Eddie Sutton cited with DUI during accident
Coach Sutton may also be retiring. I have always had a great amount of respect for his work ethic and how well his teams have played. This is not a great moment for OSU though. Sutton is taking a leave of absence for the rest of the season to focus on his health. Here’s an article stating that Sutton had worked through alcoholism in the past.
Here’s a snip from the Tulsa World Story:
OSU basketball Coach Eddie Sutton was cited with driving under the influence after a Friday traffic accident, the Stillwater police chief confirmed Monday.
Sutton was arrested, but was not jailed because there was not physical evidence to back up the citation, Stillwater Police Chief Norman McNickle said.
Sutton also was cited with speeding and driving left of center in the 5:45 p.m. accident in the 3000 block of North Washington Street in Stillwater. Sutton received a head injury in the two-vehicle accident.
And a bit more on his LOA:
OSU’s statement quoted Sutton as saying: “It has been an extremely difficult season. With my deteriorating physical condition and other issues,
I have been under a tremendous amount of stress. I told (OSU President David) Schmidly I was close to making this decision after the trip to Kansas State because the pain in my back was making it very difficult to coach. After Friday’s events, I know it is best to go on medical leave the remainder of the season to address my future health.The statement doesn’t address the accident or the arrest.
“It is very difficult to step away from the team,” Sutton says in the statement. “But I know they are in great hands. The season has not gone as we wished, but we have a talented and fine group of young men and I look for them to finish the season strong. I won’t be on the bench, but I’ll be with them.”
What a crazy week for coaches in the Big 12. It would be sad if this is his legacy.
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2 Responses to “Eddie Sutton cited with DUI during accident”
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February 13th, 2006 at 11:56 am
How sad would this be if that is how things really went down. It is not the driving under the influence that is particularly troubling to me, as much as that he may have been drinking while getting ready to go on the road with his team. If this is true, he has some nerve to accuse these kids of being the “softest” he has ever coached, when he plans to show up at the airport stumbling and drunk out of his mind.
February 13th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
fed,
Many have pointed out to me that DUI doesn’t necessarily imply alcohol. Sutton is known to have been under a lot of pain and he could have driven under the influence of pain killers.
That being said, the facts that a)he struggled with alcoholism, that b)he was under a lot of stress and most importantly, c)that he was reported to have tried to prevent the blood test are highly suggestive of an alcohol related incident.