OT: Charges against UCLA players dropped, flying home from China
All charges against UCLA players LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill, and Cody Riley have been dropped and they're now flying home from China (not being deported). News reports said President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help resolve things.
Michigan plays UCLA at Crisler on Dec 9.
If you were the coach/AD at UCLA, what punishment would you give them for committing the crime (sounds like they were totally guilty i.e. caught on tape) and bringing international embarrassment to the school/country? I don't think I'd kick them off the team. I think suspension for the season would be appropriate if it really did necessitate the President getting involved to keep them out of a Chinese jail for the next few years. If that wasn't really what happened behind the scenes, then I'd call it good at a 10 game suspension.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
Take one with them smiling, and then one with them not smiling.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
This past week was enough of a lesson.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
I think embarrassing your team, your school and your country merits at least a several game suspension, but LaVar will get on TV and run his mouth about how the media is making this a big deal, that LiAngelo is somehow the victim here, and how the rules don't apply to Big Ballers. So I'm guessing LiAngelo will probably miss a game or two against some bodybag opponents, but he'll be coming in when they play Michigan, which is UCLA's first real test of the season.
LiAngelo's real punishment will begin when UCLA goes on the road. I have to imagine opposing student sections will show him absolutely zero mercy. The minute he touches the ball, there will be some creative chant going throughout the arena reminding him that he's a petty criminal. This will follow him through college, to the NBA (if he makes it that far) and beyond.
November 14th, 2017 at 6:58 PM ^
SHOP RIFTER!...SHOP RIFTER!...
November 14th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
Dudes were lucky they didn't get caned. But this is obvioulsy the fair and just result. The U.S. would do the same. You do not throw athletes on a goodwill mission in the brigade for shoplifting. (Well, China kind of does.)
November 14th, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^
What is deemed "fair and just" in China is very different from what is deemed "fair and just" here in the states. China has its own set of laws, and whether or not we as Americans agree with them, when you're on their turf, you're bound to their laws. You don't deserve to get a free pass just because that's what you'd get in America. If you break them, you deserve to be punished based on what the locals deem to be fair. The Constitution can't do shit to help you once you leave our borders. You don't get your phone call, your right to remain silent or your right to a lawyer. You get what they tell you you get, which may be nothing.
It's like that kid from UVa who went to North Korea and got sentenced to 10-15 years of hard labor when all he did was steal a flag. Sure, that punishment would never happen here, but it's their law. I'm sorry for his family that he's no longer alive, but he knew the law and was stupid enough to break it anyway. In the LAST COUNTRY ON EARTH you'd ever want to break the law in. Or if he didn't know the law, that makes him that much more of an idiot.
Their turf, their rules my friend.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:37 PM ^
in Labrynth. Great movie (RIP David Bowie)...
November 14th, 2017 at 2:06 PM ^
I think you are correct in the broader sense, but here the students were travelling to China on a goodwill mission in a game sponsored by a major Chinese corporation. China should (and did) respect U.S. comity by not throwing these guys in the brig.
November 14th, 2017 at 2:54 PM ^
Fair enough. LiAngelo and his merry band of hoodlums didn't demonstrate much of that goodwill by stealing from the country that was hosting them, but I'm sure there were behind the scenes factors that facilitated their release. I'm guessing LaVar also paid a hefty fine to ensure LiAngelo's release and the two sides just agreed to let bygones be bygones.
I think what just irks me the most about this is that LiAngelo will probably learn nothing from this aside from LaVar telling him "next time, don't get caught." LaVar has built up this mentality around his family that the rules shouldn't apply to them, and that their shit doesn't stink.
Unfortunately, I think I just have to accept that there are going to be people in life who get fame and fortune who didn't work for it, and in no way deserve any of it. At the end of the day, LaVar Ball is just another two-bit dickbag who wants the world, but thinks he deserves to cut corners in order to get there.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
Aren't all 3 of the players freshman? I don't know the depth of UCLA, but if they get suspended they will probably just be changing their view of the court from the bench to the couch. Hmm from the bench to the couch, that sounds like a dramatic reality tv segment.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
Not too surprising. Pretty sure that Daddy swooped down to the rescue, paid a hefty fine, told LiAngelo "next time don't get caught," and all is forgiven and forgotten. If this was your average shmuck they'd be well on their way to some prison out in the middle of the Gobi Desert for several years of hard labor.
Not sure if any punishment will be coming down from UCLA on this, but even if not, you can bet your sweet ass that this is going to follow LiAngelo anywhere and everywhere he goes. He will be shown no mercy from any and every opposing student section he plays in front of.
Very curious to see what signs or chants Maize Rage will come up with when UCLA comes to town in a few weeks.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
They should get the same suspension they would get if they were convicted of an equal charge here in the US.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
If you suspend LiAngelo Ball for the year, you lose LaVar Ball, and you lose the little brother.
So, yeah, I'd go ahead and kick him off the team permanently to shed the whole circus.
November 14th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
I have a feeling UCLA will be playing a game in China every year now for a while...
November 14th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
He brazenly commits a crime in China were the penalty is normally an automatic 10 years in prison.
And then his millionaire father gets him off, with the help of the US embassy, President and the State Dept, etc. A regular US citizen would NOT get that level of support and aid.
I have serious doubts that such a kid will ever realize just how fortunate he is because of his shitty behavior and for facing zero consequences.
Also, way to represent your country, community, university in a foreign country dude. This episode ought to really help with the negative stereotypes.
https://newsone.com/3757629/china-shoplifting-laws-liangelo-ball-arrest…
Wait for the interviews when he gets back. They ought to be hilarious.
November 14th, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
being your dad punishment enough?
November 14th, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^
Claire Danes was in a movie in the late 90's about being in a Chinese prison (Edit: was actually Thailand.) I googled, "claire danes chinese prison" and the third image returned was this:
November 14th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
Thank you President Trump.....neg away negative nancies, those boys were in a heap of trouble before the President intervened.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
After his achievement on November 8, 2016 of keeping that crook out of office the rest is gravy.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^
Trump has done ALOT while being handcuffed on everything from both the right and left.
November 14th, 2017 at 3:20 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 3:50 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 3:35 PM ^
Welcome to checks and balances.
November 14th, 2017 at 8:05 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 8:58 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 9:52 PM ^
November 15th, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
How is that different from the last administration?
Prtizker (a felon) in Commerce. Salazar, Interior. Chu, Education. Kirk, Trade. Rahm, Chief of Staff. Randlett, Marasimhan, Shapira became czars. Barzun, Emmerson, Gips, Kennedy, Phillps, Stetson, all got ambassadorships. The last administration put 184 people who donated $500,000 or more in the administration... many of those people got stimulus money for their businesses.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
they weren't going to be released?
November 15th, 2017 at 8:43 AM ^
Yup, but he will never receive the due credit, because we must focus again on Russia. Loudmouths like hollywood figures and main stream media types will not give credit. Fortunately for the left, they possess most of the loudmouths.
November 16th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
I think/hope that Trump had to do what the English PM did in the first episode of Black Mirror to get this done.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
>. no wet noodle treatment prior to release !?
November 14th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
If they don't hammer these kids like trout meat, then just shut the NCAA down and go full rogue.
November 14th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
LiAngelo honestly sucks.
November 14th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
The Chinese don't F-around when it comes to Bball recruiting.
November 14th, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^
Once again special treatment for athletes..If this had been you or I we"d be in the slammer..prob for a long time in China
November 14th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
So comforting to know that POTUS has my back if I ever shoplift in China.
November 14th, 2017 at 3:01 PM ^
November 14th, 2017 at 3:35 PM ^