Scruggs Suspended Indefinitely
Title says all, figured after his arrest. Wonder if some of the newer analyst may step in as DL coach.
What details need to be reviewed? It doesn’t sound like an accident was involved and no one was injured. He got arrested for DUI. Pretty basic. If you want to fire him for it, fire him. If you don’t, move on. Make a decision
I assume that's what they're trying to figure out. They just hired him and I assume his contract has a clause around his severance being void if he committed a crime like a DUI. They may also be trying to figure out what remedial steps he would have to take in order to return to the program as a coach if they decide to do so.
It is far more nuanced than the knee-jerk response you seem to be calling for.
I’m quite certain there are some other consideration. .11, coherent and compliant is different from .24 and yelling “do you know who I am” repeatedly. I’m sure they will take a look at the facts and make a call pretty quickly.
I saw a drunk woman act a fool in a pizza shop back in the day who yelled “do you know who my husband is” repeatedly to the cops who were called. It was one of the more entertaining experiences of my life
I saw a video where a dude said to an arresting officer (while the dude was on the hood getting cuffed): “Do you know who my father is?”
The cop didn’t miss a beat and asked “didn’t your mom tell you?”
I see your point. More than anything else, if someone can even get behind the wheel at .24 or something in that range, it means they have a serious alcohol problem, but ultimately it comes down to a simple decision about whether getting arrested for DUI is a firing offense. A DUI at any BA level, especially in a time when rides are so easy to get, demonstrates poor judgement.
March 16th, 2024 at 11:14 PM ^
Like, I don't know how everybody doesn't have uber or some other ride share app now when they go drinking. Like even AAA will move your car for you.
I want to speak to your supervisor
I would assume they want details surrounding the arrest before deciding on firing him.
Did he blow a .09 or a .20? Was he compliant with officers or belligerent? Was he speeding or driving recklessly? Was there any accident or injury involved?
A lot we don’t know that is relevant to determining the severity of the offense here.
They are going to wait until the sentencing is done. Most relevant facts will be known by then.
Fire him.
Sorry, but this is shit judgment and a horrible example for the young men he is coaching and the university student body as a whole. There need be consequences to said poor judgment, specifically for a guy paid that much to teach young adults to make the right choices for their own safety and that of others. The job of a coach, specifically position coaches that interact with players all the time, is to impart wisdom and the lessons of life onto them, not just recruit, and teach football technique and training.
Yes, details matter, nuance is important and everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves when the dust settles, but with such a high profile job and in the role of mentor to student-athletes, there need be repercussions for such a poor choice.
I'm not the morality police or trying to be sanctimonious - we all screw up and hope he has a redemption story down the line - but in his position and in the educator role with which he is trusted, his redemption story should not be at UM and not take place before suffering the consequences.
He is a coach, not a student athlete and such an offense should be considered below the standards of anyone on UM's staff.
Idk, the legal limit for alcohol content in the blood isn’t actually all that high. It takes roughly three-four 12 oz. Beers in an hour to get to .08 (obviously some other factors in play there). Plenty of people can drink that and still be highly functional and not notice any adverse effects, while still technically being over the legal limit. Poor judgement and all but we’re talking about having some drinks at the bar on a Friday night on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Let’s not act like he’s leading the players down a path of eternal damnation.
Seems like we’re rushing to judgement and criticism without the details. Calling for his job before we get that seems premature. He deserves, and will receive, some sort of punishment. But calling for the guy’s job at this point is excessive.
Stop making excuses for it. Getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, at any level is serious. I don't have any sympathy for the guy.
I’m not making excuses for it. I’m saying we need details before we rush to punish and call for the guy’s job. The penalty for blowing a .09 should be pretty mild compared to blowing a .25.
.08 is pretty low. Still illegal and shouldn’t be just brushed off, but he shouldn’t lose his job over something like that. That’s absolutely ridiculous to rush to that level of punishment. But again, that’s why we wait for the details.
The guy went out for some drinks on a drinking holiday, something a good chunk of this country (and a large portion of the college students) are also doing. HOW drunk he was matters. The circumstances surrounding his arrest do as well. That’s all I’m saying here.
March 16th, 2024 at 10:59 PM ^
What day of year it is does not change right and wrong. That argument is weak sauce. If he was drunk enough to break the law, especially with his track record, then good riddance.
Nowhere did I claim what day of the year it was made it right or wrong. Simply that the guy was out drinking on a holiday weekend known for drinking and we don’t even know what his BAC was or the circumstances of his arrest.
.08 is pretty low, yet still illegal, and there are many people who experience zero adverse effects from a BAC content that low. You can have a glass or two of wine with dinner and blow a .08.
I feel so differently about this. If you can feel anything from drinking you should not be risking other's lives by driving. I'd probably set the legal limit closer to .5 if it was up to me. It's so easy not to do. Just have only one drink, or plan ahead and uber both ways or get a ride
Well if you set the limit to .5, the drinker would be dead… and that’s over 6x the current legal limit…
March 18th, 2024 at 12:53 AM ^
lol fair. I meant .05 obviously but fair
Driving while drunk, driving impaired, is a black and white issue. There is no grey area. It's not up to the math and it's never acceptable.
Third strike, he needs to be out.
I disagree, it's not black and white at all. .08 is an almost absurdly low limit, and there's a major difference between that and say a .25.
I don't care if the guy gets fired or not, but the DUI pearl clutching by the neoprohibitionists is annoying.
March 16th, 2024 at 11:33 PM ^
10,000 people die annually in drunk driving accidents.
And 3x as many die in sober driving accidents. Let’s all clutch pearls about it
Both numbers are bad. If you want to know which is worse, you need to know the percent of drivers on the road who are drunk.
As far as stats, google turns up "About 31% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher)."
The first study google turned up estimated 1/120 drivers are drunk overall, 1/7 after 1am on a weekend. So pretty clear that drunk drivers are responsible for far more than their share of traffic deaths, and the focus on drunk driving crashes will be more effective than treating all crashes the same. The study also said the costs to society would be less if it paid for cabs for all drunk drivers than paying for the costs of drunk driving crashes.
Also, just drink less. Use the 7-2-0 rule: no more than 7 drinks a week, no more than 2 drinks per day, at least one alcohol free day per week.
7 drinks is just an early afternoon on the beach
March 17th, 2024 at 12:53 AM ^
It's also "annoying" when a drunk wrecks another car and/or kills someone and claims they were "only a little drunk". That's like only aggravated battering or molesting someone "a little bit".
Except you’re comparing driving after drinking, which is not harmful but is correlated with increased risk, with directly harmful behavior. A more appropriate comparison would be to some upstream factor that’s harmless on its own but determined to increase the risk of battery- incidentally, there’s an observed correlation between watching sporting events and domestic violence. Should watching sports be criminalized with a nearly zero-tolerance policy? Should we invoke horror stories of trauma and domestic violence every time someone talks positively about watching sports- which by the way is entirely voluntary and not a need (if you think it’s a need, get help!)
Ernis, you can try to rationalize, excuse, explain, forgive, minimize, etc. drunk driving in any way you want to twist it. But drunk driving is not defensible in *any" way, even when/if you luckily manage to get home safely.
If you're a drinker/driver in any way? Just stop, just don't. Ever. Ever again.
Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. 😉
March 17th, 2024 at 12:38 PM ^
"not harmful, but is correlated with increased risk..."
Wait. What?
Can't think of a much dumber argument than conflating being hard on drunk driving with wanting prohibition. Noone's saying don't drink, just don't drive if you do it. Here's hoping this chat never needs to be used in Mad Hatter's trial for hurting someone
March 17th, 2024 at 12:03 PM ^
Scruggs is probably well over 200 lbs. How is being able to go out and drink 4 or 5 beers absurdly low? I get that many people regularly drink more than that, but you can certainly socialize with friends and drink moderately if you want to drive. If not, get an uber, have someone else drive or drink at home.
Well it’s actually definitely up to the math. There are more severe legal penalties the higher your BAC is.
Nobody is saying it’s “acceptable,” but simply that the details are what should determine the severity of the punishment.
Interesting, not in my current state. DWI = DWI.
Michigan has OWI and OWVI, the latter being lesser severity because obviously
Had no idea. Thank you. 👍 Do you have a 3 strike rule?
March 16th, 2024 at 10:22 PM ^
Michigan actually has a time frame where violations are wiped off your record. This will be treated as a first-time offense
March 16th, 2024 at 10:29 PM ^
Thanks. Not a fan of that, at all.
I mean I don’t have an issue with removing a drunk driving charge that occurred in college from someone in their mid 30’s. Dumb kids do dumb things and I don’t think a non-violent charge should follow you to the grave.
I don’t know what state you live in, but Michigan has more severe penalties for individuals who blow twice the legal limit (.17+)
March 17th, 2024 at 12:34 PM ^
Sorry Bo, but need fact before making a rash judgement. To me it is far greater to show grace and leadership before issuing blanket firing. Sure, he broke a law, but he hasn't even been arraigned. If all was as has been reported (barely over the limit, compliant and cooperative), I think it's better to show people can make a mistake and earn their way back into good standing.
I doubt they'll wait for that...it could take 6 months to get through the court process.
I bet they'll wait until the police report is available and make a decision shortly thereafter.
and for legal purposes this is a first offense, but for life purposes, this is his second, and I imagine that's something Sherrone might factor into the decision, though the court won't.
everybody makes mistakes. some mistakes aren't forgiven by some employers when the individual in question is functioning in a mentoring and leadership role. depending on circumstances and specifics, this almost certainly isn't something Scruggs can't come back from...but it may be something he can't come back to Michigan from this year.
Third actually
March 17th, 2024 at 11:18 AM ^
It's his 3rd offense.
100% has to go.
It is Saturday. The legal/HR people that would get involved in firing him or most other actions are usually off over the weekend.
I would expect something more definitive early in the week - possible even Monday morning.
Have the lawyers check the contract and if this is a firing offense, let him go. The university doesn’t ow him any reciprocal commitment - he’s been here five minutes. DL coaches are dime a dozen. They are mainly distinguished by how well they recruit…the coaching part is pretty generic. This is an opportunity for Sherrone to set the tone for his program…he shouldn’t pass it up
He's fired. This is a step in the HR process
March 17th, 2024 at 10:08 AM ^
"What details need to be reviewed?. . " The Oracle 2
Details matter. For example, is there precedence of a similar incident regarding UM football?
Minick crashed his car, received DUI arrest, was suspended indefinitely, and was reported to be reinstated about a month later, subject to conditions.
Next, is there an employee assistance program for substance abuse at UM? For someone that volunteers for this, it may offer a solution to a problem that is often referred to as a medical issue. And, successful recovery could be lifesaving to one or many.
Last, is there contract language that specifically addresses the issue? If so, the matter may already be on path to resolution.
Wishing the best for coach Scruggs as this plays forward. It's really a greater issue than who will be the football coach for a certain position.
As someone who treats people with SUD I hope that circumstances will him to have the kinds of second chances my patients usually get, though context and prior history of course should dictate that.
To the rest of us, reminder 1 gagillion to Uberlyft if you have have more than a couple and don’t have a designated driver
This was his second chance. I don’t have any knowledge of whether he has SUD or not, but this is his second DUI. I think BAC is an important detail and I don’t know if his has been publicized. I’m empathetic to SUD, but zero tolerance for repeat offender OWI. Take his license, fire him, find a replacement.
Looks like his 3rd DUI. One was negotiated down to reckless.