any of what he has said about his decisions in the past. If you believe those are simply PR massage, or if the kid is genuine and credible.
From what I read, not just in character reports from current coaches or endorsement by teammates, but what I read in his body language and tone of voice: it sounds like the kid was honestly miserable when faced with the inability to play basketball. That he might lose the only thing he knew to do, the only thing he cared about, and was faced with a bleak future, that he had a crisis moment and decided to do what he had to do to make it work. Eat whatever humble pie life had fed him and own up to the idea that he made his own dumb mistakes.
Rice will remain enrolled at Georgia Tech and complete his academic requirements for the spring semester.
"Glen has done well in school, and we want to make sure he finishes the semester strong, and then we'll assist him in any way we can with his next steps as a student-athlete," Gregory said.
...
According to an Atlanta police report, an officer received a call of a shot being fired near a nightclub. The officer said he pulled over a Cadillac Escalade and recovered two handguns from inside the vehicle.
Warren "had glossy eyes and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath," the report said. He was charged with DUI.
Rice was charged with permitting unlawful operation.
Another passenger, Steven Pryor, was charged with discharging a firearm while under the influence. He claimed the gun went off accidentally while he was trying to remove it from between two seats, police said. He did have a firearms license.
Officers returned to the scene of the shooting to check for any victims or property damage. None was found.
This was three drunken college students who had a gun in the car. Something stupid was bound to happen eventually. But this wasn't Ray Lewis. Rae Carruth. Or even Lonny Baxter. Nobody reported that anyone shot at people. Someone heard a shot and the cops pulled over a luxury SUV.
Making excuses for the kid? No. I think you can distrust his judgement and reasonably have concerns about the DC nightlife or atmosphere which has taken down players from CWebb to Delonte West. But I do think you go overboard in your aversion to him somewhat, based in part on what you admit was a spark of prejudice against Ernie Grunfeld initially, and continual disappointment at the failure of this front office to value late picks.
I think, if you took the time to listen to the kid and look at his eyes when he answers the questions, he was depressed miserable and terrified that he might lose the thing he loves most. And if you see the talent and flair with which he plays you'd understand that for him losing basketball would be, well if not a death sentence, it'd be like neutering a cat who was already mature. He'd know what he lost.
He was still practicing with his teammates while he was off the team, just to smell the gym and be around basketball. He manned up and fixed some bad habits, at least in basketball terms, learning to listen to his coaches and simply work harder. That part is all admirable, and if it is a durable lesson learned, if it has become wisdom and a learning experience, then all to the good. Personally I don't get the read from him that he was ever a bad kid, just that he was immature, spoiled a little, and already thought he was a superstar. Having to learn to become a professional and not just a megatalent is something I wish many players were forced to undergo. I suspect LeBron wouldn't be as much of a douchebag if he'd been forced to sit a bench on the d-league and wait his turn to earn PT.
I'd be curious to see if you still felt the same way after watching him talk about his path.
