UT football players cited, not suspended, over marijuana

[Craig the Blueheart]

Tuesday, 01/15/08
<H1>UT football players cited, not suspended, over marijuana


By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer acted swiftly and then spoke harshly Monday, but he didn't suspend or dismiss either of the two football (http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/SPORTS0601/801150344#) players issued citations for simple possession of marijuana.
UT freshmen receivers Gerald Jones and Ahmad Paige, both 18, were issued the misdemeanor citations after officers pulled over Jones' Dodge Magnum near campus at 10:41 p.m. Friday, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
</H1>

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/SPORTS0601/801150344

[TrueblueCATfan]

what is it with Tennessee football players and Pot

[Michigan Cat Fan]

All that nasty orange must give them glaucoma.

[gerntz]

Pot's good. Silly laws. Real waste of resources chasing people down over it.

[Brian McCat]

No matter what, if that were Coach Rich Brooks, these boys would have been booted for a violation of team rules.

Fat Phil continues his reign of leniency.

[Matt Dillon]

[QUOTE=Brian McCat;380727]No matter what, if that were Coach Rich Brooks, these boys would have been booted for a violation of team rules.

As it should be.

[gstan]

I live in Knoxville and as I was driving to work today, they were discussing this incident on Sportstalk. Several people mentioned that it was entirely possible that the HS recruit they had with them was the culprit and was the one with the pot and the saintly UT players took the rap for him. I laughed so hard I nearly drove off the road. The sad part was they were serious and the talking heads on Sportstalk agreed with them. God I hate orange and I am stuck in the middle of it.

[poodoo]

Jones, who is from Oklahoma City, battled a hamstring injury for most of the season but came on strong late in the year. During UT's 52-50 four-overtime win at Kentucky on Nov. 24, Jones had an impressive touchdown catch in the first overtime. During the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Dec. 1 against LSU, Jones lined up at quarterback and had runs of 20 and 19 yards. QUOTE
**********

Well, it sounds like Gerald Jones, unfortunately, can play the game of football. I suspect we may be hearing the young man's name in his future years at UT (and, agreed, Fulmer does not often suspend players for violations of team rules). Too, that one sentence about his role in UT's win over UK still hurts, and I just hope he doesn't similarly hurt us in the future.

[CatFaninChattanooga]

Gerald Jones is going to be a great player at UT, and I honestly think he will play QB several times next year in the spread offense. They put him in that position several times this year. Anyway I think the entire reason none of these players were disciplined was because Jones was there and is very very good, and Phil wouldn't do that to a good player. I think Pacman Jones would still be on the roster and starting if he was at UT going through all his issues.

[boomdaddy]

It would be nice if those type of misdemeanor charges were never made public. I do not get the anti-pot mentality. By the way, I never knew a college kid who didn't smoke occasionally. I would like to see the all natural herb be legalized. It sure doesn't kill people. Prescription drugs are a 1000 times more dangerous. But, they are legal, because a doctor has to prescribe them and the drug companies like Merk make tons of money. I truly believe that big drug companies are behind the laws that are on the books. What about those man made steroids that made that tv wrestler kill his whole family? If he was a pot head, his family would still be alive and he would just be eating too many snack foods. Many adults have to forgoe the pleasures of what grows naturally, because of their professions. But, don't kid yourselves into thinking that college kids can't smoke and still make their grades. I would venture to guess that their are many on the Deans list who would fail a piss test.

[gerntz]

great post, bd. Thanks.

[CatFanForLife]

The University of Tennessee-A true bastion of discipline, with Phil Fulmer as the stern taskmaster :p

[Mark Blueblood]

It would be nice if those type of misdemeanor charges were never made public. I do not get the anti-pot mentality. By the way, I never knew a college kid who didn't smoke occasionally. I would like to see the all natural herb be legalized. It sure doesn't kill people. Prescription drugs are a 1000 times more dangerous. But, they are legal, because a doctor has to prescribe them and the drug companies like Merk make tons of money. I truly believe that big drug companies are behind the laws that are on the books. What about those man made steroids that made that tv wrestler kill his whole family? If he was a pot head, his family would still be alive and he would just be eating too many snack foods. Many adults have to forgoe the pleasures of what grows naturally, because of their professions. But, don't kid yourselves into thinking that college kids can't smoke and still make their grades. I would venture to guess that their are many on the Deans list who would fail a piss test.

Well, yeah - heroin and cocaine grow "naturally" also, so I guess we need to legalize them too. And you're right - pot doesn't kill anybody - neither does drunk driving.

[gerntz]

Well, yeah - heroin and cocaine grow "naturally" also, so I guess we need to legalize them too. And you're right - pot doesn't kill anybody - neither does drunk driving.

The arrest was for possession not use while driving. Are those with a six-pack of beer in the back seat drunk drivers? Heroin & cocaine are derived from natural sources to make them usable & potent whereas pot is used as is. And the effects are different.

You've jumped to unwarranted statements from mere possession IMO.

But for what it's worth, I think they all should be legal.

[BamaCat86]

No matter what, if that were Coach Rich Brooks, these boys would have been booted for a violation of team rules.

Fat Phil continues his reign of leniency.

Actually, Coach Brooks wouldn't have a choice but to dismiss the players from the team based on the University's Alcohol and Drug policy for student athletes.

[Brian McCat]

This isn´t the political forum, so let´s please keep the morality of illegal drug use for that forum.

The point of the thread is about UT players who got busted with an illegal substance.

[Mark Blueblood]

This isn´t the political forum, so let´s please keep the morality of illegal drug use for that forum.

The point of the thread is about UT players who got busted with an illegal substance.

Oh, trust me - my remarks had nothing to do with "morality". But you are right - not the time or the place. My bad.

[Flyingkat]

Just curious, but how does an 18 year old college freshman with no job make payments on a $30,000 car?

Inquiring minds would like to know............

[FCFS82]

Just curious, but how does an 18 year old college freshman with no job make payments on a $30,000 car?

Inquiring minds would like to know............

Careful. UK players have had some nice rides through the years...

[Redlegs]

Do you guys think Coach Fulmer suspends Leger for the Music City Bowl if he were in Coach Brooks' shoes? I say, absolutely not.

[The Old School JPS]

More of the same, this time from Louisville:

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/SPORTS02/80116041

[poodoo]

Do you guys think Coach Fulmer suspends Leger for the Music City Bowl if he were in Coach Brooks' shoes? I say, absolutely not.

FWIW, this gal agrees that Coach Fulmer does NOT suspend a starter for the bowl game for violating team rules. Too, true discipline, to me, is making a player who violates team rules lose playing time. Coach Brooks obviously does not have "a win at all costs" attitude, and I admire him for that.

[Mark Blueblood]

FWIW, this gal agrees that Coach Fulmer does NOT suspend a starter for the bowl game for violating team rules. Too, true discipline, to me, is making a player who violates team rules lose playing time. Coach Brooks obviously does not have "a win at all costs" attitude, and I admire him for that.

And poodoo, I heard Coach Brooks say in an interview how difficult that was, emotionally, for him. Leger's last game, good kid, always had followed the rules and he won't even get a ring. Now...the kind of guy Brooks is had to make it painful for him. But hey - that's what good coaches and quality people do.

And to think we almost fired the guy.

[Lexvol]

No matter what, if that were Coach Rich Brooks, these boys would have been booted for a violation of team rules.

Fat Phil continues his reign of leniency.

And the beat goes on......I am mildly amused about all of the stone throwing that goes one throughout the SEC, and have chastised my own (UT fans) for giving Meyer a hard time about his leniency. The long and the short of the situation is that one player in the car had smoked, and brought it along. From what I am hearing Gerald Jones was simply cited because he was driving the vehicle.

As a University, UT does not have as strict a policy as UK, but I can tell you that we have lost some great talent over the years due to dismissal including Kentucky's own Montrell Jones. Lamarcus Coker was the latest casualty.

I also feel somewhat compelled to mention that I am a UK fan....I grew up in Georgia and have been immune to the "hate" gene that so many UK and UT fans are born with. Can you guys say that the Wildcats are "herb" free without hesitation?

[johnkyblue]

Well, yeah - heroin and cocaine grow "naturally" also, so I guess we need to legalize them too. And you're right - pot doesn't kill anybody - neither does drunk driving.If people wanted to chew on the leaves of the coca plant I would have no problem with it. I would be in favor of selling them at Kroger. The problem with the cocaine is that it has been processed under the rotten feet of little children (from http://www.mambogani.com/forums/blog/mambo/index.php?showentry=313): (http://www.mambogani.com/forums/blog/mambo/index.php?showentry=313%29:)


Take some fresh coca leaves and chop 'em up (available from your nearest Colombian greengrocer)
Now add some cement and mix with some caustic soda solution
Add one cup of ammonia and press the mixture with your feet
Now sprinkle some quicklime (calcium oxide)
Now add some sulphuric acid
Into this mixture, pour in a large gallon of recycled petrol
Now some fresh petrol for added taste
Leave this all to soak while you have some lunch
Now pour in some more sulphuric acid
Then filter this through a cloth to remove impurities
You'll now see the cocaine alkaloids separate from the rest
Filter this and add ammonia to form a precipitate
Voila! You now have left a cocaine sulphate, or coca base
Once this is dried thoroughly, it turns pure white and you can sell it on to your nearest drug traffickerHow to make Heroin (from: http://www.opioids.com/jh/index.html) from Opium, which does not require other chemicals but does involve some cooking:



An empty 55-gallon oil drum is placed on bricks about a foot above the ground and a fire is built under the drum. Thirty gallons of water are added to the drum and brought to a boil. Ten to fifteen kilograms of raw opium are added to the boiling water.
With stirring, the raw opium eventually dissolves in the boiling water, while soil, leaves, twigs, and other non-soluble materials float in the solution. Most of these materials are scooped out of the clear brown 'liquid opium' solution.
Slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), or more often a readily available chemical fertilizer with a high content of lime, is added to the solution. The lime converts the water insoluble morphine into the water soluble calcium morphenate. The other opium alkaloids do not react with the lime to form soluble calcium salts. Codeine is slightly water soluble and gets carried over with the calcium morphenate in the liquid. For the most part, the other alkaloids become part of the residual sediment 'sludge' that comes to rest on the bottom of the oil drum.
As the solution cools, and after the insolubles precipitate out, the morphine solution is scooped from the drum and poured through a filter of some kind. Burlap rice sacks are often used as filters. They are later squeezed in a press to remove most of the solution from the wet sacks. The solution is then poured into large cooking pots and re-heated, but not boiled.
Ammonium chloride is added to the heated calcium morphenate solution to adjust the alkalinity to a pH of 8 to 9, and the solution is then allowed to cool. Within one or two hours, the morphine base and the unextracted codeine base precipitate out of the solution and settle to the bottom of the cooking pot.
The solution is then poured off through cloth filters. Any solid morphine base chunks in the solution will remain on the cloth. The morphine base is removed from both the cooking pot and from the filter cloths, wrapped and squeezed in cloth, and then dried in the sun. When dry, the crude morphine base is a coffee-colored powder.
This 'crude' morphine base, commonly known by the Chinese term p'i-tzu throughout Southeast Asia, may be further purified by dissolving it in hydrochloric acid, adding activated charcoal, re-heating and re-filtering. The solution is filtered several more times, and the morphine (morphine hydrochloride) is then dried in the sun.
Morphine hydrochloride (still tainted with codeine hydrochloride) is usually formed into small brick-sized blocks in a press and wrapped in paper or cloth. The most common block size is 2 inches by 4 inches by 5 inches weighing about 1.3 kilograms (3 lbs). The bricks are then dried for transport to heroin processing laboratories.You pick maurijuana and let it dry a bit before you smoke it. See the difference?

About the driving - smoking weed makes you defensive, and all the time you hear "Drive defensively". The only problem is that they are perpetually lost. Compare that to the offensiveness of those who are drunk.

[johnkyblue]

bM_vLk1I6G4

[Terry L. Wildcat]

Well, yeah - heroin and cocaine grow "naturally" also, so I guess we need to legalize them too. And you're right - pot doesn't kill anybody - neither does drunk driving.

Mark, I respectfully disagree. IMHO marajuana needs to be separated from the other illegal drugs as it is not addictive (I miss it thought if I don't have it). If everybody in our society who smokes pot were suspended from work tomorrow, the workplace would be very empty. In my time I have smoked with doctors, dentists, lawyers, UK professors, postmasters and Army officers to name just a few. When you and I worked together at UK I was getting high with some of our football players. And I do not consider marajuana to be a "gateway" drug because I'd bet the farm that those who smoke drank beer (alcohol) first. The worst thing I can say about marajuana is that it is illegal. We waste so much taxpayers' money trying to stop something that people in all parts of our society enjoy.

[Redlegs]

And poodoo, I heard Coach Brooks say in an interview how difficult that was, emotionally, for him. Leger's last game, good kid, always had followed the rules and he won't even get a ring. Now...the kind of guy Brooks is had to make it painful for him. But hey - that's what good coaches and quality people do.

And to think we almost fired the guy.
I think when it's all said and done, Rich Brooks will be revered in the bluegrass as one of the best coaches in school history in any sport.

I was first in line to voice my disgust when they let Guy Morriss leave and hired Brooks. I couldn't have been more wrong. Rich Brooks is one hell of a coach and I'm glad we have him. They now compete and take recruits away from Tennessee instead of EKU. The future makes my eyes squint, it's so bright.

[poodoo]

And poodoo, I heard Coach Brooks say in an interview how difficult that was, emotionally, for him. Leger's last game, good kid, always had followed the rules and he won't even get a ring. Now...the kind of guy Brooks is had to make it painful for him. But hey - that's what good coaches and quality people do.

And to think we almost fired the guy.

Mark, thanks for sharing. I suspected that had been the case, as I had remembered that Jason was a good kid AND had witnessed Coach Brooks' affection for Jason when he had once hosted Brooks' television show. Too, that Coach Brooks what he felt was the right thing, even though it was painful for him AND hurt the Wildcats' chances of winning the bowl game, says so much about Coach Brooks' character.

WE? I don't think either you or I had been close to firing Coach Brooks. :icon_mrgreen: Yes, I hear you, though, and THANKS to some of our special seniors and to Mitch Barnhart for listening to those young men and not to a quite vocal portion of the fan base. :)

[bleedbluelady]

And poodoo, I heard Coach Brooks say in an interview how difficult that was, emotionally, for him. Leger's last game, good kid, always had followed the rules and he won't even get a ring. Now...the kind of guy Brooks is had to make it painful for him. But hey - that's what good coaches and quality people do.

And to think we almost fired the guy.

Leger should get a ring. He was an integral part of the team getting to the bowl game. Not getting to play in the game is punishment enough. JMHO.

[gerntz]

And poodoo, I heard Coach Brooks say in an interview how difficult that was, emotionally, for him. Leger's last game, good kid, always had followed the rules and he won't even get a ring. Now...the kind of guy Brooks is had to make it painful for him. But hey - that's what good coaches and quality people do.

And to think we almost fired the guy.

Leger looked like a lost puppy walking the sidelines at the MCB in jeans & his jersey. Really felt bad for him.

[gerntz]

Mark, I respectfully disagree. IMHO marajuana needs to be separated from the other illegal drugs as it is not addictive (I miss it thought if I don't have it). If everybody in our society who smokes pot were suspended from work tomorrow, the workplace would be very empty. In my time I have smoked with doctors, dentists, lawyers, UK professors, postmasters and Army officers to name just a few. When you and I worked together at UK I was getting high with some of our football players. And I do not consider marajuana to be a "gateway" drug because I'd bet the farm that those who smoke drank beer (alcohol) first. The worst thing I can say about marajuana is that it is illegal. We waste so much taxpayers' money trying to stop something that people in all parts of our society enjoy.

Spoken like a pro! I'm not even an amateur, but agree 100%.

[Mark Blueblood]

Mark, I respectfully disagree. IMHO marajuana needs to be separated from the other illegal drugs as it is not addictive (I miss it thought if I don't have it). If everybody in our society who smokes pot were suspended from work tomorrow, the workplace would be very empty. In my time I have smoked with doctors, dentists, lawyers, UK professors, postmasters and Army officers to name just a few. When you and I worked together at UK I was getting high with some of our football players. And I do not consider marajuana to be a "gateway" drug because I'd bet the farm that those who smoke drank beer (alcohol) first. The worst thing I can say about marajuana is that it is illegal. We waste so much taxpayers' money trying to stop something that people in all parts of our society enjoy.

Terry - you know I consider you a friend and respect your opinion. I've sat in a lot of rooms with a lot of people over the past 12 years who all share a common "experience". They, as do I, would disagree with you.

But hey - again - I respect your opinion.

[johnkyblue]

The only person who ever made sense when talking about this against legalization was a drug dealer. She said, "If it was made legal... how would I make a living?"

[cosmonaut]

This is the greatest thread I have ever read on here:thumbup:

[TrueblueCATfan]

More of the same, this time from Louisville:

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/SPORTS02/80116041


that happened over a year ago and he is just now going to trial..biggest bunch of BS ever:mad:

[catdmd]

Same old same old at UT. They never suspend a player if it means it will be pivotal in a game. As for the drug issue people have their own opinions on that. I hear some people talk about downing some Maker's Mark and how marijuana should be classified a little differently than other drugs.
My take on it is that marijuana is illegal, it leads in many cases to harder drug use, alcohol is also a drug and some people can't handle it in excess. I do know this however, if you never do any of that stuff, you never have to worry about alcohol or drug addiction. Countless lives and families have been destroyed by that stuff. None of it needs glorification. Just my opinion. Thanks.

[Mark Blueblood]

Same old same old at UT. They never suspend a player if it means it will be pivotal in a game. As for the drug issue people have their own opinions on that. I hear some people talk about downing some Maker's Mark and how marijuana should be classified a little differently than other drugs.
My take on it is that marijuana is illegal, it leads in many cases to harder drug use, alcohol is also a drug and some people can't handle it in excess. I do know this however, if you never do any of that stuff, you never have to worry about alcohol or drug addiction. Countless lives and families have been destroyed by that stuff. None of it needs glorification. Just my opinion. Thanks.

I say live and let live. But you'll get no argument from me. I know my life would have been a lot better had I stayed away from it. But again, I'm only speaking for myself. And, while I have not the answer, I do have a rather strong opinion.

[poodoo]

Same old same old at UT. They never suspend a player if it means it will be pivotal in a game. As for the drug issue people have their own opinions on that. I hear some people talk about downing some Maker's Mark and how marijuana should be classified a little differently than other drugs.
My take on it is that marijuana is illegal, it leads in many cases to harder drug use, alcohol is also a drug and some people can't handle it in excess. I do know this however, if you never do any of that stuff, you never have to worry about alcohol or drug addiction. Countless lives and families have been destroyed by that stuff. None of it needs glorification. Just my opinion. Thanks.

I agree that none of it needs "glorification" for that very reason. As you say, many lives and families have been destroyed by both. Folks, some can handle it. Others can't. Because of the ones who can't, I agree that the glorification of the use of either is not a good thing.

In regard to marijuana, I realize that it does not tend to make folks as violent as alcohol. Yet, as a high school teacher I just saw too many students who started with marijuana and went on to harder drugs, when they no longer got a high enough "high," and I hurt, both for them and their parents. A student who ended up destroying his and his family's life had talked with me when he was only smoking pot, sharing how he had tried and tried to stop because of his mom, but he always went back--that it was psychologically addictive. Another student went from making straight A's to failing all his classes after he started smoking pot quite frequently, becoming totally unmotivated with his studies.

There were MANY other similar instances during my teaching of high school students. Such does not always happen by any means and maybe in only a small number of the cases, BUT marijuana's use is certainly unproblematic for all who use it--far from it. Again, I've seen too much of the hurt. :icon_sad: I do understand there are some good arguments for legalization, though (as there are also some good arguments for not doing so).

Those arguments seem to belong on the political forum, though. The issue on this thread on a UK football forum is the consequences for violations of team rules. Again, I certainly applaud Coach Brooks for his not choosing to win at all costs. GO CATS! GO COACH BROOKS!

[poodoo]

Leger looked like a lost puppy walking the sidelines at the MCB in jeans & his jersey. Really felt bad for him.

Even though I applaud Coach Brooks for not making exceptions on the breaking of team rules and Jason must be held accountable for his actions, I, too, really felt for Jason. Seeing him at the Cat Walk AND on the sidelines really bothered me. Also, like bleedbluelady, I think he should get a ring. Hopefully, someone will see that it happens.