With all the different variables, I expect this thread to be locked sooner or later. I just hope if it does, it’s much later:
Sad situation at Northwestern State…
- Thread starter Maroon Eagle
- Start date
It's difficult when tragedy has to bring us to discussion of relevant topics previously untouched by dialogue. So much to discuss here on the changing landscape of college athletics, fiduciary responsibility, and more.
After reading the article, why couldn’t Caldwell or his family not call campus police themselves?
It appears the apartment complex is not on campus.
So that would be a question for Natchitoches police then?
My first thought as well. But reading the story, the university has agreements with these off-campus apartments and students are often assigned roommates. The player apparently complained that his roommate had threatened him, and the school and coach didn't move one of them out. If true, NW State and the coach have huge liability here. Also, the coach resigned. Worst story in college sports since the Baylor scandal 20 years ago.
He might have some responsibility if he did indeed say what the lawyer said in the story:
“Attorney Troy Pradia of the Cox Pradia law firm of Houston said that Caldwell called his father on Oct. 9 to tell him that his roommate, John McIntosh of Natchitoches, threatened him with a gun. Ronnie Caldwell Sr. said he then called Laird, who said he would move his son to another residence.”
I’m no legal beagle but a murdered football player definitely ain’t nowhere near a good look.
I don’t know anything about this story, but if my roommate threatened me with a gun, I wouldn’t go back to the apartment.
I'm sorry, but if a roommate pulled a gun on me, I'm not waiting to find another place to stay
This country is badly in need of tort reform. it’s not a matter of seeking justice, it’s a matter of finding deep pockets.
Dude. This is Northwestern State we’re talking about— not Northwestern of the B1G.
Ain’t no one getting rich here (and I suspect NSU may be already partially protected being a state agency but I’m no legal beagle).
One or two things is going to happen: Either Northwestern State is going to have employ more people as support staff for cases similar to this (and I expect FBS schools to already be ramping up even more) OR NSU will find it to be too cost prohibitive and downgrade (with a possibility of dropping) football.
He’s suing the University, the apartment complex and the Coach. There are definitely some deep pockets there. I think not enough information is known. Were they buds who hung out together and did drugs ? Was he randomly thrown in with strangers ? No idea based on that article
All the plaintiff attorneys have to do is ask if the university, apartment complex, and coach provided and promoted a safe environment for the players and residents.
NSU is going to have to do damage control and I think your drugs question is a losing scenario for the university since D1 athletes are drug tested year round after all.
I suspect that’s much more likely to lead to self-inflicted NCAA sanctions.
The question is , was he randomly assigned to two unstable, drug using criminal roommates, or did he choose to live there based on a prior relationship ? If he knew these two other individuals and chose to live there, then I think the liability Is substantially reduced, right ?
Your question is going to be considered irrelevant by a lot of folks because…
When you have a season suspended several games early and the head coach RESIGNING because one of his football players — a student that he was ultimately responsible for placing at that apartment complex (yeah we know it was likely one of the assistants or a staffer who took care of room assignments) — was murdered, the liability ain’t gonna be decreased much.
(see patdog’s comment below too)
I doubt Northwestern State will have to pay as much as LSU did (will?) for the student who was killed while being hazed five years ago but it’ll be in the millions.
It’s bad. I don’t know if it’s Baylor Bad— but it definitely ain’t good.
It’s a family trying to cash in on relatives death and an ambulance chasing attorney who sees an opportunity to get their name in the news and they’ll get paid. Juries don’t realize that that cash settlement isn’t going to come from the University or Coach, it’s going to come from every person who pays an insurance premium.
INB4 the lock. You were right, this didn't take long to devolve. Forget that someone lost their child and will never get them back. The parents are just greedy. Because everyone in here would take a million dollars in exchange for one of their children. Who wouldn't I guess.
May just be greedy parents of a gangbangin ne'erdowell.
Or he could have been a regular dude trying not to get murdered by snitching on his roommates that allegedly had drugs and guns all over. And who had threatened him w a gun and obviously doesn't value life.
I only read the article posted, but I didn't read it thinking that he got what he deserved. I thought of my parents getting a call at 230am from the coach that they trusted, telling them I was murdered by the same roommate that threatened me 2days ago. A call from the same coach that said he'd take care of it. Very sad
ETA: I would think when the player signs, the university assumes the duty to protect the student. That seems to have failed since the issue was addressed with a direct university rep (coach).
May just be greedy parents of a gangbangin ne'erdowell.
Or he could have been a regular dude trying not to get murdered by snitching on his roommates that allegedly had drugs and guns all over. And who had threatened him w a gun and obviously doesn't value life.
I only read the article posted, but I didn't read it thinking that he got what he deserved. I thought of my parents getting a call at 230am from the coach that they trusted, telling them I was murdered by the same roommate that threatened me 2days ago. A call from the same coach that said he'd take care of it. Very sad
ETA: I would think when the player signs, the university assumes the duty to protect the student. That seems to have failed since the issue was addressed with a direct university rep (coach).
If my child ever calls me to report such news, then I'd personally ensure that my child is provided safety. I'm not calling anybody. Rather, I'm going there myself.
Of course, I hope my child would be smart enough to recognize any potential for trouble early and get the 17 outta there.
That’s what I thought at first too. But reading the story, it sounds like there could be real gross negligence on the coach & university’s part, which may not be covered by their insurance policy. If the facts are as stated, they need to be held accountable.
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Seems to me Caldwell, Sr or Caldwell, Jr could have called the police, too. Why do they think someone else should have called?
Caldwell Jr was 21 when he was killed. Why did his dad call the coach and why would the coach be responsible for calling the police? Why did Caldwell Jr keep going to the apartment for THREE DAYS after his roommate threatened him with a gun?
I get that the head coach is the leader of the program and that the program probably played some role in finding housing for Caldwell Jr, but unless there’s some larger conspiracy in play that’s not mentioned in the article, I have trouble assigning liability to the HC or University in this case.
I get that the head coach is the leader of the program and that the program probably played some role in finding housing for Caldwell Jr, but unless there’s some larger conspiracy in play that’s not mentioned in the article, I have trouble assigning liability to the HC or University in this case.
Because a lot of times people don’t have any other place to go quickly.
You’re automatically thinking the folks have resources that they can call on and get out and do something on a moment’s notice.
And the problem is that a lot of folks either don’t— or folks are being nickel and dimed and can’t get away as easily.
The guy is on a football team and he thought his team is Family.
(And as an aside MSU - FWIW - often markets its athletics as Family.)
Dude thought his NSU Family would continue to take care of him like they got him a place to stay.
And his NSU Family failed him.
@drexeldog23 — Because…
1. It’s been reported that he asked the coach to find him a new place.
2. The football staff had a role in assigning students to apartments.
3. The head coach resigned. So either he holds himself to a higher ethical standard and he failed or the University held him to that same standard and forced him to resign.
1. It’s been reported that he asked the coach to find him a new place.
2. The football staff had a role in assigning students to apartments.
3. The head coach resigned. So either he holds himself to a higher ethical standard and he failed or the University held him to that same standard and forced him to resign.
i understand #1, i get that. im just saying if someone in my house threatened me with a gun today, there would be no way for me to find and move into a new apartment by Monday, and i live in a regular town. i imagine in a college town , however small the college might be , it would be even harder to get moved into a new apartment in two days.
Here are some ways I would take care of it in my direct manner.
A. See if there’s someone in NSU athletics with an unused bedroom in those complexes (and preferably a different apartment complex). If there is, call the person and say you’ve got a new roommate. Get folks to move him over. Done.
B. If there’s an unused and available apartment, move him there.
(I would not be surprised to see athletics departments and apartment complexes keep spare apartments for this purpose in the future.)
C. Swap with someone else.
D. Move him into a coach’s place and immediately self report to the NCAA saying that the student athlete’s life was threatened and there’s documentation.
Regardless of what the player should or shouldn’t have done, the coach & university had an obligation to him to provide him with a safe place to live. Obviously, in hindsight, he should have slept on the streets & lived out if his car fir a while. But that doesn’t change the fact the coach & university didn’t live up to their obligation.
obviously , if he had a Yukon he could have slept in there quite comfortably for months... he even could have had a lady friend or two come over and spend the night... now if he didn t have a Yukon, streets it is... which would probably have been safer than where he was staying... glad to see we think alike ...
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