We’re not surprised that Urban Liar Meyer may be headed to the pros. We’re just surprised that he isn’t headed directly for Cincinnatti. That shock is reasonable. After all, if Meyer were to go to the pros, wouldn’t he want to go to the team that defines lack of character? Wouldn’t he want to go to a program where it seems that half the squad was arrested last year?
Because, after all, that’s the kind of program he runs down there in sunny Gainesville.
UF apologists will point to the school’s pretty co-eds, easy academics and sunny weather as reasons to go there. All true, and all pretty good things to advertise to 18 year old football player recruits. But those same people won’t mention that Urban doesn’t care about his kids’ future beyond playing ball. They are certainly not at UF to learn. Just 30% of African American players at UF graduate according to the NCAA. They’re not there to stay out of trouble. They’re there to do whatever they want, so long as they can put up 6 or blow up an opponent’s screen pass.
Want facts to back up all this rhetoric? Fine, just check out the litany of ‘player issues’ below. Reminds you a bit of the Bengals last year doesn’t it? Cincy had 13 arrests last yar. Even though I only have details on 8 arrests below, it looks like there were 12 UF-related arrests in the past 8 months. Giddeyup!
Arrest 1: Florida LB Arrested in Parking Garage Brawl
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida linebacker Dustin Doe has been charged with fighting in public for his involvement in a large brawl in a downtown Gainesville parking garage.
Police responded to the scene at 2:25 a.m. Sunday, and Doe was observed fighting in a group of 20 or more people. Doe and two others, Raymond Leonard Smoaks and Jeffrey Brown, were arrested, according to police reports.
When police approached the scene, Doe turned away to leave the area, according to a report.
Doe was arrested and charged with fighting in public, a misdemeanor. He did not answer a telephone call Monday seeking comment.
Doe is scheduled to start this year for the Gators. He played in every game in 2006 in a reserve role.
Arrest 2: Ronnie Wilson Fires AK-47 During Argument
(Biscuit Edit: FREAKING AK - 47!!!!! These ‘college players’ are strapped with assault weapons and are somehow called students. This is madness.)
By Lise Fisher
Sun staff writer
4-5-07
Universityof Florida top offensive lineman Ronnie Matthew Wilson was arrested early Thursday on charges of aggravated assault, simple battery and useor display of a concealed weapon during the commission of a felony, aGainesville Police arrest report stated.
Police accused Wilson, 19, of shooting a semi-automatic rifle after a dispute with another man, according to the report.
Wilson later told police he took the rifle out of his trunk and fired one shot into the air because he wanted the other man “to know how it felt to be scared,” the report stated.
Wilson was being held at the Alachua County jail pending a first court appearance.
Arrest 3: Student Accuses UF Football Player of Robbery
4/23/07
By MIKE MCCALL
Alligator Writer
Five UF football players were involved in a confrontation at a weekend party, according to a Gainesville Police Department report.
The players, identified on the scene as scholarship football athletes by a UF student, were involved in a robbery at a party at Cabana Beach Apartments on Saturday.
The players have not been named bypolice, and UF coach Urban Meyer has yet to confirm that they are football players, the report states.
On Saturday, a UF student was taking kegs out of his truck when the men approached him. One 6-foot-4, 280-pound man attempted to steal his keg, cutting his neck in the process, according to the report. The cut was 5 to 6 inches long, the report states, and it appeared to be the result of a finger nail or ring.
The other four players on the scene restrained the attacker, who then broke away and assaulted the student again, slamming him into his truck, according to the report.
After the second attack, the players forced the attacker into a red Ford Taurus and began to leave the scene, the report states.
While the car was still moving, the attacker again tried to run at the victim, but was stopped by his teammates, who likely prevented a third attack,according to the report.
Several more players were at the party, but were not involved in the incident, the report states.
The incident is the third this month involving a UF football player.
Earlier, linebacker Dustin Doe was charged with fighting in public.
Offensive lineman Ronnie Wilson received felony charges of aggravated assault andt he use, display or concealment of a weapon or firearm.
Saturday’s incident is not the first involving UF players and kegs.
Two years ago, linebacker Taurean Charles was dismissed from the team following another keg-related incident.
He was charged after throwing a keg at a UF student.
Arrest 4: Florida DB Munroe Charged with Theft
By ANDY STAPLES The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 29, 2007
DESTIN— University of Florida safety Dorian Munroe was arrested last week and charged with theft after Munroe admitted to a UF police officer that he had removed a UPD ”boot” from one of his tires and placed it in his trunk.
Munroe was charged with a third-degree felony, according to a police report, because the boot was valued at $385. UF’s police department places the boots on vehicles whose owners either have three or more outstanding parking tickets or five guilty citations within a year.
According to the report, Munroe was called to UPD headquarters on May 22. There, according to the report, Munroe told officer Brian Boydthat he had taken the boot off his 1987 Mercedes. The boot was removed from Munroe’s trunk, and Munroe was arrested and transported to Alachua County jail. He was released Wednesday.
UF athletic department spokesman Steve McClain said Tuesday that Gators coach Urban Meyer is aware of the incident and that there is an internal process in place to handle such matters. Munroe, a rising sophomore from Miami, is expected to compete for significant playing time this season.
Arrest 5: UF Football Player/Hoops Player Arrested on Drug Charges
Alachua County
POWELL, BRANDON CHARLES ASO07MNI005526 FA 06/12/2007
JAMES, BRANDON K ASO07MNI005525 FA 06/12/2007
By Lise Fisher
Sun staff writer
Two University of Florida athletes, one a basketball player and another a football player, were arrested overnight by Gainesville Police on allegations of drug possession, jail records showed.
Brandon Charles Powell and Brandon K. James, both 19, were being held at the Alachua County jail on charges of purchase and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, according to court records.
Powell was a freshman last year with the college’s basketball team, while James was a freshman who played a major role in the 2006 national championship football team as a kickoff and punt returner.
Arrest 6: Former UF Receiver Faces Multiple Charges
By Jonathan Okanes
Cal wide receiver Nyan Boateng was arrested in Gainesville, Fla., last week and was charged with burglary residence, battery and criminal mischief.
According to Gainesville police Sgt. Chuck Reddick, Boateng attempted to enter the home of his former girlfriend early Thursday morning. When she refused to let him in, Boateng kicked in the door and entered anyway.
Boateng, a transfer from the University of Florida, is scheduled to sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules. He will be a junior in 2008 and have two years of eligibility remaining.
Boateng was a football and basketball star at Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was basketball teammates with the NBA’s Sebastian Telfair. Boateng played one season at Florida, catching two passes for 44 yards as a freshman.
“We’re aware there was an incident in Florida and we’re gathering all the information we can,” Cal athletic spokesman John Sudsbury said.
Boateng worked out with Cal during the spring and looked like a potential star. With junior wide receiver DeSean Jackson possibly leaving for the NFL after this season, Boateng could be a perfect fit to fill in.
The burglary charge is a felony while the other two are misdemeanors. A court date is pending.
Arrest 7: Gator Player Charged with Burglary
By
Karen Voyles
A senior on the University of Florida football team was arrested early Tuesday and charged with burglary according to Gainesville Police.
Earl A. “Tony” Joiner, 21, was arrested at 4:59 a.m. outside the fenced impound lot of Watson’s Towing at 516 SW 1st St.
Senior defensive back Earl A. “Tony” Joiner, 21, was arrested at 4:59 a.m. outside the fenced impound lot of Watson’s Towing at 516 SW 1st St.
Joiner, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 194 pounds, was accused of pushing a heavy electric gate open to enter the lot in an attempt to retrieve his girlfriend’s car which was being held in lieu of a $76 towing bill, according to police reports.
According to Gainesville Police, witnesses said a man pushed open the gate at 4:30 a.m., got into a car, drove the car out of the lot and was trying to close the gate when he was confronted by one of two witnesses. The witness said the man drove the car back into the lot and waited for officers to arrive.
The officer who arrested Joiner, Robert Concannon, noted in the arrest report that Joiner was on a phone talking to someone when Concannon walked up to Joiner. Concannon said he heard Joiner talking into the phone and saying, “I am probably about to go to jail ‘cuz I did push the gate open.”
Arrest 8: Cunningham and Demps Arrested on Burglary Charges
By: Lindsay Jones
Starting defensive end Jermaine Cunningham was arrested early Wednesday morning on a misdemeanor battery charge after reportedly causing a disturbance at an sandwich shop near campus.
According to a Gainesville Police report, Cunningham and former Gator linebacker Jon Demps got into an argument with an employee at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich shop, located on University Avenue. When the employee reportedly told Cunningham and Demps they had to pay for a bag of potato chips, Cunningham and Demps became “verbally abusive” and began throwing items, including empty soda cups and a sandwich, at the employee.
Cunningham and Demps left the store, and were arrested on campus at 2:49 a.m.
According to records from the Alachua County Jail, he was booked at 3:56 a.m. and was still at the jail at 10:30 a.m.
Cunningham, a sophomore who has started every game this season, is third on the team with 62 tackles (34 solo). He has 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss.
Former LSU wide receiver Xavier Carter was also arrested after the incident on a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, according to a GPD report. Carter, who left LSU to run professionally, recently moved to Gainesville to begin training with UF track coach Mike Holloway.
Carter was reportedly with Cunningham and Demps on University Ave. after the incident at Jimmy John’s, but ran from police when Cunningham and Demps were arrested.
These arrests range from the insanely criminal (AK-47’s anyone?) to the stupid (who STEALS a car boot rather than pay a parking ticket?) to the typically-meat-headed (yeah, let’s start whipping cups and condiments at this tool who is insisting on CHARGING US 99 cents for these chips!!!!). But regardless, Urban doesn’t have control of his players or his program. And that spells trouble for some of these kids. Trouble they don’t need if they want to succeed in college, the pros, and after/instead of the pros (e.g. the ‘real world’).
If I’m a recruit, I think twice about UF. If I’m a player’s parent, I think 30 times. As a player, I am just as likely to end up in jail as I am the starting lineup. And if I’m African American and don’t go pro? I have just a 30% chance of graduating (in sports management or phys-ed most likely). Wow. Questionable outcomes at best.
UF has been doing well on the field lately. Urban can coach and recruit. But he doesn’t build anything other than winners now. He doesn’t build character, and he’s not getting these kids ready for any future, beyond those very few that will go pro and play more than just 1 or 2 years.
Kids, just say no to Urban Liar. Unless you’re thinking about a career with your local SWAT team, that is. Great target practice down there at UF!
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