Problems in Oregon... does it affect pre season ranking?

PeoriaHWKI

Well-Known Member
Oregon tailback LaMichael James, one of the top freshmen in the nation, was arrested on domestic violence charges after his girlfriend said he grabbed her neck during an argument and pushed her to the ground.
LaMichael James. Tom Hauck

James, 20, was in the Lane County Jail on Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of menacing, strangulation and assault. No bail amount was set and it was not immediately known if he has a lawyer.

Springfield police Sgt. Tom Borchers said the incident happened Monday evening outside a Springfield apartment complex. The 22-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, contacted authorities the following day and police located James in Eugene late Tuesday.

The woman sustained an abrasion but did not require hospitalization, Borchers said.

James began the season as the backup to LeGarrette Blount, but quickly became a star after Blount was suspended for most of the season for punching a Boise State player immediately after the Ducks' season opener.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound James rushed for 1,546 yards, the ninth-highest total in the nation and the most ever by a Pac-10 freshman. He had seven consecutive 100-yard games before Ohio State limited him to 70 in the Rose Bowl.

University officials did not immediately return phone calls and e-mails seeking comment.

The arrest comes the same week kicker Rob Beard was charged with assault for a Jan. 24 altercation that precipitated a brawl that left him badly beaten and in need of facial surgery. Another kicker involved in the incident, Mike Bowlin, left the team this week and defensive end Matt Simms was dismissed from the squad after he was charged with assault in what police say was an attack on someone Simms thought was involved
 
Pretty crazy to see problems like this from a team that will be looked on so favorably going into next year.
 
I think this is what psychologists call "transferrence." Oregon's players are upset about being pushed around by an O$U team that most commentators were predicting they would beat easily. Unable to resolve this frustration at its source (the Buckeyes) they take it out on girlfriends, random guys at bars, etc.
 
I'm trying to decide if I want to change my screen name to "LeHawkeyeShane" or "LaHawkeyeShane"...apparently Oregon makes their RBs do it...
 
this is an interesting topic...it came up on PTI today w/ Dan LeBetard filling in for Kornheiser, Wilbon asked him the question--what does all this trouble on the team mean for Oregon.

LeBetard's answer was probably as honest as you're going to hear--it 'probably' means they're going to be really good.
His thinking was, look at the Miami program of the 80s and 90s, the Nebraska program in Osborn's last years and Florida the last couple of years (he cited something like 30+ arrests the last 3 or 4 years). It shows the schools are taking chances on marginal character guys because they have lots of athletic ability. He should know because he covered 'the U' during its 'glory days' so he knows the kind of things that go on.
He went on to say that he was talking to Anquan Bolden (AZ Cards WR, went to FSU) about the topic and Anquan said-- Oh yeah, there are a lot of guys tougher and meaner than me back in the hood, they just can't get into or aren't interested inschool.

Wilbon, not surprising, didn't like this one bit and they got pretty heated for a while. It was an interesting exchange.
 

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