Did the Chig and the coaching staff fail DJK?

[Iowafarmgirl]

you didnt go to Iowa, did you?

If you think this was well hid from other people on the team or even more if you think he's the only one doing these kind of things you are kidding yourself.

All of the cocaine users I knew stayed back in the fields when I went off to college. I didn't go to Iowa, but I did go to Drake, which is right in the middle of the hood, and still didn't see much snorting going on except from townies.

Then my question is where are they getting the cash for all of this cocaine that is apparantly everywhere? I mean, an 8 ball of coke costs like $100, and that's enough to keep a user going for about 3 to 4 days.

 

[olivecourt]

Is he to blame that our starting WR was living with a man who had drug convictions? I don't see how it could be any other way.

Point #1. I lived upstairs from someone who dealt drugs for a year when I was in Iowa City. Didn't realize it for a solid six months. In most cases, we aren't talking about The Wire here. We're talking about college kids that buy a little more than they use and then sell it to their friends. I'm not saying that it's not a big deal, but I am saying that it's not obvious, even when you live right next to it.

Point #2. I'm trying to figure out what the job description of a head coach is. According to this forum, it's:
1. Gameplan for opposing teams.
2. Recruit nationwide.
3. Constantly evaluate staff, firing and hiring when assistant coaches have bad seasons.
4. Design innovative offensive and defensive schemes.
5. Develop walkons into NFL players.
6. Be forthcoming in press conferences, but not too harsh/sarcastic.
7. Win every game you're favored to win.
8. Win some games when you're the underdog.
9. Help freshmen athletes adapt to college football and college life.
10. Make sure all students pass their classes and remain eligible.
11. Bowl prep.
12. Design and monitor off-season conditioning.
13. Figure out which 17-year old high school kids are talented troublemakers that deserve a chance to make it work, and which are hopeless jerks.
14. Keep track of where everyone on your roster lives, and who they live with.
15. Design and enforce rules and punishments that respond to the 85 unique situations, one for each athlete.
16. Keep track of each player's Twitter, Facebook, moped ownership, and relationship status.

What am I missing?

 

[DuffMan]

Again thats why we have a life skills coach. My question is why didn't that person catch this?

 

[Igothawked]

All of the cocaine users I knew stayed back in the fields when I went off to college. I didn't go to Iowa, but I did go to Drake, which is right in the middle of the hood, and still didn't see much snorting going on except from townies.

Then my question is where are they getting the cash for all of this cocaine that is apparantly everywhere? I mean, an 8 ball of coke costs like $100, and that's enough to keep a user going for about 3 to 4 days.

An 8 ball would pry be more than $100 and in college 3 or 4 people would most likely split it, then do it all in one night. People have money at Iowa. There are people from rich families, there are people who work at bars and restaurants part time that make a lot of money, lots of people work while they go to school at Iowa. Lots of people sell just enough drugs to get theirs for free. Lots of people share their drugs with others. Thats the way it goes. The coke scene in Iowa City is big, end of story. Maybe you wouldn't see it or even notice it if you didn't know it was out there, but it would be hard to miss nowadays.

 

[theboat]

Again thats why we have a life skills coach. My question is why didn't that person catch this?

We also have a football coach that is there to win games, but sometimes he loses. I just don't see how this is his fault. If Iowa had a new program where every player has a 8PM curfew, and has to live in university housing, and has a life coach on every floor that does bed checks and room searches at 8:30, how many 18 year old kids would want to play football there? The bottom line is that these are adults. You can show them guidance, be there for assistance when it is needed, teach them the right way to do things, but no matter what you do, if they don't want the help they will find a way to do what they do. DJK made it clear over and over again that he was gonna do things his way, for better or worse.

 

[olivecourt]

We also have a football coach that is there to win games, but sometimes he loses. I just don't see how this is his fault. If Iowa had a new program where every player has a 8PM curfew, and has to live in university housing, and has a life coach on every floor that does bed checks and room searches at 8:30, how many 18 year old kids would want to play football there?

I've been a counselor at summer camps that have similar rules, and yet somehow those who want to do their own thing (usually involving girls) find a way to do so. To cite an even more extreme but very common example, the drug trade in prisons is pervasive.

You can't watch people all the time, and honestly, I wouldn't want our coaches to do so even if they could. As far as I'm concerned, you bring people in, try to show them the right way, and punish them if they stray. I'm not going to jump ship or criticize the coaches if a 22-year old decides to do something stupid. I will criticize them if they try to cover that up or give the kid a free pass (I'm thinking of Lawrence Phillips type situations).

 

[hawkeyebob62]

It's not throwing someone under the bus when you ask why they aren't doing thier jobs.

Not doing his job "how", exactly? Should he be doing spot inspections of all player residences? Do ypu know--with certainty--that Chig or staff knew Brady Johnson's history, or that DJK informed them he lived with Brady Johnson? And for that matter, unless/until anyone can say DJK was historically problematic from a "criminal" standpoint, why does DJK living with Brady Johnson comnstitute a "problem"? For all anyone knew, Brady Johnson had served histime/paid his fines/done his commuinty service.

To tell a 23-year old "You can't live with this person!" is insanity. I don't care if DJK was on scholarship or who was paying for it.

BTW, it IS throwing someone under the bus when you "imply" they aren't doing their job without knowing the whole story. The only thing we KNOW is that DJK lived in a house where the police obtained warrants for searching the premises, and that drugs and paraphernalia were found, including in the personal space of DJK.

You--along with anyone else--have NO indication that Chig/staff wasn't doing his/their job.

 

[DuffMan]

Not doing his job "how", exactly? Considering the previous controversy this team has had regarding living situations (players living in Pheasant Ridge and the Ghost room in Hillcrest in which the sexual assualts took place) the life skills coach, and by extension the HC should be aware of the living situation of EVERY SINGLE PLAYER ON THE TEAM. Should he be doing spot inspections of all player residences? Do ypu know--with certainty--that Chig or staff knew Brady Johnson's history, or that DJK informed them he lived with Brady Johnson? And for that matter, unless/until anyone can say DJK was historically problematic from a "criminal" standpoint, why does DJK living with Brady Johnson comnstitute a "problem"? For all anyone knew, Brady Johnson had served histime/paid his fines/done his commuinty service. This is one of the poorly reasoned statements I've ever seen on this board. How can you, with a straight face, imply that DJK living with a convicted drug offender does not constitute a problem. That is complete lunacy.

To tell a 23-year old "You can't live with this person!" is insanity. No it's not, it's the respnosible thing to do. I don't care if DJK was on scholarship or who was paying for it.

BTW, it IS throwing someone under the bus when you "imply" they aren't doing their job without knowing the whole story. The only thing we KNOW is that DJK lived in a house where the police obtained warrants for searching the premises, and that drugs and paraphernalia were found, including in the personal space of DJK.

You--along with anyone else--have NO indication that Chig/staff wasn't doing his/their job. Yes I do. The very fact he was living with a person with drug convictions is proof someone wasn't doing thier job.

The only way this isn't a failure on the Staffs part is if DJK put together some sort of elaborate lie/conspiracy in which he told the coaches he lived in one residence while living in another, or moved/changed roomates without informing the coaches.

 

[whammer33024]

hell, maybe chig was doing it with him.

surprised this hasn't gone there yet. if people want to hide stuff, they can. hell i have plenty of things i hide from people

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Wow. We've really come full circle. A week ago Kirk was being crucified here for holding DJK to an unrealistic set of expectations and for being overbearing. Now we're crucifying him for failing to stop DJK from snorting coke in the privacy of his bedroom.

There are days I think Ferentz might be underpaid.

 

[das89hawk]

1. What Power does Chig have over players? Is it more than an advisory position in which you tell a 18 yrold kid what to stay away from!

2. The simple fact that KF recognized the need for Life Coach position should be a positiive nod to program.
3. Chig will now learn from situation and become more involved in the private lives of players.

4. unless there is evidence of coaching staff visiting house and purchasing or using, how can they be to blame. these are not minors he is 23 and an adult!

 

[Igothawked]

1. What Power does Chig have over players? Is it more than an advisory position in which you tell a 18 yrold kid what to stay away from!

2. The simple fact that KF recognized the need for Life Coach position should be a positiive nod to program.
3. Chig will now learn from situation and become more involved in the private lives of players.

4. unless there is evidence of coaching staff visiting house and purchasing or using, how can they be to blame. these are not minors he is 23 and an adult!

I agree. And I do agree with some Duffman's points that the staff may have failed DJK too. That does make sense.
But by saying the staff let DJK down is clearly throwing one under the bus. That is the definition of throwing someone under the bus. Placing blame on one person or one group of people, is throwing that individual/group under the bus.
Examples: The offensive line lost this game because they could not pick up the blitz. The coaching staff failed the player by not recognizing that he was in a poor living situation.

 

[HaydensUncle]

Clearly the best solution is for the team to live inside Kinnick Stadium and only be allowed to leave the confines for away games. Their classes can be taken online. I hear there are nice cages on the west side. I think they even get a tv! That should probably get disconnected, as they may watch pornography or do other immoral actions with it.

 

[IOWuh]

I thought it was "Chick" not "Chig." Are you people telling me the Iowa City Press Citizen got something wrong? I refuse to believe it.

 

[pumpdog20]

I'm not trying to throw anyone under the bus, but I have to question what Chigozie Ejiasi's role is on the team if it isn’t to prevent this kind of stuff from happening.

Understand that I firmly believe that the only one responsible for DJK’s situation is DJK. Regardless of who he was living with he voluntarily chose to get involved with multiple illegal drugs. It’s unfair to hold Chig (I think that’s what he goes by), KF, or even his roommate responsible for his actions. He is where he is as a direct result of his decision making. You reap what you sow. Anyone who places blame outside of #15 is kidding themselves.

That being said why wasn’t the coaching staff, and specifically the life skills coach, able to prevent this from happening? Wouldn’t a life coach at the very least meet with everyone on the roster annually and be aware of their living situation at all times? This is especially true given the Pheasant Ridge and Ghost Room situations that have happened in the past. I can understand that KF has far too many things on his plate to know the personal goings on in these kids lives. All we can reasonably expect from him is to know where these kids stand academically and on the depth chart, after all that’s why we hired the life skills coach to begin with.

So what exactly does this guy do? I understand that a large part of Chig’s time is probably spent with the young guys on the roster as they adjust to college life and it should be. I also understand that DJK is hardly a kid anymore (he’s 23) and that despite some possible maturity issues he’s not been in any kind of trouble off the field. A player in that situation deserves a bit more freedom, and a bit less attention than a 19 year old on campus, or even someone with previous legal issues. However even with more freedom there must be some contact between player and life skills coach, doesn’t there? I can’t help but think that Chig failed in this situation.

I guess it’s possible that Chig and the rest of the coaching staff including KF did know who he was living with. I suppose it could be that while they hardly condoned it they ultimately determined they couldn’t force him to move out, this is America after all, but wouldn’t that still be a failure on their part?

I guess ultimately I can come to no other conclusion that this coaching staff, to some degree, failed DJK. They also failed the other 84 scholarship players, the school itself, and to some degree it’s fan base.

Either they failed because they DIDN’T know who he was living with, or they failed because they DID know but didn’t remedy the situation.

You realize that DJK is completely responsible, but went ahead and asked why others let him be responsible? Weird.

 

[pumpdog20]

Most people, including the OP, agree on this. First and foremost, DJK was the one responsible.

However, I think the question posed in the OP isn't an unfair one. What are, exactly, the roles of the coaching staff in the lives of these young men? How much control do they exercise over their players off the field? What, exactly, is the job of the "life coach" with regard to the players?

I think it's fair to say that nowadays a coach's responsibility is to win ball games and everything else is second. Look at Miami, the culture is turned around, has the 3rd highest graduation rate and the coach is let go. Look at Iowa every year you get mulitiple run-ins with the authorities and the coach gets a raise, because there's few people in the country that can keep Iowa winning.

 

[pumpdog20]

I agree. And I do agree with some Duffman's points that the staff may have failed DJK too. That does make sense.
But by saying the staff let DJK down is clearly throwing one under the bus. That is the definition of throwing someone under the bus. Placing blame on one person or one group of people, is throwing that individual/group under the bus.
Examples: The offensive line lost this game because they could not pick up the blitz. The coaching staff failed the player by not recognizing that he was in a poor living situation.

No one fails an adult, but the actual adult themself. There's no one else to blame.

 

[DuffMan]

Listen, it's not "throwing someone under the bus" if they failed to do thier job. "Throwing someone under the bus" is akin to making a scape goat out of someone who isn't the sole reason to blame. Some of you have trouble understanding that distinction.

I'll use a football analogy. Let's say we play a team in our bowl that has the best DE in the history of college football, and let's say we have a freshman making his first career start at LT, and rather than send protection help his way (chip with RB's TEs help with the OG ect) we let him go one on one the WHOLE game. Let's say that DE does what that DE should do and we lose the game in part because of some key 4th quarter sacks. If a HC in a post game press conference says something to the effect "We lost that game because our LT couldn't keep that DE out of our backfield".... well that is throwing someone under the bus. He's placing underserved blame on an individual when the reality is there was more to it than that.

Now conversely lets say we do scheeme to try and contain him and he still wreaks havoc, if that HC says after the game "A big reason why we lost that game is because our O-Line couldn't keep that DE out of the backfield. Well that's different, it's an entirely fair statement.

I feel silly having to make a long post to explain that too you, but it's clear many of you don't get it...

And for the last time people no body is blaming anyone for DJK snorting coke other than DJK. NOBODY here has said that, or even implied that. Some of us do think there appears to be a failure on our staff by allowing, either directly by knowing and not making him move or indirectly by not knowing about the situation at all, DJK to live with who he lived with.

 

[Igothawked]

Listen, it's not "throwing someone under the bus" if they failed to do thier job. "Throwing someone under the bus" is akin to making a scape goat out of someone who isn't the sole reason to blame. Some of you have trouble understanding that distinction.

I'll use a football analogy. Let's say we play a team in our bowl that has the best DE in the history of college football, and let's say we have a freshman making his first career start at LT, and rather than send protection help his way (chip with RB's TEs help with the OG ect) we let him go one on one the WHOLE game. Let's say that DE does what that DE should do and we lose the game in part because of some key 4th quarter sacks. If a HC in a post game press conference says something to the effect "We lost that game because our LT couldn't keep that DE out of our backfield".... well that is throwing someone under the bus. He's placing underserved blame on an individual when the reality is there was more to it than that.

Now conversely lets say we do scheeme to try and contain him and he still wreaks havoc, if that HC says after the game "A big reason why we lost that game is because our O-Line couldn't keep that DE out of the backfield. Well that's different, it's an entirely fair statement.

I feel silly having to make a long post to explain that too you, but it's clear many of you don't get it...

And for the last time people no body is blaming anyone for DJK snorting coke other than DJK. NOBODY here has said that, or even implied that. Some of us do think there appears to be a failure on our staff by allowing, either directly by knowing and not making him move or indirectly by not knowing about the situation at all, DJK to live with who he lived with.

Your post is correct, but you are still throwing Chig (or Chick) under the bus by saying he failed at his job. You are placing that individual out there saying he failed at his job letting DJK be in the situation. Much like your example of the LT who was hung out to dry the entire game.

 

[DuffMan]

Your post is correct, but you are still throwing Chig (or Chick) under the bus by saying he failed at his job. You are placing that individual out there saying he failed at his job letting DJK be in the situation. Much like your example of the LT who was hung out to dry the entire game.

I'm not saying he failed at his job. I'm asking WHAT IS Chick's job, if not to prevent this kind of thing (the living situation) from happening. Yes I'm also saying that if either a) he didn't know because he didn't ask, or b) he did know but didn't do anything to change it, that he (and by extention his superiors) failed in that regard.

I'm willing to cut them some slack if DJK was actively decieving them about his living situation but I guess I find that to be the most remote of the possibilities listed above.

Lastly I don't know anyone whos asking for heads about this, what we want is an answer to the following question....

"Why wasn't a person who's sole job duty is to help players on this team make good life decisions able to prevent DJK from having a roomate with previous drug convictions?"

Again at the risk of repeating myself I can only come up with three possible answers....

A) They didn't know because they didn't ask = FAIL
B) They knew but didn't correct it = FAIL
C) DJK actively decieved them about his living situation = PASS

Note I'm not saying Chick is the ONLY one complicit if there is failure. In fact if failure exists it almost certainly involves more than one individual, hence the title of the freaking post "Did Chick (sic) and the coaching staff fail DJK?"