Does it surprise me that Chip Kelly has outlined a plan for LeGarrette Blount to return to the field?
Not at all. In fact what did surprise this Oregon State fan (full disclosure here) was that Kelly doled out such a hard-line decision after Blount sucker punched Byron Hout after the Sept. 3 game in Idaho. I was surprised, but I was happy – happy that Oregon was dealing with their hot-headed player with more than a slap on the wrist as they have done in the past.
Despite being one of the best running backs in college football, the guy’s got issues. He has been suspended twice in the past by former head coach Mike Bellotti – once for part of a game in November 2008 for “not following team rules” and in February this year for flaking out on practices. And let’s not forget about the trash talking he did in Sports Illustrated before the season opener with Idaho, saying the team owes Idaho a spanking, to put it mildly.
Technically this is the star athlete’s third suspension, yet fans are decrying this “harsh” punishment and the hypothetical loss of Blount’s NFL career. But is this the kind of guy the NFL would want? Someone who can’t show up to practice, can’t follow team rules, and obviously, has a bad temper?
Blount’s Sept. 3 sucker punch reflected poorly on the Pac-10, U of O, and the state as a whole. In light of Blount’s past, for Kelly to give him a way back in and flip flop on the suspension is regrettable.
2 comments
thatlebanonguy says:
Nov 12, 2009
Give me a break! This kid is not some soul-less robot, he's a human being. And athletics is a huge part of his ability to gain success in life. Granted, he made a poor decision, and he has paid dearly for that. He was suspended for eight games, lost his starting position, and will forever be labeled as the guy who threw "the punch". Let's lay off him and give him a chance to redeem himself and return to normalcy on the field.
The author sounds like the typical whiny Beaver fan who is only upset that an Oregon player is "getting away with something". Well news flash, newsy: He has paid the price, and Chip Kelly has done a fine job of managing his punishment. The Ducks are doing excellent without him, so it's not based on team performance. His return is based on giving a person the opportunity to learn a lesson and continue to be a part of a team.
thatlebanonguy says:
Nov 12, 2009
And another thing…
Was the author this outraged when their OSU Beaver players beat up a United States Soldier home from Iraq in Corvallis? And then did not receive a suspension? Or how about the players who were arrested for attempting to trade marijuana for cab fare? No punishment there..becasue Dennis Erickson quickly arrived at the jail to personally bail them out. What a lesson they learned! Get off your high horse, author, and give this kid the opportunity to achieve.