Spring Break
Calhoun should recruit men, not boys, for team
Aaron Igdalsky
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: Commentary
Nate Miles is in trouble. But he isn't the first one on the UConn men's basketball team who has been arrested, and sadly, he probably won't be the last.
Miles' expulsion from UConn last Thursday garnered national attention, and deservedly so. He is the latest in a string of men's basketball players from UConn who have allegedly broken the law and thrown a negative spotlight on our university. But this time, we aren't talking about a couple of numbskulls smoking pot in a parking lot; Miles is accused of becoming physically and sexually aggressive with a female student here on the Storrs campus. Additionally, he is facing felony criminal charges of violating a restraining order by telephoning the alleged victim despite a court order to the contrary.
However, the reason this story has attracted so much attention not simply because of the despicable behavior Miles is accused of, but rather because of the pattern of contemptible behavior the men's basketball team has exhibited in recent years, under the leadership of coach Jim Calhoun. From larceny to shoplifting to drug possession, the "men" under Calhoun's tutelage have acted more like a bunch of immature boys.
The Hartford Courant published a list on Oct. 3 of disciplinary incidents involving UConn men's basketball players. Miles' incident is now the 18th on a long, long list of disciplinary incidents to have occurred under Calhoun since 1990. Eleven of those have occurred since 2000. These disturbing statistics beg the question: is Jim Calhoun more concerned about winning championships than recruiting upstanding, positive male role models to his team?
Why did Calhoun recruit Miles and offer him a college scholarship in the first place? Miles had bounced around to at least five different high schools for disciplinary reasons. He may have a great three-point shot, but he is not what the university needs right now. Granted, Calhoun did not know Miles would become abusive with a woman here on campus. But Nate Miles shouldn't have been here in the first place.
Miles' expulsion from UConn last Thursday garnered national attention, and deservedly so. He is the latest in a string of men's basketball players from UConn who have allegedly broken the law and thrown a negative spotlight on our university. But this time, we aren't talking about a couple of numbskulls smoking pot in a parking lot; Miles is accused of becoming physically and sexually aggressive with a female student here on the Storrs campus. Additionally, he is facing felony criminal charges of violating a restraining order by telephoning the alleged victim despite a court order to the contrary.
However, the reason this story has attracted so much attention not simply because of the despicable behavior Miles is accused of, but rather because of the pattern of contemptible behavior the men's basketball team has exhibited in recent years, under the leadership of coach Jim Calhoun. From larceny to shoplifting to drug possession, the "men" under Calhoun's tutelage have acted more like a bunch of immature boys.
The Hartford Courant published a list on Oct. 3 of disciplinary incidents involving UConn men's basketball players. Miles' incident is now the 18th on a long, long list of disciplinary incidents to have occurred under Calhoun since 1990. Eleven of those have occurred since 2000. These disturbing statistics beg the question: is Jim Calhoun more concerned about winning championships than recruiting upstanding, positive male role models to his team?
Why did Calhoun recruit Miles and offer him a college scholarship in the first place? Miles had bounced around to at least five different high schools for disciplinary reasons. He may have a great three-point shot, but he is not what the university needs right now. Granted, Calhoun did not know Miles would become abusive with a woman here on campus. But Nate Miles shouldn't have been here in the first place.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Sammy
posted 10/07/08 @ 12:12 PM EST
Totally agree with your article.
I am really upset with Mr. Calhoun and his antics. Seems like everytime this happens, people just give Calhoun a pass and say its the kids fault. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 10/07/08 @ 12:24 PM EST
Life sucks and is often unfair. The men's team brings in lots of revenue and the school is not going to give that up for anything. I would love it if college sports just disappeared off the face of the earth and we could give the scholarship money to high achieving students rather than athletes, but I am thankful this is Connecticut and not the South where this player wouldn't have even been expelled. (Continued…)
Andrew
posted 10/07/08 @ 4:23 PM EST
Thank God UCONN allowed Marcus Williams and AJ Price to stay at Uconn. Marcus now starts in the NBA and returns to CT to help calhoun raise money for charity, and AJ Price has turned into a role-model and dependable leader. (Continued…)
Mike B.
posted 10/07/08 @ 4:32 PM EST
Aaron - Maybe if you did some research, you would realize that many of the disciplinary incidents listed in the Hartford Courant were after those players finished their playing careers. (Continued…)
Jama
posted 10/08/08 @ 3:31 AM EST
The program should be judged on the quality of the individuals that leave the program - not on who is brought in. As John Thompson once said, don't look at what I bring in, look at what I put out. (Continued…)
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