Upon Further Review: Coach sets a bad example
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For some of these kids, it’s the first time away from home and as human nature goes they’re going to make a few bad decisions. For the most part, though, athletes are well-behaved kids and represent their schools in an honorable fashion. Every now and then we hear of one getting in trouble for drinking or being somewhere they shouldn’t be. But these are kids — and kids will make mistakes.
Coaches set rules for their players and these players are to abide by those rules or else face some type of discipline; in some cases being dismissed from the team and losing their scholarship.
But what happens when you have a coach that breaks the rules?
Yes, he is an adult and if he wants to go to a party and have a drink should he be disciplined? The answer has to be yes.
Iowa State basketball coach Larry Eustachy was at a student party back in January, after Iowa State played Missouri early that day. Photographs showed coach Eustachy holding a beer can and kissing several college girls on the cheek or being kissed.
Eustachy is 47 years old, married for 16 years, and has two sons. In 2000 he was selected as the national coach of the year.
This man is supposed to set examples for his players, but yet he’s at a college party trying to act as if he was 20 again. He has not only let down Iowa State University, but he has broken the very rules he expects his players to follow.
This man gets paid more than $1 million a year and is the state of Iowa’s highest paid employee.
The report also says Eustachy was at a fraternity party in Kansas back in January. He was drinking at this party as well, and may have said a few inappropriate words to a female student in attendance.The university is said to be looking into the matter and will decide if discipline is in order.
I know matters like this have to go through the proper channels, but it shouldn’t take long to make a decision to discipline him — or even do what needs to be done and fire him.
But if the man has a drinking problem, do you see that he gets the proper help and keep him on as basketball coach? Or, do you let him go and let his problems worsen?
What is the right thing to do? Everybody makes mistakes and some mistakes are made through the use of alcohol. If this is his problem, then he should get the right help and be given a second chance.
But if he is given a second chance what does that do when one of his players breaks the rules?
It’s not just the colleges that have rules, but the NCAA also. Not many players are given a second chance. If this were a player he would probably already be off the team.
Coaches have to be held accountably for their actions just as an athlete — if not more.