Pettway is a mess

[lionheartkc 6,150]

51 minutes ago, EclecticTiger said:

Can we blame this on weed, too? 

Nope... chemotherapy.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

3 hours ago, Tiger Refuge said:

On a serious note. If someone is seriously struggling with addiction, then “outing” them(much less, to a national audience) could be a terrible thing. There is this thing called anonymity, and ultimately it should be their choice to reveal this information and no one else’s. There are a million ways to enable an addict,  not releasing information about their condition isn’t one of them. Also, addiction is never as cut and dried as some people want it to be. It’s just not. 

All that said, I hope Pettway finds what he’s searching for.

Off soapbox

Excellent point.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

12 hours ago, gr82be said:

I'd like to see these young men with issues such as these try to help themselves while others are trying to help them. I've never had a substance abuse issue so I'm not speaking on any experience here but there has to be accountability on the player to want to receive help. At some point, if they don't, then you have to wash your hands of them. You've made some great points in this thread and your hearts in the right place. In the end it's still the case of leading a horse to water but the horse must be thirsty or he won't drink it. 

You are completely correct in the fact that they have to help themselves in order to get past this. There is no surgery, pill, or even single therapy that can fix it for everyone. That being said, I highly encourage everyone to error on the side of compassion in these kinds of situations. When you are dealing with someone who has dedicated the time and effort it takes to be a starter in the SEC and they are willing to risk that for a fix, be it Kam Pettway or Ruben Foster, it's a safe bet they have an addiction and aren't just "partying too hard". If you've had the opportunity to really talk with someone who has a mental issue like addiction, depression, PTSD, etc, you know how incredibly hard it is to defeat those things and how hard it is for someone who doesn't have one of those problems to understand it.

In the case of addiction, it's not as much leading the horse to water is it is showing the horse the burning barn and just how close they are to being locked in it. They have to get to a point where they want something so much more than their next fix that they have the mental strength to fight the demons off. Unfortunately, the football world as a whole does a horrible job of that. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if some players with issues are thinking "I just need to get to the NFL and then I can do whatever I want", considering how protected those players are. I like to think Auburn is on the frontlines of trying to do better, just based on how many players who could make a difference on the field that Gus has chosen not to play because of their issues. I hope we keep finding new and better ways to help these kids help themselves.

[DAG 33,977]

We are going into uncharted territories with this. Addiction is a serious issue. Irresponsibility is a life lesson. Let’s not lump these two things together .

[AU-24 3,063]

20 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Great question: first let me be clear, I am not speaking to the specifics of this case since I don’t know all of the facts. Generally speaking: Substance abuse is called an undisclosed medical issue with NO further details. Simply caught smoking weed is called a violation of team rules. Both are truthful but preserve the players privacy. 

Besides drugs, possible mental illness is called?  See what I mean?  Many will say: Protect the player and call it an injury.

[AUIH1 1,515]

2 minutes ago, DAG said:

We are going into uncharted territories with this. Addiction is a serious issue. Irresponsibility is a life lesson. Let’s not lump these two things together .

True.  And FAR, FAR too many use "addiction" as a crutch for their own irresponsibility or their own criminal behavior.

wde

[DAG 33,977]

7 minutes ago, AUIH1 said:

True.  And FAR, FAR too many use "addiction" as a crutch for their own irresponsibility or their own criminal behavior.

wde

Yep and quite frankly , if you are having addiction or mental issues , football should not be a priority . It is a temporary distraction , but many fail in their attempt. 

[shabby 1,956]

43 minutes ago, DAG said:

We are going into uncharted territories with this. Addiction is a serious issue. Irresponsibility is a life lesson. Let’s not lump these two things together .

Exactly! With the opiate epidemic becoming the number one killer of people under the age of 55, it's obviously real and impactful. Add to that a sport that promotes pain often requiring pain meds and you can see why addiction thrives in sports.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

On 2/13/2018 at 11:01 AM, Zeek said:

Football dorms on top of our new football only facility could sure help with that 

Football only dorms just make it easier to cover up things like sexual assault, drugs, etc etc....... Switzers's Oklahoma teams are good examples.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

2 minutes ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Football only dorms just make it easier to cover up things like sexual assault, drugs, etc etc....... Switzers's Oklahoma teams are good examples.

Didn't the NCAA outlaw football only dorms like 20 years ago?

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

1 minute ago, lionheartkc said:

Didn't the NCAA outlaw football only dorms like 20 years ago?

They did. There was a academic/finance reason they used I think, but it really had to do with issues like Switzer's players.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

3 minutes ago, Texan4Auburn said:

They did. There was a academic/finance reason they used I think, but it really had to do with issues like Switzer's players.

I always thought they justified banning it as "extra benefits".

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

6 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Didn't the NCAA outlaw football only dorms like 20 years ago?

Found a quick article on it.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-03-23/business/9703230048_1_dorms-agents-and-athletes-athletic-coffers

Quote

 

Oklahoma's Cunningham had to integrate three buildings that housed more than 160 male and female athletes. Bud Wilkinson Hall, the football-only dorm, became infamous in the Barry Switzer era for shootings and illegal activities.

Former quarterback Charles Thompson once described Wilkinson Hall as "an armory . . . the scene was an accident waiting to happen."

 

Charles Thompson is the OU QB that got plastered on the front page of SI for  dealing cocaine.

Notice the article states Bear Bryant was the first to do this.

[Barnacle 9,064]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

We are going into uncharted territories with this. Addiction is a serious issue. Irresponsibility is a life lesson. Let’s not lump these two things together .

[AUIH1 1,515]

16 minutes ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Football only dorms just make it easier to cover up things like sexual assault, drugs, etc etc....... Switzers's Oklahoma teams are good examples.

What happened in Sewell Hall stayed in Sewell Hall.

wde

[triangletiger 1,599]

2 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Found a quick article on it.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-03-23/business/9703230048_1_dorms-agents-and-athletes-athletic-coffers

Charles Thompson is the OU QB that got plastered on the front page of SI for  dealing cocaine.

Notice the article states Bear Bryant was the first to do this.

Bear Bryant was the first to deal cocaine?

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

8 hours ago, AUIH1 said:

What happened in Sewell Hall stayed in Sewell Hall.

wde

Saban and Smart seem to be so far in your head I'm sure you would support old school pay to play and do what you want with coeds, the ole "boys will be boys" stance as Switzer took.

[AUIH1 1,515]

18 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Saban and Smart seem to be so far in your head I'm sure you would support old school pay to play and do what you want with coeds, the ole "boys will be boys" stance as Switzer took.

LOL, not at all. Based on my experience with Sewell, I am glad it is gone.  Just that Sewell didn't have a book written about it. AU was not different (and still isn't) from any football factory in the 80's (and probably 70's) and still today (the stuff that happened in the athletic (football dorms) back in the 80's would not fly today due to the internet and social media).

wde

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

On 2/15/2018 at 11:35 AM, shabby said:

Exactly! With the opiate epidemic becoming the number one killer of people under the age of 55, it's obviously real and impactful. Add to that a sport that promotes pain often requiring pain meds and you can see why addiction thrives in sports.

Thanks you for this post. 

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

On 2/14/2018 at 1:51 PM, lionheartkc said:

Makes me sad to hear that so many of you would rather wash your hands of someone that you spent all of 2016 praising than discuss how we might have been able to help him more than we were able to. I hope everyone involved in the football program is looking to see if there is anything more we can do to help kids like him.

Drug addiction is a CHRONIC, LIFE-LONG BATTLE. Those of you who believe that a trip to rehab should turn things around forever and anything less is a moral failing have no idea about the complexities of addiction.  Most addicts have to attend rehab many times. They suffer a relapse more than once throughout their lives. There are ongoing mental and physical, as well as financial problems to deal with right along with the battle to stay clean. Most of you just have no concept of how hard the climb out can be for an addict. A highly competitive,stressful football program is not really the best place to regain and practice sobriety for most kids. They need long term help away from temptation and their old lives for better success. 

[shabby 1,956]

Auburn University has a strong recovery system developing (CRC). But in the end, the person has to both want to change and put in the effort to make the change lasting. Information here in case anyone needs support;  http://wp.auburn.edu/healthandwellness/recovery/#crc

 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,295]

On 2/16/2018 at 4:21 PM, AUIH1 said:

LOL, not at all. Based on my experience with Sewell, I am glad it is gone.  Just that Sewell didn't have a book written about it. AU was not different (and still isn't) from any football factory in the 80's (and probably 70's) and still today (the stuff that happened in the athletic (football dorms) back in the 80's would not fly today due to the internet and social media).

wde

If cell phones had existed in that environment in the 70s and 80s... What a fun thought that is! Imagine Barkley on Twitter as a Tiger! 

[chimes 442]

On 2/15/2018 at 10:53 AM, AUIH1 said:

True.  And FAR, FAR too many use "addiction" as a crutch for their own irresponsibility or their own criminal behavior.

wde

Yep

[chimes 442]

On 2/17/2018 at 5:36 PM, Tigerbelle said:

Drug addiction is a CHRONIC, LIFE-LONG BATTLE. Those of you who believe that a trip to rehab should turn things around forever and anything less is a moral failing have no idea about the complexities of addiction.  Most addicts have to attend rehab many times. They suffer a relapse more than once throughout their lives. There are ongoing mental and physical, as well as financial problems to deal with right along with the battle to stay clean. Most of you just have no concept of how hard the climb out can be for an addict. A highly competitive,stressful football program is not really the best place to regain and practice sobriety for most kids. They need long term help away from temptation and their old lives for better success. 

I know all about climbing out of addiction. I also know how to take responsibility for my own actions and understand that those actions could -and probably will- have negative repercussions. I finally got tired of pissing my life away and decided to take the necessary steps to turn things around.

I could certainly be wrong, but it sounds like most of the people in this thread who are advocating treating Kam like some sort of a victim have never really struggled with drug abuse. 

[shabby 1,956]

23 minutes ago, chimes said:

I know all about climbing out of addiction. I also know how to take responsibility for my own actions and understand that those actions could -and probably will- have negative repercussions. I finally got tired of pissing my life away and decided to take the necessary steps to turn things around.

I could certainly be wrong, but it sounds like most of the people in this thread who are advocating treating Kam like some sort of a victim have never really struggled with drug abuse. 

you'd be wrong in my case. blessed to be a person in long term recovery.  If he is truly struggling with addiction and who truly knows.... then I'm advocating treating him as if he has a disease and not a moral failing.  you can give compassion without enabling and excusing the behavior.