Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Where are they now - Michael Southall

Remember the recruit that Paul Hewitt took because he was under pressure from the 5/8 rule and he wanted to sign a big man? He took this guy instead of waiting for some kid named Emeka Okafor and the rest, shall I say, is history


From Gregg Doyel - "Where the Wild Ones Are"

After nearly a year in jail, center Michael Southall is putting up all-conference numbers for Louisiana-Lafayette. Louisiana-Lafayette must be proud. This week's Ten for Tuesday went looking for some long-forgotten players and found them ... still playing college basketball. Who knew?


1. Michael Southall: Southall has a rap sheet you wouldn't believe, but there he is, playing for the Ragin' Cajuns. It's probably a coincidence that he has an NBA body (6-foot-10, 236 pounds) and is averaging 14 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks. Here's his rap sheet: Arrested in May 2000 for delivery and possession of marijuana. Arrested in April 2001 for violating his bond by running away from police. (Those two mistakes cost Southall scholarships at Kentucky and Georgia Tech and landed him on three years of probation.) At ULL in 2003 Southall played well but then was suspended for academic reasons and went afoul of his probation by testing positive for alcohol and marijuana, and skipping meetings with his probation counselor. That earned him a sentence of one year in jail. ULL took him back, but the Ragin-Cajuns are just 4-11. To which I say: good.


Come on, everybody deserves a 25th chance.