OL Alex Boone (Official Thread)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

4/3/06

Ohio State’s Boone cited for DUI

Monday, April 3, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]


So much for Ohio State’s quiet spring football period.

That ended early Sunday morning, when offensive tackle Alex Boone was cited for driving under the influence. Boone, who is not yet 21, is projected to start this season at left tackle. He started five games as a true freshman last season, when right tackle Kirk Barton was injured.

The incident likely will overshadow Head Coach Jim Tressel’s pride in his team’s improving grade-point average. The Buckeyes had 51 players earn a 3.0 or better GPA last quarter.

According to OSU policy, Boone will be placed in the athletic department’s drug and alcohol counseling program. This is Boone’s first offense and he is not subject to any loss of practice time. However, Tressel’s tone in a university release Sunday indicated his displeasure. Boone could face additional sanctions from Tressel.

“I consider any drug or alcohol offense to be a very serious matter and will treat this accordingly,” Tressel said. “The last we told the team after practice (Saturday) morning was to set their clocks ahead an hour when they went to bed at 10 o’clock last night. I am disappointed that message did not get through to everyone.”

Circumstances of the citation weren’t clear. Columbus police, campus police and the Franklin County jail could not immediately produce records identifying Boone on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

Boone received high praise from Offensive Coordinator Jim Bollman on Saturday. With Boone starting, the Buckeyes have to find just one more starter.

“Kirk (Barton) going down last year for a few games has really turned out to be a blessing because it gave Boone some great game experience,” said Bollman, who is the team’s line coach as well.

Boone is a 6-foot-8, 316-pound behemoth from Lakewood St. Edward. He was a USA Today and Parade Magazine first-team player.

Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail:



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Dispatch

4/3/06

OSU FOOTBALL

Lineman Boone cited for drunken driving, OSU says

Monday, April 03, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Ohio State offensive tackle Alex Boone faces increased drug and alcohol testing as well as counseling after the university reported he was cited for driving under the influence early yesterday morning.

The incident reportedly involved a two-vehicle crash near the OSU campus, but Columbus police last night said the officer who handled the incident was off duty later yesterday and that they had no access to the report.

There also were no records on Franklin County court dockets.

In any case, Boone, 18, now will be entered into OSU’s substance-abuse program. First-time offenders face testing and counseling but not a mandatory suspension.

Any other punishment will be at the discretion of coach Jim Tressel.

The Buckeyes practiced Saturday morning and were off yesterday.

"I consider any drug or alcohol offense to be a very serious matter and will treat this incident accordingly," Tressel said.

"The last thing we told the team after practice (Saturday) morning was to set their clocks ahead an hour when they went to bed at 10 o’clock (for daylight-saving time). I am disappointed that message did not get through to everyone."

The 6-foot-8, 315-pound Boone played in 11 games last year as a true freshman, including five starts. The Lakewood native is projected as the starter at left tackle this fall.

The OSU athletics department unveiled a tougher substance-abuse policy last May. Under it, a second offense draws a mandatory two-week suspension. A third offense results in a one-year suspension.

Under Ohio law, those under 21 years of age can be charged with drunken driving with a blood-alcohol level as low as .02. They also would be charged with underage alcohol consumption.

Drunken driving is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

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[StooGrimson]

just because someone possesses above average talent in one area or another does not mean that he should be held to a different standard than the general student population.

\

I have a funny feeling Coach Tressel would strongly disagree with your rationalization. When you reap the benefits of being part of one of the greatest programs in all of college sports and are as visible as these players are, you are different than the average student and can (and should) be held to a higher standard of behavior. Some may say that's unfair (I'm not one of those people), but that doesn't change reality.

Let's just be thankful this kid didn't kill or hurt anyone with his stupid behavior hope that he actually learns a lesson from his complete stupidity.

 

[ntd]

I have a funny feeling Coach Tressel would strongly disagree with your rationalization. When you reap the benefits of being part of one of the greatest programs in all of college sports and are as visible as these players are, you are different than the average student and can (and should) be held to a higher standard of behavior. Some may say that's unfair (I'm not one of those people), but that doesn't change reality.

Don't forget the fact that the players are given a full ride scholarship to play the sport that they live for. That's an opportunity that thousands of high school seniors that love to play football never get...not to mention the fact that the expectations are laid out ahead of time and everyone who plays for Tressel knows that.

Boone isn't a bad kid, but he did something incredibly stupid...I imagine this will be the last big time mistake that Boone makes at OSU and he'll get things straightened out.

 

[Steve19]

I never have, and never will do it. So please don't be preaching to me.

Well, I drove once under the influence when I was 18 and nearly had an accident on Karl Road at Morse. It was late and if there had been any traffic, I would have been supporting the Buckeyes from...well, er.....uh...I am in marketing. Anyway...

Notwithstanding my agreement with Mili's argument about players being held to a higher standard, Alex Boone is not stupid. He made a very foolish choice. He got caught and punished. I hope that he and the team learn from it and that this is the last discretion we hear about this year.

Guys, he may be big enough to create all kinds of trouble for any of us and most opposing players, but this kid is a freshman in university. He's a puppy with big feet and lots of potential. He's fouled his pen a bit and now he'll have to get that right but he's not stupid, he's not a villain, he's just a kid on the wrong side of a good choice. Tressel will handle this behind closed doors and he will turn it into a positive experience for Alex and the team, although it seems certain Alex will not enjoy the lesson!

If Alex does this again, that's a different case, but for now, let's just cut him some slack. BP is no place for bashing players.

 

[Steve19]

The incident likely will overshadow Head Coach Jim Tressel’s pride in his team’s improving grade-point average. The Buckeyes had 51 players earn a 3.0 or better GPA last quarter.

Nonsense! Absolute nonsense. Boone's DUI is an individual incident that warrants no more discussion. The accomplishments in the classroom are exceptional and deserve lots of additional comments!

:osu:

Geez, Todd Porter needs to check out the police blotter thread before he makes such a silly comment!

 

[BB73]

The incident likely will overshadow Head Coach Jim Tressel’s pride in his team’s improving grade-point average. The Buckeyes had 51 players earn a 3.0 or better GPA last quarter.

Actually, I thought this was a valid comment. He's mentioning the team's academic achievements, which is always welcome; and I think he's just pointing out that this DUI will get more attention from the press and the fanbase. Considering the number of posts on both topics, I think he's correct. But I don't think he's saying that should be the case.

 

[tibor75]

At least we're past the point where we have to wonder if the player was a Cooper recruit.

 

[StooGrimson]

Actually, I thought this was a valid comment. He's mentioning the team's academic achievements, which is always welcome; and I think he's just pointing out that this DUI will get more attention from the press and the fanbase. Considering the number of posts on both topics, I think he's correct. But I don't think he's saying that should be the case.

Great point. I found this comment to be very favorable as well. I took his point to basically mean that those who wish to find negativity with the program will grab on to Boone's moronic DUI regardless of the positive things going on with the entire team. It basically condemns the trash talkers who look only at the small picture.

 

[Crashcup]

Scholarship = and should a higher standard.

 

[Buckeye86]

so how long until he is out of the doghouse? a spotless summer? a spotless year? ... what does everyone think?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

i must respectfully disagree. i'm sure that Joe Schmoe student at Ohio State got a DUI on Sat night as well, and no one cares. the only difference is the UNREAL amount of importance that is placed on an essentially meaningless game. just because someone possesses above average talent in one area or another does not mean that he should be held to a different standard than the general student population. let the law run its due course and be done with it.

lv, you just made my point. It is exactly because of that "UNREAL amount of importance that is placed on an essentially meaningless game", and the media/fan attention associated with it, that our players must be held to that higher standard.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

that our players must be held to that higher standard.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I agree with you on this, for good or bad.....OSU athletes are held to a higher standard and personally I think this is a good thing......it is a great honor to wear an OSU uniform.

Lets hope he keeps his nose clean and this is a blip on the radar screen....

 

[martinss01]

so how long until he is out of the doghouse? a spotless summer? a spotless year? ... what does everyone think?

it being spring will likely give him the opportunity to work his way back into the first team. however, i would expect him to sit out the first play of the first two games regardless.

boone will be punished for his actions. from tressel's history with such things i can honestly say i won't spend another minute thinking about it because i know its being taken care of.

 

[BuckeyeRob]

Boone isn't a bad kid, but he did something incredibly stupid...I imagine this will be the last big time mistake that Boone makes at OSU and he'll get things straightened out.

20 year old kids are prone to do things like that. He isnt a bad kid. This kind of thing happens at colleges all over the country. This isnt unique and its a shame. Hopefully, he will learn from this poor choice and move on and not make the same mistake again.

 

[WyoBuck]

lv, you just made my point. It is exactly because of that "UNREAL amount of importance that is placed on an essentially meaningless game", and the media/fan attention associated with it, that our players must be held to that higher standard.

And even if this weren't the case and the football program meant nothing, he should be held to a higher standard because he is getting a FREE education. That alone should be enough. Nobody cares about Joe Shmoe Non-student athlete because he is paying his own way through college, so if he screws up, its his dime. The only person that is going to be scrutinized and dissected is Joe Schmoe. There is no comparison to average, everyday students or people in general and college, or even pro athletes, when they make a mistake.

Having said that, I hope that his punishment is swift and befitting the indiscretion and is equally as swiftly forgotten about.