nvm, nothing to see here.
- Thread starter BleedCrimsonandGray
- Start date
Eh. Look at the Ryan leaf comeback. He was in a hole way deeper than Gesser and is doing great things now and inspiring others. I hope Jason has found a similar peace in his life.
Well your account is pretty sketchy. What do you mean by an "official capacity"? Did he speak, and if so what did he say? On behalf of who?
Well, it was a fb post for Cougs First and i can't find it now.
I'm beginning to think it was an old post for the Seattle event, in which case I'd question why they'd show JG as a speaker, but whatever. If I find it again I'll link it.
I didn't see the original message here, I am assuming it was a post showing Jason Gesser as a speaker at the Seattle NIght With Cougar Athletics. That would be a surprise, if true, given what has happened with him. However, he WAS a great ambassador for WSU and Cougar Athletics for a long time and sometimes a second chance is warranted for someone that has done wrong. I am not saying he does or does not in his situation, but if that is what he is looking for then coming out with a public, sincere, heartfelt apology in front of a room full of people that supported him all those years......well, maybe that would go a long way towards redemption.
It's very easy for people to say, "Screw that guy!" when they make a mistake. At some point, everyone has to decide if the offender has suffered enough (in whatever fashion) to allow them another opportunity to prove that they have changed.
Nobody at WSU owes Gesser anything, but if he has actually changed and is willing to be a good ambassador, they might be better off giving him that opportunity to show it. I think a key part of that would be to talk to the gals that have spoken out publicly about Gesser and get their position on it. If they are open to him coming back, who are we to judge?
I don’t think it’s up to us to decide when he’s redeemed. Nobody else here is at home having dinner with his family.
Dude made mistakes and I’d assume has put in a lot of work bettering himself. Nobody’s perfect we all F up. As I said I hope he’s found peace and is doing similar things leaf has done to help himself and others be better.
In the day and age of #metoo I'd be shocked if anyone in JG's shoes gets a second chance at the place they screwed up (unless you're Deshawn Watson, of course.) And he's hardly suffered at the hands of WSU; he lost his situation. He wasn't prosecuted for a crime.
That being said, I would 100% get behind a return for JG to WSU, BUT it has to be ok with the victims and there has to be more than a boilerplate press statement for a mea culpa. Maybe that's not ok with his wife as she doesn't want to relive his transgression, but imho that's the path back for him. Maybe do some hours at a women's shelter or something.
"The greatest football player I've ever coached" -- Mike Price. He may have been a complete douche off the field and may still be for all I know. But the guy put his health, safety and future on the line for you, me, his teammates, Mike Price and WSU against UCLA. If that doesn't afford him a chance at redemption, what does?
Price repaid that commitment, with by taking the Alabama after the game. Glass houses?
Price repaid that commitment, with by taking the Alabama after the game. Glass houses?
If his wife forgives him and he’s made attempts to reconcile with the other party, it’s really none of my business.
It’s probably none of my business regardless.
It’s probably none of my business regardless.
I'm going to disagree, in a way.
His wife's forgiveness and any of his attempts at reconciliation have zero impact on my opinion. She has much more investment in him and in the situation, and her measures are far different from mine. I have the luxury of being able to make fairly basic value judgements, and he failed to meet my expectations of basic human decency and/or suitability to act as a representative of the program.
His wife's opinions, actions, and perceptions, and those of his accusers, are none of our business. Within the limits of acting as a program representative, I consider it to be my business and yours. And I don't think he should be put in a position where he's being the face of the program in any meaningful way. He should not be in marketing or fundraising, or in any other position that will put him in direct or individual contact with women. He should not be a featured guest or speaker at fundraising/marketing events.
I'd accept him being invited to certain things - on-field recognition of teams or notable players, a participant in golf tournaments or other activities - but only in the context where he's among other players who are also part of those things. I'd probably be OK with him being directly involved with the team as a consultant or maybe a position coach, with the proviso that he have no unsupervised contact with female staff, including team trainers and other connected positions.
And, in all cases, he'd be on a very short leash. If there were even a hint of a repeat of transgressions, the axe falls immediately and permanently.
It is not just about grace & forgiveness for the individual. It is also about protecting the program from an individual whose judgment is questionable. Not an easy balancing act. The “short leash” statement is right, but who holds the leash and will monitor behavior?
Has to be someone who would be firm on limits and would absolutely enforce zero tolerance. Someone who could be relied on to accept to excuses and protect the program first.
So, not the AD. Not the president. Definitely not a coach.
I’ll do it. He can be my wingman.
We’re all dumped anyways…at least those who don’t think it’s wise to spend 9 figures to have 30000 more empty seats at Martin
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