The crisis in Cal State Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell's locker room is also a crisis in his living room.
Saying he is "shocked and saddened" about the alleged involvement of his son and two of his basketball players in a New Year's Day theft, Braswell announced the players will be held out of games indefinitely but would be allowed to practice and attend class.
Braswell's oldest son, Jeffrey, 22, and Northridge players Deon Tresvant, 23, and Dallas Rutherford, 19, face felony charges along with Phannuel Gbewonyo, 28, in connection with the burglary of $6,600 worth of merchandise from a Porter Ranch Best Buy store where Jeffrey Braswell worked.
"As the father of a son whom I love dearly and am proud of, this is obviously a difficult time for him, our family and those close to us," Braswell said in a prepared statement before taking questions after practice Thursday.
"The fact that my son is charged with a crime, for our family, could not be more serious," he said, and later spoke about the players:
"To me it's a double whammy, a double shock, because I do consider these guys to be a part of my family, my second family."
If convicted, Jeffrey Braswell could face a maximum of five years in prison and the three co-defendants could face up to three years and eight months. However, a judge also could decide to sentence first-time offenders to probation.
Although the players were released after posting bail Monday, the day of their arrests, Braswell's son spent three nights in jail after his arrest Saturday.
Asked about not bailing out his son, Braswell said, "Just put it this way: I fulfilled a promise that I made. I told my children a long time ago there are some responsibilities they have, and we just did what we thought was best."
Asked how his son was after the experience, Braswell said, "He's alive, he's doing well, he's home."
Although Braswell repeatedly used the words "serious" and "shocked," he also showed touches of humor. Asked whether he is embarrassed, Braswell said, "Obviously."
"But you know, as an adult, you understand lives are at stake here. These are serious charges that are made here. You can't worry too much about my own emotional feelings at that particular time."
Northridge Athletic Director Rick Mazzuto backed the coach after the news conference.
"He certainly handled himself well today and I think he will continue to do so, so there shouldn't be any concerns about his job status," Mazzuto said.
