Hats off to Mel Stewart who did the right the thing by outing John Trembly's malfeasance and subsequent drug dependency issues to both the University of Tennessee officials and later the police.
I commend Stewart because he illustrates how many problems in this sport would have been resolved or never would have happened in the first place if those who were in the know came forward and put a stop to such rotten behavior. Whistle blowers are a good thing.
Rotten behavior in the Tembly case defined: propositioning what he believed to be a 17-year-old boy to visit his hotel room in exchange for pot and methamphetamine as a reward. Collecting money from alumni in the guise of a school donation when it wasn't.
Latin saying: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" or who watches the watchmen? - In this case it was Mel Stewart.
From the Knox News:
The investigation kicked off with questions from a former Olympian about Trembley hitting up boosters for money. A graduate student, Drew Rutherford, complained on Dec. 2 that Trembley had asked former UT swimmer Melvin Stewart, a Trembley protégé and 1992 winner of two Olympic gold medals, for a check made payable to him personally, according to a UT police report.
Stewart then called Coleman Weibley, UT director of swimming operations, to ask what would be done with the money, saying Trembley might be hitting up others for cash as well. University officials questioned Trembley and brought up rumors of drug use that he didn't deny.
[Link]
The article I linked to details Mel's involment and it also details how pathetic Trembly was and what a complete embarrassment he is to the University of Tennessee and the coaching staff around him. The evil that men do live long after them... The University of Tennessee must be mortified that they actually paid this guy $180,000 a year to fleece their alumni for "crack money."
Incidents include bragging about his sexual prowess while under the influence of methamphetamine, or 'Ms Tina' as he called it, emails to what he presumed was a 17-year-old boy as mentioned above and that unto itself has a "creep factor" beyond belief."
Of course he blames all of this on depression; a rhetorical device politicians and movie stars use as of late, and I don't believe it. I acknowledge that every man and woman fights a private battle and that some people have more character than others but this guy had to drag an institution into the sewer with him.
USA Swimming should put him on the banned list. Maybe God and rehab "cured him" but the fact that he had the potential to solicit sex from a minor in exchange for the same drugs that corrupted him is too big of a crime to forgive.
2 comments:
Dude, do you deny that there's an ongoing battle with the Enemy? If you ignore that and simply claim that any man or woman is unforgivable suggests that we should all just give up hope. A lot of, if not all, people are living with a wound. If the wound can't be healed, then I guess all of us should accept it. I, for one, believe there's healing. And I, for one, was also personally inspired and led by this man at a time in my life when I really needed it. Would you suggest I not give him credit for the good he did for me and many others and instead condemn him? Sorry, but that just won't cut it. The man made some BIG mistakes. And now the man is dealing with it. And it's probably in his best interest that he gets support through it. Or would you also suggest that every wounded man be left to the Enemy?
The punishment should remain intact. I have no problems with the institution letting go with their resentment or anger.
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