A few days after Chris Watson made his return to the Florida A&M roster, men's basketball coach Clemon Johnson found himself scratching his head. He was expecting more than what he saw from Watson.
As he discussed the matter with his staff, Johnson's son Chad, who is an assistant, told his father he hadn't seen the best Watson.
Furthermore Chad told Johnson he might not see it in practice, but he'll see the difference at game time.
Johnson decided to take a chance and give Watson, who was academically ineligible for the first two months of the season, some playing time. He didn't put up particularly impressive numbers, but Johnson saw potential.
They were booked on a misdemeanor hazing charge and released on bail earlier this week. All denied that hazing occurred or said they didn’t know about it, according to the police report. None had attorneys as of Friday afternoon.
In November, FAMU drum major Robert Champion died hours after the Florida Classic football game in Orlando in what authorities said was a hazing ritual. His death has been ruled a homicide, but no charges have been brought.
The 26-year-old drum major suffered blunt trauma blows to his body while he was aboard a bus and died from shock caused by severe bleeding.
FAMU president James Ammons originally fired band director Julian White after Ammons said he failed to report hazing he knew about. White, who is now on administrative leave, denies that he didn’t do enough.
White previously provided copies of letters to The Associated Press that he sent to Birch and Mingo in November, saying he was suspending them until a hazing investigation by university police was finished.
Three people were charged after alleged hazing ceremonies Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, when Bria Shante Hunter’s legs were beaten with fists and a metal ruler to initiate her into the “Red Dawg Order,” a band clique for students who hail from Georgia.
The Board of Governors — which oversees the state’s 11 public universities — launched its own investigation in November into whether FAMU officials had ignored past warnings about hazing. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also is investigating the Marching 100’s finances.
As he discussed the matter with his staff, Johnson's son Chad, who is an assistant, told his father he hadn't seen the best Watson.
Furthermore Chad told Johnson he might not see it in practice, but he'll see the difference at game time.
Johnson decided to take a chance and give Watson, who was academically ineligible for the first two months of the season, some playing time. He didn't put up particularly impressive numbers, but Johnson saw potential.
They were booked on a misdemeanor hazing charge and released on bail earlier this week. All denied that hazing occurred or said they didn’t know about it, according to the police report. None had attorneys as of Friday afternoon.
In November, FAMU drum major Robert Champion died hours after the Florida Classic football game in Orlando in what authorities said was a hazing ritual. His death has been ruled a homicide, but no charges have been brought.
The 26-year-old drum major suffered blunt trauma blows to his body while he was aboard a bus and died from shock caused by severe bleeding.
FAMU president James Ammons originally fired band director Julian White after Ammons said he failed to report hazing he knew about. White, who is now on administrative leave, denies that he didn’t do enough.
White previously provided copies of letters to The Associated Press that he sent to Birch and Mingo in November, saying he was suspending them until a hazing investigation by university police was finished.
Three people were charged after alleged hazing ceremonies Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, when Bria Shante Hunter’s legs were beaten with fists and a metal ruler to initiate her into the “Red Dawg Order,” a band clique for students who hail from Georgia.
The Board of Governors — which oversees the state’s 11 public universities — launched its own investigation in November into whether FAMU officials had ignored past warnings about hazing. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also is investigating the Marching 100’s finances.
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