Vick
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I’m going to toss this out there and I’m sure @jaybate-1.0 would have me tarred an feathered for the conspiracy talk, but …
takes deep breath and adjusts tin foil hat
There are those out there who probably don’t want John Wooden’s legacy tarnished or his “unbeatable” record of consecutive conference titles shared in any way. The fact that we beat big, bad Kentucky at their own place gives us confidence going into the huge Baylor game tomorrow. A win there helps clear the path for another title as long as we take care of our business.
In a post the other day, I wondered about the pressure of the streak on these players and suggested that the media hasn’t even gotten involved yet in their constant coverage of the event. Well, now suddenly there is a hit piece (I presume at this point) about an incident from 2015 regarding Vick and I fear this is only the start of the avalanche. One way or another, the powers that be will try to put an asterisk next to KU’s accomplishment should they take the crown again this year.
Expect much more of this as our wins pile up and the record gets closer within reach.
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@Blown Did you miss that I indeed listed the PRE-Snacks incidents?
You want the Cliff Notes version: I blame Bill Self and his Staff
And let me correct that logic: It is NOT a stretch to try to connect Snacks pothead on staff with now a drug bust of a KU player… Why is that a leap**?** Again, the mere existence on the coaching staff of a joker like Snacks, immediately calls into question the levels of tolerance, precedence, leniency/“softness” for such behavior within the program?
Its a serious set of questions and the buck stops with Bill Self.
We’ve got Frank, Josh, Devonte, LL, Svi playing their asses off…then we have Bragg.
All those in favor of Josh Jackson literally taking Bragg’s 4spot, please say “aye”. AYE
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How is this not confusing for a college age student when the US can’t make up its mind? Mixed message much?
It needs to be 100% clear to these student athletes what the consequences are.
To be clear marijuana has been de-criminalized in Lawrence, but not legalized.
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@dylans I would have to believe that in today’s world the staff makes sure the kids know that Kansas is NOT one of the legal states.
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@brooksmd Not legal, but do they allude to consequences? Pot use on the basketball team is very common, players that haven’t smoked at some point are more rare than most realize.
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Or alcohol use for that matter, most are minors. Alcohol is just as destructive if not more.
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@ralster No, I saw that you listed the pre- Howard incidents. But my comprehension of what you were saying in the post that I replied to was that you’re saying Self’s treatment, or lack of punishment to Howard leads directly to the misbehavior of the players.
A few things to consider: These guys are growing into men in a national spotlight. They are going to make mistakes. I realize you never tried pot or broke any laws, but I bet over 50% of the posters here have broken laws, smoked pot, drank underage…something. We just did not grow up under a spotlight.
Another–when you listen to Self talk about this team, he constantly refers to his team as a family. That is the way he sees it. These are more than just basketball players to him. Self’s number one goal is to make sure the players he recruits are in a better spot to be a father, husband, provider when they leave him. He’s not going to just give up on them after a few incidents. Just like you wouldn’t give up on your family after a few incidents.
Self allows his players & assistants to make mistakes and he gives them second chances. I agree with you the buck stops with Self and he has earned the right to say when the buck does stop. But I just will simply agree to disagree with you that these kids look at Coach Howard and say “well, he got a way with it, so will I”
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@Blown Nice post. Thank you also for using Coach Howard’s name. The continued use of the nickname that is equivalent to calling a member of the KU family “Fatso” is an ongoing burr under my saddle.
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@mayjay I would agree with you with my ku-glasses on (whatever we do within our program is our perogative, & our own business, right?)
But, if you looked at it from a natl perspective, you cant tell me this isnt a blight on KU. Look, we hold ourselves to be a pinnacle/standard-bearer type of program, thus what is deemed acceptable must be able to meet such standards. Ideals, even. And if WE cant live up to it, why are we pretending?
Here’s the double entendre phrase to ponder for today: Superpowers usually dont fall in a day, it takes time. Usually they rot from within.
We’re not talking about the other 300+ Div1 Men’s BBall programs, we’re talking about the very standard that KU itself helped to set.
As fans or alums of this University, doesnt it matter why we have so much pride about it in the first place**?**
So being mindful of that pride & tradition, I have zero pride that we chose to keep a convicted drug offender as an AsstCoach. And zero pride in the behavior & performance of one Carlton Bragg.
As a corollary, let me add that when Self directly told a small group of us in April2015 in a very candid manner that “Naadir had to go, as he was a bad influence on Frank both on & off the court”, my respect for Self went up for him, how could it not? But we can see that each decision of his can have major ramifications.
Bragg’s situation is disturbing on many levels.
And before you call us concerned alums lil’old ladies a-hand-wringin’, you might choose to recall that Self, Frank, Devonte, & Josh ALL called this a distraction/disruption in various media interviews…how is that a good thing?
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@ralster I don’t think this is 3 strikes on Bragg. He has been guilty of poor judgement with who he hangs out with…but he was absolved of wrong doing via the video. I think it is wrong for people to hold this against him as much as some are.
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@mayjay Well said!
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@ralster I never said it wasn’t a distraction. But I just think it is not a Titanic-level disaster. Minor crisis. Same with Coach Howard, who has since his conviction performed quite capably. Didn’t he help bring in Josh? Cannot fault Self for sticking by someone he has known for so long. This wasn’t an assistant coach abusing kids in the shower, or hiring prostitutes, or faking athletes’ schoolwork, or making payoffs. Frankly, your reaction is on the level I would have had if he had provided drugs to the kids. This was much more forgiveable in my book, and I am not a pro-pot advocate.
My worrying right now is reserved for potential major crises that have nothing to do with KU.
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Just one more test for our guys.
I keep saying it… struggle can work for us, too.
It certainly worked in Lexington.
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I have been very outspoken about mayhem in the Baylor athletic program. Now am cringing more than somewhat at the disclosure of male-female conflicts with a pair of our current players. Father of girl whom Vick is accused of assaulting refers investigative calls to a lawyer? Whoa! These players are placing their potential future earnings in jeopardy…and are too stupid to understand the consequences? Not to mention losing support of adoring fans, fodder for opposing recruiters, blemishes to their heralded university program. Kansas Basketball is a much bigger deal than the need to hang onto miscreants, or cover up improprieties or work special deals with arresting or prosecutorial agencies. The decision to retain Howard might be coming back to bite the program in the butt. These issues of imropriety are piling up.
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@dylans Nice graph. Nice Rational comments. I like it.
I would like to expand on that if I may. I like being rational as much as possible. Rational without prejudgement is even better. Because, seriously anyone can make a rational argument for or against something and have prejudice attached to it, buried in there somewhere.
Regarding Vick. I smell a rat. I absolutely do not condone violence against women. If he did indeed transgress 2 years ago, it seems likely he would have been punished 2 years ago, yah? Yah. Why bring this out again? It doesnt make sense.
Lets not race to crucify Vick just yet shall we? As far as we know, he’s been the picture of good behavior. Who here thinks Bill Self would let anything like this slide? No way in hell.
Regarding Carlton and the alleged evidence. ITS just weed people. Its NOT that big of deal. Fact, Kansas has not legalized it for any use medicinal or otherwise. Fact, Cannabis has dozens of medicinal purposes. Fact, weed was criminalized back in the 20’s by a smear campaign from a wood baron who thought it would damage his business. It has remained illegal.
More opining than anything, I believe that players at KU should up hold their status as KU basketball players. FOLLOW THE RULES, go to class, play hard, study hard etc. If weed is illegal in Lawrence, but decriminalized, they need to keep their hands off it. Or, at very least, dont freeking get caught with it.
Im at work, so I’ll have to edit and add more to this later.
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@Hawk8086 Video vindication? Which occurrence, # 1,2, or 3? Or would that be all of the above?
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@tis4tim Very valid points Tim , jaybate or not. Who would ever want to do us harm - at least outside of a few in misery or the little “road”
??
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The best approach, I think, is not to moralize either way on marijuana in this discussion. It’s a team rules violation regardless of our beliefs on the topic. Self apparently had a rule and he broke it. That analysis is pretty easy.
On Vick, I am most troubled by the possibility that Bill Self lied – saying he was sick.
I couple that with his clear deception (via carefully choosing his words) on the linkage of Bragg’s suspension.
Not that it really bothers me personally. It’s just that this is the sort of stuff that brings out the knives from certain quarters of our society.
Meanwhile, I saw that someone did ask Self about Maxwell and Self said he was gone from KU’s campus at the time.
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If this news about Vick is true, this is private info. Self can not make comments about it. The school can not make comments. The Star should not be able to see these documents. I’m to busy to say more, but if my daughter was hit and kicked in the face there would be a police report.
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@Crimsonorblue22 exactly. No police report, no story. This is the media grasping for straws.
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@HawkChamp No story except that he seems to have violently laid hands on a woman. Not cool.
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@wissox seems to?
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Allegedly…
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@wissox evidence? Videos? Statements to police? Witnesses? Police report? Again, if this really happened, this girl would have to be downright insane for not going to the police. This is not news unless there is real evidence which there has not proven to be.
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@HighEliteMajor agreed on all counts HEM, except Bill Self has always been a straight hitter with us. He’s as honest as he can be and gives us the info that he can give, when he gets it. I cannot believe he would intentionally cover something up like this thing with Vick and marginalize this stuff with Bragg. Thats not him.
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Thank you for being the voice of reason. There are several separate issues that by themselves are relatively small but when you start adding them up a faint pattern appears to emerge. Having visited with friends that are basketball fans, happen to live in various parts of the country and follow different team, I got the impression that KU is not an abnormal situation but rather the norm of what goes on at other programs and it is an extension of what happens with college students at large. The only difference is that some programs are better at keeping the issues under wraps and some are more successful, or as a cynic with say…have more experience dealing with this type of issues. Elite programs such as KU are under a microscope and every event is multiplied many fold and makes the national news.
As @Crimsonorblue22 mentioned, there seems to be a link between the Bragg and Vick incidents. At the time of the Bragg fiasco, it was mentioned that Vick apparently had an issue with the same woman…one of those things that makes you go hmmm…
I mentioned before that some women are attracted to sports stars and basically stalk them. I mentioned before a former Chiefs player whose girlfriend started to hit him he simple extended his arms to protect himself, she bumped against his hands and fell down; he was arrested and then charges dropped once the facts came to light. A few days later (you have got to question his judgment) when he was at her house she started to become abusive, he left the house and locked himself in his car and she started kicking his car, slipped on the ice and fell down…again, he was arrested and released…luckily he was able to afford a very good attorney. It happens. It has happened ever since Eve tricked Adam and Delilah destroyed Sampson and will continue happening as long as there are men and women. In all fairness, sometimes it works the other way as well.
Is it really that far fetched that the same girl is involved in all these incidents? Given the available information, and I will admit is thin, but it does not really sound that far fetched…the “nutso” lineage seems to be there, if you know what I mean.
Another item that needs to be consider in the Vick case is that it look like the issue was agreed by both parties to go to an in-house committee rather than filing a police report. The committee used the much lower “preponderance of evidence” threshold of proof rather than the more customary “beyond a reasonable doubt” threshold to reach a decision. Now, anyone of you that pays tuition for your kid and feels that you should be able to see his/her grades, you know that because of the privacy act you cannot. Likewise in this case, because of the privacy act, it is possible that the Athletic Department was not able to see the details of the investigation. One would think that Coach self would have some leverage, but in our current legal system he could have incurred some legal liability if he tried to use the leverage to learn about information protected by the privacy act. Perhaps @mayjay or any of the lawyers on the forum can chime in.
Snacks situation is a little more complicated. We all agree that he screwed up big, big time and the question is what should the punishment have been? Keep in mind that Snacks has been known to Coach Self ever since he played under him at Illinois and he knows better than all of us his character and the risk he took giving him a second chance. Anyone that has ever fired someone knows how difficult it is, particularly when the individual in question has a family to support. Most people fired are given a letter of some sort that many times skirts the real reason so as not to make that individual un-hireable. Because of the publicity, firing Snacks at the the time would have made him basically un-hireable in his field, not that he did not bring that on himself, but still…Coach Self made a decision to give him a second chance with a lot more information than we have and taking a personal risk, so it is unfair to second guess him. Sometimes we just have to trust his judgment.
I find it fishy that all these stories are suddenly coming to the forefront at this particular time…again, one of those things that makes you go hmmm…
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@JayHawkFanToo the story I read, I think was from a comment on the star article on Bragg and the soofi girl. I’m assuming you all know who she is related to. The comment I read was about Vick being scared to death of her and he was hiding behind or under his bed when she came into the room. Remember he’s really young too. I can see various scenarios coming from this. As far as Self lying, he’s legally bound to
. That’s why he sat Bragg the first time, let it play out, let the police take care of it. Unfortunately Bragg screwed up. I read where fans are worried Self will get sick of this 
And go elsewhere. Who knows.
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@Crimsonorblue22 I have read that too and it is a possibility. Of course, the NBA has a lot of drama queens and whiny babies, so its not like it is a stress free zone. Hopefully this stuff will blow over soon and we can all get back to thinking solely about the game and not this crap.
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The more I talk to fans of other elite programs, the more I realize they are all pretty much the same and have the same issues…KU is not that different than most any other program, it simply is a bigger and easier target and has a lot more visibility.
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I cannot imagine HCBS leaving. It would create huge ??? about whether he engaged in misconduct and was really forced out. He would leave under a cloud and people would never shut up about things they don’t know about.
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We DO know no charges were filed at the time. We DON"T know if him kicking the girl in the face had to do with her grabbing his leg and not letting go, or whether he did a Bruce Lee roundhouse kick. We don’t know if punching her in the arm was a “slugbug”, or whether he frogged her. Some young ladies are very abusive because they know they can’t get in trouble for it. I dated a gal for awhile who was downright mean, and I have the scars on my arms to prove it. I’m not ready to :
1- Convict Vick w/o hearing all the details.
2-Blame/Dump Snacks because of what he did a few years back.
3- Not ready to run off CB for having a bong in his dorm. Don’t tell anyone, but I had a bong at Templin Hall.
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@mayjay someone leaked private, personal matters about his player. According to those statements, not sure he knew, unless Vick told him. Tell me what happens w/that?
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@mayjay agreed. No way Coach Self leaves KU because of this! No way. Its piddly stuff compared to other programs
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@Crimsonorblue22 Dunno. If Self didn’t know, I would expect there will be some repercussions for Vick.
Part of my relatively laid-back response to all this is that we have no idea what came out in the KU hearing. The “preponderance of the evidence” standard allows a lot of possibilities since 1) it was a closed hearing; 2) there is neither a complaint nor an answer on the public record; 3) there is no summary of the evidence: and 4) no criminal charges were recommended.
It is entirely possible that there was a vague complaint, or that a mutual altercation occurred, with some slightly more probative evidence that Vick was more at fault than the woman. A recommendation of probation without requiring antiviolence counseling seems minimal to me.
In today’s culture, I would be shocked if Vick would have been allowed to stay on campus if it was an unprovoked or vicious attack.
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@mayjay I mean how can it be leaked? Is there some kind of legal liability for this?
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@Lulufulu I agree – he has always been honest, and we should presume the same. I’m just more concerned with how this looks and how this sort of stuff hits ESPN, then gets momentum. Always sharks in the water.
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@Crimsonorblue22 Possibly if it can be proven it was someone with a duty not to disclose.
But, what if it was a leak by the woman herself or an attorney representing her? They might not be under a duty. An attorney might have been trying to negotiate a settlement with KUAD, for all we know (read: “blackmail”). The disclosure could have been retaliation. Vick might have told someone, who dug into it.
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@mayjay they couldn’t reach the woman and dad said talk to attorney. They knew all this beforehand.
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@KUSTEVE said:
3- Not ready to run off CB for having a bong in his dorm. Don’t tell anyone, but I had a bong at Templin Hall.
Below is one of the many bongs I had in college. I still have them all to this day.
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@Crimsonorblue22 I don’t remember how the Star said they got it, but leaking papers is not always done with a signed “here ya go”.
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@mayjay possibly they were just chasing every rabbit down every hole trying to break which Ku player is involved in the rape incident (if any) and just turned this stone over by chance.
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" I read where fans are worried Self will get sick of this
And go elsewhere. Who knows."This stuff goes on everywhere. I think what Bill cares about most is that the KU administration does the right thing. If not, then you have a Baylor situation… then Bill is gone.
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There is a question about whether or not these stories all point to the same girl. Could be.
Another angle points to someone yet to be mentioned. A “fan” who provides players with girls, drugs, whatever they want. These “fans” are at every university all the time.
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@drgnslayr I don’t think they’d have any problem getting girls. A KU Jayhawk is a man of distinction and talent. The ladies can’t resist.
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Just like the guys wouldn’t have a problem getting weed anywhere.
This is largely a convenience thing. The girls are “vetted.”
Even pro athletes use these guys.
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Sounds like Bragg’s court date has been moved to march 3rd. Does that mean he is done til after that date?
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Hey, I have some questions about this pot topic…
Someone posted a pix of the US showing states where pot is legal, as I knew someone would. Then it was mentioned that pot is still mostly illegal because of 1 guy in the 1920’s who got it outlawed because he saw it as a business threat? But wait, doesnt that ignore approximately 50 yrs of recurring intellectual and political debate about the legalization of marijuana? And how many times has it been voted down across the nation? So, do all these voters voting it either legal OR illegal actually know about that guy in the '20s?
I would also ask if someone has actually reviewed scientific research on THC/cannabis? What do we actually know now, compared to back in the '20s, or even the '60s?
Someone wanted to tout facts. So why is it a widespread fact that if you get hurt on the job and you go for medical evaluation, most employers require a urine drug test? So could it be TRUE that pot’s well-known cognitive, emotional, and physical performance effects on the majority of humans studied, has caused widespread drug testing to look for this medical/legal culpability in people hurt on the job? So this well-established norm in WorkersComp cases must be predicated on something thats already been proven…hmm? Because those attorneys would debunk such culpability in a hurry if it wasnt based on an already proven, established fact, right?
Hey, my only real question is why cant a 6’10 245# McDAA even pretend to imitate the stats put up by another 6’10 245# kid (Lucas), who wasnt even ranked in the Top100? Does “paraphernalia” and Bragg’s performance bust make anyone else who roots for the kid & KU to stop and say “hmm?” But hey, can I use the argument about where ther’s smoke, there’s fire? So where there’s paraphernalia, there was usage? Or does the smoke/fire argument only apply to John Calipari?
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@drgnslayr Not just the athletes! I remember we Liberal Arts students in the Honors Program with bifocals had to fight the girls off!
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@ralster said:
So why is it a widespread fact that if you get hurt on the job and you go for medical evaluation, most employers require a urine drug test?
It is actually not a drug test to determine issues associated with the injury. It is a drug test designed to prove that the employee was violating a rule of employment, giving an emplyer grounds for discharge for cause.
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Where employees operate equipment (cars, trucks, forklifts… etc etc) it should be in their employers’ rights to require drug testing because of the connection to impairment and the risk to follow.
But this has gone far beyond the risks associated with operating equipment. Corporations now use it as one more leverage tool against employees… giving them an easier way to fire employees and/or control them.
Concerning Carlton… if he is regularly consuming pot it is hard to believe his game has gone unaffected by doing so. This is all an assumption that he is a regular user… If he is, most likely his game has suffered to some degree. We are talking about physical, mental and emotional levels in relationship to his performance. He may have lost some motivation to improve and put in extra work to do so. He may run a bit slower, lost a bit of hand/eye coordination, too. He may be more likely to forget key strategies given to him by his coaches.
I’m not going to be the one that POINTS A FINGER at Carlton on this. It is unfair without knowing the facts of this case.
I don’t believe he will be held off the hardwoods because of the misdemeanor paraphernalia charge. I believe he is being held out until drug testing is complete. If I am correct, and if he has now been tested, we will probably know the results by next Monday.
If he is guilty, it doesn’t necessarily mean Carlton will be cut from the team. Good chance that the determination of his staying or going will be all on him. Will he offer to enter a drug rehab class? If his problem is deemed more severe… will he offer to enter a drug rehab program… most likely requiring him to reside within the program?
I’m curious how this all plays out. How willing is Bill to take a chance on Carlton moving forward? Bill has a good heart and he tends to want to use the game of basketball to help young players wherever possible. Kicking Carlton off the team and ruining his reputation is not the first thing Bill will want to do, but most of it will depend on Carlton. Does he feel remorseful? Does he want to stop his habits? Bill can’t and won’t stick out his own neck too far, and why should he?
