Tyrann Mathieu wants to stay at LSU
There is a brief article at the WWL stating that Tyrann Mathieu is interested in returning to LSU. He wants to attend classes this year on his own dime, and be readmitted to the team for the two years following. The article indicates that he hasn't been dismissed from LSU, but from the team, making this a possibility if the academic and athletic administrations can work it out.
Mathieu has been described as "heartbroken" and "grieving" since his dismissal from the team. Mathieu has told people close to him that he is interested in working on his maturity and character and also in seeking out any way to continue his education at LSU.
August 13th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
I thought the the honey badger don't care.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 9:24 PM ^
heard he was looking to transfer to joe dumars' alma mater, mcneese state in lake charles. anymore on that?
August 14th, 2012 at 7:52 AM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 2:33 PM ^
As I've gotten older I've done a little more thinking about punishments for players who misstep. Let's consider 2 black and white scenarios.
1. Fitz is suspended for the Alabama game, but is brought back afterward.
2. Fitz is allowed to play in the alabma game but has to complete requirements on the side.
Scenario 1 who is punished? Coaches, Fans, Fitz, Teammates. Who benefits? Alabama. What does this really accomplish and really what is harder on Toussiant missing 1 game or having to get up early and subject yourself to a punishment each morning?
Scenario 2 who is punished? Fitz
It sounds tougher to suspend them for a game, but I think it is more beneficial to put restrictions on them and allow them to earn their way back. Then strike 2 or 3 you boot them. If Mathieu really wants to do this I think it is great and think LSU should allow it. If this kid can stay on the straight and narrow for a full year I think it benefits everyone.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:02 PM ^
I see your line of reasoning, however what would Fitz prefer? The "tougher" road, and not missing a game, or the primary punishment being a one game suspension? My money is on playing in the game against Alabama. If the thing he wants the most is still given to him, would he have truly understood the consequences of his actions? What about deterring future mishaps?
August 13th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
I see your line of reasoning, however what would Fitz prefer? The "tougher" road, and not missing a game, or the primary punishment being a one game suspension? My money is on playing in the game against Alabama. If the thing he wants the most is still given to him, would he have truly understood the consequences of his actions? What about deterring future mishaps?
August 13th, 2012 at 3:07 PM ^
An interesting way of looking at things, but this probably would only work with offseason incidents. Had Fitz gotten his DUI on the bye weekend there's really no other option but for him to miss gametime.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:11 PM ^
I see your reasoning, but I think you overlook an important aspect of this: the accountability of those other influences. Yes, in scenario 1, Fitz isn't the only one who suffers the consequences of his actions; but isn't that life? The older you get, the more you realize (hopfully) that your actions don't just affect you. There's a ripple effect that becomes more pronounced the older you get and the more responsibilities you take on.
So, did Fitz fully understand the implications of his actions when he got behind the wheel of his car? Did he consider the disappointment the fans would feel if he got caught? Did he think about the teammates and coaches he would be letting down? Maybe he did, but he didn't let that deter him. Maybe he didn't even consider those things. But from now on, you can bet that he'll at least think more thoroughly through getting behind the wheel of a car the next time he's had a few drinks. And I think that's the principle you want to get through to the kids: the older you get, the more responsibilities you take on, the more publicity you have, the bigger the ripple effect of your choices.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
I agree for the most part, but one thing that scenario 1 teaches Fitz that scenario 2 does not is accountability. Fitz needs to be accountable to all those people that he let down. If he goes out and does whatever he wants and is punished on his own he never learns that as a part of a team his actions have weight and meaning for the rest of his teammates and not just himself.
Also I would guess that missing the season opener in one of the highest profile games of his collegiate career is probably harder to a young athlete and competitor than getting up early and running some extra stairs.
In Mathieu's case by sitting a year he gets to see how his actions have affected the team and his fans.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^
Agreed.
The best punishment is for Fitz to apologize to the team, work his ass off to beat Bama, beat Bama and then continue to work his ass off and to stay away from drinking and driving. People make mistakes, but you can learn from them and they can make you better person if you do.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:03 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 7:15 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 7:52 PM ^
Uh, the hospital I work at is supposedly going to start testing for Nicotine and you get fired if you test positive twice. The rationale is that they pay for your health care and therefore you shouldn't be doing things that are harmful to your health.
August 13th, 2012 at 9:20 PM ^
this can only turn out bad for the employees. after that furor dies down, next they decide that there is significant risk to skydiving, so they forbid that and so on down the line. will you lose your job in the future because of too many speeding tickets? riding a motorcycle? Or any other activity they show a statistical significance as being more dangerous?
August 13th, 2012 at 2:43 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 3:01 PM ^
maybe he can look up the definition of accountability.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:01 PM ^
He should have known better but to ruin a kid's multi-million dollar career for getting caught with marijuana 3 times is pretty dumb. He should be suspended for a significant time but dismissal is harsh.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:19 PM ^
With a modified "3 strikes and your out" policy, what choice did Les Miles have? I can agree that smoking marijuana isn't the worst thing in the world. But if it is illegal, and against team policy, and you've already tested positive twice, what do you think should happen? I believe in second chances. But they're called second chances. He got a second chance, after the first positive test. He got a third chance, after the second positive test. Do you think he deserves a fourth chance? In a sense, if he is allowed to stay in school, and rejoin the team next year, he has gotten a fourth chance. I'm glad to see him get it, but it sure isn't earned or deserved.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:22 PM ^
I fail to see how failing something not once, not twice, but 3 times and then finally being dismissed is harsh.
once--suspended/work your butt off
twice--multiple games/work your butt off
three--dismissal
It follows the logical progression of the 3 strikes rule, its Tyrann's fault and only his fault that he couldnt stop smoking weed long enough to stay on the team.
Many players who wish to get to the next level and dont quite have his physical skills find the time to swear off drugs/alcohol/women and make it so his failure to follow the rules is soley on his shoulders.
I tend to take a less harsh stance on 1st time offenders in that I give lots of leeway for screw ups to college kids because well that is what college is for, however when it happens over and over the kid has turned his back on those who needed him most and shouldnt be allowed to stay on the team.
August 13th, 2012 at 6:48 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
The thing is that even that isn't necessarily true - unless it is one of a few things, even we won't can people on the first offense. Discipline? Sure. Coach (i.e. "positive discipline")? Definitely. As a supervisor, I've had to do this, and it blows, to be sure. Now, if you have a repeated pattern of behavior, then eventually, you are dismissed. At a fair number of firms, this is how it actually works.
It seems like this is what happened to Mathieu - a repeated pattern of behavior led to his dismissal, but it doesn't have to be the end, even with your "former" school, and if he wants to prove that he is indeed still worthy of a shot and can learn the lesson he needs to learn, then that's actually a fairly mature move on his part, a trait he sorely needs to demonstrate. I don't necessarily have sympathy for him blowing this opportunity in the first place, but if he can earn redemption at LSU as he seems to want (although going elsewhere seems way more likely really if he wants to play, but still, a second shot in general), then in theory, he did much growing in a short span of time, and that's a good sign.
August 13th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 6:48 PM ^
No shit?
August 13th, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 7:37 PM ^
I may be in the minority but I am damn impressed with this move. Good for him. I mean he would have had to sit out a year if he transfered, but still, this seems the hard road.
August 13th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
LSU says dismissal is final. He cannot return to the team under any circumstances.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/story/2012-08-13/ls…
August 13th, 2012 at 9:27 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 9:28 PM ^
August 13th, 2012 at 9:40 PM ^