Jordan Goodwin suspension

[Hungry Jack]

He is suspended for the rest of the season at SLU. Issues related to Title IX investigation and some unsavory stuff in the program that, I believe, do not directly involve him. He says he will rejoin program in May.

 

[Medill90]

This caught my eye a few weeks ago because some Illinois guys were saying that it was a fete accompli that he'd leave SLU along with three or four other players accused of sexual assault and would be available to the Illini. As I understand it, Goodwin was at a party at which an alleged assault took place by athletes. Goodwin's defense is that he left the gathering before anything bad occurred. He was prescribed punishment by the university, appealed that punishment because he was not present, and then handed a lesser punishment that ends his frosh bball effective immediately. He played during the appeal.

A couple things.

First, SLU which is an ok school, went the wrong direction with its basketball program last year when they hired the guys they hired. Winning basketball games just is not that important and not something for which to compromise university standards. This states the obvious, I know, but so many schools are still doing ridiculous stuff.

Second, had Goodwin chosen NU which had been his preference, the odds that his name would be besmirched by such an event would be far, far less. The culture, the coaches, the players.....are a bunch of boy scouts compared to so many other schools. SLU in a handful of months imported a culture that said to players that basketball is the most important thing for you to be concerned about. Have a good time and don't worry about anything else.

Sure, stuff happens with NU athletes. No denying that. But, the environment at NU resists bad behavior, you've got to be really personally invested in doing bad things. And, the focus on academics and athletes getting decent grades has a way of separating the wheat from the chaff. It's too bad that families like the aforementioned don't have a full appreciation of this.

 

[Hungry Jack]

That is interesting beta. I had been loosely following the story in the St. Louis PD, and I did not know these details.

I agree that Goodwin at NU dramatically reduces the likelihood that this stuff happens. Not that NU is pristine (after all, I was there for four years and not always a perfect gentleman), but the athletic programs rarely admit clowns into the locker room.

Tough to see this at SLU. My dad was medical school faculty and made quite a name for himself for his research on arterial grafts for bypass surgery. It's a solid academic institution, not world class, but generates solid research.

 

[loyolacat]

Back in the day when the missouri valley was THE Missouri Valley ( Cincinnati, Tulsa,Louisville, Memphis even Nebraska(way back) ..St. Louis was a strong basketball program and town.Even not to long ago when RIck Majerus was coaching there they were on the way back. They also had a pretty solid NBA franchise till they moved to Atlanta.But the things schools will do to get back in the picture.Glad to see that NU continues to try and do things the right way.. The NCAA is a lenient parent who I hand a lot of blame on.

 

[hdhntr1]

Back in the day when the missouri valley was THE Missouri Valley ( Cincinnati, Tulsa,Louisville, Memphis even Nebraska(way back) ..St. Louis was a strong basketball program and town.Even not to long ago when RIck Majerus was coaching there they were on the way back. They also had a pretty solid NBA franchise till they moved to Atlanta.But the things schools will do to get back in the picture.Glad to see that NU continues to try and do things the right way.. The NCAA is a lenient parent who I hand a lot of blame on.

I did not realize Majerus was at SLU after Utah.

 

[Windy City Cat Fan]

Back in the day when the missouri valley was THE Missouri Valley ( Cincinnati, Tulsa,Louisville, Memphis even Nebraska(way back) ..St. Louis was a strong basketball program and town.Even not to long ago when RIck Majerus was coaching there they were on the way back. They also had a pretty solid NBA franchise till they moved to Atlanta.But the things schools will do to get back in the picture.Glad to see that NU continues to try and do things the right way.. The NCAA is a lenient parent who I hand a lot of blame on.

Didn’t they get Larry Hughes by pulling some strings for a heart transplant for Hughes brother?