[420 Girl]

As legal transgressions go, misdemeanor possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana is about as serious as getting a speeding ticket.

There is no jail time for a first offense under North Carolina law.

Those found guilty of the charge usually get a small fine, some probation and maybe a little community service before being sent on their merry way, no worse for wear.

That is, unless they happen to play college football at a high-profile school such as North Carolina or N.C. State.

In that case, the guilty parties have a lot more to worry about than a judge and that tiny little smudge on their permanent records.

Because of their celebrity status and the public institutions they represent, their most severe punishment usually ends up coming from their own coach.

So now we wait to see how the Tar Heels’ Butch Davis and the Wolfpack’s Tom O’Brien choose to deal with the wayward youth on their respective teams.

And perhaps more importantly, who acts first.

Though it’s probably in Davis’ best interest to fire a preemptive strike with a quick slap on the wrist of senior linebacker Quan Sturdivant, simple chronology suggests that it will probably be O’Brien, since his four players – All-ACC tight end George Bryan, starting left tackle Jake Vermiglio and defensive linemen Markus Kuhn and J.R. Sweezy – have been awaiting their discipline the longest.

The four were busted on April 24 when according to police reports, an off-duty Raleigh policeman “detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the doorway” of Bryan’s third-floor apartment at the off-campus College Inn.

Given the nature of the incident, O’Brien’s military background and his history in such cases, the Wolfpack Four is almost certainly facing some kind of suspension.

Whether the coach announces it to the media is another story.

As he proved in 2007 with the DWI arrest of offensive lineman Jeraill McCuller, O’Brien is even more guarded with his in-house discipline than he is with his weekly injury report. But if he really wants to stick it to UNC, even more so than the three straight times he’s beaten his rivals on the field, the Wolfpack coach will break with policy and go public with his punishment.

That way Davis will be forced to hand out the same penalty to Sturdivant, who was popped for misdemeanor possession last Saturday during a routine traffic stop near his home in Stanly County, or risk looking as though he’s letting one of his star players off easy.

It’s not that Davis is any softer on his players than O’Brien. He is, after all, the man credited with bringing discipline to what was once a rogue program at Miami. Davis just doesn’t have as much scheduling flexibility to make as strong a public statement.

It’s one thing to sit out four key players for a season-opener against Western Carolina or even a second game against Central Florida, especially when you’re going into a season with modest expectations.

But try taking a projected first-round NFL draft choice out of the middle of your defense for a make-or-break early stretch that includes games against perennial Southeastern Conference contender LSU and defending ACC champion Georgia Tech.

It could end up being the difference between the Tar Heels going to Charlotte for the league title game in early December and making the trek down I-85 later in the month for their third straight trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Considering the hype surrounding his program, the last thing Davis needs is an 0-2 start – which is why he’s likely to do everything in his power to keep Sturdivant in the lineup.

From the sound of things, the process has already begun.

“In addition to the outcome of the legal process, he also will face disciplinary action from within the football program beginning immediately,” Davis said in a statement issued Monday, after news of Sturdivant’s arrest first broke.

Translated, that means he’s probably already begun running sprints until he pukes, cleaning out trash cans and doing whatever other kind of penance Davis and his staff can think of to teach him the error of his ways.

But will that be enough?

Maybe. Maybe not.

It all depends on what O’Brien decides to do and who announces it first.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Wilmington Star News
Author: Brett Friedlander
Contact: Wilmington Star News
Copyright: 2010 Wilmington Star News
Website: Disciplinary decision at State could affect UNC’s season

* Thanks to MedicalNeed for submitting this article


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