Tommy Rees arrested…Let the Everett Golson Era begin

(The Trib)–Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees has been arrested and jailed on a preliminary felony charge following a confrontation with officers who were trying to break up a house party off campus early Thursday, police said. Rees, 19, was arrested on charges of resisting law enforcement, felony battery to law enforcement, minor consumption and public intoxication, according to police. South Bend police had received a call about a loud party at about 12:30 a.m. on Notre Dame Avenue, an off-campus area that is home to many Notre Dame students, South Bend police Capt. Phil Trent said. Officers found a “madhouse of people” drinking and congregating outside a home, enjoying the warm night, he said. “It was a nice night, they were drinking, they’re having a loud time, which is the reason we’re there.” As officers approached, five or six people hopped a fence and led police on a chase, Trent said. The officers caught up with the group and used their hands to corral them, but Rees “actively resisted,” Trent said. “It wasn’t terribly violent, but it was enough to be considered resisting,” he said.

 

Honestly, this seems like much ado about nothing.  Even the arresting officer said “it wasn’t terribly violent“.  Sounds like a group of college kids were drinking outside on a nice night and some pain in the ass neighbors called the cops to complain about the noise.  Everyone has been in a situation like that.  I don’t know how it escalated to the point where Rees was charged with felony battery of an officer, but the kid has to know better than that.  In that situation you have to show maturity and good judgement.  Either flee the scene over the fence like the other kids or take your drinking ticket and whatever slap on the wrist comes with it.  Poor decision-making seems to be a problem for Rees on and off the field.

Having said all of that, Rees could have been given a citizenship award last night and I would still argue that Everett Golson should be the starting QB this fall.  Golson is the perfect QB for the spread offense.  I look at him and I see Troy Smith.  An extremely athletic QB with a big and accurate arm who just happens to be a little undersized.  It was said that coming out of High School if Golson was 6’2″ instead of 5’11” he would have been the number one rated player in the country.  He has all the tools.  Golson was very impressive in the latest Blue-Gold spring scrimmage.  He put up the best numbers and was the only QB to not throw an interception.  Kelly says that he needs to improve his overall knowledge of the playbook and needs to make his reads more quickly.  All of that may be true, but that sounds like every QB on the Notre Dame roster.  The difference with Golson is that if he gets into trouble he is more likely to pull it down and extend the play with his legs while Rees will force it into coverage.  Golson has the least amount of experience(other than Kiel), but has the most talent.  I think this Rees incident should finally cement Golson as the number one option heading into the fall.  If Kelly wants to win he needs to let Golson spin.  The Irish have an absolutely murderous schedule in 2012, but Golson is the man to wake up the echoes.  GO IRISH.

 

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