- 0
Virginia Tech’s two placekickers have given a totally new definition to the word “placekicker”. They placed themselves ahead of their team and got kicked off the traveling squad for the VT Sugar Bowl game against Michigan.I admire Coach Beamer for making the decision to send the young man home for breaking curfew the first night that VT was in New Orleans. As regards the other kicker, what can anyone say except what has already been said. I’m more bothered by the reaction from adults and youngsters alike as they continue to come forward with words of praise for the young man charged with breaking and entering.
There’s a difference between showing compassion for someone who did wrong and just outright making the person believe they are better than the wrong they committed. There’s a difference between showing emotional support for the family during a difficult time and making statements, such as, “if anyone says anything bad about ______ or his family, they will never be allowed in my home again”. What has happened to people that they can’t separate good from bad and see the difference? It isn’t that I wish bad on anyone in this particular case, but for goodness sakes stop burying your head in the sand and ignoring the wrong that was done. This young man committed a crime and he deserves to be punished like any other citizen.
I’m tired of athletes receiving special treatment by everyone from university officials to trial judges. A fitting punishment would include serving time for a felony offense and losing his football scholarship. From that point his future would become a function of his behavior after having served his appropriate punishment. The issue of his potential career in the NFL as a placekicker would be in his hands and if after having served his punishment he was to receive assistance from any source that would improve his chances of getting into the NFL, then so be it.