Sad News- Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per ESPN:

Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips is suspected of killing his cellmate in a Central California prison.

Prison officials said Monday that Phillips' cellmate at Kern Valley State Prison was found lifeless over the weekend and later pronounced dead.

Phillips, 39, was once one of the nation's top college football players at Nebraska. He played for the St. Louis Rams, until he was released in 1997 for insubordination. He also played for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.

Phillips is serving a sentence of more than 31 years.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...unning-back-suspected-killing-prison-cellmate

Go Gophers!!
 

Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence.....

Hard to imagine Vermeil couldn't get thru to this guy. From a pure physical talent standpoint, that guy was an absolute beast running the football.
 


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Hold on guys. How do we know his roommate didn't start it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Cell mate was eating Cheetos. Lawrence has misophonia.
 

What a shame.

Jeez, looking back at the tail end of Tom Osborne's coaching career, you can see the huge risks he was taking in recruiting some deeply troubled individuals into his program, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that he was heavily recruiting players from Southern California who had rumors of gang affiliation swirling all around them. Just among the running backs alone, you've got Phillips, Thunder Collins (serving a life sentence after being convicted of 1st degree murder), Ahman Green (domestic assault), Damon Benning (assault), and Scott Baldwin (paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the chest by Omaha police while in the midst of a violently psychotic episode)...and then there's Riley Washington (2nd degree murder), Christian Peter (serial sexual offender, twice accused rapist, four time convict WHILE in college), Reggie Baul (felony theft and drug convictions), Tyrone Williams (felony weapons convictions), and on, and on, and on. But hey, these were some of the players which helped Osborne win 3 national championships in his last 4 seasons, so I guess this sad legacy tends to get washed away in the glow of that.
 

Seany said:
What a shame.

Jeez, looking back at the tail end of Tom Osborne's coaching career, you can see the huge risks he was taking in recruiting some deeply troubled individuals into his program, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that he was heavily recruiting players from Southern California who had rumors of gang affiliation swirling all around them. Just among the running backs alone, you've got Phillips, Thunder Collins (serving a life sentence after being convicted of 1st degree murder), Ahman Green (domestic assault), Damon Benning (assault), and Scott Baldwin (paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the chest by Omaha police while in the midst of a violently psychotic episode)...and then there's Riley Washington (2nd degree murder), Christian Peter (serial sexual offender, twice accused rapist, four time convict WHILE in college), Reggie Baul (felony theft and drug convictions), Tyrone Williams (felony weapons convictions), and on, and on, and on. But hey, these were some of the players which helped Osborne win 3 national championships in his last 4 seasons, so I guess this sad legacy tends to get washed away in the glow of that.
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Wow, that is pretty amazing. I was a Tom Osborne fan, but this does tarnish his reputation to a degree.
 



Seany said:
What a shame.

Jeez, looking back at the tail end of Tom Osborne's coaching career, you can see the huge risks he was taking in recruiting some deeply troubled individuals into his program, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that he was heavily recruiting players from Southern California who had rumors of gang affiliation swirling all around them. Just among the running backs alone, you've got Phillips, Thunder Collins (serving a life sentence after being convicted of 1st degree murder), Ahman Green (domestic assault), Damon Benning (assault), and Scott Baldwin (paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the chest by Omaha police while in the midst of a violently psychotic episode)...and then there's Riley Washington (2nd degree murder), Christian Peter (serial sexual offender, twice accused rapist, four time convict WHILE in college), Reggie Baul (felony theft and drug convictions), Tyrone Williams (felony weapons convictions), and on, and on, and on. But hey, these were some of the players which helped Osborne win 3 national championships in his last 4 seasons, so I guess this sad legacy tends to get washed away in the glow of that.
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I remember reading a rap sheet of Lawrence Phillips' offenses just while at Nebraska and being amazed that any President would let that guy run around campus where students are going about their business. Christian Peter was a sexual predator/rapist. Another one where I just can't imagine how they thought it was ok to unleash that guy around someone's daughters?
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
I remember reading a rap sheet of Lawrence Phillips' offenses just while at Nebraska and being amazed that any President would let that guy run around campus where students are going about their business. Christian Peter was a sexual predator/rapist. Another one where I just can't imagine how they thought it was ok to unleash that guy around someone's daughters?
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Well, in my opinion it just says something about the personal ethics of Tom Osborne as well as the culture of Nebraska football at the time. I used to live in Omaha at that time, and Osborne liked to portray himself as the saint and many Nebraskans saw him as being saintly, and I remember how he'd used to castigate the Miami and Oklahoma programs of the 1980's for their out of control criminal natures, but in the end he proved no better. I mean amongst his catalog of other offenses, Phillips beat the ever loving holy hell out his girlfriend (who was a player on the Nebraska women's basketball team), and capped that off by dragging her down a flight of stairs by her hair, and Osborne fought tooth and nail, did everything he could to not only keep Phillip's on his team but to delay any and all court proceedings until after the Oklahoma game, and then the end of season bowl game.

And Peter? He actually had the gall as well as the stupidity to manhandle a former Miss Nebraska in the middle of a crowded bar room, and that was the incident which finally earned him his first sexually related conviction. He was just an absolute dirtbag, but again, I find it telling that in spite of all of that, he was still elected to the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame nearly a decade later. I'm not quite sure what that says about Nebraska, but I don't think it says anything good.
 

Seany said:
Well, in my opinion it just says something about the personal ethics of Tom Osborne as well as the culture of Nebraska football at the time. I used to live in Omaha at that time, and Osborne liked to portray himself as the saint and many Nebraskans saw him as being saintly, and I remember how he'd used to castigate the Miami and Oklahoma programs of the 1980's for their out of control criminal natures, but in the end he proved no better. I mean amongst his catalog of other offenses, Phillips beat the ever loving holy hell out his girlfriend (who was a player on the Nebraska women's basketball team), and capped that off by dragging her down a flight of stairs by her hair, and Osborne fought tooth and nail, did everything he could to not only keep Phillip's on his team but to delay any and all court proceedings until after the Oklahoma game, and then the end of season bowl game.

And Peter? He actually had the gall as well as the stupidity to manhandle a former Miss Nebraska in the middle of a crowded bar room, and that was the incident which finally earned him his first sexually related conviction. He was just an absolute dirtbag, but again, I find it telling that in spite of all of that, he was still elected to the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame nearly a decade later. I'm not quite sure what that says about Nebraska, but I don't think it says anything good.
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And still elected to the state house from a district he didn't even live in, and is part of the NCAA football selection committee, along with alvarez. Nice.
 

Does this mean Philips won't get a legends of the B1G episode?
 



Donovan said:
Wow, that is pretty amazing. I was a Tom Osborne fan, but this does tarnish his reputation to a degree.
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You think so? How about starting with first degree (murder) and continue from there. Unfortunately most fans are only focused on win and loss records. They seldom concern themselves with the development of these players outside of football. What makes Kill a better coach than Urban Meyers is that he cares about both. Some parents realize this but nowhere enough. Not only is he a great coach but he is a great human being. We are so lucky!
 

Seany said:
What a shame.

Jeez, looking back at the tail end of Tom Osborne's coaching career, you can see the huge risks he was taking in recruiting some deeply troubled individuals into his program, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that he was heavily recruiting players from Southern California who had rumors of gang affiliation swirling all around them. Just among the running backs alone, you've got Phillips, Thunder Collins (serving a life sentence after being convicted of 1st degree murder), Ahman Green (domestic assault), Damon Benning (assault), and Scott Baldwin (paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the chest by Omaha police while in the midst of a violently psychotic episode)...and then there's Riley Washington (2nd degree murder), Christian Peter (serial sexual offender, twice accused rapist, four time convict WHILE in college), Reggie Baul (felony theft and drug convictions), Tyrone Williams (felony weapons convictions), and on, and on, and on. But hey, these were some of the players which helped Osborne win 3 national championships in his last 4 seasons, so I guess this sad legacy tends to get washed away in the glow of that.
Click to expand...

Holy Crap, that's like a Fulmer Cup dream team.
 

Seany said:
What a shame.

Jeez, looking back at the tail end of Tom Osborne's coaching career, you can see the huge risks he was taking in recruiting some deeply troubled individuals into his program, which wasn't helped at all by the fact that he was heavily recruiting players from Southern California who had rumors of gang affiliation swirling all around them. Just among the running backs alone, you've got Phillips, Thunder Collins (serving a life sentence after being convicted of 1st degree murder), Ahman Green (domestic assault), Damon Benning (assault), and Scott Baldwin (paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in the chest by Omaha police while in the midst of a violently psychotic episode)...and then there's Riley Washington (2nd degree murder), Christian Peter (serial sexual offender, twice accused rapist, four time convict WHILE in college), Reggie Baul (felony theft and drug convictions), Tyrone Williams (felony weapons convictions), and on, and on, and on. But hey, these were some of the players which helped Osborne win 3 national championships in his last 4 seasons, so I guess this sad legacy tends to get washed away in the glow of that.
Click to expand...
How right you are - the pious Dr. Tom kept Phillips on the team after he beat up his girlfriend because he thought he'd need him in the national championship game. Lots of hypocrisy there as Osborne always insisted he was saving their souls, etc.
 

Never been a Nebraska fan. Ever. Barreiro had some fun with this tonight. I wish I could find the quotes he had from Osborne after reinstating Phillips. He said something about comparing the decision to bring back Phillips was as difficult as choosing to go for 2 in the Orange Bowl. After Phillips dragged a woman by her hair Osborne said something to the effect of "I wouldn't really call it a beating." He's a scumbag, just like 80% of successful college coaches.
 



Dr.Don said:
Lot's of those on GH?
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One of the few guys I have ever seen where no matter how bad it gets, it can always get wore, and he can't figure out why.
A guy this screwed up has to be both stupid and basically morally bankrupt, really bad combination.
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
Never been a Nebraska fan. Ever. Barreiro had some fun with this tonight. I wish I could find the quotes he had from Osborne after reinstating Phillips. He said something about comparing the decision to bring back Phillips was as difficult as choosing to go for 2 in the Orange Bowl. After Phillips dragged a woman by her hair Osborne said something to the effect of "I wouldn't really call it a beating." He's a scumbag, just like 80% of successful college coaches.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, it wasn't just "a woman" he dragged down the stairs by her hair; it was the girlfriend of a frickin' teammate, Scott Frost (QB) if I recall correctly?

Someone check me if I'm mistaken...
 

It'sbeen ruled that it was the worst case of suicide they'd ever seen.
 

An update.

ESPN: Ex-NFL running back Lawrence Phillips charged with killing cellmate

Former running back Lawrence Phillips has been charged with murder in the death of his cellmate at a California prison.

Phillips is suspected of killing 37-year-old Damion Soward at Kern Valley State Prison in April. Officials determined Soward was strangled.

The Kern County district attorney's office said the 40-year-old Phillips faces a first-degree murder charge. He will be arraigned Sept 15 at Kern County Superior Court in Bakersfield, but will not face the death penalty, prosecuting attorney Andrea Bridges told USA Today Sports on Tuesday.

http://espn.go.com/college-football...ck-lawrence-phillips-charged-killing-cellmate

Go Gophers!!
 

beavergopher said:
Does this mean Philips won't get a legends of the B1G episode?
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Yes, but not because of what you think. There are no programming slots left after increased Ohio State coverage. "Tuning Horns With the Best Damn Band In the Land" has been picked up for at least 8 more seasons.
 

He kept teasing him about the two game losing streak to the Gophers.
 


per the link:

Lawrence Phillips' sad tale came to a tragic end on Wednesday. The troubled former NFL running back was found dead in prison, according to a press release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Phillips was 40.

The death is being investigated as a suspected suicide. According to the press release, Phillips was found unresponsive at 12:05 a.m. on Wednesday when the staff at Kern Valley State Prison was conducting security checks. He was transported to an outside hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:27 a.m.

Phillips had been serving 31 years for two separate incidents. In 2005 he twice choked his girlfriend. Later that year he attacked three teens with his car after a pickup football game. He was in prison for inflicting great bodily injury involving domestic violence, corporal injury to a spouse, false imprisonment and vehicle theft.
 




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