Nitt Picks Would Accept Felony Charges to Punch Bobby Bowden

by BSD on Mar 12, 2008 4:40 PM EDT in News Comment 27 comments

Just a few late afternoon Nitt Picks for you today.

Beware that if you throw a punch in State College the DA is likely going to try to book you with felony charges. Fortunately for you, the judge will probably throw them out.

Magisterial District Justice Jonathan Grine threw out today the felony charge of aggravated assault against former defensive tackle Phillip Taylor, ruling that Taylor's alleged involvement as presented at the preliminary hearing did not rise to the level needed to justify an aggravated assault charge.

Taylor will still face misdemeanor charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct and summary charges of harassment and stalking charges in connection with an Oct. 7 fight in the HUB-Robeson Center.

The victim of the alleged assault, the only witness to speak at the hearing, testified that Taylor threw the last punch in a brawl that police say included up to 15 football players.

Seriously, the State College DA is out of control. He's obviously another Mike Nifong, an overzealous lawyer looking for high profile cases to get re-elected and futher his career. He doesn't care about justice. He doesn't care about people's lives. All he cares about is grabbing headlines. He knows that charging Penn State football players grabs headlines. But when the charges get dropped that tends to fall on page six. It's all good for him.

Basketball Stuff

Jamelle Cornley had surgery this week on his injured knee. Apparently it went pretty well.

Cornley had arthroscopic surgery performed on his left knee Monday afternoon by Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, and the results were encouraging, according to Penn State spokesman Brian Siegrist.

The original injury, the bone bruise that Cornley suffered in October, was smaller than expected. Sebastianelli also cleaned up some tissue around the knee. Cornley's recovery is still expected to take at least three months.

Only a three month recovery time is great news. He should be practicing this summer and be ready in time for the 2008-2009 season.

The other interesting tidbit in the article is the vote of confidence athletic director gave Ed Dechellis.

"Ed's just done a wonderful job of continuing to build this program each year, and I think more of the pieces are coming together," Curley said. "He's built a really solid foundation for this program -- what we thought he would do when we hired him -- and he's put us in a position now where I think you're going to see a lot of growth in the program."

Depending on your perspective this is either good news or bad news. Unfortunately it seems like a lot of PSU fans wrote off Ed the day he took the job and never really gave him a chance. But it's hard to argue with the results this year. Sure we had higher hopes when the season started, but what would our expectations have been if we had known Claxton and Cornley would both be lost to injury? I would have said we probably wouldn't win more than one conference game. Yet we won seven including wins over two nationally ranked opponentes with a bunch of freshmen and a junior college kid logging all the minutes. With Cornley coming back and a few other big men coming in next year to help out the future is indeed looking bright for this program.

Bobby Bowden is a Classy Guy

I read this over at EDSBS and was thoroughly disgusted.

Geoff Berniard, has been an offensive lineman on the Florida State University football team since 2004. At the beginning of spring practice this past February he was notified that he would not be awarded his scholarship for his fifth and final year of eligibility. In December, Rick Trickett, the new offensive line coach, approached Geoff asking him what he was going to be doing about his final year of eligibility. Trickett told Geoff that he would never play in his offensive scheme and that in his eyes it was best that he quit and move on with his life. This was a conversation that came after a year of attempting to run Geoff off the team but, at the conversations conclusion Geoff made it clear that he was returning for his senior season whether Trickett liked it or not.

Apparently, Trickett did not like that conclusion. At some point Trickett told Coach Bowden that Geoff decided he did not want to come back for his senior season and they recruited as if they had an "open" scholarship.

After FSU played in the Music City Bowl in December Geoff returned to Tallahassee and mentally prepared to endure the physically grueling spring workouts, which include mat drills and a strict weight room regimen, as well as his final semester as an undergraduate student.

After the first day of mat drills he was called up to Coach Bobby Bowden's office for a meeting with him. Coach Bowden explained that he was "surprised to see Geoff" at the 5 am mat drill because he was "under the impression that he was not to returning for his fifth year", information he received from Trickett. After beating around the bush and looking like a fool who has know idea about decisions that are made for his own football team, he finally told Geoff that due to a "number crunch" he would not be receiving his fifth year of scholarship eligibility. This was a very unexpected and indescribable disappointment to Geoff. He had every intention to fulfill the commitment that he made on signing day in February 2004.

This is a common practice in these southern schools. They are only supposed to sign no more than 25 kids in any one recruiting class. But every year there's Alabama taking 32, Auburn taking 30, LSU taking 26. This year Florida State granted scholarships to 30 kids. Inevitably someone has to get cut. So you start hearing stories about kids being declared acedemically ineligible. Or suffering mysterious injuries that cut their career short. Or in this case, fifth year seniors who are basically asked not to come back.

Like I said before, in a way I was glad Joe Paterno broke his leg in 2006. It delayed him from entering the College Football Hall of Fame by one year. If you remember, he was supposed to enter the Hall alongside Bobby Bowden and they were both going to share the stage. I'm glad Joe didn't have to share anything with that fat jerk. The only thing these two men have in common is a lot of wins on the football field. Outside of that, the two programs could not be any more different.

0 recs | Comment 27 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Mike

that is something else about the Bowden story. I mean you can tell the guy is a figurehead lol, but damn that's pretty sad how they do that to student athletes. Ruin their college education basically....

It's ashame because of we have a great pride in the way Joe does things, but what if the next guy runs the program like the rest of the country does. What would nittany lions fans have to hang our hats on?? Scarey question I say...

WE ARE, PENN STATE!

by LinebackerU on Mar 12, 2008 5:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I will play devils advocate.

I agree that the whole thing stinks, but all they are doing is taking away his scholarship, not kicking him out of school. All scholarships are renewed on a yearly basis and if you are not benefiting the team why should you continue to take the spot. I think a scholarships should be guaranteed until you get your degree, but am just throwing this out for discussion.

by PSU86 on Mar 12, 2008 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with PSU86

on this one. The kid got a 4 year ride and will graduate after this semester. I do think it shows how Bobby Bowden is out of touch with his players. He should have had the discussion with the player before releasing him and the scholarship.

Joe releases would be 5th year players every year if he feels they aren't putting in the effort or will not contribute. At least he makes the decision with a face to face discussion with the player. We seldom hear the details of why. It's usually made to look like its the player decision.

Over recruiting in the SEC is out of control and should be addressed by the NCAA

by ageing lion on Mar 13, 2008 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bowden is a fucking pig.

After the Footlocker shopping spree following FSU's (Free Shoes University) national championship in '93, the very first words out of Bowden's mouth were, "I don't think we should have to forfeit our national championship." He's a football coach and a good ol' boy, and nothing more. Why in the fuck the lousy rotten NCAA would allow those wins at Samford to count as I-A victories when Samford was an NAIA school when Bowden coached there is beyond explanation. Bowden will never be on par with Joe because Joe's wins were accomplished with a measure of integrity that Bowden and any other southerner could not understand or comprehend. And in case you're wondering why the venom directed at the south, I work for a company that's based out of the south and their way of thinking, and there manner of ethics can best be explained by generations of inbreeding. And as far as what will we hang our hats on when Joe does go, it's as simple as this: If the new coach doesn't maintain a high graduation rate and uphold the Grand Experiment, then his ass is gone, REGARDLESS of wins and losses. I'd rather be 9-4 and have a clean, honorable program with high graduation rates that be 13-0, 12-1, or 11-2 with a bunch of illiterate thugs. And that is the honest truth. Like anything else in life, you're ethics, morals, and standards cannot be compromised. Like JoePa has said: "Success without honor is like an unseasoned dish. It'll satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good."

by Ab4PSU on Mar 13, 2008 5:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I take Umbridge with the

"Southern School" comment not because I live in the south, because I have been born and breed in the north, but because it is a terrible stereotype. For every scumbag SEC team, there is a Clemson, Wake Forrest, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt who does try and do things the correct way. The unfortunate part is that those teams usually get killed on the field when playing one of these scum bag schools.

Also removing scholarships is a nation wide issue. My coach, who worked under Jim Tressel as an OC, was very fond of pulling scholarships when he took over our team my senior year. It was his way of "gaining" control of the program. I am sure there are some things that happen up north that aren't exactly kosher either.

by carolinaeasy on Mar 13, 2008 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Big Ten

Has specific rules about this. It's why Penn State only gave out 15 scholarships this year instead of 25-30 like everybody in the SEC except maybe Vanderbilt.

The Michigan blog worte a really good story on this a few weeks ago.

For the Glory National Champions 1982, 1986, 1994,

by jesse. on Mar 13, 2008 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DA

The analogy to Nifong is WAY off. Best as we can tell right now, the Duke lacrosse guys didn't do ANYTHING illegal - while it's very very clear that members of our football team were kicking the crap out of people (in both the apartment and HUB brawls).

by M1EK on Mar 12, 2008 5:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nevertheless

If they wern't Penn State football players, there would be no charges in the first place. There were a couple of fights. So what.

God Created the World Out Of Nothing, Paterno Built A National Superpower On Cow Fields...

by fugimaster24 on Mar 12, 2008 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fugimaster is right.

Without going into too much detail, a friend of mine who is VERY familiar with the apartment fight said things like that happen every weekend in State College. It's never in the paper--unless it's the football team. Why is that? There is clearly and obviously a double standard. The football team shouldn't be allowed to get away with this sort of thing. But neither should they be charged with something more serious than a non-athelete would be.

by Ab4PSU on Mar 13, 2008 5:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"happens all the time with no charges"

You're absolutely wrong. Apartment invasions generally do result in charges - this wasn't "just a fight"; it was more like breaking and entering.

by M1EK on Mar 13, 2008 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the risk of opening a can of worms

Nobody really knows what happened that night. The DA and the victims like to portray it like a group of thugs breaking down the door and putting the smackdown on random people. That's their side which you have to admit is probably slanted. What is the truth? Were you there?

Have you ever been to a keg party at an apartment before? You can usually hear the music blaring in the hallway. A lot of times the door is propped open with people wandering in and out at will. Or if the door is closed all you have to do is knock. I could see a pretty girl opening the door and saying "Oooo! Football players! Come on in!" Who really knows how they got in? I hosted apartment parties a few times back in my day and at every one of them there was a point where I looked around and said, "Who the hell are all these people in my house?" If you're granting access to anyone who shows up you can't complain when bad people get in.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

Hail to the Lion!

by BSD on Mar 13, 2008 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come on

We know that it was serious enough for Scirotto to get nailed pretty hard. You're stretching far beyond the bounds of reason here.

by M1EK on Mar 13, 2008 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't one of those people on the

street hit or slap Sciorroto or his girlfriend, necessitating him going back and getting his buddies to exact revenge? I believe so. But lost in all of this is what charges are being brought up against the people that hit Sciorroto? Is this just conveniently ignored by the media, or are just the football players being charged? If Sciorroto wouldn't have gotten decked in the first place, he wouldn't have gone back to the apartment to get even.

by Ab4PSU on Mar 13, 2008 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think either

AS or the woman were hit. Wasn't one of them spit on though or am I just making up stuff?

Angelo

by nittanyroar on Mar 13, 2008 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here we go with innuendo and stories,

but from what I read this is basically what happened: Sciorroto and his girlfriend were walking down the street. She hocked up a loogie. A couple of guys were walking by them and one of the guys either said, "Ew" or "That's gross." Sciorroto took offense and a fracas ensued, and I believe Sciorroto actually did get hit. And then we all know (or at least think we know) what really happened next.

by Ab4PSU on Mar 13, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sort of

According to testimony in court, the girl spat, the guy said "Gross". Then the girl got in his face and started talking shit. He gave it back and the girl kneed him in the groin. At that point Scirrotto pulled out his cell to make a phone call. One of the three guys either punched him or just knocked the phone out of his hand. Then they ran away.

Scirrotto called one teammate. That teammate rallied the others and they all went downtown. The rest is history.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

Hail to the Lion!

by BSD on Mar 13, 2008 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All right then.

As Paul Harvey would say, "And now you know...the rest of the story."

by Ab4PSU on Mar 14, 2008 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

Not one witness testified to seeing Scirrotto throwing a punch. Not one. Most of the charges were thrown out. So actually, he didn't get nailed at all. Just a misdemeanor, which seems about right for a fight between a couple of drunk college kids.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

Hail to the Lion!

by BSD on Mar 13, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nailed for what?

Scirotto got nailed not for a "fight" but for the trespass charge (which you assured us is the kind of foolish college shenanigans that happens all the time, but the judicial system obviously disagreed).

Again, punching the guy back on the street would have been "just a fight" and the kind of thing that happens all the time and ought to be no bhig deal. Calling teammates for backup and then busting into a party to lay down is NOT "just a fight". As I say on RUTS, it's the kind of thing that often gets people shot.

by M1EK on Mar 14, 2008 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like freedom of speech...

but some people need to stay on RUTS

by carolinaeasy on Mar 14, 2008 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DA and justice

Mike I think it nice that you think lawyers care about justice. Maybe the Justice system has a tenuous connection with Justice but certainly not lawyers. Their job is to represent their client, period.

by aluf on Mar 13, 2008 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Remeber the story about...

Ray Ray McElrathbey. He was the kid who took in his 11 year old brother because both of his parents are deadbeats.

Clemson did the exact same thing to him, except Ray Ray had two years of eligibility remaining.

For the Glory National Champions 1982, 1986, 1994,

by jesse. on Mar 12, 2008 5:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Make sure you...

know the whole story about Ray Ray, a couple of my buddies at Clemson who work with the program as tutors, have said he was having "serious" academic problems.

by carolinaeasy on Mar 13, 2008 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also...

I know the reports say he can graduate in August, but there is more to the story I am told than meets the eye.

by carolinaeasy on Mar 13, 2008 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ray-Ray

The story I read said he was on pace to graduate early, if there is more to the story I'd like to hear it.

For the Glory National Champions 1982, 1986, 1994,

by jesse. on Mar 13, 2008 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just a Southern Thing?

Really? A Southern Thing?

Tell me, how many years of eligibility did the following players have when they dressed for their last game on Senior Day for Penn State last year:
Joe Hughes
Jordan Lyons
Ross Muir
Chris Rogers
Kevin Suhey
Joe Toriello
Patrick Weber

Oh, I'm sure it was all very voluntary - no encouragement from coaches whatsoever.

And as for oversigning, here is a sampling of some of those "southern" schools that signed more than 25 players in 2008 according to rivals.com (not even counting the teams that signed players under the 25 annual limit but still will need to shed players to get under the 85 total limit):
Minnesota
Illinois
Washington
Kansas State
Nebraska
Boston College
Syracuse
Temple

We can argue about whether the practices of not renewing scholarships, finding creative ways to squeeze kids out when it turns out the scholarship limits are a problem, or oversigning are good/bad/unethical/ethical. Personally, I'm not a big fan of pushing kids out by not renewing their scholarships (I believe a fairly common practice for many coaches when it comes to that "fifth" year of eligibility - just ask Ty Willingham, he was telling everyone how common it is when he refused to grant fifth year scholarships to a handful of kids at Washington). But it isn't a regional thing. I know it makes it easier to explain why southern schools are doing so well right now by claiming that they do things differently down there (i.e., they cheat, they have lower standards, etc.), but it really just comes off as continued sour grapes from the Big Ten. With guys like Tressel, Rodriguez, and Zook in the conference now, you can bet that if Penn State wants to compete on a regular basis, when they get their new coach they are going to have to go after a coach just as ruthless and as recruit-hungry as that trio. And if/when the day comes that Penn State signs 30 players in a class, I'll bet there won't be a lot of complaining from the fans.

by chrisdoc on Mar 13, 2008 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

5th Year Players

Honestly, I see nothing too terribly wrong with this action by FSU, with the exception that they should have just been upfront and perfectly clear with the kid earlier on about his not being granted a 5th year scholarship.

I believe every school does this - looks at 5th year returners and weighs whether or not a scholarship would be better used on a recruit. Penn State does exactly the same thing if I'm not mistaken.

Four years of free education for committing to play for the school is a fair and reasonable trade off. Those 5th year guys that are valuable enough to keep on the roster are just lucky to have an extra year IMO.

by Reed on Mar 15, 2008 9:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs