for those that haven't been following rafer alston's career, he's had a spectacular year playing for houston. congrats to him. about mid season i realized that i should update this post to congratulate him for getting his professional career on the right track. and, as far as i can tell by the lack of stories about him in the news, his personal lives seems to be as well.

...need to go 'talk to a man about a horse.'

"when did FF become the void and ed show?"

what, you didn't get the private message? check your inbox. that's the mystery message you all keep getting.

f.f. sold to the bee, and they gave us the keys to the castle.

just kidding (obviously). but, since f.f. is all about user generated material, i encourage you to submit articles, events, blogs, etc.

sheesh
exchange phone numbers or something would you.
when did FF become the void and ed show?
and who died and made void the boss?

sheesh
exchange phone numbers or something would you.
when did FF become the void and ed show?
and who died and made void the boss?

A lot of the things that you've stated do clear up quite a few issues.

-And, in the name of taking your position, as well as who you represent seriously?
Ok.

As for food, wine, arthop, (blah-blah blah,)

None of that was in this string.
None of that is in this picture as far as I'm concerned.

It was simply my taking issue with an Ethics instructor acting in an unethical manner about a basketball team.
(Basically?
A bunch of people getting slammed, who've done nothing, by someone who is paid to instruct others and help them find a higher path (ethics wise.)

If you were some schmuck just making stupid remarks about the team?
I'd consider it to be just that, (and not even bother bringing it up as a concern.)
--But you're right.
You've stated who you are, what you do, and where you do it.
(Thanks for stating the facts even more clearly.)

-And seeing you in that context, though it does not put you on a pedestal, -does make things different.

What you are, as a professional? As a sculptor of minds? (As someone who helps people to think and grow?)
Means something.

Maybe other people will not see the disconnect between the comments and the stature/role in society of the person who made them.
-The unfortunate aspect of that?

Considering how poorly people take education, ethics, morality, comments of others, -and the roles of educational leadership (or Christian Educational leadership?)
In this town?
-It's quite likely that they'll just say 'what's the big deal?'
-And not even realize that there is a standard.

-Which is part of Fresno's problem, to be honest.

There is a degree of respect and a degree of understanding what others think and see about their educators (or coaches,) that they often have no clue of (regarding the impact of their words and views.)
It's why some are teachers, and why, in a way, everybody is teaching somebody who is
a.)impressionable to them
b.)listening to them, and
c.)learning and going to carry on the same line of reasoning.
-At the very least?
The Frespac coach completely lost sight of that,
(which is extremely unfortunate.)

You didn't do anything like that.

You just said something in poor taste and owned up to it.

That's hope.

As for my posting on this site 'merely to comment' or criticize your every move, comment, taste in clothing, or food, (or whatnot.)
-Trust me on this.
Such is not the case.

I have no real feelings about your conduct or statements other than that I read them, consider what you have to say, sometimes learn from them, find them to cause whatever response that they do,
-and (ultimately,) wish you well in your endeavours.
(Not too many other ways to say it other than that, and it is the truth.)

I went after these comments, and those that followed for the reasons stated, -and that's it.

despite the irony of the setting and the characters expressing their views?
-it was purely the ethics of the situation I had strongest views about.

-One of many that have passed, -and one of many in the future, I am sure, for both of us.

I know (personally?)
Every once in a while I say or do something unbelievably stupid.
-What bothers me the most about it?
-That others, sometimes, who saw me greater than I did myself, are completely blown away by my failings.
-They didn't have me on a pedestal,
-they just thought I was better than that, that I was more sensitive, that I understood that they looked up to me, (or something,)
I dunno, sometimes, I honestly don't even know what it is.

-But they weren't wrong or 'putting some sort of 'perfection,' trip on me.
-They just really didn't need me blowing it in that way.
(And to be honest? usually I do know better.)

This is not about putting you in an airtight situation where you're not allowed to be human.
-Nor is this like the twisted premise of 'Saw,' or something, where you have to undergo some grueling test of strength, resolve, character, or will to be better, ---or horrible things happen.
(I so have no interest in such a thing.)

Please feel free to write whatever you wish on this forum, -I'll treat it as I would the writings of anyone else, -good or bad. (and have.)

My end of the discussion was seeing the scenario (on so many levels,) the whole issue of
'...okay, you '________' represent '_______' -and you're not acting like it,' what's the deal?
-what's the deal with the basketball player
-what's the deal with the college
-what's the deal with the comments
-what's the deal with the professor who was so messed up for so long
-what's the deal with the community that failed to address this (or develop in maturity that the person who has fallen felt that they could get help.)

It's all been about people who have been given (or earned,) a title and a status, -which meant some sort of respect, trust, and understanding how that plays out with others, -on all those levels.
(including, on a minor scale, your comments, which is the only thing that you're responsible for.)
-That was it.

Get a good night's sleep Ed,
(and have good dreams.)

Tomorrow is another gift from God.
And I hope that you find it enjoyable.

-pax (not pox)

-Eric

first of all, i don't teach ethics @ fpu. i teach ethics @ san joaquin valley college (a private, vocational junior college), where i also teach english & sociology. i don't teach them all at once, though. i suppose if the situation was right i could though.

but, i am a assistant coach @ fpu and adjunct faculty. there, i teach a course that is a basic intro to the bible, Jesus and the Xian community, and also a biblical perspectives class.

i am not a journalist, although i do post frequently on a website owned by the local newspaper company.

not that this changes what i said or anything. i just want you to be able to correctly reference these things in future comments on my blog posts.

btw, when a student there, i worked some janitorial (1 summer + 1 semester). i also dug trenches one summer as the university installed a cogeneration plant. and some other jobs as well during my time. just thought i'd throw that in there.

did i make a joke in poor taste? yes. and, i've apologized here for it. sure, the apology also gave some context for the original joke (fsu basketball history), but it also included my admission that i felt rafer alston, subject of the original post, was a great talent. he's one of those guys that i thought had skills to be in the league and have wondered why he bounced around so much.

i've also admitted that other schools, including mine, have problems.

these are all things i've admitted to. why would i apologize or admit to these things? well, because i'm not trying to hide where i work (i mean, the only reason you know is because i've freely admitted it on f.f.). and i realize that this is a "public space". which, often times encourages me to think about what i'm posting before i post it. apparently, sometimes the filters for my mind aren't the same as others. i made a joke about a story, an unfortunate story. i figured the fsu references would be taken as a joke, light-hearted, etc. like, "here we go again with this." i was excited about scooping ol' scoopy and regurgitated the story without much thought. you didn't take them that way. i will assume that others may not have as well. hence, my apology. not only do i not want to represent the place where i work negatively, i don't want to represent myself negatively. and, i don't want to revel in the downfall of another human being. sometimes blogging takes on a bit of that tone.

of course, i also followed that up with a further little comment joke about reefer madness, in attempt to bring levity back to the post.

as for believing what i teach? well, just thinking about my ethics class, there are plenty of ethical theories that i teach but don't believe. it's an intro to ethics class. there are parts of the class that i do agree with.

can an ethicist tell a joke? can a janitor at a anglican church? i don't know. can the publisher of a newspaper? can a radio talk show host? i'd say yes to these questions, and that they may sometimes tell a joke that's slightly (even grossly) inappropriate. and, sometimes that joke will have consequences. me, right now, one consequence is having to explain myself (this is my 4th comment on the post, and the 2nd clarifying clarifier. not sure if the last one is a real word, but i'm a decider so i say yes.).

if you want to keep questioning my spine, apology, thought process, job, fashion sense, taste in food, thoughts on soccer, downtown, concert reviews, posting of community service events, art hop, etc. feel free. this is a community forum. it's giving me greater perspective on the world. i may not agree with all of your assessments, but usually they're food for thought, even if they can be quite loquacious. it's not like i'm cutting my posts short.

First off:

-If you don't want people to think that you're making negative comments about this guy, the whole basketball team, and FSU Sports?
-Then don't SAY stuff that is exactly that...
(Crazy i, huh???)
-Even if you consider it to be a joke, -which really isn't funny.

-Even then?
Coming across with a 'kinda-sorta-maybe,' owning the remark?
-when you've just made a statement like 'finding a basketball player that hasn't been arrested...?'

Spine, Ed.
Spine.

Seriously... -How do you think the rest of the team feels with stuff like that being said,
---when this player (who you've been a fan of?) has been off the scene of Fresno for almost ten years.

-Mix that in with the fact that it's coming from a professor of ethics from a (rival -though I don't think your college plays in the same conference,) College in Town
-That just had big ink in the Bee about 'training and counselling people in reconciliation among perps/victims, etc..'

You initially claim and think it's funny to call an entire basketball team 'are there any that havn't been arrested?
-but now that's supposed to be a 'good thing,' (getting arrested is not a blot, not a black mark on athletics, not missrepresenting the good name of the team, the sport or the college.)
-ahuh.
-so I guess you were saying a good thing, now?

You're a professor of Ethics at a college that is supposed to be specialists in settling disputes and bringing peace and healing to things from an international level, -down to the local policeforce,
----and you make a crack like that, -not just about the guy, but about the current team, and then FSU Sports.

-Way to go.

Ed.
-Face it, you screwed up.

As for the professor/coach/faculty who was busted for kiddie porn, and corrupting kids (for years?)

You're going to sit there and say that 'he was a nice guy to me, when I knew him.'

-But to me, and anyone who reads the situation and knows a shred of how a pedophile operates?
This makes his behaviors far more advanced and far more crafted (which makes it all the more more heinous,)

-And (if) he was just 'addicted to porn and sick,'

-The college you both were a part of?,
(I'm assuming he's been dismissed,)
-did NOT provide a system where this guy felt like he could be honest enough about his own issues
-that he could approach his own Dean,
any of the chaplains, (anyone,)
and step down, (for years.)
---In other words? He didn't see anything strong enough in his own system (academically,) ---and he was pitching for them, -to believe in....

-which doesn't just tell me that he had major issues (which nobody seemed to know about?)

-but that the school,
that has not only designs and measures to be sure that the (students/teachers) are acting in a morally decent manner (albeit it's supposed to be on trust,)
---was NOT able to provide this guy the situation to admit his faults, back out of his position, -and get help.

(...otherwise?, -if he was a 'good guy,' you think he would have taken those measures???)

Problems here.
Deep.
Glad that 'everywhere else' the school can help people resolve their issues.
Home?
-Lets talk about everywhere else, -k?

But seriously?

-professor of Ethics who thinks it's fine to slam the athletics team of the local (state,) university. (Then retract jab by saying they were just kidding.)

-Major-pillar track coach/professor of same (Moral standard higher than State School IE: 'we demand a Christian Lifestyle of our students and teachers,' College Busted after years of collecting kiddie porn, -while thinking he's exchanging it (and other things,) online with a 14 year old, (who turns out to be a cop.)

-Whole time?
Same said college getting ink in paper for having courses (and also having entire schools within college,) all about reconciliation training and degrees offered (on up past Master's Level, I believe,)

-with highly compromised track coach (now removed, hopefully,)
-and you taking pot-shots at FSU's sports department (excepting the ones who've not been arrested.)
---to which you've 'kinda sorta admitted was unfair...'

Immed Sense?

(one of the issues?)
-You screwed up. You said something stupid.
--you kinda admitted to it, and that it was a dumb thing to say. (okay, we all say stupid things.)

-But the reality of it is?
It's not just:
'Ed saying a stupid thing about FSU sports, and the Basketball team, and this player (who has not darkened the door of FSU since 1998-1999,)
-It's that you, (an Ethics professor at the local 'Christian,' University, ---the one that has (more than a few,)major programs in Reconciliation, Peacekeeping, Arbitration, (yadda-yadda,)
-Not only present this guy as being a further failure to rep. Fresno properly
(the team he was on nearly ten years ago,)
for loosing his temper and slashing a guy?
(who he might even had thought had his car stolen?)

But then?
you also
half back pedal out of it,
half admitting that you were slamming the school, the team, (etc,) unfairly,

---But that's not really saying '...You know what, that was a lousy thing to say, and as a professor of Ethics at a local Christian College, I should know better, I was totally wrong.'
(Notice the differenc Ed?)

-And then stating that the coach that you knew was doing things 'out of character,' 'was a good guy,' -and sort of have this bewilderment how the same guy could be the one caught.
-It just makes the reader think:
'Jeez, can these people really OWN-UP to something, I mean, even on the dumbest level???'

Now, -are you responsible for the (other professor's)actions?
Nope.
Not at all.

-Is your college handling it properly?
Who knows?
By now it's a legal case and nobody is going to say anything because if one thing this guy did could drag the college into it, (even using a computer to send filthy images to some kid?)
-the Attorneys are gonna line up like they're giving away free money.
-so you ain't gonna ever hear of this situation with the coach again, unless it's far far down the road.
The college has an enormous amount to loose if it's handled incorrectly.
(A chimp knows that.)

I guess my main beef?

1. The school is a major institution that is going around on everything from an International level to a local level, -specializing in bringing peace, settlement, and healing (even) in legal situations where crimes have been committed.

-Yet one of it's chief professors,(who they named the track after,)
-can't trust IN that system, and the practices of it enough to admit that he has a problem with looking at little kids with their pants off.
-Why?

-As a faculty member? He didn't believe in the system he was in, -NOR- that the laws that he was breaking applied to him,(why I don't know.)
-He probably didn't even see the kids images he was looking at as being 'real people.'

2. Further-Problem?
Blurring that?
-Him living an 'alternate life' where he could engage in sexual conversations and sent illicit pictures to a 14 year old, ---some how became okay...
(...IN all of this? ALL he saw was HIM, (those were'nt even kids he was seeing or talking to, they were just something to beat off too.)

In the process of him ruining the lives of those kids?
He also ruined the reputation of the school,
the athletics department,
and the trust and memory that anyone who trained under him had,

--you get that?
(...Unlike some dumb remark about another colleges ball team, this guy REALLY ruined all those situaitons and people, ---some of which for good...)

---But he lost all sight of that and thought that he was just 'himself,' doing something perverse in the night, ---but that nobody else was affected.
----Yet he's a pillar at a college that is noted for it's ethical and moral construct, ---and the ability to bring peace and healing all over the place.

-I'm sure there were times where he probably felt that he was doing good and bad at the same time, ---and the good that he was doing was outweighing the bad, (kinda like how you said '...he's a good guy,' -and how when you knew him it seemed so opposite his character.

Now that's pretty severe.
You don't find that too often, (thank God,)
---but in 'Belief Circles,' (Christian Colleges, Ethical Societies and such, (even 'cops that are supposed to uphold the law breaking it?')
---This is commonplace, -this 'forgetting what one means, and stands for -and seeing things only from one's own warped view.)
(Don't sweat it, in Eschatological circles? There is this condition that comes up identified as '...they have a belief but have forgotten and failed to see the power in it, and have forgotten God..'
(one of the major premise's of James, '..that whole 'woe to you who make meat of the poor, fatherless, etc. etc.)
---Great stuff, (I mean, the church fathers didn't like it because it was a little on the 'judgemental,' side, --but it's Jesus Little brother, and what are you gonna do???)

Way more minor scale?

-I mean, it's just slandering somebody, and a college sports department?
Your joke.

-And here's the catch, Ed.

Ya see?
It's not just some yutz making a remark about 'finding a basketball player who hasn't been arrested.'
I mean, you can find that and more on message boards all over the place, -people say really stupid stuff.

-But you represent something, no matter what, no matter where.
(It's called a College, -you're not just the janitor, (...though, personal experience tells me?
the Janitor is probably some grad student who has tons of heart, humility, and is probably from some backwater of a foreign land, -who chooses their words very carefully, -out of respect that others will hear them...)

-You're a professor who teaches Ethics.
(Now, I promise you,
don't loose any sleep thinking that I'm all worked up because you have to be perfect and a role model or something, ---that's not the case.)

-But you,
a professor of ethics,
at the Christian College that specializes in healing wounds (and getting paid to teach people how to do this?)
-Now making slandering comments about the rest of the basketball team and FSU sports?
-Can't do that Ed.
(You see, It makes you look like a big ol' hypocrite.)
(Makes your school like it's 'all about peace,'
-but has people who specialize in ethics who get off making slandering remarks about other colleges ball teams, you know, 'the honest decent kids,' ---the ones who havn't been arrested yet.)

(Makes the school, -and you- look bad,,, Ed.)

I think you get that, Ed,
I think you got it quite a while ago...
(That's why you don't want people to think about what you said, you know, how you said it...)

But don't worry.
This is far from
'...Hey Ed, you're a Ethics Teacher, You're a Christian, You're college runs around telling people how to live and straighten their issues out, ---you need to be PERFECT...'

Nope.

In fact, I think your college has done some great stuff in terms of conflict resolution,
(It may even be a good program, there are people who are a part of the whole process who I'm still praying for.)

--There is some bad...
I mean, you guys DO bounce out gay kids,
-and kids who have intimate relations prior to being married,
(which:
for the straight kid? I think is hitting second or third base,
--the gay kid?
saying 'I'm Gay.')

-but aside from that concern?, heck, banner institution.

-I just think you need to realize, just like your coach needed to remember that he represented a whole lot more than just some guy who got off on the keys with little kids?

-You as an Ethics instructor at a College that has such standards of ethical, moral, and social concience?

-really shouldn't go slandering a whole basketball team, nor sports department by saying that it's hard to find any of them who've not been arrested.'

(Especially if you're part of that whole, you, know, 'conflict resolution, peacemaking, healing, Ethical' thing,)

It's not that you're supposed to be perfect and not have your opinnions about corruption in sports and college, (anybody can and should have an opinion about right and wrong.)

-It's just that, taking this guys behaviors,
-and inferring that the whole team and sports department of FSU get arrested more often than not?
Is careless and not to smart.

Coming from a professor of another area college?
It's unethical.
Coming from an Ethics professor?

-Geez,
I dunno,
-if you believe the stuff you teach?
Doesn't those remarks kind of show that you don't think that whole effort: ethics, peacemaking, conflict resolution,
-doesn't mean a whole lot?

'-They profess something that they don't believe,' Ed.

Food for thought, Ed.
Food for thought.

"What gets me?
-Despite the fact that one guy has a rage issue, (wrong,) -and should be held accountable (and hopefully trained/formed) to not be this way anymore,
---and is seen as a black mark on the sport (which I'm assuming was your point?,)"

the point of my original post was twofold. the first, was to jokingly poke at fresno state athletics. the second was to post a relevant story to the fresno area that i had seen on a national sports news website, especially since i had yet to see it on the local news website. in some small way it felt like breaking a story.

as to the professor:
"--and he's still seen as '...a good guy, who's behavior seems so out of character, -whom you don't understand 'how he got tangled up in such things.' "

but i'm not excusing his actions, or anything like that. and, i never did in the previous comment in this thread. nor did i say "tangled up", "fell into" or anything else like that. those are all your words, and you seem to build on them and the ideas that they represent. my exact words were, "mixed up in." like, i'm mixed up in this conversation right now. how did it get so far away from my joke about fresno state athletics? well, good question. but, it is where it is. maybe it's only me, but when things are mixed up in something, they're a part of it. push the analogy too far, it will break, but that will always happen. i am saying, 'i know this guy. it seemed out character for the person i know. i don't know how he ended up so far away from the things i knew of him. (then again, how much of each other do we really know?) now, we can disagree on whether or not he truly was a good guy, and that's fine. but, the person that he always was around me for about a decade was a good person. there was obviously much more to him than i knew, but as far as i experienced, he was a good person. again, not justifying or excusing the crime that he took a plea bargain for, just telling you what i knew of the man.

regarding the athlete:
"HE's seen as a villain," "The basketball player who has attitude problems and gets busted for 'thug-life,' behavior?
---blot on 'the sport,' 'the college,'
-and, since we elevate our players to 'god status,'
---a blot and dissapointment on society."

to be clear, i didn't say any of that, nor do i want my opinions/jokes/etc associated with those words for any future readers that may skim this post an assume that i did. i did point out the details of two specific incidents, as reported by the police. i did not call rafer alston a villain, a thug, a blot on society, college. i did make a joke about fresno state basketball based on several sorta recent (within the past 10 years) events of being involved in crime/scandalous behavior.

You see, on the one hand:

-You have a kid (albiet a grown up one,) -perhaps many who have had extreme competition and very 'street-wise hard-line,' rules to come up in in one of the most difficult areas of the country,
-who is part of a circumstance that does not enforce character strength, (though it's supposed to.)

-Players are given substances (both legal and illegal,)
-They are allowed to be 'players,' -and have their behavioral issues kind of 'glossed over,'

-They have points shaved, papers written (etc. etc.)
--Why? because they are 'players, -and because they make
'our school, our team,' WINNERS (on the court etc.)
---they are allowed to be be 'you know, different,' than the rest of folks.

--Anger issues?
Roid rage?
Extreme (literally,) cut-throat behavior?
---All can be found, -and any athlete will tell you that it's there, and has to be mastered in onesself.

---If someobody is just 'excellent,' at 'the game,'
-but not good in 'people skills?' -or is 'aggressive,' --it's held in a different context.
(We all know this.)

-Now, that persons behaviors, -taints and is a 'signature,' of the sport and the team,
--the more players like that? the worse the rep.
-The more inferrances that can be made -against others who HAVE learned to have strong moral character and not do the things that others have done, (whether by encouragement (or) by personal failure.)

---So we look at that situation and say: Another athlete who is breaking the law, so what else is new, (and even (incorrectly,)
'find me one who doesn't do this.'
-Okay, you owned up to smearing FSU sports and basketball players for FSU in general...

-But still, we know that there's a problem.

Now:
(In my mind,)

WORSE situation:
-Noted coach
-Heavy contact with impressionable students
-Looked up to as a coach/father figure by his crew(s)
-(further) --being in a (Religious,) college that holds not only it's students, but faculty and staff to a high standard (calling it Biblical,)
--The rules of conduct and moral ethics are not 'as the world is,'
(IE: FSU, -where the athlete and coach is representing 'the greater body and reputation of the town/state/school,)
--and must be examples of the good standing of all of those things (and the laws,)

BUT:

-Is a school that answers to, and claims a 'higher,' authority.
-God.

The coach had been exchanging information, photos, notes, etc. for years with people who he thought were as young as 8.
(8.)
--That's a third grader, Ed.
-According to the findings?
These were pictures of children posing naked, and engaging in sex acts.)

Now:
-I can understand your being hurt and upset that somebody (who was your coach,) having done this?

But looking at it (in it's complete setting.)

He admits to haveing done this for years,
-that he had a library of materials,
-AND-
it was only AFTER an undercover officer (who the coach thought was a 14 year old girl,) -busted him,
-Did he 'admit,' to his failings.
(Dude did'nt admit shit, he got CAUGHT.)

So:
-One hand?
-Athlete, probably has behavioral issues, who learns that laws can and will be bent, ---because that's the world that he grew up in, (both in Queens and in pro-sports.)
-He signs contracts, basically knowing that if he breaks those rules, -there will be probationary times, -but not 'the end of the world.'
---He gets carried away, his ethical stance is compromised, (and situational to begin with,) -and he's caught.

---HE's seen as a villain,
-the more who act like him (and are caught,) are seen as villians.
-by whom?
-The fans and the people who pay the money to make him what he is, (good and bad.)

-He still has a personal responsibility,(he's a member of the state, he knows the rules and laws,)
---so it's not like he's 'excused.'
-but so long as he was winning? I'm sure he was excused a lot of things that 'regular folks,' would not be excused of.
-Doesn't make it right.
-It does NOT mean that all atheletes are this way.
-In fact?
in some schools, being 'on the team,' meant that you had to be exemplary -as you represented that school, state, town, (etc.)
---Most athletes understand this and try to live by this.

The other hand:

-A paid faculty member (Professor,) of a major religious
(Christian: read: must have hight moral conduct and standards at all times -or one is failing to act as Christ.)

-Paid leader,
-as well as one who signs (I'm sure,) conduct documents (tenured or not,) -that states that they 'will not engage in any illegal or immoral behaviors ---that would (not just,) be illegal in the eyes of the state, county, nation, (BUT) -would be considered immoral and acting against the commonly held understanding of Christian Law and conduct.'

WHICH laws also state (and have numerous examples in it's 'foundation,' book (the Bible,)
---that if a person does wrong?
-They are duty bound (not just,) to stop doing wrong.
-But to confess their wrongdoing to the greater body, their own family, to God,
---and be accountable (but to take rull responsiblity for their own behaviors.)
-Did the coach do that?
No.

He was caught (after years,) by someone pretending to be a 14 year old.

-Is this worse than the 'player,' who's just 'corrupted,' and showed improper judgement?
-Yes, (oh, they're both wrong, ain't nobody wearing a halo on this.)

-But First,
(in terms of athletics,)
-the Coach is a leader, he is a father figure and one who is to be trusted with the bodies and souls of all who he is coaching.
--There is to be no violation nor trespass against (not just those being coached,)
--but to all that are similar, (not just his college kids, -but ALL kids.)
(And that's just as a coach.)

-As a Christian?
(And I'm assuming that this person signed a 'statement of faith somewhere?')

-There is NO question (again,) that pedophila is wrong, -and there is the further standard of one confessing and (not just,) seeking forgiveness and being treated with by the laws standards, -but to make restitution for what was done wrong.

-What gets me?
-Despite the fact that one guy has a rage issue, (wrong,) -and should be held accountable (and hopefully trained/formed) to not be this way anymore,
---and is seen as a black mark on the sport (which I'm assuming was your point?,)

-You have a leader and one who is even higher in terms of trust in the community
(both on athletic (AND) socio-religious) reasons
---who had violated untold amounts of children (when he's an adult,)

--and he's still seen as '...a good guy, who's behavior seems so out of character, -whom you don't undestand 'how he got tangled up in such things.'

-One guy?
Rage issues.
(arguably never truly put under control, -might even have been used to develop him as an 'aggresive player with heart.' (okay, he's wrong.)

-Other guy?
-COMPLETELY aware of the code of conduct required by any teacher, any coach,
-Christian or Not.
-Builds a data base (for years,) of minors engaging in sex acts, ---as well as distributing said material to other minors
-Who lies about it,
-even though year afer year he's renewing a contract that states that he will conduct himself in a Christian manner at all times as
(a.) he represents Christ, and
(b.) represents a Christian School.

--All of which took repeatedly advanced effort to (not only hide,) the behaviors,
--but go through more advanced levels of 'annonymity and security,' clearnance
---to just get these materials,
(to which on every turn, he has to tell himself
'yeah, this is really wrong, but I just don't care,
yeah these are Children that I'm getting off on, (and am corrupting,)
-but (for whatever reason,) I don't care.'

-And yet, 'he's a good-guy.'

---The basketball player who has attitude problems and gets busted for 'thug-life,' behavior?
---blot on 'the sport,' 'the college,'
-and, since we elevate our players to 'god status,'
---a blot and dissapointment on society.

-The former coach who was doing perverted things with children?
-Somebody who has a problem,
-who 'got entangled,'
(NOT)
'...deliberately chose and planned, and exploited, (for years,)...'

Nope...-He just 'fell into it.'

-'getting entangled,'
-MIGHT be something like:
He and the missus were having some problems,
or maybe he was at a conference someplace and, upon coming turning on the boob tube one night, he puts on the the playboy channel and starts hitting it....'
(I mean, that's not right, it's not cool, it's still deliberate choice, it breaks the rules of the college and the covenant of marriage, (and yeah, women these days do think that such a thing is a type of unfaithfulness,,,)

But for whatever reason?

'...Oh look at the good he did elsewhere, look at what a fine example he's been elsewhere,'
'look how NOT like his character (all) that is.'

It's an old cliche' but there is a saying:

Reputation is what others know you as, but Charater and truth are what you are in the dark when nobody's looking.

What I think is really sad?

There's been tons of breakthrough therapy and breakthrough counselling, (probably even taught at the college...)

---as well as the extremely NON breakthrough constant
(be it Mennonite or not,) -of the Bible,
---which is the World this guy (as a major school proff.)
-was immersed in every day, for decades?

--And the Bible is all about honesty, healing, forgiveness, -even healthy sexuality,
---and the benefits of maintaining a sincere lifestyle that doesn't mean 'perfect,'
-but it does mean 'healthy and growing
-which means not being the sum of one's faults,
-(AND)- as a body of Christians? being able to support and rally around somebody who is struggling, -so that their unhealthy ways could be traded in for healthy ones.
(Which is the basic definition of 'New Life in Christ.'

This guy? (and I'm referring to the professor,)

-DIDN'T believe in this,
and didn't believe in it enough to actually 'fess up'
-YEARS ago,
---and say '...I've got a problem, and I need to get help, an step down, -before I hurt anyone else, or hurt this school...'

He didn't do that.
He didn't do it because he didn't believe in it.
He didn't believe in it, because, -as a part of it?
He knew it didn't exist as deep as his issues went.
(I hope you understood what I just said.)

-And you know what, Ed?

That's messed up.

-And I got news for you...
-Regardless of whether the 'religious world,' around him was sincere and truly acting as Christ would?'

-Or whether it was just a bunch of expensive religious window dressing, (that has very strict codes to live by, I guess.)

---He still knew right from wrong,
doing something from stopping,
-and bad from good.

-And any adult as educated and totally reminded how such behaviors were NOT acceptable?
Who still shows filthy things to a 14 year old, (and propositions them?)

-is not a 'good guy.'
(...so yah, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, chief.)

Sick and in need of help?
Yeah.
At the very least.

I'm sure that there are bad jocks and good jocks.

I'm sure that some of them even get away with murder.

I am positive that most of them are just decent folks who just love whatever game it is that they're good at.
-and that there's going to be 'bad apples,' who make the rest of the barrel look bad...

I think there is also something fundamentally wrong with a situation where bad behavior is passed over.
-And I don't believe for a minute that anybody's actions (in this day and age,) can't be discovered, (and yeah, this wasn't '...oh shit, got caught looking at a copy of hustler...' while on the hopper and he's 16...

-Finally?
-I think that the basketball player who was corrupt was wrong,
-but he only had so much of a 'church or governing body,' to confess to and go for healing,
---and again, an aggressive player is a well played one.

I think that a professor who has such severe problems,
-who's a part of a religious order and institution who KNOWS that he can't go to his dean or advisor, -and 'deal with it,'
Is saying a LOT

-Not just about their own unbelief in their own system, (that they're teaching.)

--but about that system itself, and how, somebody who really NEEDED a valid 'family,' to confess to,
-and get help via?

Simply was not there.

you posted, i read your post, i posted twice, and somehow my posts jumped ahead. the time stamp on the bottom of your post reads later than mine, but i definitely read your reply and replied to it. the gremlins must be @ work again ovver @ f.f. i wonder where this one will end up.

as for the fpu coach and professor convicted, he was a prof i had, a coach of mine, and a good guy. i'm still not sure how he got mixed up in the things he did, it just seemed so far from his character.

on those english pot studies, closer examination reveals that they are actually just reassessments of previous studies. this is somewhat common, to reexamine other people's data and draw out new conclusions. i read the story initially on the bbc's newsite, and thought, "huh." then, i read some other news stories that talked about how everyone jumped at the "new" study that was really a meta-study of 7 others, some of which were kinda old. if you would like to read that, click here.

btw, i'm not for legalizing pot (although i did have 'locks and was repeated solicited for it). not that i have strong feelings against it, just not for it. but, i do like making jokes.

First off:

Ed's two responses were in response (I'm assuming,) to the post that is directly above this one.

-I had done some research and found that FSU in fact was not the only school locally that has had sports figures that had run afoul of the law.

Fresno Pacific had a noted track coach (who's field they named after him,) busted in January for child porngraphy charges. (This after a undercover posed as a 14 year old, -to which he sent pictures and comments to the officer.)
-He also stated that he had been involved with this sort of thing for a number of years.)

-That update, in part, was put in the orig. post,
(just to clarify what I thought I had remembered, and found with a simple google.)

During that time (of revising my first post?) Ed posted his apology for taking a cheap shot at the members of FSU's basketball team, and FSU sports in general.
(kinda-sorta.)

I appreciate Ed's apology for his remark.

Hopefully the peacemaking process (in Fresno and on a global scale,) will continue in a healthy fashion.

I do also hope that all involved who were brought up on the various charges
(both at FSU
-(though it's still not clear exactly HOW extensive this problem is,)

-as well as the tenured Faculty member of Fresno Pacific would be encouraged to live responsibly, -and get the help that they need.

-More?
That those who were victimized in these situations be given help, and those who have been affected not feel deterred from going to the proper authorities as this will no doubt be an ongoing problem.

-I would also hope that those who were innocent (even in the joke,) be viewed and considered such.

PS: -Ed?
Regarding Pot?
In efforts to try to make it legal?
There have been some significant studies (out of the UK?) that are now starting to find that prolonged cannibus use does in fact accelerate and exascerbate mental conditions not only,
-but including increased paranoia,
-delusional schizoid behavior,
-and what could only be described as an 'addled,' thought process.

-This was found while others were trying to clarify that use of cannibus as a 'symptom,' relieving drug was in fact, as harmless as everybody was claiming.
-Regrettably, official data is starting to show otherwise.
--(however, -hang around with a long time 'stoner,' -and you'll see the results pretty clearly.)

Legalizing pot may not go as smoothly as folks would like.

Sorry.

i apologize again if anyone was offended by the title of my last post, whether it was due to their affinity for reefer or rafer alston and the connection to madness.

it has been repeatedly proven that reefer does not cause madness, or insanity.

rafer, although he has recently been arrested is probably a very nice guy (i've not met him).

true, he's from queens, as mentioned in the article. it also directly stated that he attended college @ fresno state. and, i would imagine that most readers here haven't followed the career path of rafer alston before or after fresno state. those that follow sports may occasionally hear his name in the sports reports on the news, but i would guess that most don't realize how he has bounced around the league (4 teams in 8 seasons). i've tried to follow his career because i thought he was such a great talent @ fsu. and, he's had a decent nba career. not great, but he's remained in the league. but, he was also on the fresno state team during an era of "questionable" recruits that often found themselves in trouble with the law. many fresnans may remember these guys as much from reading in the paper about their legal woes (point shaving, dui's, samuri swords, assault, having papers written for them, etc.) as their on-court victories. and now, he's involved himself in the sadder side of sports again.

i'm pretty sure as an adult college student you can establish residence in another state, but i'm not sure on all the details of that one.

am i taking a cheap shot, albeit jokingly, at fresno state athletics? yes. am i smearing them unfairly? perhaps so. for that, i offer an apology to any fresno state athletes, alumni, supporters, or anyone else who i offended by my joke about criminals on their basketball team.

do others colleges, and college athletes have problems? definitely yes.

Er, Ed?

I clicked on the link (it's not a long story, pretty direct and to the point,) in the write up?
This statment was in it:

'Alston, who grew up in Queens, was ordered to return to court on Jan. 3.'

I thought Queens was a boro of NYC?

-I realize that the guy attended and played for FSU (then apparently went to a midwest pro-team in like, '99 or something?

--Not sure if they do things differently here in Fresno,
-but I know in states back East?

Unless I had NO other residence possible (other than a college residence,)
-Are your own legal guardian.
-You CANNOT claim college housing as a permenant residence (to get a state driver's license,)
without a ton of paperwork from the school filled out,
(even then, though, a Dorm Residency usually is only considered:

'Student residing on grounds for the sake of Schooling,' (not) 'Officially a state resident.'

-So unless this guy completely was off his parents (or guardians tax returns as a dependant,)
(meaning that he was a freestanding adult,)
-And had either rented or purchased a dwelling here in California, (not campus housing,) (Which meant that he had to get a new Driver's license within weeks of moving here.)
---He was simply a 'college kid' here who was not a resident.
(You can claim residency (usually only after,) one year, -but you can appeal to claim state residency quicker if you care to.)

-So is this guy a 'Fresno resident who's got a temper problem?'

Or is he somebody raised in Queens coming up, (which is a pretty tough area,)
who attended FSU and played for the college team (for a few years?) and moved on, (or BACK) to where he's from (again, he was in NY when this crime occurred.)

Further:

Asking the question
'...what Fresno State Basketball player hasn't been arrested..'
-kinda leads me (as a reader,) to think that you are saying that 'it's hard to find one that hasn't been arrested' (if any.)

-Sort of casts the whole team into a 'pack of thugs/criminals,' image, dontcha think?
(Is this accurate or fair to the team?)

Though I have been told that there has been a problem with sports teams (both collegiate and pro) protecting their players' image,
-and that this has happened in Fresno? (It happens all over the place, actually.)

-I'm trying to see where this guy, raised to late adolescence in Queens
-who played here for a few years,
-and has been gone for nearly a decade (again, moved on in 98-99
--would still have strong ties or 'reps,' the school.

Further:
What to do with the comment: '...what Fresno State Basketball Player hasn't been arrested?...'

-Coming from a professor who teaches ethics and such at a College (recently publishing an article about 'reconciliations,' (peacemaking/peacekeeping,) -as a groundbreaking major (dealing specifically with,)
'...settling issues between perpetrators of crimes, -and the victims/families.' (reconciliations.)

I'm a little confused by these comments and what the goal would be.

-What does this say about members of the team that have not broken the law?

If there is a point to be made about sports programs
(FSU included, ---or even FresPac or City,) having any of it's (present or past,) athletes, coaches, faculty, staff, (etc,) either harbored and protected or given deferential treatment of any sort 'because of what they mean to the school / to protect the image of the school.'

-or that there is a high rate of cimes among non-pro, semi-pro, and pro athletes may be a legitimate concern here in Fresno? I can see raising a question.
(That 'athletes in society have a history of violent behavior in their domestic lives,' is nothing new.)

But is FSU worse than everywhere else?
Is the entire team a bunch of criminals as you are inferring?

-Do other colleges have issues as well?,
(did somebody from FresPac, a private Christian College, which holds itself to a higher moral standard due to it's religious affiliations, get busted for porn or something? -Weren't they invovled with sports?)
(...My memory is not clear on this, but did something of this nature happen in the last two years?)
(edit: research done: article printed below.)

-And as for that 'peacemaker,'role (and entire focus/school,) within the Curriculim of FresPac,
---is your rhetorical question 'most of the FSU basketball team have been arrested,'
-following the lines of that philosophy, ethic, and (advertised and recently touted,) 'core belief/focus/drive?'

Is accusing members of that ball team, or any other, (who have not committed any crimes nor been arrested,)
-in keeping with peacekeeping?

Or is it just smearing others?