Most of us probably know someone who has struggled with alcoholism or another addiction of some sort, perhaps a friend, family member or loved one. When that person finds a way to overcome those demons, especially for an extended period of time, they deserve praise and respect, not taunts and vilification.
That’s what makes this story all the more troubling and sad.
University of Wyoming administrators recently apologized to Colorado State University men’s basketball coach Larry Eustachy after their students chanted at Wednesday’s game, calling Eustachy an “alcoholic.”
Perhaps what’s worse is what prompted it: “The chants followed the distribution of a university-produced flier that highlighted Eustachy’s struggles with alcoholism and urged students to lock their doors while he was in town,” reports The Coloradoan.
The article goes on to state:
The handout showed an infamous picture of Eustachy partying with University of Missouri co-eds when he was a coach Iowa State University in 2003. Eustachy is open about his struggles with addiction, and when he was hired by CSU last year he told the Coloradoan he regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. …
(Wyoming athletics spokesman Tim) Harkins said interns in the Wyoming athletics marketing office created the flier, which he said “admittedly did not get properly reviewed.” He said the university is changing how it reviews fliers.
The chants received attention from both ESPN and Sports Illustrated, which ran a story titled “Why Taunting Larry Eustachy isn’t Funny. At all.”
Eustachy says he will mark a decade of sobriety next month. …
“I’m a firm believer in a higher power that I call God and that this was all structured for a reason,” Eustachy said shortly after he was hired at CSU. “… I think God uses all of us in certain ways. Obviously, I do his work, and he thought it was best that I recognize that I have a condition and that I address it.”
Congratulations on the achievement, Eustachy. You’re a role model.
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