By
Christian Caple
January 29, 2008
I’ve been embarrassed by my team’s performance on the field before. Being a Seattle sports fan will do that to you.
There have been days (Super Bowl XL comes to mind) when I didn’t want to get out of bed or go to school because of the previous day’s disappointments on the gridiron/basketball court/baseball field.
But never have I been as embarrassed, sickened or disturbed by my team’s action off the field than I am now.
Not because of what has happened recently, but because of what happened with the 2000 Washington football team that was never made public until recently by an investigative report in The Seattle Times.
The report details the pathetic lack of institutional control displayed by then-coach Rick Neuheisel and the disgusting pattern of crime exhibited by an alarming number of his players.
And you can’t talk about that 2000 team (Pac-10 and Rose Bowl champions) without talking about Jerramy Stevens, the Huskies’ big time tight end who made just as many headlines on the field as he did off it.
We all knew Stevens was (and still is) a scumbag. We knew about the rape allegations. We knew about the hit-and-runs, the assault and the retirement home incident.
But what I read in that report Sunday made me sick to my stomach: The way his case was treated; the fact that he was never charged with rape despite the seemingly overwhelming evidence against him; the countless second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chances he received. The repeated slaps on the wrist for crimes that an average person would do time for.
This column could easily be another tirade about student athletes being treated as citizens above the law, but that’s not my point today. Someone else can grind that ax.
The fact is, I cheered for Stevens. Even after he was done at the UW, I rooted for him when he played for the Seahawks. During that 2005 season that saw the Hawks make the Super Bowl, I thought he had turned a corner. I thought he was turning into the premier, Pro-Bowl-type pass-catching tight end that everyone knew he was going to be.
I celebrated his touchdowns and screamed at the television when he dropped passes.
I should have been screaming at the Seahawks management for letting him sully the franchise with his presence, just like Neuheisel should have recognized the content of Stevens’ character.
Add UW coach Tyrone Willingham into this, and it’s hard not to admire what he’s done here. Willingham inherited a program full of Neuheisel guys (read: Stevens) and brought in players that fans could be proud of again.
Recently, Todd Turner was more or less forced to resign as athletic director. He was essentially run out of town by boosters and alumni desperate for wins, who couldn’t understand that Turner held morality and integrity in higher value than winning football games.
Willingham’s ultimatum is clear next season: win or else.
He’s as aware of it as anybody else, but if he wins — he’s going to win the right way.
As long as Willingham is the coach at Washington, you’re never going to see another Jerramy Stevens.
[Reach columnist Christian Caple at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]
20 Comments
#1 Luke Jerels
on January 29, 2008 at 5:44 a.m.(Columbus, OH | Unverified Name)
Let me help you with your confusion, if we were looking for integrity and inspiration, we would hire Billy Graham to coach next year.
It's football not Sunday School, moron!
#2 Mark
on January 29, 2008 at 6:50 a.m.(San Francisco, CA | Unverified Name)
I think Neuheisel is being made the scapegoat here. The ball was dropped by many, particularly law enforcement/the legal system, but also the athletic director. However, the majority of the blame should be placed on the guilty players themselves--they should take responsibility for their own actions.
#3 dh
on January 29, 2008 at 9:34 a.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name)
Well written. I felt the same way after reading the articles in the Seattle Times. These guys represent a SCHOOL which is suppose to be focused on academics. Yes, integrity and inspiration SHOULD be a part of it. What is the point? I certainly do not believe it is to win at any costs. I do not want these thugs even allowed on campus and it is disgusting that they were treated as heros.
#4 Realtiy check, please
on January 29, 2008 at 9:47 a.m.(Bellingham, WA | Unverified Name)
Hey Luke - this is COLLEGE ATHLETICS, not pro wrestling. The only moron here is you.
#5 RainierDawgFan
on January 29, 2008 at 9:52 a.m.(San Jose, CA | Unverified Name)
I agree with Mark on this one, although Neuheisel deserves his share of the blame as well. Luke, while realizing it isn't Sunday school, and winning on the field is important, such activities that were happening back then should not be tollerated under any circumstances. For all the crap Ty and TT took/take, at least you can thank them for cleaning up the program
#6 get a clue
on January 29, 2008 at 10:02 a.m.(Clinton, IL | Unverified Name)
Luke you have to be smarter than what you just said. Great article, I am from the midwest, but I read it seattle piece yesterday, and I really liked Stevens game and we knew nothing about him out here (off the field issues). What I picked up on is that Neuheisel had no real idea what his players were up to and didn't have a good grasp on his program...at all. I would feel the exact same way if my University was found with the same issues off the field. Willingham is a good coach and I really felt like he never had a chance to be sucessful out here, but we saw how sucessful Weis could be with his players, and you never heard of those guys with off the field trouble. Relax let Ty do his thing, remember one thing, you play in the PAC 10 and the PAC 10 is head and shoulders above any other football conference in the country (Best Conference no question-I'm from Big 10 Country).
#7 wow Luke
on January 29, 2008 at 10:56 a.m.(Tempe, AZ | Unverified Name)
I'm a Pac10 fan from Tempe, and that story made me sick. That he skated for SO long is amazing.
Luke, you are a trolling tool. Since when did rape become ok if they were a football star?
#8 byron
on January 29, 2008 at 11 a.m.(Portland, OR | Unverified Name)
you state that ty is left with neuheisel's players. correct me if i am wrong buy keith gilbertson coached for 2 years after rick and before ty. the main problem for uw sports and its issues on and off all of their playing fields is/was barbara hedges. gave zero support to many coaches (football and otherwise) and came across as a dictator instead of an AD. there is a reason she was not allowed to finish her tenure after she said she was stepping down!
#9 Jeff
on January 29, 2008 at 11:03 a.m.(Gainesville, FL | Unverified Name)
If that was my team I would never be able to root for them again until the mess was cleaned up. Rape, spouse abuse, hit and run, when were these things not a big deal? Everyone associated with these lapses of control should be blamed including judges and police offiers that put football before victim's rights. Imagine if it was your daughter that had her face cut and arm broken. You would want the criminal that did it brought to justice, not an extra "W" in the win column.
#10 Kyle
on January 29, 2008 at 11:16 a.m.(New York, NY | Unverified Name)
UW fans should be ashamed of themselves. That's the problem with college football fans now . . . they have no problem selling the soul of a program for wins. Have some patience and let Willingham build this program. Let's not forget, when Ty came into the program, UW was on par with the likes of Duke and North Texas as far as talent and success.
#11 Joe
on January 29, 2008 at 1:14 p.m.(Bellingham, WA | Unverified Name)
"Willingham inherited a program full of Neuheisel guys (read: Stevens)" - Christain Caple
I would like you to address the 2000 Rose Bowl team in its entirety with this statement. You would be horribly offending and degrading the accomplishments of many fine young men on that team. Just because there were a few bad apples does not deligitimize the effort, struggle, and the wins these players earned. You indeed have a simple brain, in which you categorize Neuheisel recruits in the "thug" category and Willingham recruits in the "saint" category. Have you ever heard of Michael Houston? What about Jordan Murchison? Both of these players committed offenses similar to the ones in these news articles, under Willingham's watch by the way. Thank you, Seattle Times, for again taking a giant dump on the UW.
P.S. Neuheisel is probably gonna whoop up on Ty next year
#12 Christian Caple
on January 29, 2008 at 2:31 p.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name)
To #11, Joe-
Yes, I have heard of Michael Houston. He stole a taxi cab. Yes, he played for Tyrone Willingham.
The result? He was kicked off the team. That's my point.
Jerramy Stevens would not have lasted on a team coached by Tyrone Willingham. Something tells me that driving your truck into a retirement home will yield a punishment far stricter than a one half suspension under Willingham.
#13 DawgFan08
on January 29, 2008 at 3:35 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
"What happened with the 2000 Washington football team that was never made public until recently..."
I'm not sure where you've been the last 8 years, but this isn't new information. The timing on this report is a little too coincidental...
#14 Joe
on January 29, 2008 at 4:03 p.m.(Bellingham, WA | Unverified Name)
Ya, Houston got kicked off, but Murchison, who I believe beat his girlfriend, got to stay. Still, I agree with your premise that Willingham runs a tighter ship. Stevens would not have been tolerated under Willingham. However, I still vehemently disagree with your statement--"Willingham inherited a program full of Neuheisel guys (read: Stevens)." Ty actually inherited two years of Gilbertson recruits as well. And to characterize all recruits of Neuheisel as Stevens-esque is not only misleading but disrespectful. This series does a good job of making it seem that way, but a few bad apples doesn't spoil the bunch.
We need to get rid of this notion that winning and integrity can't go hand-in-hand. I feel as if the Times piece is trying to create that dichotomy (win with thugs, or lose with integrity). The two ARE NOT mutually exclusive, and we need to reject that notion. Having integrity and character is not an excuse to dwell at the bottom of the conference for years.
#15 Mike Bellotti
on January 29, 2008 at 4:33 p.m.(Eugene, OR | Unverified Name)
Ha ha, huskies. You will never again be a dominant team in the Pac 10.
GO DUCKS. hahahahahaha
it brings me so much joy to see the huskies suffer
#16 Tyrone sucks
on January 29, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.(Scottsdale, AZ | Unverified Name)
Ty sucks at Washington and he sucked at Notre Dame... First he'll finish in the bottom of the pack in the Pac 10 (as he has already done) and after that he will not be able to bring in the high caliber recruits that UW needs. He will continue to lose. He will then be fired and UW will be left with poor recruits and the program will go down the drain. Enjoy the Tyrone era. A great coach from Sunday through Friday.
#17 BCC
on January 29, 2008 at 11:08 p.m.(Dallas, TX | Unverified Name)
Stevens, pharms, and CW were brought in my Lambright, they were lambo guys not Neu guys and none of them where inherited by TW. I remember being a little embarrassed that stevens wasn't being suspended when all this news broke 7 years ago but i assumed the legal system had run its course. I dont understand how we can do any more than that? i guess its just a good rule of thumb to assume if we're ever close to success again its because someones committing crimes that are going unpunished. Thank God we dont have to worry about TW letting our players succeed.
#18 Whats Ty got to do with this
on January 29, 2008 at 11:21 p.m.(None, None | Unverified Name)
How does all this lead to the conclusion that UW needs Willingham or he deserves more time?
I don't understand why some people seem to think you have to have discipline OR winning. I wouldn't want an elementary teacher who produced well behaved good character kids that couldn't read at the expected level anymore than I would want a teacher who produced a bunch of little jacka** Rhodes Scholars.
Willingham is not a good coach and has not produced. He has not shown the ability to make adjustments, develop talent, he loses games the same way he did in his first game vs Air Force, etc etc. Is keeping Ty part of the motivation for the rehashing of old news by the Times? Makes no sense but whatever.
And by the way Slick Rick, who I would never want coaching any 18-23yr olds, didn't recruit Stevens, that was Lambo. Sensationalist journalism makes people lose sight of facts and reason I guess. How about a coach who runs a clean program AND wins.
#19 Don James
on January 29, 2008 at 11:28 p.m.(Kelso, WA | Unverified Name)
To #15 you wouldn't know what dominating the pac-10 is. I'm sure maybe someday you can reach a rosebowl like I have, neuheisal and even willingham have.
#20 Kentucky Kid
on February 1, 2008 at 12:32 a.m.(New York, NY | Unverified Name)
Reading some of the comments is just a sad reminder that there are people out there more concerned with a college football team winning than its players raping and beating women. How sad and f-ed up is that?
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