Posted on 09/03/2007 6:43:20 AM PDT by Sybeck1
'Furious' coach also implements curfew after arrest of two players
Shawn Taggart and Jeff Robinson, newcomers to the University of Memphis men's basketball team, were arrested outside a Beale Street nightclub early Sunday morning and charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and inciting a riot for their roles in a larger disturbance.
Robinson, a freshman shooting guard from Columbus, N.J., was also charged with misdemeanor assault and had to be subdued by a chemical agent before he was taken into custody, according to the police affidavit.
Tigers coach John Calipari quickly called a news conference Sunday afternoon -- before meeting with the two players in question -- to announce a curfew and a no-nightclub policy for his team, which could be ranked No. 1 nationally in the preseason polls.
Calipari said discipline for the two players, as well as other team members who were at the nightclub, would be determined after a police and school investigation.
"Until we get all the information, the only thing I can tell you is, it's going to be a firm hand," Calipari said. "I'm not happy. I know they're going to screw up. They're young kids, and they're going to do dumb things, like my own children. But how many times have I said, nothing good happens in a club after midnight? We'll deal with this; a lot of it will be in-house. Some of it's not going to be."
According to the police account, officers responded at 3:36 a.m. to a "large disturbance" outside the Plush Club that had spilled out into the street. Taggart, a 6-11 forward from Richmond, Va., had been accused by club security of starting the original disturbance -- that accusation was proven false, according to the report -- and detained by police.
Taggart, 22, then began yelling obscenities, "causing the large crowd to get further agitated and (they) began closing in on officers, trying to pull (the) defendant away from officers, while yelling obscenities, causing the officers to fear for their safety," according to the report.
Robinson, 19, approached a police officer "with balled fists in an extremely aggressive manner, ignoring commands to stop and back up" while also yelling obscenities, according to the police account.
Both players were released on bond; arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in Shelby County Criminal Court.
Neither Taggart nor Robinson has played a game yet for the UofM. Taggart sat out last season in accordance with NCAA rules after transferring from Iowa State, while Robinson just completed his first week as a freshman. Neither was available for comment Sunday.
Calipari said he met with the rest of the team before his news conference to express his anger and describe the team's new rules, which he said will be in place for the foreseeable future.
"I'm furious, to be honest," Calipari said. "I want the city to know this: They're not to be in any clubs. None. If they are, they violated team rules. They're not to be in any establishment (where) primarily they serve alcohol. If they are, they violated team rules.
"We'll have a curfew seven days a week. I've never done that before. But this (incident) steps out of the bounds; it's brazen because of how we've tried to deal with them. We've probably empowered them too much, so we're going to reel it back a little bit. I've asked the players, if anybody here doesn't think they can live with that, I need them to come and see me so we'll help them transfer."
-- Dan Wolken: 529-2365
If they were charged with disorderedly conduct then they step down from the team.
One thing good to say for Calipari, he will discipline his team members, even at the cost of having them for an important game.
These young men are clearly dedicated scholars. Without question doing research for a paper and merely caught up in something that had nothing to do with them.
Sure.
Memo to young people, especially young male athletes —
Nothing good happens if you’re out past midnight. Absolutely nothing good happens if you’re closing down a topless bar at 3:00 AM.
I send this memo to the Indy Pacers, Chicago Bears, Cincy Bengals, and any other sports team where the headlines start out, “The incident happened at an night spot at 3:00 am....”
Guys, c’mon. You’re in the ENTERTAINMENT business. You live in an era of cell phones that can post movies and pictures, with sound, to the internet in seconds. You live in an era where a slap to the butt is considered rape. You have lots of money, and there are many who think that a lawsuit with you is their shot at the lotto.
The ironic thing is that it's very possible Calipari will not even end up having the best team in his own state this season.
These guys are not key players for Memphis. Calipari will throw them under the bus to make himself look good. Meanwhile his star players can do whatever they wnt.
Your post is absolutely correct! Nothing good happens after midnight! Especially outside sleazy nightclubs and bars.
What’s so difficult to understand here?
Good for him!
Too bad there aren't more coaches willing to instill some discipline like Calipari.
where’s Dana Kirk when we need him?? lol
Typical Tiger High antics.
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