Crimson Red Sports

Lawrence Phillips, the former star running back, will be prosecuted for the death of his cellmate, a legal secretary with the Kern County (Calif.) District Attorney's office told USA TODAY Sports Friday.

Phillips, 40, who starred for the University of Nebraska in the 1990s before playing in the NFL, has not been available for comment. He is serving 31 years for driving his car into three teenagers and assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

I lived in Nebraska from 1988 - 1994 and remember the Lawrence Phillips saga. It was bizarre. I don't think Osborne has a tainted legacy. In fact, I think he is a stand up guy. He did a lot of good thinks for their university and state. He was a state senator for several years after retiring. He was head coach for over 20 years and got a hold of a bad apple in Phillips. It happens.

Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women's team, and was subsequently suspended by head coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of controversy and media attention, with the perception arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne walked out on a press conference when asked "If one of your players had roughed up a member of your family and had dragged her down a flight of steps, would you have reinstated that player to the team?"[6] Outraged Nebraska faculty proposed that any student convicted of a violent crime be prohibited from representing the university on the football field.[7] Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good, stating the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program.[citation needed][8] Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State game,[9] although touted freshman Ahman Green continued to start. Phillips also played against Kansas and Oklahoma.

You may not know the whole story. In 1994 Osborne had never won a NC but had come very close. Philipps beat his girlfriend and dragged her down a flight of stairs by her hair. Instead of kicking the thug of the team, he let him remain and ended up rushing for 165 years against Florida for the NC. The bottom line is when Osbourne really had a chance to make a statement and stand by his principles (which we used to hear about ALL the time in the media, he punted in order to win a NC. It's easy being a "good guy" when you never have to make a tough decision, you're tested when a big decision comes along, one which may end up hurting you but you do it because it's the right thing to do.. The man is a phony and I got no respect for him. His reason he reinstated the thug, Philipps needed football to help him with his life. Right, that's why he's doing time for running overs kids with his car and now murder.




I wonder if the NCAA was aware of this? ???  :)

I know the whole story. I said it was bizarre. Osborne suspended him for 6 games. He was head coach for 24 years and to my knowledge ran a clean program and had an excellent reputation. He made a bad decision by trying to be a good guy and give a player a second chance. He discussed this issue with his friend Gene Stallings who told him about how he handled the David Palmer situation. It was later determined that Phillips had serious mental issues.

The reason Osborne never won a championship prior to the mid 90's was because they could not win the Orange Bowl. Alabama got his attention when we manhandled Miami in 92. Osborne befriended Gene Stallings and changed his defensive strategy to mirror the system Stallings was running. Nebraska was always a very good high scoring offensive team. Once a Stallings like defense was implemented Nebraska was the dominate NCAA football team until Osborne retired in 1997.

In Palmer's case, Alabama coach Gene Stallings chose to suspend Palmer for one game after his first DUI arrest. That night after the game, however, Palmer visited a Tuscaloosa nightspot called the Citizens Club.

Several hours later, in the wee hours of Sept. 6, he was arrested on a second DUI charge after he refused to take a blood-alcohol test. He had appeared in court on the first charge Sept. 4.

''It made me sick to my stomach,'' Stallings said.

Despite an outcry from media across the nation for Stallings to suspend Palmer for the season, Palmer returned for Bama's fourth game against Louisiana Tech, returning a punt 63 yards for a touchdown.


Stallings said he decided to reinstate Palmer after his second arrest after consulting with two doctors and ''a nationally known expert on behavioral problems.''

''I really think, in David's career right now, he needs us,'' Stallings said. ''He needs me, and I'm not going to turn my back on him.

''In all my coaching career, I don't believe I've coached a player as gifted and talented as David. I think he's got a problem . . . we've got to help him overcome. I know how important football is to him.''

I know the whole story. I said it was bizarre. Osborne suspended him for 6 games. He was head coach for 24 years and to my knowledge ran a clean program and had an excellent reputation. He made a bad decision by trying to be a good guy and give a player a second chance. He discussed this issue with his friend Gene Stallings who told him about how he handled the David Palmer situation. It was later determined that Phillips had serious mental issues.

The reason Osborne never won a championship prior to the mid 90's was because they could not win the Orange Bowl. Alabama got his attention when we manhandled Miami in 92. Osborne befriended Gene Stallings and changed his defensive strategy to mirror the system Stallings was running. Nebraska was always a very good high scoring offensive team. Once a Stallings like defense was implemented Nebraska was the dominate NCAA football team until Osborne retired in 1997.

Palmer did not beat a women but he was arrested with back-to-back DUI which is very dangerous thing for the general public who are on the streets with him. Stallings suspended him for 1 game for each event.

Osborne suspended Phillips after the 2nd game of the season for 6 games. He came back for the Iowa St game and finished the season. Domestic violence was viewed a little different back then. Osborne was facing the same criticism Stallings faced with Palmer. Osborne made the decision to try and help Phillips and that decision back fired badly. He made a terrible decision but he made it for the right reason. Do you ready thing he would have reinstated Phillips had he known how this would turn out.

One was a double DUI and one was a horrible domestic violence case which are completely different but there is a lot of similarities in these two cases. See below what Stallings did and compare that to what Osborne did. I certainly do not question Stallings integrity.

I think Palmer was suspended for 1/2 a game, something I thought was ridiculous at the time. It should have been at least 2 games. Let's be honest here, Stallings wanted him to play because he was Bama's best player. Coaches get into these situations because they want to win. I don't need an "expert" to tell me what is right & what is wrong & how to respond.

By your standards can you name a coach who does not have a tainted legacy?

I can probably name a lot of coaches who never condoned/made excuses for beating a woman and dragging her down the stairs by her hair. That's the issue, please don't try to change the subject. Do you know of other coaches who allowed this kind of actions? We know about Fisher/Winston, any others?


 ???

This is what happens when you sell your soul & principles because you are so desperate to win a NC.








http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/phillips-will-be-prosecuted-for-death-of-cellmate/ar-BBmcblS?li=BBgzzfc

CNS gave Jonathan Taylor a second change after he was kicked off the UGA team. Current player.DJ Pettway got a second chance and is doing well for us. Coaches are dealing with 18-23 old big grown looking kids. They have to make difficult decisions regarding what is best for the player and the team. They are not perfect  and in hindsight make some bad choices. They are only human. 

How did the Taylor situation work out for us? I think the SEC has banned transfers for guys like him, not sure though. Did Pettway beat a woman and drag her down stairs? Not looking for perfection, just don't want thugs who beat women, rape women, etc. It's really pretty simple.

Second chances do not always work out but some times they do.

IMO Osborne is a good guy. I guess we have to agree to disagree on that.

Here's the point I'm trying to make, maybe in a poor & confusing manner. Osbourne was portrayed for many years as a tower of principles & values, but when put to a real test, he failed miserably & sold out his values. Allowing to keep that animal on the team is not the mark of a good man, but one who demonstrated weakness when it really mattered. It was not a mistake, it was a calculated decision which blew up in his face. I try to always remember the victim, not worry about the perpatrator. It comes with my work experience. A DUI or theft comes nowhere near what Phillips did. He's a very dangerous man. A 2nd chance must be earned, not given away. Those are my beliefs.

Good eye!  I totally missed that.  :lol2:

Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips has been charged with murder in the death of his cellmate at a Central California prison.