No Upside To Parker’s DUI Arrest
Posted by NoleCC
Florida State Wide Reciever Preston Parker was arrested last  night at McDonald’s near the FSU campus by the Tallahassee Police Department. Parket admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.Â
What can I say at this point? Parker is obviously done at FSU, since this is his 3rd strike. I have to wonder what goes through a young man’s mind, when there he has plenty of natural ability, but just can’t seem to stay out of trouble.  I’ve said before many times, that playing a college sport is a privledge, but too many young athletes today seem to think it’s a rite. Maybe it’s the generational sense of entitlement, or maybe it’s an isolated incident (in reality most players make it through their years without multiple problem). Yes, college is a time for screwing up and learning how to live life  as an adult, but it seems that FSU has more than its fair share of issues lately.Â
Who’s to blame for that? Partly the player, partly the parents and partly the disfunctional coaching staff that hasn’t kept their players in line for a while, nor recruited the proper character that they’ve claimed they want.  I feel bad for Preston Parker, who was fun to watch at Doak Campbell Stadium, but can’t seem (or  doesn’t want) to get away from those things that prevent him from playing. As usual, if he was Joe Parker, future electrician, this wouldn’t have been news. Â
Sadly for FSU, Parker & Co., there is no upside to any of this. Sure the press coverage won’t be as high thanks to the Super Bowl tomorrow, but it’s still another black eye on a program that has been taking shots for years. Â Parkers is now just another in a long line of FSU what-might-have-beens. Â Good luck to Preston in getting things straightened out in life, I wish him the best. And, good luck to FSU, the ones that really need it at this point, with NCAA sanctions looming, another black eye on the football program, and bifurcated coaching staff for another year.
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Noleit on 
This is such a shame. So much talent just wasted. How dumb are kids that are given the world at a great school,with a free education,and a pipe line to big money in the NFL. Doesnt he relize how he just makes it harder on him self and his family? I stood up for him before , and accepted his apology last time, but not this time. He needs to go. The integrity of the progam is at stake. Bobby is a class act, with the majority of his players the same.
I have been a huge supporter of Parker for 2 years now. I thought he was (and apparently still is) a hude idiot last year when he caught the weapon and drug charges down south. Somebody at FSU obviously knew somebody down there to bail his dumb-ass out of that mess. His theft charge at Best Buy was turned into a slap on the wrist is it usually is for most first-time offenders. He gets past both those issues and has apparently spent the month of January trying to figure out how to follow those up with no football to pre-occupy himself.
At this point I hope the State Attorney here is Leon Co. throws the book at Mr. Parker. He obviously doesn’t have the common sense to make good decisions for himself and maybe this will be the learning lesson. It’s really too bad if no one was in his ear after the incident down south, telling him that there kinds of actions will keep him out of the NFL. Teams want talented players, not pains-in-the-asses, who can’t stay out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Sadly, the University Systems around the country, the NFL and others, seem to be forgiving and forgetful when it comes to these young men. It reminds me of the Polititians and their neverending forgiveness and forgetfulness of their fellow members of Congress. The definition of Felonies for you and me is not the same for Athletes, Congress, CEOs and the list goes on and on. Punishment needs to be applied and restitution should be proportional. Commitment to hard work, good behavior and generosity of spirit need to be recruited and rewarded so that the downward trend can be halted. There are talented young men all over the country that are ready to work hard to earn the acclaim and the education. Three strikes and you’re out may be too many chances when you consider the damage that occurs with the bad publicity. Missing a game with a Non Conference opponent didn’t seem to help Parker realize the seriousness and the damage caused by his public displays of breaking the law. His scholarship remains til the end of this semester. Unbelieveable!