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Morency carries baggage (1 Viewer)

BustedKnuckles

Footballguy
Found this on a greenbay site....sorry if a honda....thought it offered a little insight about who he is.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=498272

By BOB McGINN

bmcginn@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Sept. 15, 2006

Green Bay - Running back Vernand Morency can't compare to wide receiver Koren Robinson when it comes to character risk but the newest member of the Green Bay Packers does have red flags on his résumé.

Morency, obtained by the Packers on Wednesday from Houston in a trade for running back Samkon Gado, was implicated by a female student at Oklahoma State University for rape in February 2003. Nine weeks later a university police investigator filed an affidavit, the only documentation of the case.

In April of that year, then-coach Les Miles placed Morency on indefinite suspension.

Morency was reinstated by Miles in early August when the player filed a civil lawsuit against the university on July 31, 2003, and a judge quickly issued a temporary restraining order allowing him to remain in school.

Two weeks later, the district attorney's office elected not to file charges because of insufficient evidence, and records were permanently sealed. The sexual-assault charge wasn't brought to light until a story appeared Oct. 4, 2004, in the Oklahoma State student newspaper.

"I was never charged with anything," Morency said Friday. "It was accusations. I never had an arrest on my record."

Morency also was involved in another off-field incident during his first year at Oklahoma State that was brought to the attention of all 32 teams by the National Football League security department.

According to one NFL official, Morency was one of about 20 students who jumped on bicycles outside a campus building, rode away and left them at another campus location. Morency and 10 others were caught and felony charges were considered, according to an NFL official.

In the end, Morency reportedly was arrested for possession of a stolen bicycle, a charge that was stricken from his record at the end of a deferred sentence.

"It was nothing," Morency said. "I was never charged with anything. Everything went away."

After signing Robinson on Monday despite the receiver's alcohol-related criminal issues, Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded for Morency about 48 hours later. He said the club examined these and other issues regarding Morency before making the deal for Gado, who was considered a model citizen.

"We studied that back when he came out of college," Thompson said, referring to the accusation of rape. "We determined that he was accused of something but based on our information there was no substance to it."

Regarding the stolen bike, Thompson said, "It sounded like to me it was some sort of college stunt."

Thompson added: "I pulled out our reports and read them again. One said he came from a 'solid two-parent family.' All the people in Houston vouched for him very strongly, as did the people at Oklahoma State."

Morency, 26, was born and raised in Miami and his parents both worked. Drafted in the 14th round in 1998 by the Colorado Rockies, Morency played minor-league baseball as a centerfielder for four years before making a return to football by enrolling at Oklahoma State in 2002.

"I've been raised in a great family, a loving family," Morency said. "I'm a hard worker, dedicated to what I do. I do not drink or smoke."

Earlier in the week, two top executives in personnel for other NFL teams said they regarded Morency as a character risk both before the 2005 draft as well as today.

"He is a very bad person off the field," an executive for an NFC team said. "He'll never survive in Green Bay. He's got a lot of problems."

The personnel man for an AFC team said he remembered interviewing Morency in February 2005 at the NFL combine.

"I don't recall anything being major but it was just a thousand little things," the executive said. "He started going and going and going and going. The story just kept getting longer and longer. We asked why he didn't succeed in baseball. It was, 'Well, the manager didn't like me there, they wouldn't let me bat in the right position.' It was always somebody else's fault why things didn't work out or went wrong."

An executive for another NFC team reached a different conclusion on Morency.

"Got a little Miami to him but overall a pretty good home life," the executive said. "He's not a kid that ran the streets. We thought the kid knows right from wrong. Did he do some stupid stuff that we all do in college? Yes. But once he got caught there were no other incidents."

After declaring for the draft in January 2005 as a third-year junior, Morency scored 11 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.

According to Morency's initial lawsuit, he and the woman watched movies in his dorm room on the night in question. Morency stated that all sexual conduct was consensual. The woman didn't contact police until April 1, or 37 days after the incident. A week later, she turned over a pair of underwear she was wearing on the night and had not washed.

Lab findings revealed that the underwear did contain semen, according to the lawsuit.

After appearing at a disciplinary hearing, Morency received a letter on May 6 from Peg Vitek, then the university's student conduct officer. In the letter, Vitek wrote: "Based on the written statement and the testimony of all parties, I find it to be more likely than not that you did sexually assault (redacted) on Feb. 23, 2003."

Court documents showed that Morency also was found in violation of two university alcohol policies.

In his lawsuit, Morency said Oklahoma State officials "were bent from the outset upon intimidating and, eventually, suspending" him in disciplinary procedures that he said amounted to "sexual McCarthyism."

Morency remained on campus to work out during the summer of 2003. Backing up Tatum Bell that season, he rushed for 918 yards. He exploded for 1,474 yards in '04.

By vote of the three executives, the Packers were judged to have gotten the better end of the trade by a 2-1 margin.

"There is no question about this kid's talent," one of the NFC personnel men said. "He could be a starter. But you've got to keep him on track."

Added the AFC scout, who much preferred Gado: "Evidently, (Gado) didn't fit them at all so they're just taking a flier, I guess. The one thing, if a guy can't play for you, you might as well try something else. Morency has ability but, with the age and all the other stuff, it would scare me."

 
According to one NFL official, Morency was one of about 20 students who jumped on bicycles outside a campus building, rode away and left them at another campus location. Morency and 10 others were caught and felony charges were considered, according to an NFL official.
:rolleyes:
 
Found this on a greenbay site....sorry if a honda....thought it offered a little insight about who he is.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=498272

By BOB McGINN

bmcginn@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Sept. 15, 2006

Green Bay - Running back Vernand Morency can't compare to wide receiver Koren Robinson when it comes to character risk but the newest member of the Green Bay Packers does have red flags on his résumé.

Morency, obtained by the Packers on Wednesday from Houston in a trade for running back Samkon Gado, was implicated by a female student at Oklahoma State University for rape in February 2003. Nine weeks later a university police investigator filed an affidavit, the only documentation of the case.

In April of that year, then-coach Les Miles placed Morency on indefinite suspension.

Morency was reinstated by Miles in early August when the player filed a civil lawsuit against the university on July 31, 2003, and a judge quickly issued a temporary restraining order allowing him to remain in school.

Two weeks later, the district attorney's office elected not to file charges because of insufficient evidence, and records were permanently sealed. The sexual-assault charge wasn't brought to light until a story appeared Oct. 4, 2004, in the Oklahoma State student newspaper.

"I was never charged with anything," Morency said Friday. "It was accusations. I never had an arrest on my record."

Morency also was involved in another off-field incident during his first year at Oklahoma State that was brought to the attention of all 32 teams by the National Football League security department.

According to one NFL official, Morency was one of about 20 students who jumped on bicycles outside a campus building, rode away and left them at another campus location. Morency and 10 others were caught and felony charges were considered, according to an NFL official.

In the end, Morency reportedly was arrested for possession of a stolen bicycle, a charge that was stricken from his record at the end of a deferred sentence.

"It was nothing," Morency said. "I was never charged with anything. Everything went away."

After signing Robinson on Monday despite the receiver's alcohol-related criminal issues, Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded for Morency about 48 hours later. He said the club examined these and other issues regarding Morency before making the deal for Gado, who was considered a model citizen.

"We studied that back when he came out of college," Thompson said, referring to the accusation of rape. "We determined that he was accused of something but based on our information there was no substance to it."

Regarding the stolen bike, Thompson said, "It sounded like to me it was some sort of college stunt."

Thompson added: "I pulled out our reports and read them again. One said he came from a 'solid two-parent family.' All the people in Houston vouched for him very strongly, as did the people at Oklahoma State."

Morency, 26, was born and raised in Miami and his parents both worked. Drafted in the 14th round in 1998 by the Colorado Rockies, Morency played minor-league baseball as a centerfielder for four years before making a return to football by enrolling at Oklahoma State in 2002.

"I've been raised in a great family, a loving family," Morency said. "I'm a hard worker, dedicated to what I do. I do not drink or smoke."

Earlier in the week, two top executives in personnel for other NFL teams said they regarded Morency as a character risk both before the 2005 draft as well as today.

"He is a very bad person off the field," an executive for an NFC team said. "He'll never survive in Green Bay. He's got a lot of problems."

The personnel man for an AFC team said he remembered interviewing Morency in February 2005 at the NFL combine.

"I don't recall anything being major but it was just a thousand little things," the executive said. "He started going and going and going and going. The story just kept getting longer and longer. We asked why he didn't succeed in baseball. It was, 'Well, the manager didn't like me there, they wouldn't let me bat in the right position.' It was always somebody else's fault why things didn't work out or went wrong."

An executive for another NFC team reached a different conclusion on Morency.

"Got a little Miami to him but overall a pretty good home life," the executive said. "He's not a kid that ran the streets. We thought the kid knows right from wrong. Did he do some stupid stuff that we all do in college? Yes. But once he got caught there were no other incidents."

After declaring for the draft in January 2005 as a third-year junior, Morency scored 11 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.

According to Morency's initial lawsuit, he and the woman watched movies in his dorm room on the night in question. Morency stated that all sexual conduct was consensual. The woman didn't contact police until April 1, or 37 days after the incident. A week later, she turned over a pair of underwear she was wearing on the night and had not washed.

Lab findings revealed that the underwear did contain semen, according to the lawsuit.

After appearing at a disciplinary hearing, Morency received a letter on May 6 from Peg Vitek, then the university's student conduct officer. In the letter, Vitek wrote: "Based on the written statement and the testimony of all parties, I find it to be more likely than not that you did sexually assault (redacted) on Feb. 23, 2003."

Court documents showed that Morency also was found in violation of two university alcohol policies.

In his lawsuit, Morency said Oklahoma State officials "were bent from the outset upon intimidating and, eventually, suspending" him in disciplinary procedures that he said amounted to "sexual McCarthyism."

Morency remained on campus to work out during the summer of 2003. Backing up Tatum Bell that season, he rushed for 918 yards. He exploded for 1,474 yards in '04.

By vote of the three executives, the Packers were judged to have gotten the better end of the trade by a 2-1 margin.

"There is no question about this kid's talent," one of the NFC personnel men said. "He could be a starter. But you've got to keep him on track."

Added the AFC scout, who much preferred Gado: "Evidently, (Gado) didn't fit them at all so they're just taking a flier, I guess. The one thing, if a guy can't play for you, you might as well try something else. Morency has ability but, with the age and all the other stuff, it would scare me."
I hope you are kidding. A college kid joy riding a bike in college? Lock him up and throw away the key. Your college years must have been fun.
 
Even if Morency has character issues, the K.Robinson signing shows that Green Bay is desperate for talent, and character is definitely a distant second for now.

Anybody know what Saddam ran in the 40?

 
Found this on a greenbay site....sorry if a honda....thought it offered a little insight about who he is.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=498272

By BOB McGINN

bmcginn@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Sept. 15, 2006

Green Bay - Running back Vernand Morency can't compare to wide receiver Koren Robinson when it comes to character risk but the newest member of the Green Bay Packers does have red flags on his résumé.

Morency, obtained by the Packers on Wednesday from Houston in a trade for running back Samkon Gado, was implicated by a female student at Oklahoma State University for rape in February 2003. Nine weeks later a university police investigator filed an affidavit, the only documentation of the case.

In April of that year, then-coach Les Miles placed Morency on indefinite suspension.

Morency was reinstated by Miles in early August when the player filed a civil lawsuit against the university on July 31, 2003, and a judge quickly issued a temporary restraining order allowing him to remain in school.

Two weeks later, the district attorney's office elected not to file charges because of insufficient evidence, and records were permanently sealed. The sexual-assault charge wasn't brought to light until a story appeared Oct. 4, 2004, in the Oklahoma State student newspaper.

"I was never charged with anything," Morency said Friday. "It was accusations. I never had an arrest on my record."

Morency also was involved in another off-field incident during his first year at Oklahoma State that was brought to the attention of all 32 teams by the National Football League security department.

According to one NFL official, Morency was one of about 20 students who jumped on bicycles outside a campus building, rode away and left them at another campus location. Morency and 10 others were caught and felony charges were considered, according to an NFL official.

In the end, Morency reportedly was arrested for possession of a stolen bicycle, a charge that was stricken from his record at the end of a deferred sentence.

"It was nothing," Morency said. "I was never charged with anything. Everything went away."

After signing Robinson on Monday despite the receiver's alcohol-related criminal issues, Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded for Morency about 48 hours later. He said the club examined these and other issues regarding Morency before making the deal for Gado, who was considered a model citizen.

"We studied that back when he came out of college," Thompson said, referring to the accusation of rape. "We determined that he was accused of something but based on our information there was no substance to it."

Regarding the stolen bike, Thompson said, "It sounded like to me it was some sort of college stunt."

Thompson added: "I pulled out our reports and read them again. One said he came from a 'solid two-parent family.' All the people in Houston vouched for him very strongly, as did the people at Oklahoma State."

Morency, 26, was born and raised in Miami and his parents both worked. Drafted in the 14th round in 1998 by the Colorado Rockies, Morency played minor-league baseball as a centerfielder for four years before making a return to football by enrolling at Oklahoma State in 2002.

"I've been raised in a great family, a loving family," Morency said. "I'm a hard worker, dedicated to what I do. I do not drink or smoke."

Earlier in the week, two top executives in personnel for other NFL teams said they regarded Morency as a character risk both before the 2005 draft as well as today.

"He is a very bad person off the field," an executive for an NFC team said. "He'll never survive in Green Bay. He's got a lot of problems."

The personnel man for an AFC team said he remembered interviewing Morency in February 2005 at the NFL combine.

"I don't recall anything being major but it was just a thousand little things," the executive said. "He started going and going and going and going. The story just kept getting longer and longer. We asked why he didn't succeed in baseball. It was, 'Well, the manager didn't like me there, they wouldn't let me bat in the right position.' It was always somebody else's fault why things didn't work out or went wrong."

An executive for another NFC team reached a different conclusion on Morency.

"Got a little Miami to him but overall a pretty good home life," the executive said. "He's not a kid that ran the streets. We thought the kid knows right from wrong. Did he do some stupid stuff that we all do in college? Yes. But once he got caught there were no other incidents."

After declaring for the draft in January 2005 as a third-year junior, Morency scored 11 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.

According to Morency's initial lawsuit, he and the woman watched movies in his dorm room on the night in question. Morency stated that all sexual conduct was consensual. The woman didn't contact police until April 1, or 37 days after the incident. A week later, she turned over a pair of underwear she was wearing on the night and had not washed.

Lab findings revealed that the underwear did contain semen, according to the lawsuit.

After appearing at a disciplinary hearing, Morency received a letter on May 6 from Peg Vitek, then the university's student conduct officer. In the letter, Vitek wrote: "Based on the written statement and the testimony of all parties, I find it to be more likely than not that you did sexually assault (redacted) on Feb. 23, 2003."

Court documents showed that Morency also was found in violation of two university alcohol policies.

In his lawsuit, Morency said Oklahoma State officials "were bent from the outset upon intimidating and, eventually, suspending" him in disciplinary procedures that he said amounted to "sexual McCarthyism."

Morency remained on campus to work out during the summer of 2003. Backing up Tatum Bell that season, he rushed for 918 yards. He exploded for 1,474 yards in '04.

By vote of the three executives, the Packers were judged to have gotten the better end of the trade by a 2-1 margin.

"There is no question about this kid's talent," one of the NFC personnel men said. "He could be a starter. But you've got to keep him on track."

Added the AFC scout, who much preferred Gado: "Evidently, (Gado) didn't fit them at all so they're just taking a flier, I guess. The one thing, if a guy can't play for you, you might as well try something else. Morency has ability but, with the age and all the other stuff, it would scare me."
I hope you are kidding. A college kid joy riding a bike in college? Lock him up and throw away the key. Your college years must have been fun.
The bicycle incident is minor--how it was remotely close to a felony is beyond me, I'm no lawyer.The rape allegation is the troubling part.

 
I am hesitant to add this for fear of a hijack, but I think some perspective might help others look at this from a different view. Stillwater, and OSU, is an Ag area and school. It has very, very few black students, unless they are athletes. For perspective, there are many, many more Asian students on visa than black students. It is not a school that is attractive (mostly due to the incidents and culture) to black students. For reference, there is an all-black state school (Langston) just a couple miles away and most urban kids local to Oklahoma City and Tulsa go to OU. OU is considered more hip and open to everything, race or not. There are numerous stories of happenings at OSU that would shock most of you. OSU is made up of suburban OKC and Tulsa kids, and a lot of rural/farm kids. Also, OSU, way more than OU, is a Bible belt school.

So, the incidents:

a. the "rape" story seems staged against the athlete. The athletes at OSU stand out. You know who they are. OSU is a small state school of around 20k students. There are no commuter students to speak of. Few drive to school. Most live close and walk or bike. So, everyone knows these athletes, especially the star football players that look the part.

b. the stolen bike incident is funny. You can imagine a bunch of these athletes taking off on bicylcles. It did not matter where they went, everyone around there knew who they were.

Also, a few things need to be highlighted from the story. Can you imagine how much a 22 year old, black freshman/sophmore from Miami would stand out? He had seen a lot. The minor leagues expose young athletes to a lot. Growing up in Miami did, also. It is very difficult for student-athletes from urban, inner cities to "enjoy" Stillwater. Barry Sanders (from Wichita) fit in. Richard Dumas, Prentiss Elliott, and Thomas Jordan (and many others) did not. All three had major issue in Stillwater. Dumas was arrested several times. Elliott could not cope and is now in jail for gang issues. Jordan, a star basketball recruit from DC, left OSU after Soph year (iirc) to play basketball in Europe and has suceeded.

Hope this helps. I am an alum that also lived in Norman for many years. Morency is a much better football player than many realize. I, for one, feel he is a better RB than his former teammate, Tatum Bell .... and wish Morency all the best. He has been through a lot and seems to have a bright future.

 
Nice post Wannabee.

Still, college athletes and rape has always been a major problem, so the allegation can't be entirely discounted.

The fact that it came 37 days after the incident is meaningless, as this is often true of rape cases. Sure, some girls probably do make this stuff up for attention. But many others simply wait to report rape out of fear, or embarassment, or even guilt.

That said, I don't think any of this should affect his fantasy value, whatever it might be.

 
Nice post Wannabee. Still, college athletes and rape has always been a major problem, so the allegation can't be entirely discounted.The fact that it came 37 days after the incident is meaningless, as this is often true of rape cases. Sure, some girls probably do make this stuff up for attention. But many others simply wait to report rape out of fear, or embarassment, or even guilt.That said, I don't think any of this should affect his fantasy value, whatever it might be.
I saw the 37 days as calculated. I reference Dumas, who many may remember from his Phoenix Suns days (and issues there) along with Elliott (and his issues) to say that black athletes are not put on a pedestal above reproach in Stillwater. No athletes are untouchable. Or coaches for that matter. Eddie Sutton (for good reason) resigned and a wrestling coach fired all within just a few months.I will say that Les Miles is one guy who would/will bend any and every rule he can. I, in no way, want to come off as approving of the rape allegation. But, I want to look at this issue as objectively as possible. Even though an alum, I do not follow the football or basketball that closely. I am more of a pro sports guy that watches college football looking for pro prospects.Once again, I wish Morency all the best.
 

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