Well, I hadn't planned on this blog being exclusively a sports blog, but the unfortunate events of last nights college football game between #14 Boise State and #16 Oregon provide to compelling a topic not to mention.

If you are a sports fan, just a college football fan, or even just like to watch Sportscenter you have probably seen the footage of Oregon starting running back LeGarrette Blount punching Boise State defensive end Byron Hout after Hout taunted him at the conclusion of the game. Unbelievable! Oregon and Blount were beaten at home last year by Boise State and Blount had said publicly that he and Oregon "owed Boise State an ass whoopin". Well, it didn't quite turn out that way. Boise State won the game 19 to 8 and Oregon looked awful in the process. Ironically, the two teams shook hands before the game in a move to promote sportsmanship by the NCAA and the American Football Coaches Association. This sounds nice, but like so many other campaigns to passively push people to "do the right thing" it is in my opinion misguided and misplaced. Forcing two teams that have just been given a "pep" talk by there respective coaches in the locker room to come out and shake hands before the game in no way teaches sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is the result of respect for your fellow competitors and maturity, and in my opinion can not be legislated. You either respect others or you don't. You can teach a person to be respectful, but right before a football game, which is violent by nature, is not the time. Shake hands after the game, control your emotions win or lose. This kind of teaching should have taken place long ago, and is a shared responsibility with parents. I obviously don't know Mr. Blount and don't know what he is like off the field. According to one story I read, people at Oregon who know him say that he is not a "thug", but his actions Thursday night betray those sentiments. What also concerns me was the continued reaction of Blount who swung at a team mate who tried to restrain him and had to be pulled away from a confrontation with fans by coaches and event security. The punch was just the beginning. There have reportedly been other problems with Blount, but nothing to this degree. Coach Chip Kelly suspended Blount for the entire season, ending his career at Oregon. (Blount is a senior) His future in football is also in question. Without a senior season he will likely have difficulty staying in "football" shape in order to be impressive enough to turn heads for the 2010 NFL draft, and character questions will hold him back as well, right or wrong. The good news for Blount is that he retains his scholarship and will continue to workout with the team. I hope he makes the most of it. The last thing I want to see is another talented athlete squander their opportunities for success and usually a better life for them and their families because they could not get out of their own way. I am impressed with the University of Oregon for suspending him for the entire season. He is talented and as we covered yesterday, talent trumps all. His fate is not predetermined. He may still make the most of his opportunities and, who knows, may even make it to the NFL, but the damage is done.

It's not my job to place blame, and I will never pretend to be perfect, but it is clear that mistakes were made and opportunities to teach were missed at more than one point leading up to this. Most of these athletes have been playing sports since before high school leaving plenty of time for learning sportsmanship before collage. Maybe I'm pessimistic, but I fear that sportsmanship took a back seat to talent. Turn a blind eye and keep on winning. It makes the player look good, the coach look good, and the team look good. Ride the kids coattails and reap the benefits. I hope that is not the case, but I'm not stupid enough to think it doesn't happen.

To be fair, Houts' actions were also unacceptable, and according to reports he will be disciplined as well. I don't want to excuse his part in this, but no matter what he said, the reaction of Blount was unwarranted. It will be a couple of years before we find out if LeGarrette Blount can take this "mistake" and make it into a footnote in his life or if this is the moment for which he will always be known. I hope the mentors he has at Oregon can guide him to a better end than they have so far.