Gorilla Crouch

This was bound to happen with news that Chris Webber is set to sign with the Detoit Pistons. Dan Wetzel at Yahoo Sports writes one of the first defenses of Chris Webber’s actions at the University of Michigan. Wetzel makes sure to say Webber bears some culpability before laying most of the blame on the University of Michigan athletic department:

[Webber] was a teenager operating within a culture and a system where such handouts are commonplace…No matter the scandal, no matter the school, the blame almost always falls on one of three people – the bad-apple player, the rogue booster or the overaggressive assistant coach.

It is never the system. It is never the institution. It is never the collective values of a place such as Michigan that take the hit, but rather one kid who gets all the scorn, draws all the boos.

This is an absolute fantasy on Wetzel’s part. Michigan’s athletic department investigated the Ed Martin scandal on their own, but could not compel anyone involved in the inquiry to testify. It was only when a federal investigation with the power to subpoena was called that those involved could be compeled to testify. And Chris Webber even lied under oath. He pled guilty to doing so.

As far as Michigan not taking a hit, this is a complete lie. Here is the price Michigan paid as a result of the Ed Martin scandal. You can read the press release here:

• Repaying to the NCAA about $450,000 the University received for postseason play with those ineligible players

• Declaring the men’s basketball team ineligible to participate in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament, as well as the 2003 National Invitational Tournament

• Placing the basketball program on probation for two years, during which time the president will supervise detailed reports on compliance to be made to the NCAA

Steve Fisher, who was coach during the time many players received benefits (Wetzel conveniently doesn’t mention that Louis Bullock wasn’t being paid by Ed Martin when he was 14 years old), was fired, as was Brian Ellerbe, who was the coach while Robert Traylor was being paid by Martin. So in short the university paid a significant price as did the two coaches who were responsible for the players involved.

What price did Chris Webber pay? He was suspended for a grand total of three games for lying to a grand jury. He also had to pay a $100,000 fine and do 330 hours of community service.

Wetzel starts off his article by saying fans are willing to forgive professional athletes for any transgression and if that was the crux of his article I would agree with the general theme. But his attempt to make Chris Webber a victim of a process where he has done absolutely nothing but benefit is nauseating. So Chris Webber has been booed during the handful of games he has played at the Palace. What a martyr. And that will likely change given the role he can play in helping to improve the Pistons. So there is no real need for Wetzel to try and rally the fan base behind him. The fans gave him a warm welcome at the Palace this afternoon.

Chris Webber Michigan Basketball Pistons

January 15th, 2007
Categories: Pistons, Michigan Basketball . Author: Dave

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