Knuckleheads here, knuckleheads there, knuckleheads everywhere.

Have you seen LiAngelo's new BBB shoes?

Broke Buster Brand

would make for a great Locked Up Abroad episode

If only these college athletes were like the uniforms and shoes, where after the game the equipment managers could just store them in lockers until needed for the next game. I wonder if any coach has ever had that thought go through their mind.

wacarnolds said:

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would make for a great Locked Up Abroad episode

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So UCLA is playing Georgia Tech in Shanghai on Friday to open the season. The Georgia Tech team must be secretly laughing their asses off.

Now if only the WVU coaches would give their boys some free time to tour some German malls tomorrow...

My guess is that there is something more to this story, but time will tell.

3 Sweet 16's in 4 years buys you a lot of leeway when it comes to knuckleheads.

free_mhayden said:

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3 Sweet 16's in 4 years buys you a lot of leeway when it comes to knuckleheads.

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Do you think that was part of their plea to the Chinese cops when they showed up?

free_mhayden said:

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3 Sweet 16's in 4 years buys you a lot of leeway when it comes to knuckleheads.

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I have no idea what this means.

So, here is just a guess. I did live in China for a year.

In some places in China, the police are basically like an entourage for local big wigs. I was friends with an English teacher from Australia who literally left in the middle of the night because he had a beef with a rich kid in his class and he heard from the other students that this kid's father, who was a local big shot, was sending his thugs/ police to beat him up.

My guess is these guys had a beef with somebody in a bar or restaurant or store, over a bill, or broke something or acted a fool and somebody had to save face. Just seems more likely to me than a kid who drives a Ferrari (I believe) and who, from everything I have read, has no history of this type of behavior shoplifting something in the traditional American sense of the phrase.

That being said, who knows. Sometimes folks do things that don't make no sense.

Stay in your lane China.

Breaking rules in authoritarian nations is a special kind of dumb...

Pumpkinhead said:

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So UCLA is playing Georgia Tech in Shanghai on Friday to open the season. The Georgia Tech team must be secretly laughing their asses off....

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Maybe after they changed their underwear. Members of their team got questioned and strong armed too at the team hotel.

Mikesyracuse1

mikesyracuse1 said:

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Pumpkinhead said:

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So UCLA is playing Georgia Tech in Shanghai on Friday to open the season. The Georgia Tech team must be secretly laughing their asses off....

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Maybe after they changed their underwear. Members of their team got questioned and strong armed too at the team hotel.

Mikesyracuse1

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Yeah, Mike, I noticed that later after my post. That the Chinese cops questioned several players from both teams for several hours.

If anyone hasn't read Goodman's article yet, here are the details, including the store involved.

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The players are being questioned about stealing from a Louis Vuitton store that is located next to the team's hotel.

A source tells ESPN the players are not currently with the team.
Multiple calls and texts to UCLA head coach Steve Alford at approximately 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning were not immediately returned.

UCLA released a statement: "We are aware of a situation involving UCLA student-athletes in Hangzhou, China. The University is cooperating fully with local authorities on this matter, and we have no further comment at this time."

One source told ESPN that nearly 20 police officers came into the Hyatt Hangzhou at approximately 8 a.m. local time Tuesday and spoke to multiple players from both Georgia Tech and UCLA. The players, according to the source, were kept in a room for hours and not allowed to speak to any of the coaches.
"They weren't messing around," the source told ESPN. "The kids were scared."

The Georgia Tech players were allowed to leave the room hours later, and the UCLA players were seen getting into a police vehicle around 1 p.m. local time, according to the source.
Georgia Tech released a statement to ESPN Tuesday, saying that three of their players were questioned by local authorities at their hotel.

"During the questioning, it was determined that Georgia Tech student-athletes were not involved in the activities being investigated," Georgia Tech said in the statement. "They have resumed their scheduled activities in advance of Saturday's season opener versus UCLA in Shanghai."
The teams are scheduled to visit Shanghai Disney Resort on Wednesday.

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That's the hotel where they are staying, not a store

mdanyc03 said:

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That's the hotel where they are staying, not a store

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Per article:

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The players are being questioned about stealing from a Louis Vuitton store that is located next to the team's hotel.

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Sorry that wasn't in the article when I read it .

greg.w.h said:

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Breaking rules in authoritarian nations is a special kind of dumb...

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https://sports.yahoo.com/liangelo-ball-ucla-teammates-face-3-10-years-prison-convicted-shoplifting-013958780.html

mazzag said:

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greg.w.h said:

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Breaking rules in authoritarian nations is a special kind of dumb...

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https://sports.yahoo.com/liangelo-ball-ucla-teammates-face-3-10-years-prison-convicted-shoplifting-013958780.html

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As much as I found the initial story relatively amusing, this makes it sound pretty serious.

Quote:

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The three men could be detained for more than a month without American-style bail before local prosecutors even decide whether to press charges, according to William Nee, a Hong Kong-based researcher of the Chinese court system for Amnesty International.

Nee said it is not uncommon for a defendant to wait 30-37 days before being officially indicted. Among those indicted, Chinese prosecutors enjoy a 99.2 percent conviction rate, according to Nee's research.

While it is unknown exactly what the players are being detained for, Chinese law calls for a fine and between three to 10 years in prison for anyone convicted of "robbing public or private property using force, coercion, or other methods."

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Quote:

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Nee, however, added that the United States consulate working with local attorneys may be able to get a resolution to their case sooner, although nothing is certain under the Chinese system.

"I would say they could be in quite a bit of trouble if they have solid proof that they shoplifted," Nee told Yahoo Sports. "However, part of it will depend on whether their lawyers, the university, or the U.S. consulate can advocate and negotiate on their behalf."

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China is not the United States. You are not a privileged class and the rules will apply. Entitled idiots. They better be praying that Trump saves their butts when he gets there at the end of the week.

GE said:

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mazzag said:

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greg.w.h said:

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Breaking rules in authoritarian nations is a special kind of dumb...

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https://sports.yahoo.com/liangelo-ball-ucla-teammates-face-3-10-years-prison-convicted-shoplifting-013958780.html

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As much as I found the initial story relatively amusing, this makes it sound pretty serious.

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Yeah, at first I was amused as well, and it was easy to crack jokes about it, but these kids sound like are in really serious trouble.

Pumpkinhead said:

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So UCLA is playing Georgia Tech in Shanghai on Friday to open the season. The Georgia Tech team must be secretly laughing their asses off.

Now if only the WVU coaches would give their boys some free time to tour some German malls tomorrow...

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Georgia Tech and Pastner will have their own issues to worry about. Pastner forgot the birthday of a "friend of the program" and the guy is ready to talk...

https://sports.yahoo.com/nobody-comes-looking-good-georgia-tech-impermissible-benefits-saga-162514812.html?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=yahoosports&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

Could wwIII be sparked by Lavar Ball?! That would be an interesting read in text books for the future.

Pumpkinhead said:

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GE said:

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mazzag said:

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greg.w.h said:

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Breaking rules in authoritarian nations is a special kind of dumb...

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https://sports.yahoo.com/liangelo-ball-ucla-teammates-face-3-10-years-prison-convicted-shoplifting-013958780.html

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As much as I found the initial story relatively amusing, this makes it sound pretty serious.

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Yeah, at first I was amused as well, and it was easy to crack jokes about it, but these kids sound like are in really serious trouble.

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Them being in serious trouble, and my being amused...aren't mutually exclusive.

_lefraud_ said:

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Could wwIII be sparked by Lavar Ball?! That would be an interesting read in text books for the future.

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Trump and the China guy are golf buddies apparently. I find it more probable that Lavar gets impatient with the process, runs his mouth about Trump, and little Ball spends more time in Chinese jail than we would hope.

This article says China has some of strictest shop lifting laws in the world. Says for example a Chinese woman got 10 years in prison for stealing a cell phone.

If they actually took something and are guilty, it sounds like a lot of negotiation by the US government is going to be required.

Between the FBI investigation and now this, This has been one of the most bizarre college basketball off-seasons that I can remember.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/newsone.com/3757629/china-shoplifting-laws-liangelo-ball-arrested-punishment/amp/

CactusThomas said:

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You should thumbs up this. I am glad Lavar was able to keep his mouth shut for the good of his kid and the two other guys

it must be real serious if it made LaVar keep his mouth shut

Is there any way we can exchange LaVar Ball for the shoplifters? Tell the Chinese they can just toss him in a gulag and forget about him.

Guess the players aren't getting "paid" enough.

Quote:

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Bell is a recovering addict who spent more than four years in prison from 2009 to 2013.

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Pastner is an idiot.