To say that this morning's news was unexpected would be a vast understatement. Seriously, of all the guys on the Celtics to get arrested, it is hard to believe that it was Jared Sullinger. He's lauded as having great basketball IQ. Most everyone around him seems to rave about his attitude and personality as well as his willingness to work. He's got a strong, smart, involved father that seems to have an active part in his life. So what gives?
That's a completely unfair and unanswerable question. This isn't basketball, this is human beings being fallible. People screw up. People make mistakes. How those people are judged in the public view depends on what they did and how they react to it.
There has been no trial, no verdict, only accusations and a vague apology. Some will choose to believe what they want and judge him right away. Some will hope that this was all blown out of proportion and/or try to excuse the behavior. Still others will wait for the court process to take its due course and reserve opinion until then.
If I'm being honest, I'm probably torn between all three. Logically I want to wait and see. The fan side of me wants to see all of this go quickly and quietly away so we can focus back on basketball (apart from this, he's one of my favorite young Celtics that I really was looking forward to seeing play this year). Yet there's a part of me that wants to react with disgust at the notion of a supersized man raising a hand (allegedly) to a woman.
In the end, I will defer to the rational, logical side and withhold judgement because that is right and proper. I can hope for the best and fear the worst, but I just don't know till it becomes public and we all know. That is what the court system is set up for and flawed as it may be it is the best we've got.
I wish I could cover the action on the court without having to follow action in a courtroom, but I don't always get what I want.