CNS talks about helping DJ Pettway

92tide

TideFans Legend
May 9, 2000
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Coach didn't say DJ was innocent, so let's not assume that was the reason for the lenience. He got a "second" chance for the same reason Winston keeps getting "second" chances -- win at all costs! No excuse for this, DJ should have been kicked off of the team. What kind of message is this sending to players?
that even if you screw up, you can take your punishment, work hard and still be a successful person?
 

jps1983

Hall of Fame
Aug 30, 2006
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I have mixed feelings. I'm glad he was kicked off. I'm glad he worked hard after being kicked off. I'm glad that he's apparently learned from his mistakes. Considering he was part of a group (his role is unknown except to a few) that attacked and robbed fellow students on campus, I'm still torn on whether his second chance should've come at UA. Now that he's here, I hope he continues to represent the school well on and off the field.
 

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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Saban has one of the better records in college football when it comes to disciplining players and developing teenage boys into men. I won't go so far as to say that I would accept anything that he decides in cases like this, but I do try and remember Saban's track record when judging.

I know a lot less than you guys about DJ's involvement that night, but that really isn't the point of my post. You have a pretty solid man in charge of your program right now. A man who has shown integrity and has tried to learn from his mistakes along the way. A man who admits those mistakes when asked about them. Seems like the kind of man that I would trust with my children. Seems like the kind of man that I would trust with these decisions - not blindly, but still trust.
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
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I ripped him, not going to hide. He screwed up a golden opportunity most of us have to pay thousands of dollars for. Make no mistake, if he wasn't a division one football talent he would not have been given this extra chance. I was never really against him getting this second chance, just not at the University of Alabama.
I was right there with you but admit didn't have the facts our coach and administrators had. What I'd like to know is who was the sleezbag who brought this up at the presser? Scab? As mentioned above why is this being brought up now, as a distraction maybe?
 

im4uainva

All-SEC
Jul 3, 2011
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I felt bad for the fourth player, that did not take part in the assault, who was in the dorm, that used (IIRC) the student card of one of the victims to get a snack, and subsequently was dismissed from the team for this action. In the days following this transgression by the two main attackers, I inquired, on this site, as to whether it could be considered normal for students to use cards that other students have willingly loaned to them to procure 'snacks'. and it was confirmed by some that this is not unusual. I opined that perhaps this particular dismissed athlete, was himself a victim of 'misrepresentation' from the person he got the card from. I don't know that to be actual, just a possibility. Obviously, those in power, or in the know, felt differently. I felt he could have been given a chance to redeem himself as I don't believe he had been in any unsavory actions prior to this incident. And had actually been an asset. Please correct me if I am totally mistaken, but that is how I recall it.

Roll Tide!
 

bamacon

Hall of Fame
Apr 11, 2008
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that even if you screw up, you can take your punishment, work hard and still be a successful person?
Exactly. And he did get kicked off the team and expelled from the school. He petitioned to come back on both fronts. I'm also sure he is on a zero tolerance policy from both as well. Our goal is rehabilitation in our prison system and especially with young people. He accepted the punishment and learned. I for one am proud of him despite being horrified by his involvement in the crime.
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
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Cullman, Al
I felt bad for the fourth player, that did not take part in the assault, who was in the dorm, that used (IIRC) the student card of one of the victims to get a snack, and subsequently was dismissed from the team for this action. In the days following this transgression by the two main attackers, I inquired, on this site, as to whether it could be considered normal for students to use cards that other students have willingly loaned to them to procure 'snacks'. and it was confirmed by some that this is not unusual. I opined that perhaps this particular dismissed athlete, was himself a victim of 'misrepresentation' from the person he got the card from. I don't know that to be actual, just a possibility. Obviously, those in power, or in the know, felt differently. I felt he could have been given a chance to redeem himself as I don't believe he had been in any unsavory actions prior to this incident. And had actually been an asset. Please correct me if I am totally mistaken, but that is how I recall it.

Roll Tide!
IIRC he was already on his second chance. That may have played a role.
 
IIRC he was already on his second chance. That may have played a role.
Think he was on his third chance or maybe even fourth.



Some are saying his second chance shouldn't have come at UA. Where should it have come then? He's paid his dues, done the necessary work, and all parties saw fit to give him a second chance. I just don't understand it.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus RTR
 

Displaced Bama Fan

Hall of Fame
Jun 5, 2000
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Think he was on his third chance or maybe even fourth.



Some are saying his second chance shouldn't have come at UA. Where should it have come then? He's paid his dues, done the necessary work, and all parties saw fit to give him a second chance. I just don't understand it.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus RTR
I'll disagree with you. He assaulted another student and stole his personal belongings. What "dues" did he pay other than temporarily getting kicked off the team?
 

Displaced Bama Fan

Hall of Fame
Jun 5, 2000
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Fought his way back. He didn't temporarily get kicked off. He was kicked off. Not only that he had others fight for him as well.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus RTR
Well, getting busted smoking weed or something similar is a "victimless" crime, if it's even criminal at all (non-sports board discussion). He knowingly participated in an assault and robbery of a fellow student. That's the part I have a problem with. Let's just agree to disagree on this one.
 

ccc2259

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Oct 29, 2010
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Criticism seems to bother Saban more than I would have thought it would. He seemed a little thin-skinned when people grumped about bringing Kiffin in too. I get the feeling that when something works out the way he hoped it would despite the decision being second guessed, Saban especially enjoys saying "I told you so."
As strange as it may sound, I believe these reactions are related to a truism CNS has espoused before, namely that high performing people don't like to associate with low performers. Let me explain my logic....CNS knows he is running a top-tier program, and doing so at the highest level. He knows he and his staff are really the only people to know everything they do, and why they do it. He gets extremely frustrated at questions from people that don't have all the facts behind a given situation. It might be a result of his being too sensitive, but I think it's a case of condescension (and I don't mean that in a negative way) in that he knows he knows more than the person asking the question.
 

TideMom2Boys

Hall of Fame
Nov 17, 2010
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Alabama
I had mixed feelings about this too. But after listening to Saban, I can see what he is saying. Saban really has a way with words.
 

Chukker Veteran

Hall of Fame
Feb 6, 2001
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As strange as it may sound, I believe these reactions are related to a truism CNS has espoused before, namely that high performing people don't like to associate with low performers. Let me explain my logic....CNS knows he is running a top-tier program, and doing so at the highest level. He knows he and his staff are really the only people to know everything they do, and why they do it. He gets extremely frustrated at questions from people that don't have all the facts behind a given situation. It might be a result of his being too sensitive, but I think it's a case of condescension (and I don't mean that in a negative way) in that he knows he knows more than the person asking the question.
You said what was on my mind better than I was able to.

I've got two questions from that press conference...

Was that a sweater vest he was wearing? :D

And how is a guy in his sixties able to keep any gray out of his hair? Maybe I should start eating Little Debbies for breakfast too. ;)
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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Agreed. I ripped him, too. And I still think he shouldn't be in school, let alone on the team.

It's about letting perpetrators of violent crimes be the most prominent ambassadors of the University, and get a free education while doing so.

To me, the turning point between a violent person and a mistake was the second assault. At that point, even if you give him the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't know what was up on the first one, DJ knew what was going on the second time around, and still participated. It was two incidents of violence on helpless students.

There are three criminals who I think are lower than murderers and rapists: Child beaters, wife beaters, and sexual molesters of children. Not far behind are abusers of animals. In all cases, it's about lording a physical advantage over a helpless victim, gaining nothing more than pleasure in the act.

The physical difference between (1) a child and an average 20-year-old male isn't a lot different from (2) the advantage held by a 6-foot+, 200+ pound athlete in national class (if not world class) physical condition, over an average college student. That's especially true when that average student faces multiple perps with similar physical capability, and is ambushed, unable to prepare for the fight.

It was cowardice and sadism of a criminal order. I've heard that DJ actually stood watch rather than participate in the two bludgeonings. Assuming that's true (and because records are sealed, we don't know that to be a fact), that doesn't gain any traction with me.

I know whereof I speak.
He didn't "stand watch." He wasn't really even at the scene. He and Hayes waited "in a nearby vehicle." Calloway wasn't even present, but used the stolen credit card later on. He was already on thin ice. DJ's record with CNS was clean at that point, and that helped him. Of course, people who knew Williams said that the behavior was very atypical for him also...
 

KrAzY3

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Jan 18, 2006
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I opined that perhaps this particular dismissed athlete, was himself a victim of 'misrepresentation' from the person he got the card from. I don't know that to be actual, just a possibility. Obviously, those in power, or in the know, felt differently. I felt he could have been given a chance to redeem himself as I don't believe he had been in any unsavory actions prior to this incident. And had actually been an asset. Please correct me if I am totally mistaken, but that is how I recall it.

Roll Tide!
I read something earlier this year in which Calloway was saying a lot of positive things about Alabama and also said he hoped to be able to play for them again. I have no idea if that's remotely possible, but Calloway actually got in trouble before that incident as well so it was harder to view it as a one time thing, even if his involvement was minor.

Also, back to DJ, I have read a report in which one person who was assaulted said they believed DJ did not participate in the assault. So, to anyone who says his role was unknown, there are tidbits out there.

He assaulted another student
That has never been established...
 

Mr._Krabs

Suspended
Nov 10, 2014
8
0
0
If this happened at FSU, everyone here would be criticizing the program and the city. As far as DJ's involvement, he was charged with robbery and the allegation was that he participated in the first and drove the gettaway car for the second. The victims were beaten unconscious and the players drove around and had a big evening charging up the stolen credit card(s). For those old enough to have kids, what if the victim was your son or daughter? The victims could have been killed during the viscous attack. As far as the disposition of the case (it's hard to get everything here because the records have been sealed), DJ's lawyer asked the district (trial) court for youthful offender (getting away with it) status and was denied. DJ and lawyer then appealed to circuit court where apparently a deal was worked out between DJ, attorney, prosecutor, and judge to let him have youthful offender (got away with it) status. At that point, having faced no real criminal sanctions or punishment, DJ was given what has amounted to a 13 game suspension from UA while playing football on scholarship at a junior college -- this is the "he worked hard" business we keep hearing about. Again, if this had happened at FSU, no one here would defend it. And speaking of FSU, one of the posters above speculated that law enforcement must have known that DJ didn't really do anything wrong and that was the reason for the lenient "sentence" of YO. Two comments about that (1) are you going to give the Florida police department the same benefit of the doubt? (2), DJ was charged with robbery by those who investigated the case, but a deal was worked out in the courtroom as so often happens -- this is certainly no evidence of innocence on any level. I think coach's defense presser was more a defense of coach than one of a player.
 
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James Eagle

1st Team
Aug 9, 2011
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Without all of the information, it is impossible for anyone to judge what should or should not be done in cases like Pettway's. I trust the fact that Coach Saban and The University had all the information and acted accordingly. Now it's up to Pettway to live his life in a way that confirms the correct decision was made.
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
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Cullman, Al
If this happened at FSU, everyone here would be criticizing the program and the city. As far as DJ's involvement, he was charged with robbery and the allegation was that he participated in the first and drove the gettaway car for the second. The victims were beaten unconscious and the players drove around and had a big evening charging up the stolen credit card(s). For those old enough to have kids, what if the victim was your son or daughter? The victims could have been killed during the viscous attack. As far as the disposition of the case (it's hard to get everything here because the records have been sealed), DJ's lawyer asked the district (trial) court for youthful offender (getting away with it) status and was denied. DJ and lawyer then appealed to circuit court where apparently a deal was worked out between DJ, attorney, prosecutor, and judge to let him have youthful offender (got away with it) status. At that point, having faced no real criminal sanctions or punishment, DJ was given what has amounted to a 13 game suspension from UA while playing football on scholarship at a junior college -- this is the "he worked hard" business we keep hearing about. Again, if this had happened at FSU, no one here would defend it. And speaking of FSU, one of the posters above speculated that law enforcement must have known that DJ didn't really do anything wrong and that was the reason for the lenient "sentence" of YO. Two comments about that (1) are you going to give the Florida police department the same benefit of the doubt? (2), DJ was charged with robbery by those who investigated the case, but a deal was worked out in the courtroom as so often happens -- this is certainly no evidence of innocence on any level. I think coach's defense presser was more a defense of coach than one of a player.
Jameis is that you?:)
 

ptw1961

1st Team
Dec 8, 2011
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You know all of these details how? That's right- you do not know. Stop being so self righteous about something that you could not possibly be informed about. You need to trust Saban more on this one.
Well, getting busted smoking weed or something similar is a "victimless" crime, if it's even criminal at all (non-sports board discussion). He knowingly participated in an assault and robbery of a fellow student. That's the part I have a problem with. Let's just agree to disagree on this one.
 

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