Now I don't have all the facts here. I don't claim to be a legal expert. But when I hear weekly of another college athlete, namely football players, in trouble for taking improper benefits, being in trouble for on-campus indiscretions, facing petty drug crime charges or actually facing allegations of actual serious crimes, I cannot help but think that this never seemed to be such a visible issue. Sure, we can blame much of that on social media.
But the social media needs a culture to drive it and regurgitate it. Those stories of Jameis WInston stealing crab legs or Shabazz Napier saying he went hungry at night while at UConn were not actually stories. Ok, theft does end up in the police blotter, no matter how much Florida St. tries to cover up every crime and indiscretion. ALLEGEDLY. The fact is we are guilty of making big deals out of these usually small issues because even at 18-20 years old, these are guys and sometimes girls we put on a pedestal and assume that just because you can throw a football really well or run really fast, that makes you something other than a dumb kid. Now it comes out that a star player at Georgia might have received $400 for signing autographs from some sleazebag who tried the same scheme on other college stars who turned him down. This unlucky and dimwitted Georgia player might not play again this season as they investigate his sin. FOR $400 What a bunch of malarky! If he were treated fairly by his university and the cartel that is the NCAA he might not need anything from that autograph dealer. Or the same could be said about Shabazz Napier saying he went to bed hungry. The NCAA's regulations sort of put these kids in a bubble. You'll never be just like every other student, but if you do anything the least bit fun or infamous, it's all over tv. God forbid, you get in trouble. Now you stand to face two juries: the jury of international social media and then a jury of your peers.
I love college sports, but if this is the double-standard these kids face, no thank you.
I love college sports, but if this is the double-standard these kids face, no thank you.