Unglesby to ask Miles later today to consider lifting JJ's suspension

I think at this point, Unglesby is doing more harm than good by causing more distractions. Jefferson has been suspended, the team is trying to focus on Oregon. Lee is the QB for Oregon, Unglesby needs to focus on the trial and leave the team and the program alone until that matter is handled.

This is very unfortunate for JJ and my heart goes out to the kid because regardless of the outcome, as I have said in the past, at the very least, forgiveness is still ok with me, and I'll forgive him for the actions he may be found guilty of. Jefferson still has options, he can red-shirt, he can transfer, he can graduate and attempt a walk-on, but as of today 8-30-11, this team needs to keep its focus and direction on 2 things, 1) that in 4 days they step on the field to play the #3 team in the country, and 2) that when they do, Jarrett Lee will be leading them on that field.

 

I agree it is grandstanding by Unglesby. I have no doubt JJ wants to be reinstated to the team and have his suspension lifted. I think it weighed pretty heavily on Miles to suspend JJ, which is why I think it took Miles so long to do so. I have no doubt that Miles wants to have JJ back with the team. However, JJ and Miles represent LSU, which is much larger than any one player. Miles has the obligationto do what is right for LSU and the suspension, whether JJ is guilty or not, of a player who has put himself in a position to be charged with a feloney is appropriate. There has to be some guidelines for the players at any school. Being arrested on felony charges is a good enough reason to be suspended. It is reasonable, as well, that if the charges get dropped or JJ is found innocent that he be re instated immediately.

 

IMO, Allowing JJ to reinstate at this point of time, even only in the practice field, would create nothing good but a series of distractions. "Would he play or not""Who will be our starting QB anyway?""What type of offense will we run primarily?"...These kinds of questions will be swirling around the heads of LSU players once JJ returns to the team along with his ongoing legal process. No offense to JJ, I just simply believe that this is the moment when the whole team needs to be 100% focused on the game, and the game only, this weekend without being disturbed or confused by any outside issues.

 

My thought is that Unglesby wants to determine whether JJ will/could be reinstated if he pleads to a lesser offense, i.e. simple battery, disorderly conduct. That is the only way to expedite the process and get any resolution for JJ, at least resolution that would affect his status on the football team this season.

 

Yeah - you might be right about pleading down....but if JJ is truly innocent as his mouthpiece states, would it be right for him to plead guilty to ANYTHING just for the sake of speeding a resolution.

If it was your son, would you let him do that? I'm not sure....

 

IF JJ is innocent, and only he knows, then pleading down to possibly rejoin the team would be a huge sellout of character and a life lesson learned the wrong way for him. If it was my son, and he could 100% tell me he was not guilty, then football be damned, we would fight to clear his name. JJ also has options for next year, either at LSU or some other school, if he can get cleared and still wants to pursue a football career. IMO You don't plead down to a lesser charge, just to get to the football field.

 

Good post!

 

It's not really as bad as it sounds, and there are several reasons that he is doing this.

I heard an interview with him on 104.5 the day he was hired, and he put the timeline like this:

One month to six weeks: the DA actually gets the case. He passes it to a grand jury:

One month to six weeks later: He actually appears before a grand jury and pleads guilty or not guilty. At this point, he can "plea-bargain" if he likes, but if he wants to plead not guilty, it will go to trial, which may be a year or more later due to the backups in the system.

He can plea-bargain down and be ready by Arkansas, assuming CLM lets him come back right after getting convicted of a misdemeanor. Best-case scenario for a not-guilty plea is an acquittal by next winter, but it's not likely to happen that fast.

My point is, his attorney has a lot of time to get things ready. In the meantime, he's doing his client a lot of justice by lobbying for his reinstatement. Assuming he is innocent, missing his senior year will completely destroy any hope JJ had left of trying to move on to the NFL...all for nothing more than BRPD ineptitude.