Idc about the banks and Pruitt situation. Banks is obviously out from partying probably at least sobering up. So people say dumb shi* all the time. I’m thankful that the cop handled it all well tbh. Could’ve ran across a cop that has had a bad shift or axe to grind then god knows what happens. It was stupid for the request to ever be made to get this footage. Now that it’s out tho you probably have to suspend him for a game just bc it’s the 2nd incident of threatening to shoot people.
No way I could have the restraint that the cops did. I don't think they even charged him with any new charges. At the end of the video the two cops talk about how they cut him a break. I'm almost certain I heard them say something to the affect of we didn't even charge with with driving while suspended.
As to the media, I tend to place the blame where it should be. The whole snowball got rolling when Banks failed to take care of his problem. That's on him. I do question the timing, I find it interesting it dropped yesterday. I'd like to know when the request was put it, when the video was provided, and how long did it take the media (WBIR?) to put it out there. If they held it to this week intentionally, it definately tells me some agenda was at work here.
Everyone is free to draw their own conclusion about how Pruitt handled that call. I can agree the video, the part with Pruitt's audio, can be spun in deterrent ways. I just try and imagine how I would handle that if my son called at 4:00am under similar circumstances. Number one, my son would be apologetic to me on the phone. He would acknowledge that he screwed up. He would act like this because he knows that my reaction would be disappointment from his actions not the cops. He knows that he was in for a stern lecture. But he knows I love him and I would have his back if there was an injustice. He also knows that I would be at the jail before the cop car arrived with him in the back seat to bond him out. He also would know that not only did he have to deal with the courts he would have consequences from me along side.
I get it, the kid comes from a rough background. Do I think he should be kicked off the team or even suspended, not even close. The question going forward that I think everyone would, or should agree with, is how do use this as a teaching point both to Banks and members of the team, who are watching? I think all punishment shoud be handled internally. There is no reason for the media or the public to know what goes on from a discipline standpoint. You set an example for the whole team by significant punishment. Maybe a curfew for a few weeks, sort of like being on parole to you coaches, he needs to run a lot. He needs to do menial task like janitorial stuff. He needs to learn that actions have consequences. I would have him ride along with some cops on a Saturday night to see what fools some people make of themselves.
I hope he learns from this and he never gets in trouble again. If he truly didn't have many positive influences in his life before coming to UT, I sure hope he has them now.
“ Ah, this time we will let him off with a warning.” Problem solved. Smiles all around. Go Big Orange!