Baylor's Rico Gathers Arrested for Trying to Push Loaded Shopping Cart Out of Walmart

[Joneslab]

The most amazing thing about this article is that Rico Gathers hasn't graduated. One of the better rebounders in the recent history of the game, but apparently not a great thief.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2015-06-10/rico-gathers-arrested-wal-mart-theft-baylor-bears-basketball-ncaa-college-basketball

[surveyor]

Sounds like he's trying to live up to his last name...............

[Uncle Dave]

Outstanding judgement by Rico.

[George]

He's used to people getting out of his way. Why would Wal-Mart be any different?

[Lighthouse]

Stealing anything is a big deal. Wonder what the Baylor coach thinks about this?

[Joneslab]

Matt Norlander ‏@MattNorlander 5m5 minutes ago Not good. Gathers is a dad, told me in Feb. his family of three tries to get by on 15K/year.

[Sean]

I can't imagine being single and getting by on 15K a year. Let alone a family of 3.

[Blue Heaven]

I guess one should weigh the circumstances of getting married so early and having kids while only making that little money. I don't feel sorry for him whatsoever. There comes a point in life where you have to stop pointing fingers and realize you are where you are because of the choices you make.

[Katmendo]

I can't imagine being single and getting by on 15K a year. Let alone a family of 3.

You can't imagine it because you have no concept of the subsidies and entitlements that exist. SNAP, subsidized rent and utilities, medical cards.

Take it from someone who sees it completely firsthand, there is very little family lifestyle difference between no income and 30k per year, in this country, if you're a family with children. Truth be told, the worst thing you can be is a young, poor, healthy male with no children. THEN you are absolutely destitute.

[Lighthouse]

You can't imagine it because you have no concept of the subsidies and entitlements that exist. SNAP, subsidized rent and utilities, medical cards.

Take it from someone who sees it completely firsthand, there is very little family lifestyle difference between no income and 30k per year, in this country, if you're a family with children. Truth be told, the worst thing you can be is a young, poor, healthy male with no children. THEN you are absolutely destitute.

And he's on scholarship so his meals are taken care of, and maybe his housing. I have no idea how that works.

[Joneslab]

Well, regardless of how bad off he is I guarantee he could've gone to somebody in the basketball program and said, "Look, I need a trash can and a mop" and whatever else was in that cart and it would have been provided for him. There's not going to be an NCAA investigation over a mop. (Although Rick Pitino did get investigated at Hawaii once for McDonald's hamburgers.)

I'd say he just found a scam and went back to the well, thinking he'd get away with it. I would bet he's done it quite a few times.

[KevinHall]

Well, regardless of how bad off he is I guarantee he could've gone to somebody in the basketball program and said, "Look, I need a trash can and a mop" and whatever else was in that cart and it would have been provided for him. There's not going to be an NCAA investigation over a mop. (Although Rick Pitino did get investigated at Hawaii once for McDonald's hamburgers.)

I'd say he just found a scam and went back to the well, thinking he'd get away with it. I would bet he's done it quite a few times.

I think you are exactly right. An athlete in a big time program, at one of the high level sports like basketball, isn't going to have any trouble finding anyone to help him out. He found something he could get away with and he did it. I don't doubt for a minute he had been doing this for awhile.