Mizzou Suspends Gary Pinkel, Freezes Salary After DWI Arrest

The Boone Country Sheriff Department has released the video footage of Gary Pinkel’s failed sobriety test to the Columbia Daily Tribune, and the results aren’t particularly pretty. Pinkel was fully cooperative with the officer throughout the test, but failed to recite the alphabet from the letter E to the letter R, and refused to count backwards from 73 to 62, saying “I can’t do that normally, are you kidding me?”

Via columbiatribunenews

Adding on, here are the legal ramifications of Pinkel’s mistake:

Tallied up, that’s quite an arrangement of unpleasantries, but it’s impressive to note just how far beyond the law Mizzou went in addressing the situation. Some have complained that Pinkel will miss one game, as opposed to the two missed by a pair of his players for the same crime, but MORE THAN A QUARTER-MILLION DOLLARS, we say.

Pinkel’s salary for the week will go to the campus’ Wellness Resource Center. He makes $2.7 million in base pay as it is, plus bonuses. Alden also said Pinkel’s contract will be frozen for one year. All told, that’s something like a $300,000 penalty.

In his comments on Pinkel’s arrest, Alden called the episode disappointing and a “lack of judgment” unbecoming of the school and Pinkel’s reputation.

Matter also has the likely replacement arrangement:

Athletic director Mike Alden also released a statement, and has scheduled a press conference for 4 p.m. CT to discuss the matter.

Alden noted Mizzou is putting together information and will take action. If Pinkel is to be suspended for a game or so, expect that announcement this afternoon.

As has been noted, Pinkel was almost a half-hour away from his home, and former Missouri students have pointed out there’s not much going on in that part of Columbia late at night. It’s possible he could’ve visited Josey at some point in the evening. I, for one, would probably need a drink after seeing that shredded-up knee.

That’s just speculation, but DeArmond’s note ties together two very unfortunate moments from Missouri’s year, both of which happened in the past week.

Pinkel was arrested by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department at 10:15 p.m. ET on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, then put up a $500 bond and released. According to ABC 17, Pinkel was pulled over for “lane and signal violations.”

There’s no word yet from the school on whether Pinkel will coach this weekend, but there does appear to be something of a Mizzou precedent here:

We’ll wait and see what kind of punishment Mizzou chooses to hand Pinkel, which could range from fines to suspensions. Considering Saturday is Senior Day, it’s not hard to imagine he won’t coach that game days after being arrested for drunk driving.

Even though that small $500 setback suggests Pinkel wasn’t anywhere near rip-roaring, it’s still the kind of thing that can’t ever happen. Expect the program to make some sort of an announcement soon.