Pete Golding arrested for DUI (link)

[crimsonaudio]

If there were other circumstances we don’t know, then those penalties should be adjusted.

Care to posit what 'other circumstances' might change the way we judge his behavior?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Nick gave coach Sark a second chance, And he was drunk around USC players. Pretty damning sin for a CFB Coach IMO.

Not to make light of this, but we should wait for details. Maybe he had a ride that fell through. We don’t know. At the point of making a decision, he was impaired and made a poor choice. No excuse, but an explanation That didn’t include plans to drive.

Yeah, but at least with Sark there was some cold logic in, "Look, let's get him out of the high stress big city and try to help him." In this case, Golding is already imbibing in (checks notes) Northport......and is already under high stress.

 

[B1GTide]

I won't judge the man. We all make mistakes and I hope he learns from this.

But if he was driving while legally impaired then he needs to pay the price. If this is his first offense, then there is still hope that he will get help and make amends.

I have no idea what Saban should do here, and I won't pretend that I could handle it better than he. Alabama will be fine, no matter how this plays out.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Care to posit what 'other circumstances' might change the way we judge his behavior?

CA asking for a hypothetical? That’s unlike you.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Unless he has the rare disease in which eating bread gets you drunk or something similar then I don’t see how we can question a police report and his acknowledgment that indicates he did it. There is no reason to drive drunk. This really isn’t one of the many grey issues in life.

The punishment is the gray part.

Not questioning whether he was driving drunk or not.

But the circumstances will determine the punishment. And since we don’t know the circumstances, we shouldn’t be suggesting what the punishment should be.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Unless he has the rare disease in which eating bread gets you drunk or something similar then I don’t see how we can question a police report and his acknowledgment that indicates he did it. There is no reason to drive drunk. This really isn’t one of the many grey issues in life.

Yep. I have little sympathy for those that abuse substances, legal or illegal. The potential for affecting someone else’s life is just too great to ignore.

If Golding has an issue it should be addressed first and foremost. It has been alluded to here, so he should have already taken steps to learn to lessen the chance that another instance of poor judgement occurs. If it’s an outside stressor that leads to these lapses that stressor should also be addressed appropriately.This is still at the “teachable moment” stage, but other lapses should turn this into a “don’t end up like Pete” moment.

 

[DogPatch]

, we don't know If Northport police was watching the bar and decide to pick up folks who leave bar... we don't know anything yet.

Yes, we do. They didn't. It's on the other side of the river

 

[DogPatch]

This is something that has been troubling me. By reports Pete Golding was arrested at 1 am Thursday morning. As of Thursday morning at 10 am he still had not bailed out. That is nine hours.

You cannot be released until your BAC is .03. Legal
Intoxication is .08. Having spent some time working in drug and alcohol treatment, the “general rule” is the liver metabolizes alcohol at a rate of .01/hour after a person stops drinking. A high metabolizer sometimes at a rate of .015.

So assuming Golding is a normal metabolizer, his BAC should have DROPPED by at least .09 by 10 am. This can vary somewhat based on drinking history, liver disease, etc..

This is the reason I’m interested in seeing the police report. This to me, at least on its face, doesn’t appear to be a guy that had a couple of beers, didn’t realize his level of impairment and made a poor choice of getting behind the wheel.

I hope that I’m wrong, but I’ve got the bad feeling Pete was far beyond a little tipsy when he got behind the wheel.

I guess we’ll find out.

Tuscaloosa jail won't release you until you blow .00.

 

[DogPatch]

Yeah, but at least with Sark there was some cold logic in, "Look, let's get him out of the high stress big city and try to help him." In this case, Golding is already imbibing in (checks notes) Northport......and is already under high stress.

Imbibing in Tuscaloosa, then drives across the river to Northport.

 

[BamaBuc]

JME81,

You do make one valid point that I'll grant in all this.

The bold is a fair point, and I've been one to call this out myself (most recently in the Petito murder). You're absolutely correct that our own anecdotes shouldn't be use as our paradigm to determine this, so I want to commend you on that one particular point.

But that being said - the decision to drink and drive is made BEFORE a person ever goes to the bar.
Plans are made or not made (which are the plans being made).

And Pete Golding turns 38 years old Tuesday, so if he's not old enough to manage that then it is a fair question whether he should be leading young men in a position of authority. No, I'm not calling for his firing as this is a "trust Saban" moment, but it IS fair to point out problems he could have going forward. If we take the Saban approach of a long-term positive outcome - what would that be and what would it look like?

By the same token, what about the parents of the kids he recruited? Do you or anyone else believe they're not going to really question what/how this happened...

I personally hope/pray that this hasn't been going on for awhile now , and he just lucked out and never got caught...

BUT like you say above this is most definitely a "trust Saban" defining moment...

 

[bamaslammer]

You have to have made mistakes to be able to relate to people who have and to be heard by those who need to know. It's one thing to say don't drink and drive, it's another to say I did it, and here's what it cost me. I'm not saying it's good or acceptable, just saying this can be a positive thing if he learns from it. We've seen saban take this approach to so many players, but then again if they don't learn we've seen him show them the door.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

You have to have made mistakes to be able to relate to people who have and to be heard by those who need to know. It's one thing to say don't drink and drive, it's another to say I did it, and here's what it cost me. I'm not saying it's good or acceptable, just saying this can be a positive thing if he learns from it. We've seen saban take this approach to so many players, but then again if they don't learn we've seen him show them the door.

This particular issue a conglomeration of so many things, and I think that's what lends itself to so many varied interpretations. Indeed, there are certain aspects of almost every post on this thread with which I can agree. I'm willing to not judge the man harshly, let Saban be the arbiter where it concerns the football team, the justice system the arbiter where that is concerned, I'm even willing to give second chances.

But only because Golding didn't have a Henry Ruggs moment and destroy other lives in the process. And I think we need to go back and learn the difference between a MISTAKE and a CRIME and a PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR, too. I'm not saying Golding did anything before - because I don't know.

I'm just thankful at this point he didn't have one of those wrecks where he gets to live his life and someone else's family member is taken out in the prime of theirs.

 

[gman4tide]

I ain't gonna hang a man for 1 mistake..ain't gonna do it. He coulda been mere minutes from his house and blew a .08. Legally impaired...you bet ya. Could he have been functioning perfectly fine..you bet ya. Not everyone is the same at .08 or .16. My old man was stopped for a dui the last week he was in the army (a long time ago). When at the station and breathalizer was done on him, he blew a .26. MP looked at him and said "Sgt Parker, you're not supposed to be conscious, much less carrying on a conversation". Everyone is affected differently. Not condoning nor am i bashing. I know my old man functioned driving, working, doing every day life the last 5 years of his life and prolly would have blown a .15 any given minute of any given day. Did it scare the hell outta me knowing he was driving, you bet it did. Bout like knowing 80 something year old meemaws and papaws out there behind the wheel with less faculties about them. I'm thankful my old man never caused an accident or hurt anyone. I'm thankful that cPG didn't cause an accident or hurt anyone. I'm gonna let his personal life be and live with whatever his employer thinks is the best punishment for his transgressions.

 

[mdb-tpet]

I'm gonna blame the system here. We advertise alcohol on every medium, we party with alcohol, we sell alcohol with dinner, we sell alcohol at sporting events, we sell alcohol at clubs, we give alcohol for presents, we have alcohol at celebrations, we drink alcohol at weddings, and even churches serve alcohol in some occasions, etc.

It's just no surprise that we have DUIs, because our society is 100% set up to create the situation. It's just like car accidents at intersections. Those aren't really accidents, they are collisions just waiting to happen.

Now he could have made better choices, but let's not kid ourselves that too many of us have and continue to make the same dumb mistake he did. I'm not excusing his behavior, as he's a leader and should know better, but we as a society clearly don't really walk the talk, nor will we ever until cars are fully autonomous.

 

[Relayer]

There, but for the grace of God, go I.

 

[NationalTitles18]

I'm gonna blame the system here. We advertise alcohol on every medium, we party with alcohol, we sell alcohol with dinner, we sell alcohol at sporting events, we sell alcohol at clubs, we give alcohol for presents, we have alcohol at celebrations, we drink alcohol at weddings, and even churches serve alcohol in some occasions, etc.

It's just no surprise that we have DUIs, because our society is 100% set up to create the situation. It's just like car accidents at intersections. Those aren't really accidents, they are collisions just waiting to happen.

Now he could have made better choices, but let's not kid ourselves that too many of us have and continue to make the same dumb mistake he did. I'm not excusing his behavior, as he's a leader and should know better, but we as a society clearly don't really walk the talk, nor will we ever until cars are fully autonomous.

We are also a society that repeatedly reminds people NOT to drive after drinking and even offers free taxi/Uber rides if you've been drinking.

I'll repeat myself and say "There's no excuse in this day and age." - and there isn't. And that's the first part of taking responsibility - admitting that there is zero excuse.

That doesn't mean I've given up on him or want him to be punished on a never-ending basis.

But he needs to face the same legal system anyone else would face.

Coach Saban can decide his employment fate.

 

[GrayTide]

"let Saban be the arbiter where it concerns the football team,"

I completely agree with Bill on this. He made a mistake, used poor judgment, and in doing so failed in his responsibility as a coach and leader. We as fans should not be judge and jury over something that happened in which we had no control and quite frankly are mostly concerned because it was an Alabama coach and the negative publicity it generated. Let the legal and disciplinary process runs its course and hope that he has learned a life long lesson.

 

[mdb-tpet]

We are also a society that repeatedly reminds people NOT to drive after drinking and even offers free taxi/Uber rides if you've been drinking.

I'll repeat myself and say "There's no excuse in this day and age." - and there isn't. And that's the first part of taking responsibility - admitting that there is zero excuse.

That doesn't mean I've given up on him or want him to be punished on a never-ending basis.

But he needs to face the same legal system anyone else would face.

Coach Saban can decide his employment fate.

There is the message to not drink and drive, but it's a tiny, tiny portion of the message compared to the tsunami of party and drink messages out there. Again, I'm not absolving CPG for his actions, I'm just saying we've been set up to fail by our drinking culture.

 

[RdunawayTX]

There, but for the grace of God, go I.

Exactly.

 

[KrAzY3]

I think it is well known that I'm not a fan of Golding but I haven't called for his firing either. There is a problem, it needs to be resolved. What the best resolution for that is, I can not say. The positive side is that once you know there is a problem, it does give you a chance to deal with it.

As to the issue at the heart of this though. Unless there's some freak occurrence, a middle aged man just doesn't have any excuse for drunk driving. We all know not to, we all know how to avoid it, it's not something you do accidentally. It's willful negligence. Golding makes enough to have a full time driver if he wanted, we can't point the finger at society or blame the police here. If he drank and he drove, which all the evidence points to, he's solely to blame for that.

We have reached a point as a society where sometimes we try to rationalize and justify inexcusable actions. The only time that really is justified is when you don't have a choice in those actions. If you do something that is an act of will, then you own that choice.