He Came Back For This?

I woke up this morning, worse for the wear. My head was pounding and the taste of vomit was unbearable.

 

But my day was better then Oregon Running Back LaGarrette Blunt. I made a bad decision and I paid the price today with a hangover, hell I’m still paying the price, but it’ll pass. And I am the only one to blame, no one provoked me. 

 

Blunt is not so fortunate, his mistake will haunt him his entire life.

 

The University of Oregon made a colossal mistake in suspending him for the entire 2009 season.

 

Where is the fairness in that?

 

The NCAA’s rule for fighting is only a one game suspension. The NFL is 2 games for going to prison for extreme animal cruelty and organized crime.

 

Blunt could have left last year and been playing on Sunday this year, but he stayed for you Oregon. This is how you repay him for embarrassing you on national television? I am ultimately disgusted in the actions of Blunt, but two wrongs don’t make a right.

 

A suspension of this magnitude is irresponsible and not the way to communicate to the recruiting world. I understand that actions that are a blatant disgrace to the university can not be taken lightly, but this is ridiculous.

 

I wholly suspected a 4 game suspension at a minimum and an outside shot of 6. I was amazed to hear that the Ducks had suspended him for the remainder of the season. I wasn’t however in the least bit shocked.

 

Oregon has been down this road before, and it seems that whenever a troubled athlete in the program acts out the result is the death penalty.

 

Jackie Bates was one of the best corners in the country but he got busted for smoking pot and he got canned.

 

Derek Jones was a burgeoning star, but his undisclosed indiscretions made the university part ways with him.  

 

Is it not a college football head coach’s job to not only make athletes better, but be a guiding hand in turning a child into a man? I guarantee that Mike Bellotti has said those exact words in every living room he has ever been in. And if Chip Kelly hasn’t used them yet he will.

 

Well Coach, actions speak louder than words, and right now your actions are saying I don’t have your best interests in heart. I am not going to help you grow, I’m going to use you for a school record 17 touchdowns in a single season, then turn my back on you when you need me most.

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I for one would not be incredibly interested in sending my inner city son to come play football for a man that is without the fortitude to be compassionate when compassion is needed and take the time to make a mistake a part of his maturation rather than an indictment of his character.

 

Suspending him for his senior season is going to ruin his life. And for what, doing what most Oregon fans felt like doing to you Chip? Hitting someone is just wrong, taunting the crowd is even more wrong but it doesn’t warrant a career ending punishment. It just doesn’t.

 

- Kurt Valentine

Comments

[Deb]

I agree the punishment should fit the crime and knee jerk reactions seem to be what both the student and school have done in this case. It