Big Lead Sports Bar

9/15/2010

Dan Mason Demoted, and Jason Douglas is Probably Done at Pitt



News and notes from today's Wannstache Press Conference:



-MLB DAN MASON, who was riding shotgun while intoxicated teammate Jason Douglas was involved in a hit and run last weekend, will not start next Thursday the 23rd against Miami and has been demoted to second team. Wannstedt did not say if Mason would play at all in that game, nor did he give a timetable for the length of Mason's stay on the second team.

"As I told Dan and his mother this morning, this is for his good," Wannstedt said. "He needs to prove to me that he can do the right things and be accountable off the field, in the classroom, and on the football field. When he does that, he'll get his job back.

"This is not a football decision. This is a combination of accountability with academics and just being smart off the field. So he'll be evaluated day by day."

-Douglas has probably played his last game at Pitt, according to Wanny:

"He has been suspended indefinitely; we know that," Wannstedt said. "He has a hearing (Thursday), but the likelihood of him returning to this team is seriously in jeopardy. I'll have further statements as time goes on concerning him. You're jeopardizing your college career and your education, and it's very unfortunate for all parties involved."

-Strongside LB MAX GRUDER will move to middle LB, taking Mason's place, and start the Miami game.

-Weakside LB GREG WILLIAMS will move to Gruder's spot.

-Redshirt junior TRISTAN ROBERTS will start at weakside linebacker.

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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

4 comments:

BURGH08 said...

Good as far as I'm concerned, but if you are going to 'demote' Mason, don't do it half assed.

Don't sit him for a series or two and put him in against Miami. Being on the second team for practice up until game time would be a joke in my opinion.

That said, I'll wait and see how Mason is used and when he comes in and reserve judgment from there.

Steve said...

"He needs to prove to me that he can do the right things and be accountable off the field, in the classroom, and on the football field. When he does that, he'll get his job back.

"This is not a football decision. This is a combination of accountability with academics and just being smart off the field. So he'll be evaluated day by day."

--------------------------

Uh huh...sounds good but I'd still like to know how this wasn't the case with Sheard who's actions (felony charges eventually reduced or not) were a lot worse than simply being a passenger in DUI related auto accident. "Accountability" and being "smart off the field" are obviously one-way streets and your importance to the team skews the curve. Who here thinks Tino Sunseri sits against Miami for being in Dan Mason's shoes? Offseason or not, if Wannstedt actually practiced what he preached, Sheard would have seen at least some sort of discipline as it relates to his starting and playing time but then again if Urban Meyer was coach at Pitt, all of this would be moot.

JW said...

Despite the legal results/jargon, I still think the DUI association is the worse crime.

The damage and personal loss that could have resulted (but fortunately didn't) from the DUI is much more damning than a fist-fight, regardless of why it happened. Even if he wasn't drinking or behind the wheel, Mason made the choice by being in the car to associate himself with a person who could have ended up killing someone. (And please, don't tell me Sheard's incident could have been just as dangerous.)

And frankly, I'm guessing that no matter who was in the car with Douglas, they would've received the same punishment. For as much as people may want these things to operate like the judicial system, that's not the case. The judicial system is in place to do the job it feels it needs to do, and the team's coaches are in place to do what they feel they need to do. If anyone has an issue with that... well, it doesn't really matter. Unless you're going to give the judicial system direct NCAA oversight. (Which may not be a bad thing...)

HomeRunFromBehindTheMeatballs said...

i think they should both be dismissed. they BOTH decided to let an intoxicated driver behind the wheel & they BOTH left a person injured in the middle of the street.