Don’t fault Romar for Overton’s transgressions

Joseph Landor on June 20, 2011 in College Entry

The Venoy Overton saga is going to leave a blight on the University of Washington’s basketball program, there’s no way around it. For as genuine a person as head coach Lorenzo Romar is ­— and as good as his intentions may have been — a program’s good name can’t remain unblemished after having one of its more visible players get investigated for “sexting” his 15-year-old cousin, having a self-described “orgy party” with a pair of 16-year-olds and his most recent transgression: promoting prostitution.

It’s too much, and too scandalous.

There will forever be a mark on Romar’s time at the UW, which previously had a pristine reputation even in the shadowy world of college athletics.

After Venoy’s recent arrest, Romar said, “My staff and I spent an extraordinary amount of time and energy attempting to mentor Venoy prior to his recent graduation, so this news is especially troubling.”

Yes, Romar and his staff failed to rehabilitate Venoy, to use the structured environment of a college basketball team to turn him into a first-class citizen. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have tried.

Some will undoubtedly say Romar should have cut Venoy loose at the first sign of trouble, that keeping him needlessly put the team at risk, and that the recent events coming to light are the natural consequences of having too light a hand.

It’s true that Romar prefers to play the father-figure to his players — rather than a stern disciplinarian — and perhaps that means that, at times, he spares the whip too much or tries to reform tortured souls.

But is that really such a bad thing? Rather than cast Venoy off into the street at the first sign of trouble, the staff sought to change him. Had they succeeded, it would have done far more for Venoy’s life than basketball ever could have.

Playing on a team is a unique, cathartic experience. Not only does it give a player structure when, in many cases, these “bad apples” have never really had a structured environment before, but it also makes that person accountable to their teammates.

For whatever reason, big-time college athletics attracts a fair share of people who are, for lack of a better word, thugs. Every major school you can think of has its share of players who’ve been arrested at some time or another.

For example, Auburn University, who won the national title in football, is also about to win the infamous “Fulmer Cup,” which is given to the school that has the worst criminal record of a certain year. Murder is five points, rape is four. Currently, Auburn has a sizable lead with 80 points.

But for every player who wastes the opportunity provided by their scholarship, another uses it as a new lease on life, gets a degree and changes him or herself for the better.

While the UW couldn’t set Venoy on the right path, coach Romar and his staff’s methods and intentions shouldn’t be questioned. Former UW forward Mike Jensen was arrested for stealing while in his senior year of high school, but was never a problem at the UW.

For a positive example, look no further than former guard Isaiah Thomas, who left school after this season to enter the NBA draft. By all accounts, Thomas wasn’t on a great track in high school. He wasn’t necessarily a bad kid, he just didn’t have his priorities in order. The result was that he had to go to prep school for a year after falling behind in his high-school credits.

Look at him now: a well-spoken former team captain who was great with the media and never had an academic concern.

When coaches decide to take athletes with a troubled past, he or she is taking a chance. There’s always the risk that the athlete will screw up and embarrass the school in the process.

But there’s also the possibility that the student will take advantage of the opportunity and change his or her life — as well as the lives of others — in the process. And for taking that chance, the staff should never feel embarrassed.

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