Friday, July 2, 2010
Sports D.O.W.: Damon Evans (did you expect anything else?) UPDATED w/ police report
Posted by Ben Bussard on Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 5:47 PM
- The physical likeness between Evans and Woods is undeniable, no?
If you haven't heard by now, UGA Athletic Director Damon Evans was arrested on Wednesday night after allegedly operating his 2009 BMW under the influence of alcohol.
Making matters worse—and more socially provocative—Evans, a married man with two children, was in the company of a 28-year-old woman who, let's just say...doesn't share a last name with Mr. Evans.
Possible infidelity, damaged reputations, fractured relationships and depleted finances.
All that I could thing about when watching this story develop yesterday was how similar the circumstances were to another African-American sports figure and his appetite for the occasional white mistress: Tiger Woods.
As if Evans wasn't in enough trouble, today's release of his DUI police report mentions that Evans "had a red pair of lady's panties between his legs" (WHOOPS) and apparently tried to use his AD status as a bribe.
Read the complete police report here
Let's compare the two shall we:
—While Woods is in a wealth neighborhood all by himself, both he and Evans shouldn't have any problems living in between paychecks, but both also had an awful lot to lose from their individual transgressions.
Transgressions that were uncovered after some rather questionable driving displays—with Woods crashing into a tree and Evans failing to maintain his lane.
—Many would argue that Woods is the most recognizable athlete in the world while Evans, a senior administrator at the state's flagship University, is regarded as one of the most influential people in the entire state of Georgia. Needless to say, Evans and Woods are very high-profile figures.
—Both Evans and Woods (and Sheriff Bart) apparently have an affinity for women of a lighter shade.
—Both Evans and Woods were "happily" married men with two children of opposite sexes.
—Both Evans and Woods had to deliver very public and distressing press conferences in front of family members and members of the media, but that's where the similarities between the two wealthy African-American sports figures end.
Here's why:
One can only assume that extramarital affairs between Evans and Courtney Fuhrmann—the aforementioned female passenger—had occurred, or were imminent, on Wednesday night, but that doesn't mean that they did. And there's a more-than-decent chance that Evans, unlike Woods, isn't hiding nearly three years of infidelities with multiple partners.
Evans also owned up to his mistake less than 24 hours after the public became aware of the story—unlike Woods who went into hiding for nearly three months before offering an over-scripted and painfully staged media address.
Amid all of Evans' poor decision making leading to his arrest, major kudos go to the soon-to-be former AD—or his media relations director—for the expediency at which his press conference was conducted and performed.
Scriptless, Evans came out and spoke from his heart and expressed deep remorse for his actions—and for that he should be applauded.
Unfortunately for Evans, his sincerity and earnestness in the aftermath of his arrest will likely go unrewarded as it's anticipated that UGA President Michael Adams will terminate Evans in the coming days.
If that proves to be the case, at least Damon Evans gave it his best shot at trying to be the anti-Tiger Woods:
Comments (20)
Showing 1-20 of 20
Believe me, Ben. If you've never driven around Buckhead with a 28 year-old white woman in your car, you're missing out.
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Please investigate as NO ONE in the Bulldawg Nation at AJC or ABH will! Damon was harrassing a coed this past year. Chedck open records UGA police. Damon got caught with an intern in his office doing the dirty around 2005. Mandy was shipped off to Nike in OR. Damon has been involved ith Courtney Furhmann since she was a UGA Athlete! yes yes....there is NOTHING humble about this man. Keep in mind he fired a trainer for getting a cheerleader pregnant even though they were engaged. And he fired the cheer coach for supposedly not treating a Jewish cheerleader fairly. Bull. That Jew had never even set foot in a synogoge & is now married to a Catholic! The Jew also told the other cheerleaders that she had Damon "eating out of her hand". No doubt!
How embarrassing. I'm glad I have a job that gives me the freedom to explore the foibles that come with being human without having to sit through a press conference.
I agree. The odd focus on the "white mistress" and the tiger woods comparisons in this article are rather distressing and distasteful. I expect better from a publication that tries to portray itself as progressive.
Bussard's thinly veiled bigoted comments are actually as disturbing as Evans' lack of judgment.
personally, i don't believe that any person of power and influence goes about his/her life without "exploring" the boundaries of it, but when caught, they should expect to suffer the consequences for their behavior.
Evans will hopefully be a better person for this experience (and counseling), in the long run. UGA will move on. i hope for the best for Evans & his family.
As a man of color, I do not have a problem with the statement of the color of his mistress. Black men have yet to learn that being in a position of power (rare) set themselves up for this type of incident. White women, who would normally NOT give a black man the time of day, thrives on the challenge and conquest! While the story puts Mr. Evans in a bad light, the female is to me, actually WORSE! White women are NOT pure and she is NOT innocent. Two immatue and selfish people made a bad decision and will suffer the fallout (unfortunately Mr. Evans moreso and rightfully too). I do NOT agree with the TW analogy either. Again, white women are NOT pure and innocent! Interestingly, more and more and being exposed for liking black @&$% and white men ARE upset!
As a man of color, I do not have a problem with the statement of the color of his mistress. Black men have yet to learn that being in a position of power (rare) sets themselves up for this type of incident. White women, who would normally NOT give a black man the time of day, thrives on the challenge and conquest! While the story puts Mr. Evans in a bad light, the female is to me, actually WORSE! White women are NOT pure and she is NOT the people. Two immatue and selfish people made a bad decision and will suffer the fallout from it. I do NOT agree with the TW analogy either. Again, white women are NOT pure and innocent! Interestingly, more and more and being exposed for liking black @&$% and white men ARE upset!
Fire Damon.
Fire Bussard.
Then how about CL gets back to being an "alternative," weekly instead of trying to become AJC jr.
I agree in as much as race 'should not' still be relevant in this story. The fact that it is still mentioned is its own relevance. Would the story be reported any differently if the mistress were black, hispanic, or asian? It is not likely that an incident of this magnitude is this gentleman's first transgression. Men and women in power are afforded for a time 'passes' on their bad behavior. Hubris is an intoxicating, deceptive, then destructive mistress. He like any other person in this position should suffer the consequences of his actions and hopefully find healing for his family and himself.
I also found the article disturbing for the TW comparison. Did they end up doing a blood test? Wondering what his level was.
C'mon guys.
How can you deny the similarity to Tiger? (On a much smaller scale of course in terms of wealth, notoriety and public intrigue) But don't be surprised if a Tiger-like onslaught of past infidelities surfaces in the coming days for Evans.
So everytime a black guy gets caught with a white woman we are going to play the Tiger Card?
I guess he's a public figure but i don't know I am not comfortable at all with it.
Seems like a cheap over generalization which is how stereotyping begins.
Damon Evans' behavior was "wreckless", without question. However, high profile men regardless of their race need to to take "extreme care and caution"
in the management of their personal lives. Black men with white mistresses is nothing new, btw; heavyweight champion boxer, Jack Johnson in the 1920's for example. White men with black mistresses is nothing new either.Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, had a "long term relationship" with his "slave mistress" Sally Hemmings!
Damon Evans' behaviour was wreckless, without question. High profile men, regardless of race, should exercise "extreme care and caution" in the management of their personal lives.
Black men with white "mistresses" is nothing new; whether it's Tiger Woods, or boxing champion Jack Johnson in the 1920's.
White men with black "mistresses" is nothing new at all either! Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States had a "long term relationship" with
his "slave mistress" Sally Hemmings!
I think the central issue here is that Damon Evans was
one, DUI; which is in violation of the law; his skin color being irrelevant.
The primary "hot button" or secondary issue is that he was in the company of a woman, not his wife.
The other "item to be considered" was that the woman
found in his company was white and the fact of the
matter is,some people, in general,whether they're from the South or the North for that matter, are still
"uncomfortable" with black men and white women "being seen together"...
TallinDC:
Who said white women were pure? The fact is Evans was married, driving the car and the one with a high profile job. He was infinitely the bigger idiot, it has nothing to do with purity. The girl was probably a dirt bag too since I'm sure she knew Evans was married with children.
I imagine some white men might be mad but black women tend to get much more upset since the pool of eligible black males isn't exactly very deep. Take this exactly as I wrote it.
My heart aches for the two Mrs. Evans - Damon's wife and his mother. I felt the same way when Tiger Woods' infidelities came to light. As a wife and mother of two grown sons, I find myself identifying with the pain, disappointment and embarassment these incidents have caused the wives and mother's of these high-profile men.
Damon Evans and his family have a long, difficult road ahead of them and I wish them well.
Georgia Mom
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