Penndemonium
PhD Student
Posts: 1907
Reg: 11-29-04
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07-24-18 01:29 PM - Post#259390
In response to Jeff2sf
This whole story raises all kinds of questions - many of which we'll never get satisfactory answers to.
The thing about this is that we're quick to judge Jerome poorly on this. A more forgiving thread of how this may have played out goes like this...
Jerome Allen takes a recruiting trip to see Mo because of fake news videos and articles created by Philip and because of calls from Dwayne Wade's trainer that the kid is the real deal. He's just doing his job at that point. Possibly Jerome shows a bit of hesitancy, and Philip arranges a private jet so time and expense can't be as much of an excuse. Perhaps he says he was already flying from Philly to Miami and Jerome can hitch a ride. Mo shows himself to be a fine kid, a hard worker, and having received a lot of training - but not a true D1 player.
At this point, Philip applies a full court press. Presents himself as a future benefactor of the program. Gets Dwayne Wade's trainer to say he will use connections to recruit Miami based players to Penn. Offers to endow assistant coaching positions.
Jerome thinks to himself that occasionally Penn uses a basketball slot for AI purposes. Why not use it for this kid, whose family may provide other benefits to Penn.
Somewhere in that process, Philip sends checks to Jerome under the guise of reimbursements or fees for coaching - something along those lines.
In this narrative, Jerome still made a terrible decision in accepting a payment and deserves whatever repercussions he faces. My point is that people who give bribes actually aren't necessarily in conspiracies with other bad people. They groom normal people but suck them in deeper. They prey on their weaknesses by flashing private jets and money.
While my narrative is purely a fiction, I raise it just as a way to say that I'm not completely sure to what degree I am utterly disgusted by Jerome's actions or actually pity his poor decisions and the consequences. I hope he is a man enough to admit whatever he did or didn't do and save everyone a lot of pain (and expense).
I will not judge him, as I didn't grow up in his circumstances. He doesn't deserve a free pass either. He did not need non-salary payments to survive. He had a Penn degree, a great network, and a decent salary. He was not lacking for opportunity at that stage of his life.
He was just a poor head coach under any measure. Now he has also tarnished the excellent legacy of Penn basketball coaching. Assuming the facts prove the news story to be true, he is a fallen idol. He probably won't be the last.
If the stories are true do you think his picture should be removed from the Palestra?
Clearly I've been overthinking this situation...
could they kick the younger esformes out of school? how responsible is he for his dad's acts? assuming he didn't have knowledge, which for me is easy enough to believe.
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