Smith to Redshirt

Posted August 22nd, 2007 at 07:43 PM by Loren Heal
in

According to Yahoo!/AP, Illinois Basketball Coach Bruce Weber announced that Jamar Smith will redshirt the 2007-08 season.

"He's in the process of meeting his legal obligations while continuing to work on his personal issues," Weber said in a statement. "We feel at this time it's in Jamar's best interest that he sit out the 2007-08 season."

Smith, a 6-foot-3 guard from Peoria, pleaded guilty in May to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to 15 days in jail and 24 months of probation.

Some will say he should have been kicked off the team, but my sense is those are the same people who resent the notoriety athletes receive anyway. I think it's a really good plan. Give him a year to see if he can keep out of trouble, while at the same time avoiding the appearance that everything is fine.

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On August 22nd, 2007 at 11:01 PM, Anonymous (not verified) said:

Just give the kid a chance to get his life straightened out--we all made dumb mistakes at that age. Wasting his God-given talent would be the crime.

On August 22nd, 2007 at 11:07 PM, wayward said:

It doesn't seem objectionable, though it is generous of Weber.  Won't Smith be using one of UI's scholarships while he redshirts this year?

redstatewannabe's picture
On August 23rd, 2007 at 09:31 AM, redstatewannabe said:

yep, but there will be plenty of bodies this year

the Artichoke's picture
On August 24th, 2007 at 07:52 AM, the Artichoke said:

I don't know.  Giving kids a break for stupid mistakes is appropriate most imes, i agree, but this smacks of celebrity justice. If any regular person was DUI, had an accident with a life-threatening injury, and left the scene, I doubt we would have gotten off so easily.

On August 24th, 2007 at 02:36 PM, PropertyRights said:

I agree with LH %100 on this. UofI took him on and has a responsibility, to him and to his family, to stand by him, without condoning what he did. If he weren't on the team, he wouldn't have lived that far off campus, he'd have had more supervision, and he might not have freaked out so bad (worrying that he'd blown his entire, possibly very bright, future)

You can say justice should be blind, but it also should be merciful.

I, in no way condone what he did. But he seems like a good kid, and jail isn't the answer for it's own sake. Jail is for those who otherwise would not feel or take the responsibility for their actions. As long as his team mates are willing to give him a second chance, then I think the situation as it stands is appropriate. He knows that he stands to lose everything with another stupid mistake, and he needs to prove that he's worthy of a second  chance.