[Husker] Pre-Snap Read: The Big 12's Double Standard

[Andrew Smith]

I don't think it's a double standard.  One offense was on the field 
while the other was off.

Whenever a player commits a crime and people immediately start debating 
about what the coach, school, or conference should do, I keep the 
following (in order of importance, imho) in mind:
Our legal system has the resources and responsibility to deal with such 
crimes.
Each school has the responsibility of deciding the requirements for 
being a student and playing on a team.
Each coach has the responsibility of supporting the school and deciding 
what is best for the team and its players.
The Big12 has the responsibility of supporting the coach, school, and 
students, and deciding what is best for the Big12.

Discussing the punishment delivered by the conference, then a coach, 
then the school,  and only then law enforcement (if its even mentioned 
at all) when a player commits a crime has it backward.  It takes the 
attention away from where it should be and can give the impression that 
a player is getting off easy.  Players are members of society, then 
students, then athletes, in that order.

Andy


On 10/29/2010 8:08 AM, George Rapp wrote:
> If you can stand one more opinion on the Eric Martin suspension, this
> article from Paul Myerberg (a NY Times reporter who also runs an excellent
> football blog) is a good read:
> http://www.presnapread.com/the-big-12s-double-standard/
>
> I don't agree with his easy dismissal of an anti-Nebraska bias this year by
> the Big XII office -- watching the officiating in person vs. Texas made me
> suspicious, and this suspension announcement does nothing to discourage my
> suspicions -- but the article makes a good point: is a DUI equivalent to an
> unpenalized hit on a kickoff return?
>