News Not Good Out of Carbondale

[BTbird]

I think it would be inappropriate for anyone from the university to comment on details about whatever it is he did or didn't do. If there has been some sort of wrong doing, I'm sure we will hear more through a media outlet.

I'm curious on this one though because the university usually says player is suspended due to breaking team rules.

Not only is the program not saying he's suspended due to breaking team rules at this time, they let him remain a member of the program and made no statement at all til the university expelled him for two years.

You can use the old "innocent until proven guilty" defense, but I cited a couple of examples earlier where the SIU basketball program took disciplinary action before any legal proceedings were held. Furthermore, it happens on all levels (i.e. Adrian Peterson not playing in the NFL while his trial is pending).

The lack of transparency on this situation leads me to believe the program was trying to get the university to sweep this under the rug and make it disappear.

I don't think this should be done by any institution with any allegations and I'm glad the university did not do so (especially if the rumors I've heard of what he did are true).

This is going to be a huge black eye for the program and may become much bigger if my beliefs are proven to be true.

I could care less about what SIU does here but every school has a protocol that they follow and I'm sure that is what they are doing. Reserve judgment until facts come out or at least post under the name of the school you really support.

[dean_siu]

The fact that you've heard two different stories, readily admit you have no idea if there is an ounce of truth to either of them, yet want the coach or athletic department to take action beyond a suspension before the university releases its findings, is kindof the point.

The university has already ruled and its now in the appeal stage. That's why he's not on campus. This incident didn't just happen yesterday. It happened a while back and the basketball program has just decided to pretend like it didn't happen. The only reason they've finally initiated a suspension was because he couldn't step foot on campus to practice.

[dean_siu]

I think it would be inappropriate for anyone from the university to comment on details about whatever it is he did or didn't do. If there has been some sort of wrong doing, I'm sure we will hear more through a media outlet.

I'm curious on this one though because the university usually says player is suspended due to breaking team rules.

Not only is the program not saying he's suspended due to breaking team rules at this time, they let him remain a member of the program and made no statement at all til the university expelled him for two years.

You can use the old "innocent until proven guilty" defense, but I cited a couple of examples earlier where the SIU basketball program took disciplinary action before any legal proceedings were held. Furthermore, it happens on all levels (i.e. Adrian Peterson not playing in the NFL while his trial is pending).

The lack of transparency on this situation leads me to believe the program was trying to get the university to sweep this under the rug and make it disappear.

I don't think this should be done by any institution with any allegations and I'm glad the university did not do so (especially if the rumors I've heard of what he did are true).

This is going to be a huge black eye for the program and may become much bigger if my beliefs are proven to be true.

I could care less about what SIU does here but every school has a protocol that they follow and I'm sure that is what they are doing. Reserve judgment until facts come out or at least post under the name of the school you really support.

Thats my point exactly. The program is not following protocol that they have always followed in the past. When basketball players have been arrested for DUI's, stealing bicycles, battery, or playing with airsoft guns, initial suspensions were announced within a matter of days.

Now a player does a far more serious offense meriting a 2 year expulsion from campus and the program ignores it until the university takes action.

I'd love to hear justification on this. My suspicion is that the athletics department was attempting to get the university to drop this case and pretend like it didn't happen. If I'm wrong, I'd love to hear a logical explanation (but I doubt we ever will).

I am a strong supporter of Southern Illinois University and was one of the schools biggest fans during the Herrin, Weber, Painter, and Lowery days. However, I can not sit by idly and tolerate the inexcusable actions of the current AD and coach.

[glm38]

The fact that you've heard two different stories, readily admit you have no idea if there is an ounce of truth to either of them, yet want the coach or athletic department to take action beyond a suspension before the university releases its findings, is kindof the point.

The university has already ruled and its now in the appeal stage. That's why he's not on campus. This incident didn't just happen yesterday. It happened a while back and the basketball program has just decided to pretend like it didn't happen. The only reason they've finally initiated a suspension was because he couldn't step foot on campus to practice.

But aren't you the guy that was vehemently opposed to SIU hiring Barry? I think some on here are thinking you already had an axe to grind with Barry and the current athletic admin before this latest incident.

[Ricardo del Rio]

nm

[Ricardo del Rio]

The lack of transparency on this situation leads me to believe the program was trying to get the university to sweep this under the rug and make it disappear.

You might want to provide more evidence, before you make such charge.

[Aargh]

Thats my point exactly. The program is not following protocol that they have always followed in the past. When basketball players have been arrested for ...

There's the difference. There are no criminal proceedings. No arrest. An arrest doesn't mean a person is guilty, but it indicates a reason to believe something happened. There is public evidence of something.

I have no clue or inkling what actually happened, but it seems possible that if there were something done to a person, and that person wanted absolute anonymity, then... there's no criminal filing. That person could go to the university, present what they knew in a confidential and anonymous manner, and let the university deal with the problem instead of the police.

If that happened, then Barry wouldn't have had any actual knowledge of anything. He can't act on anything when he has no record of any action to act on. Maybe he "knew" exactly what happened, but if his knowledge is word of mouth without any evidence from the offended party, he can't just kick people off the team because he heard something he has to regard as a rumor.

This is an unusual situation. I can't find anything in SIU's student code of conduct that is non-academic and would warrant a 2-year expulsion that wouldn't be criminal. With no criminal proceedings, what do you do? You wait until some body with jurisdiction makes a decision on how to proceed, and then you act based on that. In this case, Barry didn't have to do anything. Not being allowed on campus pretty much resolves the issue.

If Smithpeters wins his appeal and is allowed on campus, then Barry has to make a decision. Barry is not known as a low life coach who would try to sweep anything under the rug. Barry's reputation has "straight arrow" all over it.

[saluki762]

Smithpeters has been reinstated. Can resume practicing.

[Valleyball]

Hard to believe after all the talk of how serious it was. But maybe he didn't do whatever it was.

[Wufan]

The fact that you've heard two different stories, readily admit you have no idea if there is an ounce of truth to either of them, yet want the coach or athletic department to take action beyond a suspension before the university releases its findings, is kindof the point.

The university has already ruled and its now in the appeal stage. That's why he's not on campus. This incident didn't just happen yesterday. It happened a while back and the basketball program has just decided to pretend like it didn't happen. The only reason they've finally initiated a suspension was because he couldn't step foot on campus to practice.

But aren't you the guy that was vehemently opposed to SIU hiring Barry? I think some on here are thinking you already had an axe to grind with Barry and the current athletic admin before this latest incident.

This. You only come creeping around here to spread your CLo propaganda.