For starter's, let's all agree to allow the justice system to work before the snideness begins. But if the Athens, Ga., police have it right, what in the world was Deion Bonner thinking?
Bonner is from Carver High in Columbus, Ga., and one of the most sought-after high school players in the Southeast. He and a couple of companions now stand accused of stealing iphones and ipods from the Georgia locker room during a recruiting visit.
Yeah, that's right. While the guest of a major university more than willing to provide him a full college scholarship and a stage on which to audition for a future pro career, police say Mr. Bonner chose to pilfer the lockers of his potential future teammates, then advertised the loot by tweeting.
Again, IF the charges are true, young Mr. Bonner seems to be a leading candidate for intensive training in impulse control. For the sake of a few electronic trinkets, Bonner has jeopardized his future. As good as he is, his home state school now can't get within a time zone of him, given Georgia's off-the-field problems from a year ago and coach Mark Richt's recent promise to run a far tighter ship.
Granted, Bonner is good enough to get offers to play somewhere. After all, Zack Mettenberger still could pick from the likes of Alabama and LSU when he was thrown off the Georgia team following his arrest on a sexual-assault charge.
Bonner now has been thrown off his high school team, though his coach adds that he and other suspects from Carver High have never been in trouble before.
Still, coaches across the country must be weighing the devil's bargain the kid now poses. He had offers from Georgia, Auburn and Alabama, among many others. Who will back away knowing they might have to play against him? How many will fall back on the Pragmatist's Creed, that a good kid who made a mistake deserves a second chance?
MG
Monday, April 18, 2011
UPDATED Locker room thefts at Georgia -- major national recruit among those arrested
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7 comments:
I've never seen him play, but he definitely has what it takes to be on an SEC team.
If the charges are true, I expect this episode to be mention every single time the name Deion Bonner is mentioned in voice or in print. He is never to be forgiven and must be labeled a thief every time his name is brought up.
Or is that sort of unreasonable treatment reserved only for Cam Newton?
looks like his non-football extracurricular activities in high school might be a little less than stellar.
Should we be surprised??
Say J, How did Cam do with Gruden? Saw the teaser but couldn't stay up long enough to watch.
Anonymous, 11:47: Can you name a major BCS conference that isn't knee deep in embarrasment at the moment?
MG - I didn't see the whole thing. From what I did see, he did fine. As you would expect, Gruden pounded him unlike anything he has ever seen. He put him through some interesting scenarios on the practice field.
My opinion of Cam's pro prospects didn't change - I think the reports of Cam being an egomaniac are overblown, but he still has a pretty steep learning curve - not as much in learning a pro offense, but in facing the more complex defenses of the NFL. The fans of whoever drafts him are going to be absolutely giddy when he has a superstar-level preseason, but once the real games start he's going to struggle some.
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