Students react to Pinkel's arrest

COLUMBIA — The Missourian asked students in the MU Student Center on Thursday to share their thoughts on MU football Coach Gary Pinkel's arrest.

Stephen Batliner, senior

"I was thinking, it's a shame for the examples for the kids. They'd lose their scholarships if they did that. It's just, for him to be like their mentor and leader, he should definitely think more responsibly. It seems preventable."

Angela Taylor, junior

"I just wonder if he's going to keep his job after that. I'm not sure if they want him representing Mizzou."

Sarah Castellanos, junior

"I'm embarrassed by it. I feel like people are going to be, like, 'Oh, I heard about your coach ...'"

Kelsey Mantel, junior

"Maybe probation, I don't know. I don't want them to tell him it's OK because he could just do it again. Don't fire him, because he's a good coach."

Marcus Williams, post-grad

"It's a shame, but he's entitled to make a mistake. He's only human."

Jason Bjorn, first-semester graduate student

"Tony La Russa won a World Series after his DUI. Maybe Pinkel will do the same."

Garen McElroy, junior

"It doesn't set a very good example. Did some football players get in trouble for that a few years ago?"

Elyse DeLaney, sophomore

"You've got to have a strong model, and after Gary Pinkel doing that, who can the players look up to?"

Samira Prince, junior

"He should get the proper sentence — getting your license revoked. I don't think his title makes him different from anyone else."

Richard and Samantha McCay, freshmen

"If he was intoxicated, he should be punished," Richard McCay said.

"Same as everyone else," Samantha McCay said.

Michelle Meyer, senior

"It's kind of embarrassing, honestly, because we have such strict policies with the student athletes. I think he should put himself on probation for a couple games because that's what he would do to any of his athletes."

Alex Bannes, sophomore

"Going into the SEC, it doesn't represent a good image for the student body."

Jake Mitchell, junior

"No one is above the law, so if you broke the law, you broke the law."

Lauren Crear, junior

"He shouldn't get special treatment just because he's the coach of the football team."