ND student dies at football practice

[GoBoilers]

Not for 1 second do I not believe the vast majority of blame rests with the ND athletic department as I post. He was just a young impressionable kid. I would hope had I been in his position that I would have recognized the danger and gotten off. Thus, I am alluding there is a small part of personal responsibility without knowing all the facts. Kind of like looking BOTH ways before crossing the street and not counting on a signal light or some crossing guard telling me to cross. I will still look for myself.

A couple of years ago at Purdue a 19 year old student got electrocuted in a utility/closet room at his dorm. While these fact are not even closely related to the ND situation a lot of questions went into the investigation. It was his own dorm so why was he in that room? Was he drunk and disoriented etc.... I am sure Purdue paid off very quickly the family so as not to drag out the story. It just begs more questions on the ND tragedy.

[Spence]

I believe that most of the blame lies with the athletic department too. I just don't believe it lies with the head football coach. The athletic department is over every facet of the althletic machine, including the video arm of it. I do believe personal reponsibility should have played a part. I also know that when I was his age, I would have probably went up as well. I hope I would have come down, but knowing me back then, I probably wouldn't have because I didn't think about dying back then. So even though he should have not gone up or at least come down when he realized it was dangerous, but I probably wouldn't have.

I think - like Cane - his direct supervisor is directly responsible. I think the Athletic Director is also responsible for his employees following OSHA regulations. He is over the student's supervisor. It is ultimately up to him to dictate that everyone is following the rules. The video dept. supervisor should be fired without any question. He dropped the ball in a big way. Then, personally, I would have a problem with the AD being on site and not telling the kid to come down. He would have known the lift was elevated - it isn't like it was in a tower. So personally, I probably get rid of the AD as well. I want a guy in that position to be able to see potential problems and it seems to me that would be a glaring one.

[Dossenator]

My point is, if it should have been that obvious to the ad that it should have been that obvious to the head coach. I think they should both lose their jobs. Who is this video for...the coaching staff. Kelly is playing the ignorant card....I didn't even think about the kid on the lift....and ultimately is going to hide behind some lacky who will lose their job.

Any coach that has that little of control over his practices needs to be fired. A good coach (or any coach with just an ounce of common sense) would have never had the kid go up on the lift or held practice outside in those conditions. When Kelly made the decision to be outside he made the decision that everything was as normal. To not consider every aspect of practice when deciding whether or not to be inside or outside is a major flaw by Kelly and the reason why this should ultimately rest on his shoulders. The AD does not decide if they are having practice inside or outside.

And I would like to see a little bit of remorse from Kelly. His comments make it sound like it was just another day at practice that day....we practiced, a kid died, we practiced some more....now we have to get ready for the next opponent.

The whole situation stinks...and when it comes down to it, no matter who is fired, or sued, the kid is still gone and you have a distraught family wondering all the what ifs.

[WoVeU]

I know one thing, the kid reports to somebody. He gets a wage, or he gets credit...or something. This person has to be held accountable. But I think Doss speaks to the general presence of, well, a field general! I get he may never note what is going on in the world of that young man, but he is not totally relieved of some responsibility in the matter. I know a few things, if I was at a WVU practice and just spectating and I look and see a kid on a lift...I'm on the field and ordering him down...and I guarantee you, he will come down. Then if I needed to deal with security and Coach Stew so be it! (But I have spent my entire adult life working in dangerous environments, so my programming could be a good deal different.) Another thing I know, these things are best prevented well ahead of time. The decision of when and when you don't practice outside; conditions, parameters, and everything related to that has to be laid out ahead of time. So when the conditions arise you don't have confusion and a bunch of communication and considering.
But I have to say I think the AD tried to put forth an interpretation of events that would lay a foundation for the gust that tipped the lift over was the first anywhere near that sort. So they may well say they have conditions that are observed for determination of moving practice to indoors, but it should be on weather reports and forecasts, not what you see and feel...and from the reports that day they should have been indoors.

[Spence]

But I have to say I think the AD tried to put forth an interpretation of events that would lay a foundation for the gust that tipped the lift over was the first anywhere near that sort. So they may well say they have conditions that are observed for determination of moving practice to indoors, but it should be on weather reports and forecasts, not what you see and feel...and from the reports that day they should have been indoors

The same front came through here and there were advance warnings of big gusts of wind for at least a day. So the AD either didn't watch any weather reports are South Bend has a really bad weatherman. I think the point here is that the head coach isn't required or responsible to know the limitations of a scissor lift. Having practice outdoors wasn't unsafe for anyone except people standing on unstable surfaces in the air. It probably would have been good for the coach to recognize an unsafe condition for the person taping his practice, but it isn't his responsibility. I agree with Doss, though, that Kelly didn't publically show remorse and in that he could have been more responsible because he a public face of the school.

[WoVeU]

I want to recognize Notre Dame in showing rare class and honor in accepting responsibility for their student's death. This doesn't happen too often.