STrib: Former Gophers football player Jeff Jones back in jail

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This feels like this isn't going to end well. Brackins writes. Jeff Jones, a top Gophers football recruit in 2014, was arrested and jailed Tuesday for in connection with violating terms of his parole. Jones had been charged with felony drug possession in May after being arrested by Bloomington police.

Jones was released May 16 after bail was set at $28,000. http://www.startribune.com/ex-gophe...672291/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it
 

Why didn't his coach just make him write a letter that he was sorry?
 

I'm guessing he's going to be a game changer for the team from "the longest yard".

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Nothing funny here, just sad, kid just needed to e good for two years and he could've been drafted
 




WorkingMyTailOff said:
Yeah or a good education even with some momentum going towards the next stage of his life.
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Yep....looking more and more like one of those stories of wasted potential because he just isn't willing to do the work in the classroom and stay out of trouble off the field. All the athletic ability in the world won't do anything for you if you can't keep your head screwed on straight. Hopefully he figures it out before it is too late, assuming he isn't at that point already of course.
 

It's possible this guy is just wired wrong, and he was a lost cause from day 1.

But, I can't help wondering if he took the wrong path - in part - because of the way athletes get treated in our society. If you show athletic ability at a young age, then you get moved into a different category, and people treat you differently. People want to be your friend, and hang around you, because you could be a "future star." In the case of male athletes, women will be only too eager to "befriend" you. Famous coaches will fawn all over you and promise you the world.

That kind of treatment would go to almost anyone's head. A kid with a strong family and support system can keep a level head and not fall prey to the star-making machinery. But a kid who lacks that family base and support can easily be seduced by the dark side.

So, did Jeff Jones fail society, or did society fail Jeff Jones? we may never know the answer.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
It's possible this guy is just wired wrong, and he was a lost cause from day 1.

But, I can't help wondering if he took the wrong path - in part - because of the way athletes get treated in our society. If you show athletic ability at a young age, then you get moved into a different category, and people treat you differently. People want to be your friend, and hang around you, because you could be a "future star." In the case of male athletes, women will be only too eager to "befriend" you. Famous coaches will fawn all over you and promise you the world.

That kind of treatment would go to almost anyone's head. A kid with a strong family and support system can keep a level head and not fall prey to the star-making machinery. But a kid who lacks that family base and support can easily be seduced by the dark side.

So, did Jeff Jones fail society, or did society fail Jeff Jones? we may never know the answer.
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He failed society. Nobody held a gun to his head & MADE him buy cocaine.

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short ornery norwegian said:
It's possible this guy is just wired wrong, and he was a lost cause from day 1.

But, I can't help wondering if he took the wrong path - in part - because of the way athletes get treated in our society. If you show athletic ability at a young age, then you get moved into a different category, and people treat you differently. People want to be your friend, and hang around you, because you could be a "future star." In the case of male athletes, women will be only too eager to "befriend" you. Famous coaches will fawn all over you and promise you the world.

That kind of treatment would go to almost anyone's head. A kid with a strong family and support system can keep a level head and not fall prey to the star-making machinery. But a kid who lacks that family base and support can easily be seduced by the dark side.

So, did Jeff Jones fail society, or did society fail Jeff Jones? we may never know the answer.
Click to expand...

If you look at his upbringing, it will explain a lot. Huge uphill climb for him to tackle.
 

Guy like this really needs some tough love to get his life turned around. Wish he still would have a chance to turn it around but it's going to be up to him.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
It's possible this guy is just wired wrong, and he was a lost cause from day 1.

But, I can't help wondering if he took the wrong path - in part - because of the way athletes get treated in our society. If you show athletic ability at a young age, then you get moved into a different category, and people treat you differently. People want to be your friend, and hang around you, because you could be a "future star." In the case of male athletes, women will be only too eager to "befriend" you. Famous coaches will fawn all over you and promise you the world.

That kind of treatment would go to almost anyone's head. A kid with a strong family and support system can keep a level head and not fall prey to the star-making machinery. But a kid who lacks that family base and support can easily be seduced by the dark side.

So, did Jeff Jones fail society, or did society fail Jeff Jones? we may never know the answer.
Click to expand...

Kids even from strong family support sometimes fall prey to the vices of the world. Some kids like Cedric Thompson who came from an adverse environment growing up beat the odds through hard work and a burning desire to succeed.

Good mentors and role models along the way are so critical. Unfortunately, the odds are against some kids from disadvantaged background if not intervened upon at an early age.

Some kids cannot be saved. JJ's case is so heart breakingly sad. He has so much potential.

The Gophers tried to help him. But, it appears he is too far behind academically. I wonder if he should have gone straight to J.C. or to one of those prep schools like Fork Union Military Academy first.
 


When he broke parole on a pending drug charge and 3 year sentence he burned 8 of his 9 cat lives.
 


I'm often amazed at what people do with their talent. My son had a classmate that was ranked #1 nationally at his weight class in wrestling as a ninth grader and had already heard from Penn State on a full ride offer. Turned to drugs as a tenth grader and now lives in town in a crap apartment shooting up heroin and smoking dope.

To just throw away a scholarship worth over $100,000 to get high amazes me.
 

Otis said:
I'm often amazed at what people do with their talent. My son had a classmate that was ranked #1 nationally at his weight class in wrestling as a ninth grader and had already heard from Penn State on a full ride offer. Turned to drugs as a tenth grader and now lives in town in a crap apartment shooting up heroin and smoking dope.

To just throw away a scholarship worth over $100,000 to get high amazes me.
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Many people, inside and outside of athletics go down this path. I worked with a guy who had a similar issue with alcohol. His first wife left him because of it, lost his job at my company because of it, he found a second wife that wanted to drink constantly with him and she got killed in an alcohol related accident, he got suspended indefinitely from his next job after they figured out his issues, and then he drank himself to death shortly thereafter. The guy was an intelligent guy, very competent at his job. But he threw it all away. All the events that could have led to him having a revelation that his life was heading in the wrong direction were ignored. It happens, to athletes and non-athletes alike.

Addiction is an awful thing. People who haven't gone through it often don't understand how you can ignore all the signs and keep using. But it's stronger than that. It makes you think everyone else is wrong. You're the only one who is right. The guy above actually said "They're the ones with the problem, not me."

And the worst part is, you have two choices. Institutionalize someone where they absolutely cannot get their vice and hold them there for life, or you hope they figure out they need help and choose to get help. But if they don't want help, don't think they have a problem, there is no realistic way to help them. They have to make that decision. Hopefully JJ will make that decision and turn his life around.
 

PMWinSTP said:
If you look at his upbringing, it will explain a lot. Huge uphill climb for him to tackle.
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This response is enabling the situation and part of the problem in today's PC society. No reason to make excuses for him. Tougher than for some, sure, but he still made all the decisions that ruined his future all by himself.


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Otis said:
I'm often amazed at what people do with their talent. My son had a classmate that was ranked #1 nationally at his weight class in wrestling as a ninth grader and had already heard from Penn State on a full ride offer. Turned to drugs as a tenth grader and now lives in town in a crap apartment shooting up heroin and smoking dope.

To just throw away a scholarship worth over $100,000 to get high amazes me.
Click to expand...

It is that same mentality that leads to guys getting high at the combine when they know they are going to be drug tested. It truly is amazing how some just can't see the big picture. Stay clean, make a crap load of money, retire and do whatever the heck you want to with the rest of your life.
 

hungan1 said:
Kids even from strong family support sometimes fall prey to the vices of the world. Some kids like Cedric Thompson who came from an adverse environment growing up beat the odds through hard work and a burning desire to succeed.

Good mentors and role models along the way are so critical. Unfortunately, the odds are against some kids from disadvantaged background if not intervened upon at an early age.

Some kids cannot be saved. JJ's case is so heart breakingly sad. He has so much potential.

The Gophers tried to help him. But, it appears he is too far behind academically. I wonder if he should have gone straight to J.C. or to one of those prep schools like Fork Union Military Academy first.
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Looking back, most likely yes. In Cedric's case, I think having someone who could point out early in his life there are other ways, was/ is huge. Don't know enough about Jeff's backround. Just heard he had challenges.
 

MNVCGUY said:
It is that same mentality that leads to guys getting high at the combine when they know they are going to be drug tested. It truly is amazing how some just can't see the big picture. Stay clean, make a crap load of money, retire and do whatever the heck you want to with the rest of your life.
Click to expand...

Obviously not an expert here. What I think back to is some first hand accounts that were shared with me. Some would say that they lost their inner voice to the drug. Without help, the drug(s) had total control over them.

Add to that the fast paced evolution of modern life without many of the built in support systems of the past and one can see it must be really challenging for todays youth.
 

I guess the point I was trying to get at is this:

maybe we, as a society, need to stop treating these young athletes differently than other kids - including following every step of their recruitment on internet message boards. Don't send these kids a message that they are "special" because they can throw a football or shoot a basketball. don't cut them any slack in class, or look the other way when they misbehave. make it clear that they will get no favors or special treatment because of their status as an athlete. Reign in the AAU culture that operates outside the more controlled HS structure.

That may be a pipe dream, but maybe just a few kids would get the hint and treat school seriously, instead of just a place to kill time while they wait to get recruited or sign a pro contract.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I guess the point I was trying to get at is this:

maybe we, as a society, need to stop treating these young athletes differently than other kids - including following every step of their recruitment on internet message boards. Don't send these kids a message that they are "special" because they can throw a football or shoot a basketball. don't cut them any slack in class, or look the other way when they misbehave. make it clear that they will get no favors or special treatment because of their status as an athlete. Reign in the AAU culture that operates outside the more controlled HS structure.

That may be a pipe dream, but maybe just a few kids would get the hint and treat school seriously, instead of just a place to kill time while they wait to get recruited or sign a pro contract.
Click to expand...

That is how I took your post. What I still wrestle with is drug use in modern society. With the pace information etc. moves, lack of old school socialization and support systems, in addition to that of what you speak, I don't know if even what you are suggesting will help a case like Jeff's. This is based on what little I have heard of his situation.
 

STPGopher said:
Obviously not an expert here. What I think back to is some first hand accounts that were shared with me. Some would say that they lost their inner voice to the drug. Without help, the drug(s) had total control over them. Add to that the fast paced evolution of modern life without many of the built in support systems of the past and one can see it must be really challenging for todays youth.
Click to expand...

At least in football, marijuana works as a pretty great pain reliever for a lot of guys. Probably a better choice than the Vicodin too. Certainly an argument to be made for using it as pain relief.
 

I don't expect this happening in the near future. Fans tweeting at kids, jersey chasers, coaches who want to ride coattails, etc. I'm sure are not positive. The colleges themselves don't help the matter. Kids get free trips to colleges where they are taken to the best restaurants. They're shown sparkling new facilities. They're taking pictures in their potential jersey. They're given posters with them as the star.
It's hard enough for a level headed kid who is grounded with good parents and mentors to maintain a balanced mind. If a kid is a little wonky, or doesn't have that solid footing, I'm not surprised at all.
Folks like Cedric Thompson are rare, and should be celebrated.
 

Spoofin said:
This response is enabling the situation and part of the problem in today's PC society. No reason to make excuses for him. Tougher than for some, sure, but he still made all the decisions that ruined his future all by himself.


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Not an excuse. With all due respect, that's a pretty uninformed comment you made. Love to see the choices you'd make given the same environment, upbringing, and set of circumstances. We all think we'd do better but forget that our upbringing and environment has shaped how we developed and navigate through life. We don't hear many stories like his because the vast majority don't even make it as far as he did. Some, like Randy Moss, make it even despite making the same types of choices, but it is pretty rare.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
It's possible this guy is just wired wrong, and he was a lost cause from day 1.

But, I can't help wondering if he took the wrong path - in part - because of the way athletes get treated in our society. If you show athletic ability at a young age, then you get moved into a different category, and people treat you differently. People want to be your friend, and hang around you, because you could be a "future star." In the case of male athletes, women will be only too eager to "befriend" you. Famous coaches will fawn all over you and promise you the world.

That kind of treatment would go to almost anyone's head. A kid with a strong family and support system can keep a level head and not fall prey to the star-making machinery. But a kid who lacks that family base and support can easily be seduced by the dark side.

So, did Jeff Jones fail society, or did society fail Jeff Jones? we may never know the answer.
Click to expand...
Because nobody who isn't an elite athlete ends up getting in trouble with the law?
 

PMWinSTP said:
Not an excuse. With all due respect, that's a pretty uninformed comment you made. Love to see the choices you'd make given the same environment, upbringing, and set of circumstances. We all think we'd do better but forget that our upbringing and environment has shaped how we developed and navigate through life. We don't hear many stories like his because the vast majority don't even make it as far as he did. Some, like Randy Moss, make it even despite making the same types of choices, but it is pretty rare.
Click to expand...

Not sure what decisions I'd make, but I know I wouldn't blame anyone but myself if I made the wrong ones. Uniformed Comment? Whatever. Go back to defending the importance of the band director hiring.


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