Nai Fotu arrested on DUI charges

Fotu was one of my favorite players, and I hated to see him miss so much time with injuries. I was really looking forward to watching him on the field this year. What a shame.

These strories really are heartbreaking. It’s real unfortunate for the player, their families, and the team. However, I think it’s overblown to say his career is over. I’m sure their will some disciplinary action that will take place for the season opener or the first 2-3 games. However, assuming Fotu has a change or heart and shows his willingness to get his life back in order on and off the field, I think he’ll be around during spring ball and we will all see him play this fall. Maybe I’m a bit optimistic, but I think we’ll see Fotu knocking heads and making big plays come 9/10 against USC (2nd game of the season).

Sometimes kids make really stupid, bad choices. Which seem completely pointless given the direction in which their life was heading.

I feel bad for this kid. If this is true, it’s hopefully a wake-up call and he manages to get himself back on track. It’s certainly not too late.

This is indeed very sad. Positive thing is that he got caught before he hurt anyone with his car. Now it’s up to him to react. Does he let his life crash and burn or does he use this as a teaching moment and take all the steps he needs to win back Coach Whit and the team’s trust? I agree with others that said this doesn’t necessarily mean game over for Nai, probably a suspension of some sort with strict steps to comply to earn his return. I think/hope he makes it and we have the opportunity to watch his talent on the field again this year.

Whitt was quoted today saying that Nai is suspended from the team indefinitely. So it seems that if he can turn it around, he could still play for us this year.

The result of this story could have been much worse. What then? I’m glad the kid didn’t end up killing someone or himself. It’s no ones fault but his own, but I’m also wondering which of his friends let him get into a motorized vehicle while intoxicated. Young bucks don’t fly solo on the weekends, they hang out in packs. Come on people, use taxi cabs or move downtown where you can walk home from the bar.

I’m glad Coach Whitt doesn’t tolerate BS and gets rid of bad apples. Didn’t Marty Johnson get a DUI and Urban Meyer suspended him for the entire 03-04 season but then started on the Fiesta Bowl team? Not sure if that is a precedent or if my memory is confusing things. I’m too lazy to look it up. I know kids go out and have fun and they should be able to, but you have to be smarter than that, especially if you’re in the spotlight.

Seems crazy, given the medical rehab he did to get ready for this season. The team doesn’t owe him anything, but I think they should hold a carrot for him to try and grab. Let him work towards graduating and get him on the field by week X, if he meets strict conditions. Sounds like he’s developing an alcohol problem. Two arrests and he’s only 22. Not a good sign. Hopefully he’ll recognize this and turn it around. I’d love to see him play football again too. He’s a great player.

Many of you will probably disagree with me here, but look at LeGarrete Blount and Jeremiah Masoli who played at Oregon. Both learned from their mistakes and found their way back to the game. Masoli was dumb and ended up having to find a team willing to give him another chance, but the last thing you should do is give up on these kids just because they make a mistake. Show me a kid 18-22 years old who says he doesn’t make mistakes and I’ll show you a liar. These kids grow up thinking that because they are superstars on a football team that they can get away with anything. A good coach who sees potential in an athlete not only as a player, but as a human being will not shut a player out. Masoli would have been offered another chance had he not lied to the coaches face. Had he shown the maturity to man up when asked about the situation, he would have started for Oregon last year.

Right now, Fotu’s future is what he wants to make of it. I don’t know the whole situation, but I do think that if KWhitt thinks he can change, he will make his road back to suiting up for games and even playing a road through hell, but if he can make it through it, it will make him that much better a player and a much more mature person.

Again I don’t know all of the details, but from what I do know, if it were me making the decision to keep him or cut him loose, I would make him show me just how bad he wants to stay and be a part of the team. If he could show me by making it through the hell I would put him through, he’s in.

If he can’t get back on the field this season, I don’t know that he can get back on the field ever.