November 7, 2005
Gamecocks' long snapper arrested for DUI
Scott Morgan, long snapper for the South Carolina Gamecocks, was arrested around 4 a.m. Sunday morning for driving under the influence. Police approached his car because it was stopped at an intersection when the light was green. They reportedly found Morgan asleep with his car in drive and his foot on the brake pedal. Police reports indicate that he was not able to get out of the car without assistance. Besides DUI, he was charged with open container and possession of alcohol in a moving vehicle.
Other reports indicate that a bottle of liquor was in plain view in the backseat of the car and that Morgan didn't open the window for police and instead opened his door. Police officers reportedly had to put his car into park for him because he put it in reverse instead when asked to put it in park. Morgan consented to a blood-alcohol test but the results have not been released.
Morgan was released on bond Sunday afternoon and has been suspended indefinitely from the team according to head coach Steve Spurrier. Morgan is the 14th S.C. player arrested since January.
Comments:
Rusty said:
posted on November 8, 2005 2:45 PM — 207.200.116.133 — link — abuse?
Andrew...how do you know what happened at alabama? Its so stupid to say what you said. The fact that the media blows up an incident that happened at alabama is enough punishment in my eyes. John Parker Wilson has to listen to people like you every day, and you know it hurts and embarasses him enough. If you recieved a DUI, nobody would know but your closest friends and family, think about an entire nation knowing and criticising you about it. Plus, you dont know that the coaches don't have him doing things for punishment behind the scenes either. He may be doing community service or something else for his actions. Just because he didnt get to play in a game he wouldnt have played in anyways doesnt mean he is getting a slap on the wrist.
Andrew R said:
posted on November 9, 2005 1:28 PM — 132.79.13.16 — link — abuse?
Plus, if I were to get a DUI, I would loose my job and probably a lot more too. John Parker Wilson is not in High School anymore, and he is no longer a minor. He is a young man, a representative of his school, and a role model. He should act like one. He should be hurt and embarrassed at what people say about him. He made an adult decision and he has to live with it, he is lucky he didn't kill anyone. What kids see today in a lot of today's sport heroes and role models is that if you are famous you don't have to worry about getting in trouble. It will be taken care of for you. Not something I want my kids learning, do you?
SM said:
posted on November 9, 2005 5:12 PM — 192.45.72.26 — link — abuse?
Hey Andrew I got a DUI and I didn't lose my job. Your probably thinking I'm a waiter or something right? Wrong, I'm a mechanical engineer for the largest defense contractor in the country. Oh and I didn't lose my job, in fact no one even slapped me on the wrist. Why don't you stick to talking about things you know about? Shit happens and I bet there are a lot more people that you know that have DUI's than you would imagine.
posted on November 9, 2005 5:13 PM — 156.56.79.184 — link — abuse?Pete Holiday said:
If JPW had gotten a DUI, this might all be relevant.
It's not. He didn't get a DUI. He was granted "youthful offender status" exactly as you would if you got yourself into the same situation as a 19 year old in Alabama pursuant to Ala.Code 1975 § 15-19-1. These sorts of ajudications are handed out fairly liberally in college towns (and, I presume, elsewhere) in Alabama because they more adequately serve the rehabilitative goal of the criminal justice system. The fact that, regardless of the finding in that case, he was suspended and demoted suggests that he was, in fact, treated more harshly than you would've been -- if you found yourself in that situation it wouldn't even make the local paper, let alone national news, and your boss would likely never know.
Andrew R said:
posted on November 9, 2005 6:12 PM — 132.79.13.16 — link — abuse?
He was granted Youthful offender status by a judge, but was arrested with a DUI. Whatever you want to call it he was still driving under the influence. A DUI is a stupid mistake, but people die from stupid mistakes, so it doesn't make it ok in my book. You are right that my DUI wouldn't make national news, but I garuntee that my employer (Uncle Sam) would know about it and I would loose my clearance which is my job. JPW will more than likely be a starter next year, in my scenario I would be pumping gas or stocking shelves somewhere. Youthful Offender Status = Slap on wrist!
posted on November 9, 2005 8:42 PM — 156.56.81.178 — link — abuse?
10. Andrew R:
First of all, we don't know if he was DUI or not, all we know is that he was arrested and initially charged with it. People are arrested for, charged with, and exonerated on charges all the time.
Second of all, if you were in JPW's situation, your boss would not know about the charges, that's part of having the records sealed. If you were famous they might find out that you were arrested, but that's not going to make a difference.
Finally, a "slap on the wrist" is not necessarily a bad thing. If JPW doesn't drive under the influence in the future, a huge goal of the criminal justice system has been been achieved with zero harm to anyone, anywhere... and at the incredibly reduced cost (to the gov't and to society) that YOS allows. It might not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling that he wasn't beaten to within an inch of his life, but really, aside from making you feel better, what good would that have done? Nothing at all.
So... I guess we're back to you having no point. Nice work.
Andrew R said:
posted on November 9, 2005 9:12 PM — 67.141.164.63 — link — abuse?
12. > Pete Holiday;
So what you are saying that if I were in JPW's position as a back-up quarterback in a state the lives on college football that my boss/coach (Mike Shula) would have no idea that I was arrested for a DUI because my records were sealed? Why would I be suspended for one game then?
By the way, if you will look at the first post you will see that I made no mention of JPW. Rusty was the one who brought him up. I was refering to David Palmer, JPW really won't be an issue till next year. They could suspend him for the rest of the year and he probably still wouldn't miss any playing time.
Thirdly, I hope he has learned a lesson from this JPW is a good kid with lot's of potential.
posted on November 10, 2005 9:23 AM — 156.56.79.134 — link — abuse?
13. Andrew R
Who do you want to talk about, Andrew? You or JPW? JPW doesn't work for Uncle Sam, and if you were 19 and arrested for a DUI in Alabama, nobody is going to know unless you're famous... which I don't presume you are.And no, you didn't mention JPW by name... but you did mention him, and trying to hide behind "I didn't use his name" is a pretty cowardly way to avoid the issue.
Again, the bottom line here is that JPW was handled appropriately. Surely with your distaste for Alabama you can come up with something better than this.
Andrew R said:
posted on November 10, 2005 11:23 AM — 132.79.13.16 — link — abuse?
There you go putting words in my mouth again, I never said anything about a distaste for Alabama. I live there, love it. Roll Tide, War Eagle. Half my family are Bama fans, I am even pulling for Bama this weekend.
Sure I mentioned JPW by name, after he was dragged into it by Rusty. But if you recall the same thing happened several years ago to David Palmer. JPW just proves my arguement.
If you think I am a coward, that is fine. But as you can see I never mentioned his name until someone else brought it up, the proof is above, so I am not hiding behind anything. I left it open for you and Rusty to drag JPW into this. Guilty conscious, maybe?
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Andrew R said:
posted on November 8, 2005 11:51 AM — 132.79.13.16 — link — abuse?A DUI, that's nothing in Alabama, just suspend him for a game and slap him on the wrist.