- Jun 12, 2014
- 9,052
- 32,668
Founding Member
My first inclination is to refer to Cook's and the other kid's playing of us while committed then flipping and having a good laugh by saying in my "holier than thou" tone that karma is the proverbial female dog. Unfortunately he seems to be merely a symptom of societal problem that is magnified in sports these days. There were many of us, myself included, that wanted him as a Gator. Now after this and seeing his criminal history, I'm glad he is someone else's to deal with, even though he is clearly a good football player and what the pros want. Truth of the matter is that if you want to win it all these days in football, you have to get this type of player, in abundance (or at least more than the next best team). It comes down to what the HC, the fans, the boosters, and the universities are willing to stand. And we've obviously stood a lot of it ourselves.
The argument can be made that these kids come from tough family and cultural situations and deserve second chances to give them an opportunity to break free from these shackles. IMO what they need is to be held immediately accountable, but the sad truth is that if they don't know right from wrong by the time they are college age, they probably aren't going to learn it unless some life-altering situation befalls them and gets their attention. Getting suspended or even kicked off of the team likely isn't that extreme.
As long as these type kids are coveted as athletes who can help a school win, their legions will continue to swell. But who's going to take the first step among the major college powers and say we refuse to take these kids with at worst, confirmed histories of criminal behavio, and those others who have exhibited extreme problems such as dealing with authority, getting along with teammates, maintaining acceptable academic standards, etc.?
in my 55 years, I have come to the point of being disgusted at just how far athletics has fallen in regard to the "student" athlete. There have always been questionable characters in the game and cover ups of bad behavior, but the numbers nowadays look almost epidemic and the acceptance of such by those who would profit with wins and money do nothing to help turn the tide. The cherry on all this is that, as another poster pointed out, many want to pay these kids beyond their scholarships! I thought recently that people who don't like this dynamic and who support the programs financially could make a difference, but that window seems to be closing. I just hope that something can happen to effect a change on all of this. There's no fun, to me at least, when every NC that is won isn't somehow "tainted" and that looks to be the consistent pattern of late. Maybe the game has passed me and my kind (idealistic and long of tooth) by? Hell no! I still think there's rom for a little more honor and a little less ends justifying the means. Waiting to see it.
The argument can be made that these kids come from tough family and cultural situations and deserve second chances to give them an opportunity to break free from these shackles. IMO what they need is to be held immediately accountable, but the sad truth is that if they don't know right from wrong by the time they are college age, they probably aren't going to learn it unless some life-altering situation befalls them and gets their attention. Getting suspended or even kicked off of the team likely isn't that extreme.
As long as these type kids are coveted as athletes who can help a school win, their legions will continue to swell. But who's going to take the first step among the major college powers and say we refuse to take these kids with at worst, confirmed histories of criminal behavio, and those others who have exhibited extreme problems such as dealing with authority, getting along with teammates, maintaining acceptable academic standards, etc.?
in my 55 years, I have come to the point of being disgusted at just how far athletics has fallen in regard to the "student" athlete. There have always been questionable characters in the game and cover ups of bad behavior, but the numbers nowadays look almost epidemic and the acceptance of such by those who would profit with wins and money do nothing to help turn the tide. The cherry on all this is that, as another poster pointed out, many want to pay these kids beyond their scholarships! I thought recently that people who don't like this dynamic and who support the programs financially could make a difference, but that window seems to be closing. I just hope that something can happen to effect a change on all of this. There's no fun, to me at least, when every NC that is won isn't somehow "tainted" and that looks to be the consistent pattern of late. Maybe the game has passed me and my kind (idealistic and long of tooth) by? Hell no! I still think there's rom for a little more honor and a little less ends justifying the means. Waiting to see it.
