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(05-11-2017 01:18 PM)BlazerMatt Wrote:  Now we know why Oliver Robinson retired. Really slimy if true.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index....l#comments

Es - Tu Olivier

Sad story but it seem that everyone who work inside those building end up with cancer ;(

https://twitter.com/WarOnDumb/status/878298598244573186


Kyle Whitmire‏Verified account @WarOnDumb

Hey, @Josh_Moon, isn't weird that a Dem lawmaker is pleading guilty to bribery and yet @yhn hasn't mentioned it? Strange, right?


(@yhn is Yellowhammer News, who would normally be beating a crooked Democrat story to death... but when you look at who was paying Oliver you probably understand why they are quiet as the grave this time.)


This one is worth a look too:

https://twitter.com/JohnArchibald/status...2681302017

(06-23-2017 01:02 PM)randy22263 Wrote:  

(06-23-2017 12:14 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(06-22-2017 05:49 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(06-22-2017 04:48 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  

(06-22-2017 04:25 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  Not going to happen. Revisionist history is a terrible thing.

I know it's not going to happen and it's not revisionist

His jersey is retired for his accomplishments on a basketball court. These are two separate issues and neither has anything to do with the other.

Subway should keep running Jared ads because those were shot based on his accomplishments in weight loss.

Oliver took money from Drummond Coal which employs miners, and Jared had sex with a minor. Yes, I understand how one would fail to recognize the distinction. At least he hasn't been compared to OJ.....yet.

There is also the fact that Jared was a paid spokesperson for Subway. He is no longer being paid, which is why they don't run his ads. Of course he is not being paid because of what he did.

Oliver was never a paid spokesperson for UAB athletics. He was actually somewhat estranged from UAB for several years I recall until either Davis or Haase reached out to him and brought him back in.

I wonder how the North Birmingham residents, who will face life-threatening medical conditions, in part because Oliver was more interested in taking bribes (money from a member of the ever-so-reviled BOT) than protecting them, feel about his basketball exploits. UAB should elect not to recognize his accomplishments, not just because he stands to be convicted of a serious crime, but particularly given the context in which they were allegedly committed, i.e. harming the citizens of Birmingham at the financial behest of BOT business interests.

(06-23-2017 05:15 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote:  I wonder how the North Birmingham residents, who will face life-threatening medical conditions, in part because Oliver was more interested in taking bribes (money from a member of the ever-so-reviled BOT) than protecting them, feel about his basketball exploits. UAB should elect not to recognize his accomplishments, not just because he stands to be convicted of a serious crime, but particularly given the context in which they were allegedly committed, i.e. harming the citizens of Birmingham at the financial behest of BOT business interests.

Oliver made many game winning shots for us. I suppose we should remove those from the record books as well. I guess we should take away our Elite 8 finish in 1982 which we would not have without him.

I hate what he did as a representative, but I refuse to disavow what he did as a basketball player.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index....3ca3f29366

From 2014:

"Late last month, Attorney General Luther Strange joined the fray. He reiterated LeFleur's arguments, and warned that the state would refuse to offer any cleanup funding should the companies not pay for it.

"The State of Alabama has been unmistakably clear that no State money will be expended to assist in any clean-up effort at the 35th Avenue Superfund site," Strange wrote."

(06-23-2017 11:07 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(06-23-2017 05:15 PM)TPBlaze84 Wrote:  I wonder how the North Birmingham residents, who will face life-threatening medical conditions, in part because Oliver was more interested in taking bribes (money from a member of the ever-so-reviled BOT) than protecting them, feel about his basketball exploits. UAB should elect not to recognize his accomplishments, not just because he stands to be convicted of a serious crime, but particularly given the context in which they were allegedly committed, i.e. harming the citizens of Birmingham at the financial behest of BOT business interests.

Oliver made many game winning shots for us. I suppose we should remove those from the record books as well. I guess we should take away our Elite 8 finish in 1982 which we would not have without him.

I hate what he did as a representative, but I refuse to disavow what he did as a basketball player.

wont happen but yes at this point I would remove him from all uab records. of course I'm the same person that thinks Penn State and State College, PA should both be bulldozed and the ground salted so nothing will grow their in the future.

History is packed with people who accomplished great things and did terrible things during their lives...It's called life. This is why its so important to never place a living person on a pedestal, because its impossible for them to stand there for long.
I moved on from Oliver years before this revelation came out...I gave up when I observed he had given up on UAB and loved all things BAMA. I gave up when his political talk did not match his walk...(you would have to be there...) But, I am against washing out history...I hate it when society remove there good, bad and ugly past, it distorts the reality of the nature of mankind to future generations.
Oliver's accomplishments on the Athletic Courts at UAB and in the Criminal Courts in Birmingham is the story of many men and women through out history. This is a story of a man that need to be told. Pulling down jerseys and deleting records is the easy way if you want to be punitive, but it will not be a complete or true story. When future fans asks, who was Oliver Robinson? The answer should be, he was a Birmingham kid, a UAB basketball legend, All American, a father and politician.
A man who did some good and some bad things for and to the Birmingham community the latter of which he was indicted and imprisoned for. Future UAB players can learn from the rise and fall of a UAB legend. But they will learn nothing if we white wash Oliver Robinson, and the potential for man to change and overcome. The story is not complete...

These arguments parallel those over Pete Rose in baseball. He was banned from baseball for life because while a manager he placed bets on games - including those involving his team - so he is denied a place in the Hall of Fame for his playing days.
Many have spoken up for him to be admitted for his playing days only. To date, these pleas have been disregarded.

BTW, It was a high ranking Republican leader named Blount who paid the bribes to County Commissioner Larry Langford. Langford got a 15 year sentence and Blount got a 4 year sentence.

do you have to graduate to have your number retired?

Kevin Scarbinsky weighs in.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/...river_home

I completely agree with Scarbo's take.

One of the rare times, I agree with him too.

I agree too. The two things have nothing to do with each other.

As a whole, society needs to stop putting athletes on pedastals. We like to act like people are decent human beings simply because they are good at something that entertains us.

Wave to Kevin......

Blazertalk...Providing hack columnists with story ideas since 2004.

Archibald brings it.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017...ad_to.html

Attorney 1 and Employee 1

Not overly surprised by the names. This may spread alot further than people think....

Oh, I'm hoping so. There are a few names that are very familiar to Blazer fans who might get caught up in this before it is all over with.

"Alabama Power has been adamant that the money comes out of shareholder pockets, and not that of customers."

Well, that's just stupid. Ultimately, where does that money in shareholder pockets come from?