What did JJ Do? Golf Cart. Alcohol. Police. Need we say more?
by C and R on May 12, 2010 1:05 AM EDT
Email
PrintWell, yes we need to say more! Right now C and R don’t know whether to laugh or cry!
All year long the funniest stories told by the Stanford women’s basketball team involved a golf cart. They hold a special place in the hearts of the players. See, you get a golf cart when you have a knee injury. Mel Murphy had one Jeanette Pohlen’s freshmen year and she remembers the hijinks that ensued. JJ Hones has torn her ACL so many times Stanford probably has a golf cart with her name engraved on it.
So…..JJ recently had knee surgery again and Stanford gave her a golf cart. Then in the early hours of May 2, she was driving her golf cart recklessly while drunk and the campus police asked her to stop. So she tried to evade them. In her golf cart. While DUI….This would be really, really funny, except she was drinking and she was arrested and booked for driving under the influence, reckless driving, evading a police officer and resisting arrest. Serious charges. Trying to evade police in a golf cart? And JJ is supposed to be Stanford educated! She was booked into the Santa Clara County jail (right by R’s house, we could have brought her some cookies) and released on bond. Then Tara VanDerveer dismissed her from the team.
I’m sorry (C writing here), it appears C and R are being flip and I guess we are, I mean I can remember all the dumb, hilariously-stupid things I did in high school and college, and I can totally picture the event with the golf cart, just I never caught! But JJ did get caught and this has serious consequences for the young lady. She is also a role model for those who follow women’s basketball, and drinking and driving is never funny (I believe JJ is over 21 and legally allowed to drink alcohol).
First and foremost in my mind is does this affect her scholarship for next year? Does she now have to pay her way through school? And if so, might she not come back next year for her academics? Also, she was rehabbing her knee and I am sure using the Stanford facilities to help with that. Is that all lost to her as well? Will this affect her recovery?
Two, this stupid college maneuver and getting kicked off the team is now in the headlines nationwide (BTW, thanks to our intrepid fans who first found this breaking story and forwarded it to us). This is just so embarrassing for the young lady. Think of your most embarrassing moment. Would you like it published all over the Internet? Such a sad ending for a great player who always gave it her all.
We hope she is not cast adrift in her rehabilitation and isolated from her support network, especially now when she needs it the most.
More Stanford Stuff Not Involving Golf Carts at the original C and R's Stanford Women's Basketball Blog
4 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Sad Situation
A very sad situation with JJ, who always had the potential to be a great college basketball player, but spent her entire career fighting knee injuries. Yes, the situation with the golf cart would be comical if it weren’t in fact tragic. Clearly this is a kid who was highly committed to Stanford basketball, and was caught doing something similar to what many of us probably did, but were lucky enough to not get caught.
But I do admire Stanford for holding their athletes to higher standards than is common practice elsewhere. For recent counter-examples on the University of Oregon football team, see Blount, LaGarrett (punched a Boise State player) Masoli, Jerehiah (plead guilty to computer theft) and James, LeMichael (beat up girlfriend, charge eventually dropped). None of these athletes was permanently dismissed from the team. And it is to the detriment of their University and college athletics as a whole.
Comparatively, JJ’s offenses were mild, and the consequences for her legacy at Stanford are quite severe. There is a bigger picture here, though, in which this may be a valuable lesson learned. This is a kid who has just been through her third knee surgery in a little over three years. The ongoing pain management, along with the psychological impact of injury / rehab, could be a strong recipe for chemical dependency – if not painkillers, then something else. One incident with alcohol may be just be a indicator of a bigger problem, and letting her off the hook this time might not have been best for her in the long term.
[Note: I don’t have a shred of evidence on this – but it was the first thing that came to mind when I heard she was dismissed]
I don’t condone Hones’ actions, but dismissal from the team seems awfully harsh for what appears to be college-prank type behavior. I am in favor of holding college athletes to a high standard. I support Cal’s recent decision to dismiss a player from the men’s basketball team, rather than the follow the path of the University of Oregon. After all, student athletes represent the University to the public. But it still seems harsh to kick her off the team for something that any of us could have done in our time as students.
Exit, Pursued By A Bear
You’re right – James plead guilty to a harassment charge, and had four more serious charges – including assault – dropped.
With JJ, I also agree that a second chance is warranted for a kid who has given so much to this program, particularly if this is a “one-off” offense without any other underlying behavior issues.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
