What Price Victory?

Or honor or decency. Ask Alabama. On second thought, don't.

I concluded long ago I’d need a law degree and a Master’s in economics to do this job properly, then quickly decided I’d obtain neither. The econ cred would have helped me understand leases and contracts. The law expertise would have been worthwhile on days such as this.

In January, a 23-year-old woman was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, AL, allegedly by a guy named Michael Davis. Davis was with a guy named Darius Miles, a former U of Alabama basketball player.

At some point earlier that evening, Miles texted Brandon Miller, a current Tide hooper, who also happens to be a likely NBA draft lottery pick in June. Miles texted Miller, “I need my joint.’’

I beg your pardon, Doc?

Miles needed his pistol, which happened to be in the backseat of Miller’s car. Miller obliged. He brought the joint to Miles, who handed it to Davis, who used it to murder Jamea Harris. Allegedly. All the previous info comes courtesy of pretrial court testimony.

Since the shooting, Miles and Davis have been in a court and Miller has been on one. And Harris is still dead.

What would you do, counselors?

The knee-jerk answer is, “Sit Brandon Miller until the pine becomes embossed on his rear end.’’ Ah, but Alabama law says otherwise. Miller could only be prosecuted if it could be proven he knew Miles and Davis were going to use the gun to commit a crime.

As Tuscaloosa Chief Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told AL.com Tuesday. there was "nothing we could charge [Miller] with." Miller has been cooperative with the police.

Joe Friday

Yeah, OK. Strictly speaking, the best basketball player on Alabama’s No. 2-ranked team is guilty of nothing but an uncommon lack of common sense. As Joe Friday (lookimup, kids) said, “Stupidity is not a crime.’’

Nor is clumsy, callous disrespect. Nate Oats owns that charge. He’s Alabama’s coach, whose initial public reaction was that his meal ticket Miller "did nothing wrong" and was in "the wrong spot at the wrong time."

Oats has since apologized. But he remains in the same perception jail as Miller.

Soul-selling is ritual among coaches of quasi-am basketball. But I do wonder how Nate Oats is sleeping these days.

Oh. Did we mention that on Saturday, during pre-game introductions, Miller paused while a teammate patted him down? Seriously. Apparently, it’s a ritual begun well before the murder. It’s also incredibly stupid and shameless. Oats had to apologize for that one, too.

So?

Should Alabama sit Miller? How long? For what? It’s probably too late now. It would simply look like an appeasement to the morality police (who have a very fine gripe) not a genuine gesture of sorrow and remorse.

Would the case have attracted such attention if it didn’t involve Lottery Man Miller and the No. 2 quasi-am team in the land? Another current Tide player, Jaden Bradley, has been mentioned, but not charged, in connection with the murder. He hasn’t been punished, either. Scant attention has been paid to him.

Let’s back up a second. In March 1995, two Xavier basketball players, Dewaun Rose and Pete Sears, were arrested after a bar fight in Cincinnati. Days later, the Musketeers were to play Georgetown in the NCAA tournament. Obviously, neither player’s case had been adjudicated. I remember writing that, for integrity’s sake, Rose and Sears should not play. They didn’t. Sears was a starter and big contributor. Skip Prosser benched them for what was a very winnable Madness opener.

It was the right call.

Back in Tuscaloosa, Jamea Harris’ stepfather Delvin Heard said this, to AL.com:

“(Miller) brought a gun to where a person was murdered and he did nothing wrong?

“After what this coach said, for us as a family, this season is stained in the blood of Jamea Harris, and it’s not ever washing out. Coach Oats crossed the line. He said they prayed at practice. They weren’t praying for Jamea. They were praying for their own players.”

Brandon Miller scored 41 points last Wednesday against South Carolina and 24 more Saturday against Arkansas, both ‘Bama Ws. Said coach Oats of Brandon Miller, "He's one of the most mentally, if not the most mentally, tough kid I've ever coached.’’

Well isn’t that special.

Bottom line: If Alabama wanted at least to appear to care about the death of a woman more than the winning of a game, it would sit down its best player for a nod or two.

Agree or disagree?

Now, then. . .

THEY’RE GUNNIN’ FOR YOU, REDLEGS. . . I’ve suggested this before, but it seems more pertinent now. FC Cincinnati has it goin’ on. If the futbol club weren’t already swiping ticket buyers from the baseball club, it certainly will now. New stadium, successful team, young demographic that was already seeing baseball in its rearview mirror.

The opener sold out Saturday. Coach Pat Noonan said this afterward, to Enquirer soccer maven Pat Brennan, comparing last year’s opener to this one:

“The team didn't perform better, but the fans did. And that's a credit to the growth of not just the fan base, but the environment, and we've talked a lot about different ways that we can improve it and make it a harder place to play.

"The fans won tonight. It was a great atmosphere.”

In the past, both organizations have downplayed the competition for hearts and wallets. When I asked MLB commissioner Rob Manfred three years ago about the notion that soccer in some towns could be a bottom-line threat to MLB, Manfred looked at me like I had an eye in my forehead.

But this is a small place and disposable dollars don’t exactly grow on sycamore trees.

AS FOR WILL BENSON. . . He’s the outfielder the Reds got from Cleveland for a middling prospect and a player to be named. The hype drums are pounding. Big, athletic, powerful. OK. Let’s say this about that:

Teams aren’t in the business of dealing top bus riders. Guardians manager Terry Francona said his club didn’t have major-league room for Benson. But the Tribe roster isn’t overflowing with all-star outfielders, unless you think Steven Kwan and Myles Straw are destined for greatness.

Benson had good AAA numbers last year, including 17 homers and a .420 on-base. In the majors late last year, he hit .182 with 19 Ks in 61 PAs.

The Reds have always hyped their prospects to sometimes unreasonable levels, all the way back to Bill Bergesch’s “crown jewels’’. Remember? Maybe not. Kal Daniels, Kurt Stillwell, Tracy Jones.

Others touted for greatness: Brandon Larson, Chad Moeller, Willie Greene, Robert Stephenson, Ryan Wagner, Homer Bailey. Only Bailey panned out. Best of luck to Will Benson. But keep it in perspective.

And finally. . .

LISTENED TO REDS RADIO SUNDAY. Same ads as last year. As a devoted listener, I’m not thrilled. I mean, these ads were played out in ‘22 after about a month. Sorry, they’re not Gentle on My Mind now, nor were they last summer. Give our ears a break.

TUNE O’ THE DAY. . . Sultry Stevie at her sultry best, which is pretty sultry. Hypnotic drumming from an underrated drummer. Excellent, underplayed tune.