Dear John Wall: Duke Is STILL the Best Situation for You

Did I miss something? 

Did Obama really get rid of the U.S. Constitution? 

Is our justice system as terrible as our economy? (Wait, don’t answer that.)

Now I will admit that the latest news regarding the highly coveted Mr. Wall was not what I expected to read when I woke up today to search for his truncated list of schools. I, like many other fans of teams hoping to land the top PG in his class, was hoping to see Duke among his finalists (see "Dear John Wall: Why Duke Really Is the Best Situation for You").  I, however, unlike the overwhelming majority of those who have commented online on this recent development (and I've looked at quite a few different websites), am not willing to pass judgment so quickly.  Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer to know as many actual facts as possible before I formulate an opinion. 

Call me old-fashioned, but what happened to the presumption of innocence until guilt was proven?

Second, the only “facts” we have in this case are what has been reported. None of us was there. None of us has any idea of the circumstances surrounding the situation.  Why is everyone so quick to convict? I hope none of you will be serving as jurors anytime soon. Do you even know whose house it was? Do you have any idea what they were even doing there?

Third, even with what has been reported, the alleged fact remains that there were no signs of forced entry and no evidence that anything was taken from the house. Does the “fact” that there was neither forced entry nor any property taken from the home give anyone else pause but me? Apparently not.

Fourth: He’s been issued a misdemeanor citation, not a felony or a capital offense. Think about that for a second—a misdemeanor citation. According to The Raleigh News & Observer, Wake County chief magistrate Gary Willis is quoted as saying that the misdemeanor citation in question is “similar to one issued for a traffic violation.”

Now I won’t even begin to play the “name game,” but if you take a moment to research every NCAA Division I athlete who has received a misdemeanor citation, in addition to wasting a LOT of time, you’ll discover a surprisingly wide range of very interesting names.  Better yet, why not research every college-aged young adult who falls into that category—since you all seem to have the free time. Is he still so unworthy of attending your favorite school?

The fact remains that high profile amateur athletes, along with professional athletes and celebrities, live under a microscope (a distinct difference between the two is that the amateur fish bowl doesn’t come with a treasure chest full of cash).  Is it fair? For pros and celebs I can think of some pretty good arguments. For a young person who still has not graduated from high school, NO.

I can only speak for myself, but I'm happy everything I did at age 19 was not fodder for public consumption.

Let’s take it a step further. I’d be willing to lay down a pretty sizable bet that a LOT more young adults than you think have received similar level citations at that age. What do you think you’d discover if you had access to the records of every student at every college and university in this country? Are the athletes the only ones making mistakes?

Does underage drinking qualify as a misdemeanor citation? Public drunkenness? Possession of pot? "Forgetting" to put money in the parking meter? "Creating" a parking spot that's closer to your destination? 

I’m guessing that misdemeanor citations barely violate most student codes of conduct.

Finally, even if the actual facts turn out to prove less than favorable for Mr. Wall (again, call me old-fashioned), I also believe in second chances for young people who are capable of being successfully rehabilitated (I feel like “rehabilitated” is far too strong a word in this case). 

Now don't get me wrong; every youthful indiscretion cannot simply be chalked up as a simple mistake. Aggravating factors, such as a repeated history of misdemeanor citations, would raise much more of a red flag for me.  According to the "facts" in this case, even if Mr. Wall is found guilty, as a first-time offender he'd likely receive community service. Depending on what mitigating factors may exist, he could get the whole case dismissed.  Either way, if you are a school recruiting John Wall, or anyone who cares about his well being, for that matter, the proverbial sky is not falling.

Dear John Wall: Life is not about the mistakes you may or may not make along the way, but rather what you learn from/how you respond to your experiences.