Is he really a drunk?

BktBallRef · #1 (**permalink**) Thu May 01, 2003, 04:18pm

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?

ROMANO · #2 (**permalink**) Thu May 01, 2003, 05:18pm

Quote:

Originally posted by BktBallRef
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?

ChuckElias · #3 (**permalink**) Thu May 01, 2003, 09:25pm

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.

Dan_ref · #4 (**permalink**) Thu May 01, 2003, 10:03pm

Quote:

Originally posted by BktBallRef
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?

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.

Mregor · #5 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 07:17am

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.

ChuckElias · #6 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 07:21am

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?

Dan_ref · #7 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 08:33am

Quote:

Originally posted by ChuckElias
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.

Hawks Coach · #8 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 08:57am

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).

fletch_irwin_m · #9 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 09:45am

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

BktBallRef · #10 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 10:33am

Quote:

Originally posted by Mregor
Let's set the record straight though, he was not groping his own team's cheerleaders, the party was at the opposing school!

Does that matter?

Junker · #11 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 10:34am

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.

BktBallRef · #12 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 10:39am

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.

TriggerMN · #13 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 11:06am

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...

BktBallRef · #14 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 11:29am

Quote:

Originally posted by TriggerMN
.... and he admitted over a month ago that he's got alcoholism.

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.

ChuckElias · #15 (**permalink**) Fri May 02, 2003, 11:46am

Quote:

Originally posted by TriggerMN
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.

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