Posted on Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 11:10 a.m.
Ex-Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez deals with arrests of 4 Arizona players
By AnnArbor.com Staff
Rich Rodriguez
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Three of the four players — cornerback Jourdon Grandon, offensive linemen Fabbians Ebbele and Eric Bender — were charged with criminal trespassing and assault, according to the Arizona Daily Wildcat, the student newspaper at the university. The fourth, safety Jared Tevis, was arrested by Tucson police for trespassing. All are sophomores.
Rodriguez took over as coach at Arizona in November, taking over a Wildcats program coming off a 3-8 season.
Five players were at a party and were asked to leave because four of them were not invited, the Daily Wildcat reported.
From the Daily Wildcat:
One of the men responded by shoving one of the women backwards. The man was later identified as former safety Joshua Robbins. After being shoved, the resident slapped Robbins, who then proceeded to punch her in the face — starting a brawl between the football players and members of the party. The players left after the brawl, but before leaving said, “We will be back with our homies.” A short time later, the players returned “in a group of between 10 and 30,” and a man later identified as sophomore offensive tackle Fabbians Ebbele forcibly entered the home and “began punching everybody he could reach,” according to the report, including the resident who was initially assaulted and her brother.
Comments
D21
Mon, Mar 12, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
The players left after the brawl, but before leaving said, "We will be back with our homies." A short time later, the players returned "in a group of between 10 and 30,"... Man, while we don't know exactly what has really happened but these players need to be kicked off from the team based on not walking away from it all in first place.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Mar 9, 2012 : 5:45 a.m.
No one has mentioned this so I will: I just hope the courts in Arizona are as tough as people there like to claim. RichRod is not a judge, nor does he have any role in what the law decides. It's the court which will determine how these Arizona State players get treated by RichRod and the AZ State AD. I also hope there's witness corroboration of the "we'll be back with our homies" talk. This is a threat and one which can be interpreted as felonious. Another thing never mentioned: U of M and all major colleges provide for legal aid for students accused of crimes There are some limitations but the underlying truth is that this is "public defender work" handed over by universities. So wondering why tuition is so high may be reason to question this common practice. I personally know of one case where the alleged offender DARED the people who filed a complaint to do anything, bragging about his "rights" being protected by U of M. That crap has got to stop.
Wally the Wolverine
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
Rich, You may want to consider redshirting these guys this year - it'll give them some time to resolve their personal issues.
Scott
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 9:49 p.m.
Work for Daryl Stonum. Oh wait. It didn't.
ChelseaBob
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 11:56 a.m.
Those of you who claim this is not RR's fault are wrong. The climate he created at WVA and here, was a complete lack of discipline and disregard for the rules. Players cut corners, cheated on drills, and generally had the attitude that nothing else mattered if they played well on Saturday. That translates to this kind of behavior. A coach that enforces discipline lets players know that punching a women in the face because she "dissed" you will not only get you kicked off the team, but might just get you an ass-whooping as well.
TheWay
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
If a kid is willing to punch a woman in the face over such a small thing, a coach (particularly one they just met a couple months ago) telling them not to won't change their behavior.
Steve McQueen
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:38 a.m.
man... dirt and adversity just follow this guy around like Pig Pen from Peanuts (Charlie Brown cartoon). ... anyway this one is not really his fault... lets see how he handles it. Glad he is not our coach.
Hebner
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 12:24 a.m.
It is obvious he has to make a decision as soon as all the information is known, just like Les Miles had to do last year with his quarterback and others. This is why they get paid the big bucks! Good luck Rich, sorry things are not off to a good start, but #@$$ happens. Just win and everything will be forgotten...but if you do not this could be the start of a snowball about to roll down hill!!
RWBill
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 11:28 p.m.
This is why you practice them all those uncountable hours. Wear them out and keep them out of trouble.
HENRYK
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 8:35 p.m.
I don't think Rich R. is to blame on this kind of behavior. The parents are the ones who raise these players, Rich R. is a football coach ,not a baby sitter.
Pickforddick
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 8:50 p.m.
I agree, there are many parents today that take no responsibility for their children unless they can file a lawsuit and reap the benefits.
KeepingItReal
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 7:52 p.m.
I hope Armaker meet Michigan in the tournament and win. No one ever gave Tommy credit for stabilizing the program to the point where it could progress and now Beilein gets all the credit. The only real player he's got is Burke and he needs to explore his pro option. No matter how will Michigan does in the B10 tournament, the will not win outside the conference. The same for MSU.
RWBill
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 11:27 p.m.
my computer must be acting up.
Pickforddick
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 9:01 p.m.
j....did you get the package?
j
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 8:51 p.m.
yeah msu never wins out of the conference
Pickforddick
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 8:14 p.m.
What does this have to do with Rich Rod? Also, do you have spell check?
Pickforddick
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 7:40 p.m.
Most of these athletes have not and probably never will grow up as long as they get everything in life free and are treated like royalty. These players should be kicked off the team and out of school as an example of what happens when your silver spoon is tarnished. It is time to stop catering to this nonsense.
ranger007
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:59 p.m.
They wont get anything more than a slap on the bottom.
golfer
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:58 p.m.
call meyer for advice. he thinks you are a great coach. he will let you know how to get around this.
garrisondyer
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
Hopefully he'll just show some tough love. Not easy, not fun, but necessary. He and his staff will have to decide if it's them getting booted off the team, suspended, or whatever. It'll be interesting to see.
Theo212
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
Now that Our King's players are juniors and seniors, we are winning up a storm. (We might win Crystal with Our King's players if Hoke/Borges stay out of the way). We need more articles about Our King.
RWBill
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 11:26 p.m.
Ready. Set. Vomit.
RudeJude
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
There he is!
r treat
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:22 p.m.
Is it the gun, or the person who pulled the trigger?
Terry Star21
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
Michigan football fans......we're past this - walk away.......
MRunner73
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:57 p.m.
If all of these players are sophomores, then they are not Rich Rod recruits. This incident sounds very familar to what occured at MSU a few years back. I cannot find fault with Rich Rod but let's see if anything else negative happens in the future.
Scott
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:36 p.m.
Oh I can here the haters. "Rich Rod is the devil".
smokeblwr
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:15 p.m.
Rich Rod shouldn't have recruited these players. This is his fault. Just like everything here was his fault.
Chase Ingersoll
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 8:31 p.m.
Mick52: Hey Sherlock, he was making a joke. Get it....your photo...."Sherlock"? Chase Ingersoll
Mick52
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 7:57 p.m.
They are all sophomores. How could he have recruited them?
Commoncents
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:11 p.m.
GOTTA be because of Rich Rod!! haha
heartbreakM
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
I don't know why this happens. Are athletes that disrespectful of others that they think they can go wherever they want, do whatever they want, punch people when they don't get their way? Is it something unique among athletes? We see this now at AZ, but have seen it MSU, Florida, and I'm sure elsewhere. It is not a new problem, but problems seem to get worse as time goes on. How much is it related to these being athletes? Was alcohol involved? I actually feel sorry for Rodriguez that he has to deal with this. I'd guess he wants to coach, not baby-sit. He is in a no-win situation. If he suspends them, he is criticized as "not doing enough" or if he kicks them off the team, he is "heartless". If he doesn't do anything (doubtful), he is "lax". Being a head coach is hard enough for wins and losses. IMO, no way can he be blamed for these players, but he now has to clean up their mess.
Steve McQueen
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:40 a.m.
many of these athletes...regardless of what school they play for (or "irregardless" as the HC in the photo above tends to say) .... are given a sense of entitlement from the time that they become good at sports. Ive dealt with many pro athletes over the years... and I can say that not many of them were truly class acts and unselfish...that is just the way it is. ... we root for uniforms...
j
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 6:39 p.m.
You have sen it at the U of M too
ThoseWhoStayUofM
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:51 p.m.
I think it's called roid rage.
Scott
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
A lot of these kids come from violent inner city upbringings. If they have been raised around violence all there lives a scholarship to a nice University doesn't change how they have come to react to the world- defensive and quite to fight.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:38 p.m.
I agree, well stated
rs
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 4:49 p.m.
so is it just coincidence that trouble follows Rich Rod's programs?
ThoseWhoStayUofM
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
I don't think it's coincidence. I think it's statistical probability. Daryl Stonum had multiple discipline problems when Brady Hoke arrived in Ann Arbor and after the Sugar Bowl victory... it's just part of dealing with 20-year-old young men from various backgrounds and upbringings. Remember, Daryl Stonum was a Carr recruit... so don't even go there.
Scott
Wed, Mar 7, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
yes.