Smoking Trees in Belize: Taurean Charles, Year of the Bull

Viewed as a budding star, the dream comes to an end in the summer of 2004. While at an off-campus keg party, Taurean, in a rage of violence, punched a student, threw him off a deck, and then, threw a half keg at him. Taurean maintained his innocence, and was somewhat vindicated when the most serious charges were dropped. However it was too late, Taurean already had an on campus assault charge on his record; dismissed from the team, he enrolls at Bethune-Cookman and manages to salvage his career with a respectable junior season. A lackluster senior campaign left him undrafted, unsigned, and presumably out of football. After viewing the movie and reflecting on his life since, one cannot help but be saddened by the circumstances. This is the not story of a young man bent on destruction and rebellion. It is the story of a high school football player who saw testosterone fueled coaches as male role models, who felt pressures beyond the control of a 17 year old, and who was never taught to channel and control emotions. Many scenes throughout the film give rise to the appearance that his coaches were a win-at-all-costs type. This presumption was vindicated in 2006 when it was revealed coaches, teachers, and the Principal, kept a statutory rape accusation against the star tailback under wraps until after the State championship had been won.