Nebraska RB Marlon Lucky hospitalized
 

:shake: Late word is that it was an overdose.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pag...&u_sid=2330187

Published Monday | February 12, 2007
Nebraska I-back Marlon Lucky hospitalized
BY MITCH SHERMAN AND RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU



LINCOLN - Nebraska I-back Marlon Lucky remained hospitalized Monday night after police and fire personnel responded to a weekend medical emergency at his residence.

Nebraska I-back Marlon LuckyOfficials have not disclosed the nature of the emergency, but Lucky's high school coach and roommate said the 20-year sophomore was in stable condition in an intensive-care unit.

Lucky was admitted to BryanLGH West hospital Sunday night for "undisclosed medical reasons," according to the NU athletic department. A release said coach Bill Callahan and other department personnel would not comment further.

Lucky came to Nebraska in 2005 out of North Hollywood, Calif., as one of the most heralded recruits ever to sign with the school. After playing a minor role in his first season, he emerged as the Huskers' second-leading rusher and earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors last fall in a part-time starting spot.

Still, Lucky has rarely appeared comfortable in the spotlight. He struggled to accept his role on the team as recently as last month, North Hollywood coach Brad Ratcliff said.

On Sunday, Lincoln police and firefighters were dispatched at 8 p.m. to an apartment shared by Lucky and fellow Californian Jordan Picou near Capitol Beach Lake, west of downtown.

A fire engine was at the residence for 20 minutes, Deputy Fire Chief Pat Borer said, and an ambulance was involved for about an hour, typical when patients are transported to a hospital.

Picou said Monday night that hospital staff would not allow him to visit Lucky.

"He's cool right now," Picou said of Lucky as the junior lineman returned to their apartment. "They're just making sure his organs are OK."

Suzanne McMasters, director of public relations for BryanLGH, declined to release Lucky's condition.

Ratcliff, for whom Lucky gained more than 4,800 rushing yards and scored 81 touchdowns in three seasons of high school football, said he had been notified of Lucky's condition but declined to comment on the specifics.

"I want to give his family some room and some privacy," the coach said.

A family friend said Lucky's guardian, Wayne Padden, and uncle, Stanley Joseph, were unavailable Monday. The NU release asked news media to "respect the privacy of Marlon and his family."

Lucky's college career, to date, has not matched the enormous expectations that followed him to Lincoln. He rushed for 129 yards as a true freshman and did not score a touchdown.

Last season, Lucky gained 728 rushing yards to go with six touchdowns and ranked as the Huskers' fourth-leading receiver. But he lost the starting I-back position to Brandon Jackson midway through the season.

Lucky did start the Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl against Auburn and carried 25 times for a game-high 88 yards while battling a back injury.

After the season, Ratcliff said Lucky was unsure about his future but that his mood improved greatly after the start of Nebraska's winter conditioning program.

"The last time I talked to him, he was the same old Marlon," Ratcliff said. "No problems, nothing to worry about. That was just a few days ago."

Ratcliff said he had sensed some frustration from Lucky about his role in the Nebraska offense.

"He wanted to do more, but I don't think that played into this at all," Ratcliff said.

When asked to elaborate, again, the coach retreated.

"I'm not at liberty to say anything," he said.

Callahan last week spoke optimistically about Lucky, the Huskers' top returning back after Jackson last month declared for the NFL draft and both Cody Glenn and Kenny Wilson headed into the offseason with injury problems.

"He's worked extremely hard," Callahan said at his signing day press conference. "He's challenged himself. I've had some great conversations with him. I think the world of Marlon Lucky. I think you guys know that."

There had been January rumors, however, of Lucky leaving the program.

Said Padden, Lucky's guardian, at the time: "It would be news to me. I don't know where these things come from or where they get started."

Lucky's position coach, Randy Jordan, was among those to decline comment on the situation. The NU assistant faced the task last season of finding work for four I-backs.

Former Nebraska assistant John Blake did not return a call to his cell phone Monday after visiting BryanLGH West. Blake, who left NU for North Carolina in December, was instrumental in recruiting Lucky and the two stayed close during their time together in Lincoln.

Luck definately wasn't on his side

:shake:

I actually expected worse than that when I posted this. :)

What was it? Pain pills? Cocaine? Heroin?

I'm thankful that Jordan Picou found him. The fact that he was in ICU leads me to believe that he could've died. That would've been beyond awful.

No one's saying anything, so I guess we're pretty much free to speculate. He was nursing a back injury all season so I'd say pain pills are a safe bet. What I'd like to know is whether the OD was unintentional or not, but it looks like no information is going to be released about it which makes me assume the worst.

I'm going to wait until something is published before saying much more.

I don't expect anything else to be published, which really pisses me off. How convenient that Stevie P gets to hide behind the HIPAA laws on this.

There will be something published. The public has a right to know. I know you don't like him, but Pederson has nothing to do with it.

You're probably right SP having nothing to do with it, the hospital can't release any information, and if it was a suicide attempt I'm sure the family won't want that made public. Works out pretty good for SP if you ask me. Then again, I probably should just put my bitterness aside for a while and hope that the kid pulls through OK and gets his life figured out.

If I'm an editor for the newspapers in Omaha or Lincoln, I would definitely send reporters to cover the story. The public has a right to now. If the University gets upset and threatens to stop advertising with us, than fine. Conflicts of interest are unacceptable.

If the family won't release any info then there is no story.

The family isn't the only possible source. The truth may come out eventually. However, that doesn't mean the media shouldn't be careful and sensitive to Marlon and his family. This could go unpublished because of journalistic ethics.

The public has a right to know, my ass. You are only saying that because you want to know.