This is about as sad as it gets
February 26, 2008
John Brumbaugh
From the Lake-County News Sun:
Addressed to the parents of Waukegan High sophomore Jereme Richmond, the contents spelled out that because the 15-year-old violated the school’s Code of Ethics for a second time (the first time involved fighting with a teammate back in November that got Richmond a three-game suspension), that the nation’s No. 2-ranked sophomore basketball player was, effective immediately, kicked off the Bulldogs’ basketball team.
But first, let’s try and run through the chronology of last Thursday night/Friday that resulted in Richmond’s dismissal from the team.
n On the court Thursday night, Waukegan lost 57-55 to Loyola in the regular-season finale in a game the Bulldogs definitely could have won.
n In the locker room after the game, there was a confrontation between Richmond and first-year coach Ron Ashlaw.
When contacted over the weekend, Ron said he wouldn’t describe the discussion as a “blowout,” but more a matter of Richmond “questioning the play-calling, and placing the blame solely on my shoulders for the Loyola loss.”
According to sources, at some point, Richmond was told by Ashlaw to turn in his uniform, and he agreed.
He’s also a lot like other 15-year-olds in that he likes to push the envelope, and see how far he can move it … especially when the topic is something in which he’s well-versed — in this case, basketball.
Thursday night’s disagreement with his coach in the locker room wasn’t the first disagreement with his coach in a locker room following a game this season.
Sources have suggested there have been a half-dozen post-game “discussions” between star player and coach.