With another football season nearly underway, the good people riding the Fresno State Red Wave had nearly forgotten about the sexual harassment suit that rocked the university this summer.The lawsuit was just the latest in a long history of embarrassment to Fresno State, but the storm clouds had almost passed from the heads of the ever-resilient contingent of Bulldog faithful.
Not so fast, Rafer Alston said Tuesday.
Alston, a Fresno State alumnus, was charged with assault for stabbing a man at a Manhattan night club. It seems the two accidentally bumped into each other, and when an argument ensued, Alston stabbed him in the neck. Naturally.
The arrest came just three weeks after Alston was charged with assault and public intoxication in Houston. The first event may have flown under the radar a bit, but when you double up in a month, people are going to notice.
And while you can't exactly blame Fresno State for this -- I don't believe Jerry Tarkanian was a voice in Alston's head saying, "Stab him, stab him!" -- it's another example that the Bulldogs' "reclamation projects" were nothing more than a way to cut corners.
Alston is a great basketball player, but off the court he's the kind of person who can make the school sorry they ever gave him a scholarship. And now he has.
The arrest came just three weeks after Alston was charged with assault and public intoxication in Houston. The first event may have flown under the radar a bit, but when you double up in a month, people are going to notice.
And while you can't exactly blame Fresno State for this -- I don't believe Jerry Tarkanian was a voice in Alston's head saying, "Stab him, stab him!" -- it's another example that the Bulldogs' "reclamation projects" were nothing more than a way to cut corners.
Alston is a great basketball player, but off the court he's the kind of person who can make the school sorry they ever gave him a scholarship. And now he has.
4 comments:
When I saw this article yesterday, I was hoping you'd write something up on it. What's sad is that, as you said, the Red Wave will likely write this off as another troubled soul who simply lost there way. Instead, they should look at the culture that's been created at the school for years. Loyalty should not be synonymous with complete ignorance. Hopefully Alston will serve some time and realize that he has a great thing going for him and clean up his life. Unfortunately he'll probably get lost among the tawdry laundry list of former Bulldogs that ruin their lives. Can we get a where are they now list? Chris Herren anyone?
I saw this and knew immediately that you'd run a piece on it ;)
It's disgusting to watch the characters Tark brought to FSU implode year after year. He may not have been the voice in Alston's head, but his disregard for good character in players in exchange for some talent made us in the Valley love him while they were in March Madness, but hate him after all their problems.
Makes me appreciate guys like Steve Cleveland and Mike Nolan more and more as they strive to bring in good character guys that can play the game.
The extent of the injury wasn't the point, pal. The point was that a knife was involved in what would probably have been a minor altercation otherwise. That's unacceptable. Furthermore, the overarching point of the post was that Fresno State's name continues to be marred in the sports community -- both at the college and professional levels -- because of people like Rafer Alston.
If you're going to call me out like that, you should probably read the entire post.
Dude. No where in the article does it mention a knife was involved. He has been alleged to have stabbed someone in the neck. And witnesses claim that the "victim" did not make a complaint and did not seem injured.
You use an allegation to try and somehow show that Fresno State's name should be marred because of people "like Rafer Alston." And I would be willing to bet that you have never spoken to or met Rafer. Did you bother to call the NYPD to get a copy of the police report? Did you attempt to do any "journalism" at all before stating as fact that Rafer naturally stabbed someone? No you merely assume that the allegations are true and that it sheds a terrible light on Fresno State, when in fact, I would be willing to bet, again, that less than a handful of people who saw this story even know that he went to Fresno State.
I stand by my original statement.
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