FULMER CUP UPDATE: DUKE ENTERS IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE
The Fulmer Cup is supposed to be fun–dark fun, sure, but fun nonetheless. However, Duke makes their entrance into the Fulmer Cup in what is arguably the worst way imaginable with misdemeanor charges of death by vehicle and driving left of the center line for wide receiver Raphael Chestnut, and in no way resembles fun, funny, or even titter-worthy.
Chestnut was involved in a collision on a curve during a heavy rainstorm in Stokesdale, North Carolina with a car driven by Douglas Smith, 50. It’s bad enough that the impact killed Smith; it dives into gutpain awful with this sentence:
His wife and infant in his car weren’t injured, and Chestnut wasn’t seriously injured.
A rare and horrible strike of ill fortune just rent one family asunder, made a wife a widow, and took one college student’s psyche and put a guilt dent in it he may never fully recover from in this lifetime. HA ha…um, ha. Yes. No mention of DUI, either. This is just life striking in horrid and inexplicable fashion as an instant of carelessness, inattention, a freak gust of wind, fiddling with the radio, whatever it was metastasized into major personal tragedy.
Duke is awarded two points if the charges stand. But Jesus, we’re queasy about awarding points for something that seems far less “boys will be boys” misbehavior and far more “why oh why cruel fate” in our ledger.
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This shouldn’t get points. Swindle, I think the EDSBS philosphers have spoken, and the ethical debate has been outlined. I am reminded of the inappropriate joke the crazy poster made about the USC kicker after his tragic death, where you insisted he apologize or be the second person barred from the site. Why the different Swindle this time?
Comment by CrazyVolFan — March 2, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
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I suck at driving. I always have. I don’t know how many accidents I’ve had. I don’t know how many speeding tickets I’ve had. A lot. I don’t mind admitting that I am a lousy driver. I drive every day. I love to go fast, too. Always have. On the roads daily, right along with the “good” drivers.
Let’s forgive him.
Comment by Boclive — March 1, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
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WWSWD?
Comment by Out of Conference — March 1, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
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Fulmerity?
Comment by DevilGrad — March 1, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
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Cock D-
All morality is selective, becauce it is a personal choice. Hence my comment about ‘no one is ruled by pure reason’.
Comment by tzubear — March 1, 2007 @ 11:10 am
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FWIW, giving Fulmer Cup points for sexual assault makes me uneasy. However, I view the Fulmer Cup less as “boys will be boys” hijinks and more as a shameful indictment of lack of institutional control in a given school, and of the ridiculous leeway given to athletic stars (who, for instance, throw their pregnant girlfriend down the stairs by her hair) while simultaneously giving them extremely harsh punishments for a (relatively) victimless crime like smoking marijuana or taking GHB.
For that reason, I think the Navy points should stand and the Duke points should go. The kid driving the Sebring most likely wasn’t intentionally scoffing at the law because he knew he was protected as an athlete. It’s the abuse of an athlete’s privileged status that sticks in my craw.
But then, my wandering womb makes me a hysterical moral relativist, so take what I say with a grain of salt. And a Midol.
Comment by The Conscience of a Nation — March 1, 2007 @ 9:58 am
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“I’m impressed at the humanity displayed here”
I’m unimpressed by the selective morality here.
Comment by Cock D — March 1, 2007 @ 8:37 am
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Driving in a fashion not suited to the conditions is reckless.
Recklessness is a criminal act.
Fulmer Cup measures criminal activity.
The points should stay.
While inclusion may be uncomfortable for some - quite understandably - it is necessary to maintain the consistency and integrity of the F.C.
The F.C., by its nature, walks a slippery slope by discussing and making light of these criminal activities which, almost always, involve victimization. It is a slap in the face to rape victims, victims of violence, and, yes, even the gay sheep that we trivialize their injury while getting in a rankle over this death.
If, in fact, an injustice anywhere is an injustice to all - we should have stopped the F.C. no later than the Navy rape cases and probably sooner. So the fact is we are all guilty, by virtue of going this far, of deriving some pleasure (albeit derivitavely) from these unfortunate events.
As such, I propose the following:
Include the points - OR - kill the Fulmer Cup
This is either black humor which disregards consideration of how crappy it is to be a victim of these events or it is wrong for all events.
Besides - administration by what is good crime and bad crime will result in a squishyness of standards and an administrative nightmare of determining (possibly by 1000s of guts) these standards.
SO - I vote to include the charges in the points.
IF the general consensus is to strip the charges from the contest, I move to pull the plug on the feature on the basis that it trivializes the suffering of rape and violence victims.
Comment by Cock D — March 1, 2007 @ 8:36 am
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You think he has rich parents? That’s laughable. I know the kid, he doesn’t have ‘rich’ parents, nobody is rich in Reidsville my friend. This is coming from somebody who grew up 10 minutes down the road from the place.
Comment by goheels — March 1, 2007 @ 1:12 am
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Sorry, I think points are in order. Deduct 1 for it being an accident maybe, but a college student (particularly at Duke) should be smart enough not to be driving 65 mph in unsafe conditions. Dumb behavior, accident or no.
DUIs are dumb behavior accidents too but we happily track ‘em. And you award 5 points for Riverside, no?
Tragic — but stupid and preventable.
Condolences to the family.
Comment by beattherush — February 28, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
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My $0.02 — this is not Fulmer material, even if it takes Duke out of the running. I agree with others before me — I’m impressed at the humanity displayed here.
Comment by PJ from NU in SF — February 28, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
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longtime reader…please don’t award fulmer cups points. if you or your’s were on the tragic end of this accident, i truly doubt this would be fulmer cup worthy. the cup is my favorite aspect of this site. it may be ruined with this addition.
Comment by edsbsreader — February 28, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
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Okay, reseach done:
This is a 2003 Chrysler Sebring:
http://www.autogaleria.pl/tapety/img/chrysler/chrysler_sebring_cabrio_2003_01_m.jpg
Pricing is between $10k to $16k.
I’m leaning towards rich parents over sudden money in pocket disease. So a certain amount of youthful imortality has been struck down by the fates that be, tragically perhaps, none the less reckless behavior. Welcome to the Fulmer Cup, Raffy. Prove your remorse by not showing up here again.
Comment by the walrus — February 28, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
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Don’t worry about codifying too much. The Red Queen rule is always in effect, which means Red Queen Orson makes the decisions as he sees fit.
Comment by Orson Swindle — February 28, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
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Don’t start codifying too many rules, O. The Florida Statutes runs 6 volumes and everyone’s miserable. You’re the Benevolent Dictator of Fulmercupstan. Accept input from the masses, consider the public relations, weigh the pros and cons, but ultimately, dowatchalike.
FWIW, this peasant was leaning towards “leave the points,” but after reading the whole thread I admit I’m swayed… but cautious of the precedent you’re setting, by potentially changing your call after some direct democracy.
Off to dig up my Federalist Papers…
Comment by Panhandler — February 28, 2007 @ 8:09 pm