Yes, I know that my science blogging has been light as of late but I couldn't resist putting up this article I found in today's local fishwrapper.
Two of the most polarizing names in American politics and US collegiate athletics, respectively, come together as Rudy Giuliani's son sues Duke University for being booted from their NCAA men's golf team.
DURHAM - Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and a rising senior at Duke University, is the latest in a wave of Blue Devil students to take grievances from the playing fields or classrooms to the courthouse.
Giuliani, no longer the impish, roly-poly 7-year-old whose goofing stole the show at his father's mayoral inauguration, is trying to make a federal case against the university and the coach who kicked him off the golf team.
Now 22, he filed suit in Greensboro federal court late Wednesday against Duke and O.D. Vincent, the university's head golf coach.
Giuliani claims that Vincent, who took over the Blue Devils team in June 2007, trumped up misconduct allegations to force him out and turn his teammates against him.
The alleged "misconduct" of the younger Giuliani cited as cause for his dismissal from the team are described as inadequate reasons in the suit as follows:
* On Feb. 2, according to the suit, Giuliani flipped his putter a few feet to his golf bag.
* On Feb. 3, Giuliani leaned over his driver and it broke, and, according to the suit, "in O.D. Vincent's telling this became 'throwing and breaking' a club."
* On Feb. 3, Giuliani walked ahead of his playing partner at Treyburn Golf Course, and later that day "gunned the engine" of his car and "drove fast while leaving the golf course parking lot."
* On Feb. 4, during a golf-team football game, "Andrew played harder than some of the other boys wanted to play."
I don't know. The rest of the article makes it seems to me that Giuliani was simply one of six or seven players cut from the team. The career average of the rising senior was a 76 with one under-par round. I'd kill to shoot that but, then again, I still wouldn't expect to make the cut for a top 10 NCAA golf team.
Of course, I can't let this post end without commenting that the young Mr Giuliani should know better than to flip his putter.
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the article states the contract was the basis of the lawsuit, but doesn't say that the contract specified that he would actually be kept on the team for 4 years- it just mentions that he would have access to the training facilities for life if he paid 4 years of tuition. huh? his complaint is that he was kicked off the team, unless he was also denied access to the facilities i don't see where the contract problem lies.
yeah, duke has made some tremendous errors in judgment in recent years. but this doesn't strike me as worth getting too worked up about.
Agreed, leigh - I just saw this on the frontpage this morning when walking out to get the paper and thought the whole issue was rather comical. All universities have these kinds of issues but I thought that the convergence of Giuliani and Duke was something like fodder for Saturday Night Live.
First PP apologizes and then this, the apocalypse must be hastening!
Seriously though, I have noticed that Rudy has been reappearing as a talking head for McCain lately. In case anyone was wondering just how out of touch with reality these people are this has got to be the kicker. Can't wait to see what Olberman does with this one next time Rudy shows up spouting off for McCain.
It is indeed pretty comical.
I wanted to put up a post about this but couldn't decide whether it should go in the "Fortunate Son Chronicles" or the "Whiny-ass titty baby chronicles".