Well, nobdy's brought it up, so I will.

Is Larry Eustachy a drunk or is he now just using the bottle as an excuse not to get fired?

WHO IS LARRY EUSTACHY?
and what did he drink?..and why?

Haven't got the foggiest idea. But would it surprise me if it were a ploy to keep his job while he "gets help"? No.

40 something guy with a wife & kids groping 19 yr old cheerleaders 3 in the morning with a bud in his free hand and a $1M NCAA coaching contract in his back pocket...mmmmm I dunno, he might not be a drunk but he for sure skipped the "I'm a grownup now" part.

You ever been to Iowa?
 

Let's set the record straight though, he was not groping his own team's cheerleaders, the party was at the opposing school! Seems that he travels by RV by himself because he is afraid to fly. This is what I heard on the radio on Bob and Tom so it could be "enhanced" somewhat.

I haven't really heard the whole story, but was there really groping involved? I only saw the picture of him kissing the girl on the cheek. Is it possible that's all that happened?

It's possible but not very likely, IMO. (That's one of them *physical* certitudes there, now aint it?)

Anyway, he obviously acted like a supreme jerk and I think he's trying to get a second chance by writing it off to being an alchoholic.

If you read the Des Moines Register article, it seems that he may have wanted more than a kiss, but got nothing more than you saw. He allegedly asked for a tour of the frat house from one of the girls, but was turned down. If groping was going on in public, there would probably be pictures. He looked so trashed that the "hotties" were saying get this guy outta here.

As for whether or not he is an alcoholic, nobody but those closest to him know enough about his personal habits to make that determination. He definitely could be in the early stages.

The disease is such that you don't tend to think you are an alcoholic when you are in the early stages becase you tend to find social situations in which to drink, a way of convincing yourself you are just joining the party, not doing something abnormal (see photo evidence!). You can also keep from alerting others to your problem in this manner. People may think that all you need to do is "drink responsibly." In reality, when an alcoholic starts drinking, body and mind act together to prevent any possibility of being responsible - they want to be fed.

It is only in the later stages that you degenerate to the point that you don't care about drinking with anybody else, you just want to drink. That's when you look like the caricature of an alcoholic instead of just the life of the party. If Eustachy has a problem, lets hope he is really aware and addressing it, rather than putting up a front to keep his job (which is likely over anyway).

This and a dollar will get you coffee and a donut:
Coach E may very well BE an alcoholic. The jury is still out on that. Judging by the time line, he "Came To Jesus" at a very interesting time. If ISU has a good PR guy they have one of two options. 1) Can him. They will not be faulted for getting rid of a guy who MAY relapse. Relapse is usually the rule not the exception. So if/when he does, the school will be blamed for "sweeping it under the carpet". 2) Give him a year's "Leave of Absence". I would say put the associate HC in his place, but they have gone and suspended him. If after a year he has stayed dry, welcome him back and promote it as a great example of facing and overcoming your demons. (If he does relapse, you are not on the hook for anything) Parents will not be hesitant to send their kids to a person such as this. It becomes the "Feel Good Story of the Year" and possible "After School Special."
If I am working in Coach E's law firm, I suggest that he work out a settlement, and walk away from ISU "with great sorrow and regret". If he truly is an alcoholic, a year or two away would GREATLY increase his chances at overcoming this problem and learning to live with it. If he stays sober, and the press will let us know if he hasn't, he becomes VERY marketable. Everyone loves these types of stories and with his record, he should find a job w/o a problem.
JMHO

Re: You ever been to Iowa?
 

Does that matter? :confused:

I am from Iowa and went to ISU. I've heard often that Larry likes to hit the bottle pretty hard at times so I don't doubt that he has a problem with alcohol. I'm really upset that he is on the verge of losing his job over it. The way I understand it, the university had asked him about the photos earlier this year and took care of it behind closed doors. Now that it's a national story, he's on the hotseat over the same issue again. I question why it took so long for the pictures to surface. I got them on email at the beginning of Feb. I also wonder about the "inappropriate" things said to girls at the party. If it was that inappropriate, why didn't they come forward in the beginning rather that wait until it's a big story? I am hoping that the university keeps him on to send a message to the media that they can't use publicity to force coaching changes (which in my mind is what's happening). Alcoholism is a disease difficult to deal with. The university can either help him get over it by keeping him around or kick the man while he's down and let him go. I don't think his claiming alcoholism is to help him keep his job. He's not the type of person to make a comment like that unless he means it. He was wrong to be in that situation, but I don't think he deserves to be fired over it. Sorry this is so long, but I've been disgusted with the media over this story all week. He's a good coach (although as an official, I hate the way he wanders all over the court during the game), he deserves a chance to get himself together.

While it would be nice for ISU to do all those things, why would they? How could he possibly continue to function as he did before, now that the cat is out of the bag? For example, I see recruiting to be a HUGE problem.

I don't think he has a chance in hell of saving his job.

Yep, it's unfortunate, but he's going to lose his job. Exactly what law did he break?

The first name that comes up for replacement is former ISU coach Tim Floyd. Floyd was on ESPN last night basically lambasting the Iowa Board of Regents for stringing Eustachy up by his coin purse. Floyd also said there are a number of "higher profile" coaches who were and are alcoholics.

Give the guy a break. Bob Knight head butts a player, kicks another, throws a chair onto the floor, shoots his friend in the back with a shotgun, and nothing happens. Adolph Rupp is outwardly a racist, nothing happens. A college player turns her back on the flag, nothing happens. Give the guy a chance, christ.

And a big old F Ye to the Des Moines Register. Way to print a story that's 3 or 4 months old and act like it's breaking news.

A few years back, the St. Paul Pioneer Press knew about the Clem Haskins/tutoring fiasco at Minnesota, but held the story for 4 months, then broke it the day before Minnesota's first round NCAA tournament game. If you know about the story, fine, run it. But don't hold onto it until it can do the most damage. That's bogus and it's bull$hit and it's blackmail.

The guy's a hell of a coach. He doesn't beat his wife, he is a responsible member of the community, he donates large sums of his own money to charities and funds, he does what's best for the basketball team by getting rid of problem players and encouraging players in the classroom, and he admitted over a month ago that he's got alcoholism.

And he's still got no chance. :(

Eustachy and Floyd are close friends. I wonder if Floyd will turn down the job over this...

Hmmm...really? When and where? The first I heard of him admitting it was Tuesday, after the athletic dept.'s attorney told his attorney the AD had recommended he be fired. Has he been seeking treatment for the last month?

I don't think we can throw Knight accidentally shooting his hunting partner into this but the other items you mention did result in Knight's dismissal. Rupp was a racist, no doubt about it. But he was a racist in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. That doesn't make it right but conditions were different than they are now. Today, Rupp would be kicked out of coaching for the same conduct he got away with for 30 years at UK. If Eustachy were coaching in 1953, this wouldn't be a story. No one would care.

Personally, I don't see how he can effectively coach, recruit, and represent the university with this hanging over his head.

Although it's possible, I doubt that newspapers time their stories to inflict maximum damage. Rather, I think they time their stories (when they can) in order to maximize sales of the paper. Running the Minnesota tutoring story in the summer just isn't going to generate the same amount of interest as it would if the story ran just before the NCAA tournament starts. Timing it for the start of the NCAA's premier event guarantees that it's a national story immediately.

Just my two cents.

Chuck

As an earlier poster said, "what law did he break?" What's the drinking age in Iowa? Was he "contributing to the delinquency of a minor?"

Z

People are fired everyday for conduct that does not include breaking a law.

New information
 

Just got this in an email. Don't know if it sheds light on things, but it seemed on topic.

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK:
Indubitably
Innovative
Preliminary
Proliferation
Cinnamon

THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK:
Specificity
British Constitution
Passive-aggressive disorder
Loquacious Transubstantiate

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK:
Thanks, but I don't want to have sex
Nope, no more booze for me
Sorry, but you're not really my type
Good evening officer, isn't it lovely out tonight
Oh, I just couldn't. No one wants to hear me sing
Sorry I'm being such a jackass

Not much going on.
 

Actually Tony, he admitted it for the first time to the media in his press conference. Supposable he had said this to others long before this situation arouse. But I will say this, this came out in January, why is this an issue now? It should have been an issue then. I guess it is a slow news cycle.

Peace

As far as recruiting, I'm sure it will hurt him (whether he gets to stay at ISU or not) but there was an article in the paper Wednesday about 2 good (but then they all are before you see them play, aren't they?) recruits signing so evidently they still wanted to play for him (unless they live in a cave and didn't see the "breaking" news that was actually 4 months old). I just wish he could pull a Roy Williams and have the AD fired. The current AD has made no bones about wanted to build ISU into a football school and it's been obvious that's where he puts the money.

I agree Tony. But how many professors over time have boinked their students? This guy is seen at a party drinking and smooching a co-ed on the cheek and the A.D. recommends firing him? Seems like an issue between the coach and his wife to me.... not the A.D. Either that, or we need to do some serious house-cleaning of professors at my alma mater. :-)

Z

What you just said professors have done with students is a clear violation of ethical and standards at most universities. It would violate sexual harrasment laws and university laws at the same time. But that is not apparantly the case here. He is not being accused of sleeping with anyone. As a matter of fact, taking the pictures was not morally wrong either. He was not touching these girls inappropriatly or even violating his marriage committment. It seems like everyone in the picture was participating willingly and the fact that he is a Head Basketball Coach is the only thing that makes this an issue.

Now he did have bad judgement by putting himself in a bad position or giving the wrong impression. But I could see where the alchohol would impair the judgement of someone under the influence of a substance. One of the reasons I do not drink hardly at all.

Peace

Z as an educator at an institution of higher learning, I can tell you that even a HINT of this type of Professor/Student relationship would constitute suspension until the matter is resolved and if proven, immediate dismissal, tenure or not. I am not sure of your Alma Mater's policy, but the places I have been (Midwest and Southeast) make no bones about it. A picture like that would be devestating on any career here.

More <b> devastating </b> than spelling deficiencies? :-) I'm with Rut on this one. The Iowa coach was at a party with adults (young ones, but adults) doing nothing illegal or immoral (although his wife may take exception to his "friendly" smooches on hotties). What's the issue?

Z

Please, please keep one thing in mind. Basketball coaches are not fired for illegal and immoral conduct in most cases. Losing basketball games is neither, yet is cause for firing.

Eustachy is a visible public representative of the institution. The standard is higher for him, as is the salary. Those pictures make him look like a lush and the university he represents look like goofs. I think that the alcoholism angle, especially if he is addressing may merit special consideration, but embarrassing the program can get you fired, as can many other legal acts.

There are also other problems within the program. Dan Patrick was listing them today on his afternoon radio show. After a long day at work, I can't remember them all but I beleive an asst. was dismissed, a player was arrested for public drunkeness, etc. Even Patrick stated that just looking at these incidents, it appears to be a program out of control.

I don't have an interest in this so I can speak arbitrarily. I don't know Coach Eustachy or have anything against him. He's a high profile figure, representing the university moreso than anyone else at ISU. He's the highest paid state employee in Iowa, from what I understand. He has a responsibility to conduct in a manner himself that appropriately represents the university. If I'm making the decisions at ISU, he's gone.

Re: Not much going on.
 

That was my understanding as well. That's why I questioned where this "he admitted over a month ago that he's got alcoholism" story came from.

NCAA finds Iowa State guilty of rules violation
 

Some of the other problems that I couldn't remember before.

"Larry Eustachy, already suspended by Iowa State for his behavior at late-night parties, was suspended for one game by the NCAA on Friday for a secondary rules violation. The NCAA found Iowa State guilty because Eustachy twice paid players for making free throws.


Also Friday, assistant coach Steve Barnes denied using threats or intimidation to rally support for Eustachy. Barnes was suspended with pay Thursday for making what the university said were threatening remarks against school and athletic officials in a telephone call to a player's parents.

Another assistant, Randy Brown, is facing federal child pornography charges and is to be tried June 2. Brown has been on leave since Jan. 29."


http://espn.go.com/ncb/news/2003/0502/1548303.html

I saw an cute tidbit in the paper this morning. Seems a Iowa minor league baseball team was going to have a Larry Eustachy night. Cheap beer & kissing booths. They decided not to do it.

I am an Iowa State graduate but never cared much for Eustachey. Primarily because of the way he acts with refs. Funny how you become a ref and you even think your own Alma Maters coach is a nut. Also he didn't go to the National Champinoship game with his players. Marcus Pfizer was a Tim Floyd recruit. (By the way I still say the Michigan State Iowa State game from 1999 ? was that years Natioanl Championship game. I though he was probably going to do something on the court someday that would make him as famous as Bobby Knight. I also grew up playing basketball and golf against Randy Brown, the assistant whos in trouble. So i knew him pretty well. He was from a town about 20 miles from where I grew up.

Any thoughts on the knucklehead football coach from Alabama? http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/togo.gif

Yeah, he's a knucklehead. If you're going to do these kinds of things, at least have the common sense not to get caught. It's the embarassment for the university that gets you into trouble, not the strip club itself.

He was simplifying his life and reducing stress.

<LI>Doesn't have to worry about getting up and going to work.
<LI>Doesn't have to worry about going home.
<LI>Doesn't have to worry about his son's job evaluations.
<hr>
If ya wanna dance, ya gotta pay the fiddler.