Gonzaga Notes

KXLY.com wrote:Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few spoke out on Tuesday following reports he was cited for drunk driving.
“I believe as a leader and role model, I am expected to set only the best example. The decisions I made yesterday do not exemplify this standard and for that, I sincerely apologize to you all. I recognize that operating a motor vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol exhibits poor judgment. Regardless of the outcome of the pending investigation, I will never allow such a lapse in judgment to occur again. Please know that I am committed to learning from this mistake and will work to earn back your trust in me. I deeply regret disappointing any of the members of the community, the young men and women who comprise my campus community, and the University as a whole. In particular, I am sorry for the hurt that I have caused to those most important to me – my family, my players, and my program. I am exceedingly grateful to those who continue to offer support to me, especially my wife and children. Thank you.”

Spokesman-Review wrote:Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few’s breath smelled of alcohol and he had bloodshot eyes on the night he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, though he initially told a police officer he had not been drinking, according to newly released documents.

“Mark told me he had spent the day with his family. I asked him how much he had to drink today and Mark told me nothing. I did not believe that Mark was being truthful based on my previously stated observations,” Officer Matthew Lovingler is quoted as saying in the document that details his interactions with Few during a traffic stop Monday night in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Under further questioning by the officer, Few eventually said he had two beers that day, with his last beer coming about four hours before he was pulled over, according to the probable cause declaration filed by the officer.

Lovingler said in the documents that he asked Few to perform a field sobriety test but the officer said Few began arguing with him about whether or not the tests were subjective. Based on his observations, Lovingler determined it was unsafe for Few to drive a car and he handcuffed and arrested Few.

Few provided breath samples at the scene of .119 and .120, which is above the legal limit of .08. He was then taken at his request to a hospital to receive an independent blood draw. While there, Lovingler was contacted by his superiors and directed to release Few from custody and issue him a DUI citation. Few called a friend to pick him up from the hospital.

DoubleDipper wrote:Mark Few is an intensely private man, a good man, who did something colossally dumb, and I am guessing this is a traumatizing moment for him as his name is dragged across social media.

Few and his wife Marcy are pillars in the Spokane community, and have helped raise $millions in the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.

Perhaps it was a godsend that no one, including Few, was physically hurt.  He will pay a deserved price, and the yakkers will yak, but he is still a good man who has shown he is as human as any of us.

StudentPilot wrote:Not defending Few's actions, but wondering what any of us under the duress (scared s---less!) of being pulled over by police and under the influence of alcohol, that registered 0.12, would say in the same situation.

wrv wrote:Justice  delayed is justice denied: let's hope there is not great delay in addressing the  issue.

@willmaup wrote:Mark Few, the leader, will miss exactly as many regular season games as Josh Perkins, a sophomore, did for essentially the same charge. One was driving, one wasn’t. It’s fair to say Gonzaga’s not the do what’s right all the time program it once was.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Rough day for the sanctimonious GU fans that like to drone on about how their program is different. Turns out it’s not.

The worst part of it is adding an exhibition game in a woefully obvious attempt to lengthen the suspension. At the end of the day, he gets suspended for 1 regular season game and it’s against Dixie State. Full disrespect meant to Dixie State.

Any meaningful suspension would have included the Texas game. This is a minor poke to the wrist, not even a slap.

StudentPilot wrote:The school is still called Dixie St?  And they are located in Utah?

The AP wrote:Gonzaga coach Mark Few has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence in Idaho and must pay a fine of $1,000 in lieu of spending four days in jail, according to court documents.

He must also perform 24 hours of community service and his driver’s license was suspended until Nov. 5, after which he will be required to use an ignition interlock device while on unsupervised probation for the next year. Few has completed a required alcohol and drug class.

Few entered the plea during a hearing Friday, saying he was “pleading guilty because I am guilty,” according to the court documents.

The 58-year-old Few had faced a maximum penalty of six months in jail.

up7587 wrote:Did not watch GU's game with Memphis tonight.  Looking at some Twitter, Few and Timme were praising Nembhard for making 4 FTs under pressure.  Thought I'd check the box score.  No wonder.  In a game the Zags eked out by 4 points, they shot 54% on FTs, 13-24.  Yikes.  They are not likely to win four more games with that kind of FT shooting.

Drew Timme declares for the NBA Draft
He has hired a NCAA approved agent, so theoretically could still return for his senior season.

Geezaldinho wrote:It must be April

https://thecomeback.com/ncaa/gonzaga-big-east-rumors.html

up7587 wrote:
More ruminations on how GU can avoid playing WCC conference members.

https://medium.com/wills-wcc-blog/gonzagas-not-the-only-program-that-could-benefit-from-some-outside-the-box-scheduling-b6810e825c1d