Coach Narduzzi's media day comments on Bookser

[RaleighPittFan]

"Pitt offensive lineman Alex Bookser was charged with a DUI back in May. Even though it's been about two months since the incident, head coach Pat Narduzzi still doesn't have an update yet on his status for the upcoming season with regards to disciplinary action.

“Not right now,” Narduzzi said at ACC media day when asked if a punishment has been finalized. “Me and Bookser have talked about it, but that’s about it.”

Narduzzi conceded that a resolution could be announced before camp starts. Or maybe the week of the season opener against Youngstown State.

“I don’t know. We’ll play it by ear,” he said.

Of note also is that Narduzzi said athletic director Heather Lyke would have a say and that he would discuss whatever the decision was with her.

You never know but it seems hard to believe Bookser wouldn't miss any game time. But if you were hoping for a decision, that still seems far off. That's not too surprising since his preliminary hearing scheduled for June was reportedly pushed back until August. This may still not get settled for some time."

https://www.cardiachill.com/2017/7/...-booksers-discipline-from-pitt-head-coach-pat

 

[Cathedral Lawn Frisbee]

1 game, Bank on it!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Have him run some wind sprints and get on with it. This is big boy football.

 

[H2Pittisit]

Oregon threw their receiver off the team for a dui 2 weeks after it occurred I'm kind of surprised Narduzzi has done nothing

 

[h2p_5150]

Oregon threw their receiver off the team for a dui. I'm kind of surprised Narduzzi has done nothing

That receiver had a bad record of behavior. He got suspended for failing a drug test the day before the National title game his freshman year and he got into a physical altercation with a student last season on campus. It was his third strike.

 

[CJsE]

Why toss him? Does Pitt fire employees with DUIs? Faculty?
I understand the seriousness of repeat offenders and I get the drunk driving problems. But what does tossing him from the program achieve?
This isn't child rape. It isn't dealing drugs and spreading death?

It also isn't just DUI. It's DUI, careless driving, reckless driving, failure to drive at a safe speed, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles, and operation of a vehicle without an official certificate. This doesn't include the fact that he failed to pull over when police began following him.

Have you seen the video? Bookser speeds through an intersection then turns and gets all 4 wheels onto on the sidewalk before hitting the Verizon store on Forbes. He did this in downtown Oakland just after midnight. He could have easily killed a pedestrian.

 

[Saboteur]

It also isn't just DUI. It's DUI, careless driving, reckless driving, failure to drive at a safe speed, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles, and operation of a vehicle without an official certificate. This doesn't include the fact that he failed to pull over when police began following him.

Have you seen the video? Bookser speeds through an intersection then turns and gets all 4 wheels onto on the sidewalk before hitting the Verizon store on Forbes. He did this in downtown Oakland just after midnight. He could have easily killed a pedestrian.

No I have not. But I have seen hundreds of people texting and driving and they too could kill someone. Look around you as you drive.
I'm not glossing over his actions. I have a simple question. What does tossing him accomplish?
I don't think it helps anyone, including the public. Does kicking him off the team achieve anything other than passing along the problem?
A professional tennis player killed someone recently with her vehicle. She was allowed to play in a major...darn near won it.
I just think it is chickensheet to claim these guys as one of your own when life is good, but when a human inevitably fails some want him gone.
Take PSU and Sandusky. Let's assume for one second that Paterno wanted him off the staff because he knew or suspected Sandusky was a Pedophile. Did the mere act of kicking him off the staff (again, I don't know if this wad the case) save his victims?
I don't think so.
And I don't think kicking Booker off the team solves any problems.
I try to solve problems for a living and I despise those who engage in this "shadow boxing" and end up accomplishing nothing except talk.

 

[CaliforniaMountaineer]

Video shows that the tennis player you referenced was not st fault for the collision.

 

[CJsE]

No I have not. But I have seen hundreds of people texting and driving and they too could kill someone. Look around you as you drive.
I'm not glossing over his actions. I have a simple question. What does tossing him accomplish?
I don't think it helps anyone, including the public. Does kicking him off the team achieve anything other than passing along the problem?
A professional tennis player killed someone recently with her vehicle. She was allowed to play in a major...darn near won it.
I just think it is chickensheet to claim these guys as one of your own when life is good, but when a human inevitably fails some want him gone.
Take PSU and Sandusky. Let's assume for one second that Paterno wanted him off the staff because he knew or suspected Sandusky was a Pedophile. Did the mere act of kicking him off the staff (again, I don't know if this wad the case) save his victims?
I don't think so.
And I don't think kicking Booker off the team solves any problems.
I try to solve problems for a living and I despise those who engage in this "shadow boxing" and end up accomplishing nothing except talk.

You talk about "shadow boxing" but don't even look at evidence that is easily accessible when making conclusions.

Venus drove through an intersection of a 6-lane avenue on a green light, was cut off or allowed an oncoming vehicle to make a left turn in front of her, then proceeded through the intersection. During this, the light had just changed and she was broadsided by a vehicle that now had a green light. That is called an accident because she couldn't sit in the middle of the intersection during a light change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhMs-7P-EoU

Bookser chose to get drunk and drive, hit multiple parked, drove recklessly in an attempt to avoid arrest, sped through at least 1 stop sign, sped down Forbes Ave, lost control of his car speeding through an intersection, went onto the sidewalk and clipped a building. That is not an accident.

I never said that he should be thrown off the team, but giving him anything less than a 1-year suspension is ridiculous.

 

[phxpanther]

1 game, Bank on it!

That seems to be the standard around the country

 

[Saboteur]

You talk about "shadow boxing" but don't even look at evidence that is easily accessible when making conclusions.

Venus drove through an intersection of a 6-lane avenue on a green light, was cut off or allowed an oncoming vehicle to make a left turn in front of her, then proceeded through the intersection. During this, the light had just changed and she was broadsided by a vehicle that now had a green light. That is called an accident because she couldn't sit in the middle of the intersection during a light change.

View embedded media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhMs-7P-EoU
Bookser chose to get drunk and drive, hit multiple parked, drove recklessly in an attempt to avoid arrest, sped through at least 1 stop sign, sped down Forbes Ave, lost control of his car speeding through an intersection, went onto the sidewalk and clipped a building. That is not an accident.

I never said that he should be thrown off the team, but giving him anything less than a 1-year suspension is ridiculous.

View embedded media

Finally....the issue was throw him off the team... now, after pontificating you at least admit he should not be dismissed.
Here's a clue. When people answer questions not asked, but don't answer the question asked, they are hiding something.

 

[H2Pittisit]

If the decision to play him is made, I am fine with it. I just think if there was a video of a West Virginia or Penn State player doing the same and not getting suspended everyone would be up in arms over it. The video is pretty scary

 

[thebadby2]

No I have not. But I have seen hundreds of people texting and driving and they too could kill someone. Look around you as you drive.
I'm not glossing over his actions. I have a simple question. What does tossing him accomplish?
I don't think it helps anyone, including the public. Does kicking him off the team achieve anything other than passing along the problem?
A professional tennis player killed someone recently with her vehicle. She was allowed to play in a major...darn near won it.
I just think it is chickensheet to claim these guys as one of your own when life is good, but when a human inevitably fails some want him gone.
Take PSU and Sandusky. Let's assume for one second that Paterno wanted him off the staff because he knew or suspected Sandusky was a Pedophile. Did the mere act of kicking him off the staff (again, I don't know if this wad the case) save his victims?
I don't think so.
And I don't think kicking Booker off the team solves any problems.
I try to solve problems for a living and I despise those who engage in this "shadow boxing" and end up accomplishing nothing except talk.

Tennis player was stone sober and video cleared her of any negligence. Bookser was shitfaced and grossly negligent. Fortunately the only victim of his criminal conduct and stupidity is 2017 Pitt football. Try again Mr Professional Problem Solver.

 

[Pitt-Chains]

"Pitt offensive lineman Alex Bookser was charged with a DUI back in May. Even though it's been about two months since the incident, head coach Pat Narduzzi still doesn't have an update yet on his status for the upcoming season with regards to disciplinary action.

“Not right now,” Narduzzi said at ACC media day when asked if a punishment has been finalized. “Me and Bookser have talked about it, but that’s about it.”

Narduzzi conceded that a resolution could be announced before camp starts. Or maybe the week of the season opener against Youngstown State.

“I don’t know. We’ll play it by ear,” he said.

Of note also is that Narduzzi said athletic director Heather Lyke would have a say and that he would discuss whatever the decision was with her.

You never know but it seems hard to believe Bookser wouldn't miss any game time. But if you were hoping for a decision, that still seems far off. That's not too surprising since his preliminary hearing scheduled for June was reportedly pushed back until August. This may still not get settled for some time."

https://www.cardiachill.com/2017/7/...-booksers-discipline-from-pitt-head-coach-pat

Not in school, not in season, up to him and his family.

 

[Jeffburgh]

Have him run some wind sprints and get on with it. This is big boy football.

This.

 

[Chaos]

I'll be surprised if he gets anything more than a 1 game suspension. He probably should get more with the recklessness he displayed, but this is college football, and he's a good player, so I assume we'll do the depth chart justice punishment.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

I'll be surprised if he gets anything more than a 1 game suspension. He probably should get more with the recklessness he displayed, but this is college football, and he's a good player, so I assume we'll do the depth chart justice punishment.

Hopefully. It's not right. But it's what all of Pitts peers do. Pitt certainly doesn't work within the college sports system to heighten discipline among its peers, or do anything even symbolic like refusing to play the most egregious offenders (cough). Indeed, Pitt seeks out more games with said offenders, not less. Those programs demonstrably benefit from their lax or selective discipline and deceptive manipulation of rules. So it's ridiculous for Pitt to harm its own programs with enforcement beyond the mean.

 

[benchwarmer04]

the issue has been settled already. bookser and the team know what the punishment will be. why the hell would you divulge this extremely private matter to anyone outside of the "need to know parties".

 

[Jpripper88]

No I have not. But I have seen hundreds of people texting and driving and they too could kill someone. Look around you as you drive.
I'm not glossing over his actions. I have a simple question. What does tossing him accomplish?
I don't think it helps anyone, including the public. Does kicking him off the team achieve anything other than passing along the problem?
A professional tennis player killed someone recently with her vehicle. She was allowed to play in a major...darn near won it.
I just think it is chickensheet to claim these guys as one of your own when life is good, but when a human inevitably fails some want him gone.
Take PSU and Sandusky. Let's assume for one second that Paterno wanted him off the staff because he knew or suspected Sandusky was a Pedophile. Did the mere act of kicking him off the staff (again, I don't know if this wad the case) save his victims?
I don't think so.
And I don't think kicking Booker off the team solves any problems.
I try to solve problems for a living and I despise those who engage in this "shadow boxing" and end up accomplishing nothing except talk.

So the Joe Paterno/Bobby Bowden approach, huh?

If the decision to play him is made, I am fine with it. I just think if there was a video of a West Virginia or Penn State player doing the same and not getting suspended everyone would be up in arms over it. The video is pretty scary

This is really the issue on here and full of hypocrites. The worst of them are absolutely no better than the ones they ridicule as PSU Cultists and JoeBots. They are exactly the same, but just wearing different colors.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Tennis player was stone sober and video cleared her of any negligence.

That probably would never have been an issue at all had she been just any Jane, Sue, or Mary Lou. Some attorney saw $$$$$$.

 

[Pitt0912]

Look, Bookser is getting one game. He won't play for YSU. That's all. Shift the dicsussion to whether that is appropriate or not, because that's all he's getting.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Look, Bookser is getting one game. He won't play for YSU. That's all. Shift the dicsussion to whether that is appropriate or not, because that's all he's getting.

As i posted above, it wouldn't be "appropriate" by any means. In a perfect world he'd be kicked out, and all other players who commit similar in other programs also would.

But one game would essentially be the median of what the discipline would be in other programs for similar offenses. It's preposterous that Pitt should go above and beyond it.

Constant self sanctioning is nothing but self DEFEATING. Pitt gains nothing, and loses tremendously by such crazy philosophy. Nobody and I mean NOBODY will be cheering, congratulating, rating the school highly, or especially paying good money to celebrate a loser that goes beyond in following all the bs rules.

The NCAA itself openly wants schools to break them. UNC, Louisville, Miami just three in our own CONFERENCE with egregious behaviors that the NCAA has gleefully ignored in the past 5 years alone.

If it is so distasteful to participate to the level of its peers in all manners ... and I'm not saying it shouldn't be, its definitely raunchy ... Pitt should drop out of D1 sports competition.

 

[Cathedral Lawn Frisbee]

No cleaning the stadium punishment in the real world. The fact that the NCAA could monitor offenses mean transparency.

 

[pittdan77]

Does anyone know what the court schedule looks like? I'd assume that would have some impact.

 

[DruidTM]

It would be cool if football players just stopped acting like idiots....

 

[JoseLind13]

If superstar Boyd got 1 game for peacefully complying and fully cooperating with police with a blood alcohol lower than the legal limit of 0.08 (still illegal for his age at the time), then it's a tough sell to give Bookser only 1 game and certainly can't give him less than 1 game.

 

[Saboteur]

It would be cool if football players just stopped acting like idiots....

You might want to include the general population.
Go for a 20 minute car ride sometime in an urban area. Bring a passenger and ask him/her to count the number of people using their phones to talk, text, etc. all while drivinging two ton vehicles at high speeds in tight spots.
Then count the number of them likely to be college football players.
Then come back and ride your white horse into the Sunset Lone Ranger.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Look, Bookser is getting one game. He won't play for YSU. That's all. Shift the dicsussion to whether that is appropriate or not, because that's all he's getting.

I would agree since nothing has happened so far. He could have been dismissed, suspended for a year, etc... It's going to be 1 game and a super short leash.

 

[Jpripper88]

You might want to include the general population.
Go for a 20 minute car ride sometime in an urban area. Bring a passenger and ask him/her to count the number of people using their phones to talk, text, etc. all while drivinging two ton vehicles at high speeds in tight spots.
Then count the number of them likely to be college football players.
Then come back and ride your white horse into the Sunset Lone Ranger.

No problem with equating texting and driving to what Boyd got popped for. It is not remotely similar to Bookser. The kid was absolutely hammered.

 

[Chaos]

Hopefully. It's not right. But it's what all of Pitts peers do. Pitt certainly doesn't work within the college sports system to heighten discipline among its peers, or do anything even symbolic like refusing to play the most egregious offenders (cough). Indeed, Pitt seeks out more games with said offenders, not less. Those programs demonstrably benefit from their lax or selective discipline and deceptive manipulation of rules. So it's ridiculous for Pitt to harm its own programs with enforcement beyond the mean.

Exactly. You don't get bonus points for having stricter disciplinary policies. Let's not pretend this is actually "college" sports anymore. It's big business. A one game suspension is completely acceptable in this business. Make him work his ass off behind the scenes doing community service, extra conditioning, etc, so that he learns a lesson, but don't punish the entire team by giving him a prolonged suspension. I don't think it's right in the grand scheme of things, but it is what it is-a business. If we're trying to run a successful business, we can't penalize ourselves worse than our peers just because it used to be the right thing to do, and it would be in the best interest of the athlete. I can't even believe that I'm typing this, because I didn't used to think along these lines at all. But the NCAA is a joke, and there is no level playing field among the teams. You have to do what you have to do, within reason of course, to stay competitive.

 

[DruidTM]

You might want to include the general population.
Go for a 20 minute car ride sometime in an urban area. Bring a passenger and ask him/her to count the number of people using their phones to talk, text, etc. all while drivinging two ton vehicles at high speeds in tight spots.
Then count the number of them likely to be college football players.
Then come back and ride your white horse into the Sunset Lone Ranger.

I complain about that garbage as well...

 

[Den of Hacks]

If we're trying to run a successful business, we can't penalize ourselves worse than our peers just because it used to be the right thing to do, and it would be in the best interest of the athlete.

Well said. Big college sports is a business with a large investment, in one form or another, by the institutions, and their boosters, fans, and players & coaches. I'm not sure where the line should be drawn, but we should let go the notion that college sports is about teaching life lessons to athletes.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Why is suspension the only acceptable punishment for some people?

Why are some people so desperate to see punishment?

 

[Saboteur]

Meanwhile, in the real world:
From the PG
"A veteran officer from the Allegheny County Police Department will serve 12 months probation after pleading guilty Monday to driving under the influence and related counts stemming from an off-duty incident in December in which he drew a gun."

If you base punishment on what the county police in Pitt's home county does, then simple probation is the punishment.

 

[Delco Lion]

I would agree since nothing has happened so far. He could have been dismissed, suspended for a year, etc... It's going to be 1 game and a super short leash.

The reason nothing has happened so far, is that his June hearing was continued and he has a formal arraignment in Commonwealth Court on August 30. Nothing will happen until his case is resolved.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Exactly. You don't get bonus points for having stricter disciplinary policies. Let's not pretend this is actually "college" sports anymore. It's big business. A one game suspension is completely acceptable in this business. Make him work his ass off behind the scenes doing community service, extra conditioning, etc, so that he learns a lesson, but don't punish the entire team by giving him a prolonged suspension. I don't think it's right in the grand scheme of things, but it is what it is-a business. If we're trying to run a successful business, we can't penalize ourselves worse than our peers just because it used to be the right thing to do, and it would be in the best interest of the athlete. I can't even believe that I'm typing this, because I didn't used to think along these lines at all. But the NCAA is a joke, and there is no level playing field among the teams. You have to do what you have to do, within reason of course, to stay competitive.

When you see a peer ... hell, a superior ... like UNC, which is also considered a far better academic school than Pitt ... conduct deep thorough, planned, organizationally sanctioned cheating in a manner that was totally in conflict with the fundamental core of the mission of the university (an entire fake college for its athletes!) ... and there are absolutely no negative ramifications for it ... only positives ... they win a national championship in the 2nd biggest sport (and then steal away our only good player) ...

... then giving a token punishment for one guy who drank and smashed up his car is not even as big as small potatoes in comparison. It's like an eye in a peel. Pitt should not give a nano second of thought to anything more harsh.

The PSU affair is what cemented my cynicism of the whole nasty biz, however. I mean, sweet jebus. No need to repeat the offenses and countless nuances, but they got absolutely nothing for what they did, which could hardly be more heinous other than murdering and eating the children after assaulting em.

How can anyone respect rules or standards again after that.

I'll repeat that I understand completely if Pitt were to say "enough, we don't have the stomach and we certainly don't have the resources" and bow out. But we don't. We gladly stay in and cash the checks with our share of that largess from what the cheating programs bring in. In some ways that's even more hypocrisy than those actually conducting the offenses.

 

[thebadby2]

If superstar Boyd got 1 game for peacefully complying and fully cooperating with police with a blood alcohol lower than the legal limit of 0.08 (still illegal for his age at the time), then it's a tough sell to give Bookser only 1 game and certainly can't give him less than 1 game.

I think he sits for PSU as well, which is real punishment for him and the team, and will take the heat off Doozi.

 

[upj87]

I think he sits for PSU as well, which is real punishment for him and the team, and will take the heat off Doozi.

After watching that video, I think that should at least be the minimum punishment. Whatever happened to going to jail for a month or so for this sort of thing?

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

The reason nothing has happened so far, is that his June hearing was continued and he has a formal arraignment in Commonwealth Court on August 30. Nothing will happen until his case is resolved.

He doesn't need the hearing to take place in order to suspend him. If he wanted to boot him for the year it would be done. He's also said it may be resolved before camp starts (as was the case with Boyd and Blair). Blair was suspended before he had a hearing. I hardly think Duzz is going until 3 days before the opener to announce anything.

It's gonna be one game plus whatever internal punishment has been assessed.

 

[upj87]

He doesn't need the hearing to take place in order to suspend him. If he wanted to boot him for the year it would be done. He's also said it may be resolved before camp starts (as was the case with Boyd and Blair). Blair was suspended before he had a hearing. I hardly think Duzz is going until 3 days before the opener to announce anything.

It's gonna be one game plus whatever internal punishment has been assessed.

...or within the boundaries of work release from the hoosegow