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JaRon Rush won't be on Jeff Boschee's coaching staff at The Barstow School in Kansas City, Mo., after all, according to Head of School Art Atkison.
"I am partially responsible for this confusion," Atkison wrote in an e-mail to the Journal World. "I had previously told Jeff that we would not hire Mr. Rush because of his past reputation. Later, Jeff asked if I would mind if JaRon volunteered to help kids with certain skills. Since JaRon's son is a Barstow student, I said that I thought that would be all right - just on a volunteer basis. Somewhere in that exchange was the misunderstanding between Jeff and me. All I would like to see is the record set straight. Because of this misunderstanding, Jaron will probably not be volunteering. Thanks."
Atkison did not respond to a follow-up e-mail inquiring as to what specificially he meant by Rush's "past reputation."
Boschee did not return a phone message.
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Comments
txrockchalk (anonymous) says…
Does anyone have any inside scoop on this? I can't imagine Mr. Atkison would just throw that out there without any substantiation. Unless it's something completely reprehensible, it would have been nice if JaRon had been afforded the opportunity to volunteer and rise above whatever Mr. Atkison is alluding to.
ChiJayhawk21 (anonymous) says…
He took cash while at UCLA and was kicked off the team.
mdonahue (anonymous) says…
I can't imagine it has anything to do with his 2 DUIs whenhe blew upwards of .03
TrueBlue92 (anonymous) says…
I can understand why he might not be coach, but why not allow him to volunteer?
Jeff, what have you gotten yourself into?
RonBurgandy (anonymous) says…
That is all just an excuse. The real story is Rush backed out of the deal. Isn't that what people do nowadays?
OwenJarvisIII (anonymous) says…
Rumor has it Rush had already talked all the Barstow kids into foregoing the rest of their high school and college eligibility and jumping to the NBA...
JayCeph (anonymous) says…
If Rush's money is good enough to send his kids to Barstow, then he should be good enough to volunteer/coach.
If his past is so reprehensible, then maybe they shouldn't let his kin go to school there... you know, because of their negative influence. *sic*
KU (anonymous) says…
I'm glad somebody at Barstow had enough sense to overrule Boschee's bad judgement. As I posted on the original story--Is Rush's hiring the first sign that Boschee has bad judgement? That was just a stupid request on his part. You've got to hire people that are above reproach to coach kids.
After getting thrown under the bus publicly by the head of the school, I doubt if JaRon chooses to send his kids back to Barstow in the fall.
JayCeph (anonymous) says…
How will this impact the role Boschee plays at that school now? Will people think he has no pull? No power/authority? Since the head of school essentially called out Boschee for bad judgment, will the students and their parents respect him enough to let him coach their kids?
They should have handled this behind closed doors instead of making it such a public spectacle. Now, they all look like asses.
bulldawgs (anonymous) says…
So JaRon has the scarlet letter and is banished from the basketball profession for a lifetime?
I am glad I didn't make any adolescent mistakes
justanotherfan (anonymous) says…
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this has something to do with his getting Pembroke on probation after he left. Those two schools are very similar and I wouldn't be shocked if this was their way of "getting back" at the Rush's for soiling Pembroke's name (although it was the alums who decided to grant them scholarships so they could attend and win those state titles).
KU (anonymous) says…
Bulldawgs......Only to the extent that he disqualified himself from being in a position of influence in the lives of impressionable teenagers has JaRon been banished from basketball. (Emphasis on "himself".)
I was as competitive as anybody when I played HS basketball, but as I grow older I realize that the true value of the sport wasn't how many wins my team could compile but how many life lessons I learned from my coaches and just the act of playing.
There are sooooo many life lessons to be learned from youth athletics. I, for one, believe those lessons are best learned under the tutelage of coaches that are men of integrity and beyond reproach.
justanotherfan (anonymous) says…
KU, what you say is true... except for the fact that very few high school coaches these days are beyond reproach. I've read so many stories about coaches having elicit relationships with students, being abusive, disrespectful or confrontational with parents and players, etc.
Many other coaches have not sullied their names with controversy, but I would hesitate to make it seem as though the typical high school coach is an upstanding individual. Talk to the students at the schools. They can point out which coaches are role models and which are coaches in name only.
KU (anonymous) says…
justanotherfan......Your points are valid. But my point is that if you KNOW the guy's reputation BEFORE you hire him, it's your bad as an administrator. I contend that the vast majority of coaches that are poor role models are hired without sufficient evidence to their true character.
In JaRon's case, the evidence of his character is quite public and has always been abundant.
jehillia (anonymous) says…
Has everyone forgot where Boschee played college ball at? You mean to tell me he can't find any better prospects other than Jaron Rush. Don't get me wrong, it would be a great opportunity for Jaron to clean up his act, but Boschee has got to have more contacts and more credible coaching prospects. He came from a traditon rich program full of former players wanting to get into coaching....Nick Bradford, Jeff Hawkins...just to name a few....
fdalpd (anonymous) says…
Jackass, .08 is the legal limit. You can have a .03 BAL by taking cough syrup.
JayCeph (anonymous) says…
If that is the legal limit for jackasses, what is it for the rest of us?
KU_Kiwi (anonymous) says…
Jayceph, I would image Jeff's influence or "pull" will depend on what he does with the basketball team. Remember, he is new there too. He has to define his own level of influence through his program and personal character. I believe he will do fine.
Jaron might have jilted us, but the Rush family now has KU connections. Let's not disrespect any of them too badly. With all that happened, it probably worked out well for KU that Jaron didn't come here. However, Brandon is here. He has done well and comported himself well, as a true Jayhawk should. This could one of those situation where KU fans should not be partisan about Jaron's past jilting of KU. The less comment the better. How would you feel if people were saying bad things about your family? Let's not put Brandon in that position.
KURUSH1530 (anonymous) says…
I'd like to agree with KU_Kiwi on this one..besides, can someone please inform the last time Jaron had a run in with the authorities? I'm just curious.
KURUSH1530 (anonymous) says…
oh, did anyone see that girl for Tennesse in the softball college world series playing with a torn acl? All she did was put a brace on it, seriously.
kc_wildfire (anonymous) says…
kukrush...
Just an assumption on my part...
That girl's future probably doesn't depend on her knee as much as Rush's does so taking a chance to play in the College World Series is an opportunity of a lifetime for her that outweighs the risk.
Rush on the other hand more than likely won't take much risk, if any, with his knee. I see no chance of him playing until his knee is 100%.
ku_bringback_danny (anonymous) says…
Can she Dunk?
ku_bringback_danny (anonymous) says…
Jaron hangs out with Michael Vick "ruff ruff"
jimmyspeachbaskets (anonymous) says…
From the JaRon book of coaching
Lesson 1: How to drive over the Meyer Fountain on Ward Parkway
Lesson 2: Give up your potential
Lesson 3: Vodka
I can't wait to send my kids to Barstow