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November 26, 2012

So, we can’t enjoy a weekend stress free, huh?

Potentially ugly news right now. Let’s start with the most salacious version of things — since this is the one everyone is going to focus.

Pittsburgh police said football player Stephen Williams was charged following an alleged domestic incident with a woman in Oakland on Saturday. Police said the woman flagged down officers as she stood on the street, bruised an holding a clump of her hair.

Hours later, police found University of Pittsburgh basketball player Ernest Zeigler III passed out inside his Hummer at an Oakland intersection.

Police said Zeigler failed all field sobriety tests, had a blood alcohol level of .129 and threw up in a holding cell toilet.

Oh, boy. Sounds really bad. For both situations. Ugly Saturday night for all. Yet, this is the only story on Williams, and Zeigler’s tale seems not to jibe with other versions.

So far I haven’t seen a story from either of the local papers or other Pittsburgh news sources mentioning Stephen Williams being arrested or charged for domestic violence. Nothing. Williams is a redshirt freshman DB.

As for Zeigler, the other version seems a lot less like being passed out at the wheel of his car in an intersection followed by vomiting in a holding cell.

Pittsburgh police have filed driving under the influence charges against University of Pittsburgh basketball player Trey Zeigler stemming from an incident Sunday.

Online court records show Mr. Zeigler, whose legal name is Ernest F. Zeigler III, will be charged by mail summons with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence. Details of the arrest were not immediately available.

But as the AP article notes. Zeigler wasn’t actually arrested. He was charged by summons. Not sure how that jibes with what would presumably lead to impounding his car and taking him to a drunk tank to dry him out.

There is no condoning either action. Absolutely not. But I am trying to be cautious — especially with the domestic violence accusation. There needs to be some more information.

Zeigler is obviously in trouble. Something involving drunk driving happened. I have to assume he is going to be suspended for at least a couple games. He screwed up, and everyone is lucky no one is hurt.

As for Williams, that one is complete wait-and-see right now.

UPDATE: And as soon as I hit “publish” on this post, Chris Peak of Pantherlair.com tweets that Steve Williams is no longer listed on Pitt’s roster. Not good.

UPDATE (Two): And now the P-G’s Sam Werner tweets that Pitt has announced the dismissal of Williams for “disciplinary reasons.” Oh, and while they are at it, Pitt announces that Jason Frimpong (redshirt freshman LB from Texas) and Roderick Ryles (redshirt freshman DB from Florida) have decided to transfer.





Who is Stephen Williams?

Comment by HLandPitt 11.26.12 @ 9:10 am

wtf… a student driving a Hummer!!! must be nice.
Also, if he wasn’t arrested.. then they don’t impound the vehicle nor do they bring him to “drunk tank”. Both require an arrest.
Someone must have come to get him… and sounds like the car was parked and he was in the drivers seat.
.129 is not that high…

Comment by Joe D 11.26.12 @ 9:14 am

Freaking Zeigler! WTF? And a Hummer? Really? Was his dad really making that kind of coin at Central Mich?

Comment by Carmen 11.26.12 @ 9:15 am

3 foot ball players charged with assualt zeigler
with dui williams assualt are we trying for another SI story. WTF.
i know most of this is not really bad stuff but
come on man call a cab or just fall asleep in the car when it is parked.
this is some of the same shit that got dave shown the door.

Comment by FRANKCAN 11.26.12 @ 9:32 am

frankcan,
If he was asleep when the car is parked… in the drivers seat… which is what I suspect occurred… He can still get a ticket for DUI.
I’ve read about that scenario several times.

Comment by Joe D 11.26.12 @ 9:35 am

We were all wondering… who was going to transfer either volunteerily or being asked to leave since Chryst and crew are over quota.
Now we know..
These are 3 of Graham recruits.

Comment by Joe D 11.26.12 @ 9:38 am

JOE D being at a oakland intersection is not parked.
my point if he slept in car they might not have sean him if it were parked.

Comment by FRANKCAN 11.26.12 @ 9:42 am

Typical Pitt week. For every piece of good news, three bad stories are sure to follow. So we get Dorian Johnson and then this…

really what we should expect at this point. Never get too excited at good news for Pitt.

Comment by Coach Ditka 11.26.12 @ 9:57 am

frank,
seems there is more to the zieglar story.. we just don’t know.. and yes, I’m guessing or assuming because I read different accounts of the incident.

Comment by Joe D 11.26.12 @ 9:58 am

No surprises re: the transfers Given the new regime. Probably more to come. This is not a bad thing.

Comment by JR 11.26.12 @ 10:10 am

Hummers are not that expensive especially if it’s a 3 and his dad is still getting paid by Central Michigan some pretty big bucks. The Hummer should be a non-story. Some kids have wealthier parents than others.

The DUI on the other hand is totally different. I agree with Chas that the stories don’t mesh.

I have a buddy who got charged with a DUI because the keys were in the ignition. He jumped in his car and turned on the music – then crawled in the back seat to sleep off the alcohol. Cops knocked on the window and charged him. He also was summoned instead of arrested on the spot but was given a ride home in the squad car.

I’d like to hear if he was actually in the middle of an intersection or if he was parked somewhere.

Not condoning anything but I’ll withhold judgement until I hear the whole story. IF he was drinking and driving, the suspension should be significant. If he was “trying” to do the right thing by sleeping it off before driving the punishment should be much less harsh.

Comment by Tossing Thabeets 11.26.12 @ 10:10 am

If the facts check out that Ziegler was intoxicated I would hope that Jamie hits him with at least a 5 game suspension. Set the tone NOW for an end to this kind of behavior.

Mr. Ziegler will still have the Big East season to show that he can play well and stay sober!!

Comment by isnore 11.26.12 @ 10:11 am

JoeD and Carmen, I suggest you not come to Tucson. Your heads might explode. Every other SoCal college kid here drives an $80k+ Benz, Beemer or Land Rover. Not that it is relevant or important what kind of car he was in.

Comment by CNorwoodAZ 11.26.12 @ 10:15 am

College kids getting drunk is nothing new. Hopefully they stay out trouble, or at least, away from the driver’s seat. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case in either situation. I am sure there will be a lot of talk by both Paul Chryst and Jamie Dixon about exercising good judgement.

Comment by Justinian 11.26.12 @ 10:19 am

Anyone know much about Frimpong or Ryles? Were these players expected to be contributors down the line or?

Comment by Kenny Powers 11.26.12 @ 10:20 am

Pantherlair tweeted..
Zenel D. was introduced as part of the Senior class… even though he is a RS Jr…
Sounds like he is not being asked to come back next year….

Comment by Joe D 11.26.12 @ 10:25 am

Frimpong played a couple of series when we were short at linebacker.

Comment by alcofan 11.26.12 @ 10:52 am

Joe D .129 is very high. Blotto city.

Makes me glad I could not afford a car most of my time at Pitt

Again, to all, before we stand in judgement, remember your days at Pitt!

Comment by Dan 72 11.26.12 @ 11:23 am

The media is at it again and the Bloggers dutifully follow. Why does an incident (fabricated or not) about a student and a transfer or two of benchwarmers TRUMP data about a GREAT UPSET VICTORY of Pitt against Rutgers and an up and coming hoop squad? Must be the sadistic inclinations of the readers or the “gotcha satisfactions” of the Pitt critics. Rev. George from Columbus P.S. Please give us more info on the many, many athletes at the college level who are doing well and are exemplary citizens, Thank you.

Comment by Rev. George Mehaffey 11.26.12 @ 11:25 am

Zeigler’s story is clearly the most important (given his important role on what could be a nationally relevant team), and thankfully it appears to be the lesser offense. I don’t mean to suggest in any way the a DUI is not serious, however if it turns out the car wasn’t being driven but he was intoxicated in a parked car, then this is clearly a lesser offense than assaulting a woman, which is never, ever, explainable or able to be rationalized.
As for the football transfers and the removal of Williams from the roster, it was likely time for them and others who were not recruited by PC to find another place to land. Taking quick action on Williams was an easy call for PC considering that he probably didn’t fit for the future anyway.
Nevertheless, if Pitt wants to stay out of SI articles, taking quick action is absolutely essential. PC needs to get a strong and clear message to all the others on his team (i.e., Street, Graham, Pitts) that don’t seem to understand the microscope that Pitt players are under in a metropolitan city like Pittsburgh. This ain’t unHappy Valley or some other B10-B12-SEC out of the way, nothing else to say for itself town patrolled by Andy Griffith and Barney Fife.

Comment by Taxing Matters 11.26.12 @ 11:49 am

The Pittsburgh media and police are also not known to assist in covering up crimes like in some Valley towns I know.

Comment by TX Panther 11.26.12 @ 11:57 am

To clear up some questions above, yes, Zeigler could have been arrested for sleeping in his car, even if it was parked and whether or not the keys were in the ignition.

The question basically comes down to whether he was in control of the implements that would allow him to drive the car, i.e. were the keys in his possession. That’s enough for a charge. A conviction? Maybe, but it’s probably more likely to end up in some kind of lesser charge once his attorney gets involved.

Comment by mike 11.26.12 @ 12:53 pm

would not want a chrime covered up but if he was not driveing the car they could have just takeing him home and been done with it.
same with the fight if only one punch was thrown
have a talk with all involved and send them on there way dont make a mountain out of mole hill.

Comment by FRANKCAN 11.26.12 @ 12:56 pm

Wasn’t the Roderick Ryles one of the two kids from Orlando we got along with LaQuentin Smith. They were both from the same 6A HS. That’s not a good loss as he had the ability to be a defensive backfield contributor down the road.
As he had 15 interceptions in Class 6A in Florida and was recruited by some good programs. Both of these kids were supposed to go to Arkansas together. When they came back from their recruiting weekend to Wvu they committed to Pitt.

They came to Pitt together, so….. I hope we don’t lose the other one too, as we don’t have much depth on the D-Line.

Comment by Emel 11.26.12 @ 1:28 pm

Congrats to Sir Tino for being:

The BigEast Offensive Player of the Week.
Wasn’t one of his best statistical games going 21 of 39 for 227 yards and 2 TD’s.
But an award is an award.

As we all know, he’s a whole lot better playing from ahead than from behind.

So we better get ahead immediately against the Bulls.

Comment by Emel 11.26.12 @ 1:36 pm

WELL it looks as if u conn is back in the lead
for the 14th spot yes L ville is the better
foot ball school and may be the better basketball school also, BUT academics will be the trump card
L ville is like rared 160 and u conn 75 .
the worst school in the ACC now is FS with 106
but this would be the last time academics is what tips the blance, becuse there are no outher good academic schools in the big east.

so if we lose another school at some point they will have to take a tulane or some one from another conference eather that or forget academics
becuse big east has no outher good acadenic schools.

Comment by FRANKCAN 11.26.12 @ 1:44 pm

Frimprong is a surprise to me, Ryles less so.

Demhasaj I figured all along. I think we’ll also see Rackard (LB) and possibly Lippert (DL)gone as 5th year SRs.

At any rate if Chryst wants to sign as many recruits as he has offers out we need more transfers.

Comment by Reed 11.26.12 @ 4:39 pm

i just want to say this abought what is happing
wt.f wtf wtf WTF WTF WTF WE CANT CATCH A BRAKE
i will now lay down take a deep breath and count to 10 and i wont kick the cat. i will relax .

Comment by FRANKCAN 11.26.12 @ 5:47 pm

You can be parked in your driveway with the engine off and if your alcohol level surpasses Pa levels you get a DUI,the key is are the keys in the ignition regardless of engine running you get nailed for DUI. First time offense can get it expunged after taking several classes.

Comment by spindler's spirit 11.26.12 @ 5:47 pm

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