KAEO: Doug Wiggins

dallasminuteman · Post by **dallasminuteman** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:17 am

Rocks22 wrote:
umass21 wrote: I don't know a ton about his past transgressions but I do that some folks here really don't seem to believe in second chances. Again I'm not sure what he did, but if it's not something egregiously bad I have to think it has to do with him being a UConn guy.
Well, let me fill you in and show you that I'm not busting on the guy just because he happens to be from UConn. He has had a pattern of detrimental behavior that I think makes him a bad candidate to bring onto the UMass team no matter how great his skills are. It sounds like he got a number of 2nd chances at UConn and it didn't make a difference.

Here's an article out of CT when he left UConn:
In truth, there were other issues surrounding Wiggins that led to his transfer. Last fall, Wiggins was suspended from all team activities for a month, not even allowed to dress in the team locker room. It was later reported that the suspension stemmed from a positive drug test, his second while at UConn.
On Jan. 24, Wiggins and Dyson were caught in possession of two bottles of alcohol in Wiggins' car in a campus parking lot. A small amount of marijuana was also found near the car. Both players were suspended by Calhoun, pending results of drug tests: Wiggins passed and returned to the team after missing two games, but Dyson failed and didn't return until Feb. 24.
Wiggins was also cited for operating on a suspended license.
Besides the two public missteps, however, there were plenty of private ones that began to add up with Wiggins. Academic issues, missing class and showing up late to team meetings had become a bit too common. When Calhoun said in a candid meeting with the media on March 27 that at least two players would be leaving the program due to complaints of lack of playing time, poor academics, "social behavior" problems and a general "lack of focus," Wiggins was one of the players to which he was referring. Wiggins was told if he didn't change his ways, he wouldn't be back next season.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 2347&rfi=6

I guess I'm in the minority here but all that stuff makes me very hesitant to see him on this team where he could be a potential disruption. Plus as I said I think we have a bigger need in the front court anyway.

Kudos to Rocks22 for being pretty spot-on way back when. No matter what happened that night, this kid is too irresponsible to be a member of this team. He's proven time and time again he can't handle the responsibility of playing basketball and going to school. If this was a one-off, I could see letting it slide, but DK just can't be taking a chance on this kid ruining the credibility of his program. It's a big early test to see what kind of program we're going to have here for the next few years.

Rocks22 · Post by **Rocks22** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:25 am

dallasminuteman wrote: Kudos to Rocks22 for being pretty spot-on way back when.

You're talking about me saying we have a huge need for depth in the front court right?

umass21 · Post by **umass21** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:42 am

UMass87 wrote:
UMASS06 wrote:Apparently he got really drunk and passed out in the wrong apartment. If anyone has ever lived in or seen Pufton they can understand how that place could get confusing to someone. Especially a drunk someone.
Now it starting to make some sense.

If that's the case, are all of you who were so quick to kick him off the team still willing to do so?

I'm sure the tenants got a real hoot out of him walking into their apartment (if that's even what happened...did this info come from anywhere reliable?). That's probably why they called the police.

If this happened to someone with no track record, it might be a different story, but getting arrested this early in his time at UMass is inexcusable for a kid who should have been on a zero tolerance policy. I have no problem with DK waiting for all of the info to come in, but if anything unsavory comes back, he has to be gone.

throwdown · Post by **throwdown** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:54 am

I still want to wait and see what the intent to commit a misdemeanor is all about.

uz2b-len · Post by **uz2b-len** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:27 pm

Sounds like this young man has a serious substance abuse problem. I don't know if he's previously been counseled toward psychotherapy and 12-step programs. If not, then that would be my route, along with the opportunity to stay with the team. However, if he's had these healing opportunities in the past and not adequately used them, then I couldn't in good conscience permit him to continue on my team.

UMass87 · Post by **UMass87** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:41 pm

throwdown - I'm betting the misdemeanor is drunk and disorderly or puking on someone's floor.

I'm still not sure I'd kick him off the team. I respect Rocks22' opinion - he's been consistently against Wiggins being at UMass. Given that this got all over the media, Rocks22 and others were right - he has brough disrepute to the school. I don't know the guy. All the stuff he's been doing seems like relatively stupid but not malicious stuff. If I were the coach and I thought I could help him grow up then I'd probably keep him on the team.

Chris20 · Post by **Chris20** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:42 pm

I don't think we have the evidence to say that he has a "serious substance abuse problem". He clearly has some issues with behaving like a responsible member of the team/community. But we don't have enough to jump to that conclusion.

Roadtrip · Post by **Roadtrip** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:51 pm

I'm still with Rocks on this one. Send him packing. With 3 more years for him to screw up, what are the odds that he won't.

uz2b-len · Post by **uz2b-len** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:20 pm

Chris20 wrote:I don't think we have the evidence to say that he has a "serious substance abuse problem". He clearly has some issues with behaving like a responsible member of the team/community. But we don't have enough to jump to that conclusion.

When you have an opportunity to make your life a big success--for example, as a top basketball player at a top basketball school--and you blow it by using drugs, that qualifies in my book as a serious substance abuse problem. That is, when you let smoking pot become more important than the opportunity to succeed at the highest level, and maybe earn milllions of dollars in the not-too-distant future, that's a serious substance abuse problem. And obviously, he has an alcohol problem, too. Not to say he's a lost cause, but the odds are stacked against him.

throwdown · Post by **throwdown** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:25 pm

At some point DK is going to address this publicly and we'll find out what agreement was in place at the beginning and/or what new agreement there will be, if any. I also think the kid has a problem and needs some help evident by the pattern of behavior. If this was made available to him and he hasn't complied then hopefully he will the next time he gets an oppurtunity somewhere else. If this wasn't already addressed then shame on the athletic depts. of Umass and. Staying or going, get the kid some help.

Chris20 · Post by **Chris20** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:46 pm

Len, I am not trying to defend him or his actions. But the evidence we have doesn't support tat he has a serious substance abuse problem. He was caught near pot at UConn....was tested and passed. He allegedly was drunk in this current incident....but that is far from substantiated tot his point, at least from what I've seen.

So alleging a problem and then calling it serious seems premature. All we know for sure is that he has a problem with following some rules and behaving responsibly.

Could he have a substance abuse problem? Sure..... Could it be serious? I guess. Could he enjoy mexican food and romance novels? Sure, Why not?

throwdown · Post by **throwdown** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:57 pm

I agree with Len.....Well said.

Chris20 · Post by **Chris20** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:02 pm

So any player at a decent D1 school with a scholarship who has ever been around pot or got drunk has a serious drug problem and obviously has a serious alcohol problem?

umass21 · Post by **umass21** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:04 pm

Wait before the apologist train runs completely off the track, he was arrested, wasn't he? He has a track record of getting into trouble and it took him three months to get into some at UMass. I don't see what he's done to earn the benefit of the doubt.

Chris20 · Post by **Chris20** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:22 pm

I am not an apologist. If they throw him out today, wouldn't bother me in the least. He is a serial offender as far as misbehavior goes, and there is little reason to think that his next "second chance" will be the one that gets through to him.

I'm just not ready to label him as some others have....there is not enough evidence to be throwing around those terms.