Yesterday it was announced that last year's Heisman Trophy winner, Jameis Winston, will be suspended for the first half of this Saturday's big game against ACC rival Clemson. According to reports, Winston made a scene at a student union where he was screaming obscenities about having sex with a woman. This is the same Winston who had been accused of rape. While criminal charges had been dropped, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to investigate how Florida State handled the situation. Winston was also involved in a shop-lifting incident that resulted in his suspension from the Florida State baseball team.
I remember the first time I saw Winston play. It was a game against Clemson and he was spectacular and I was immediately thinking about how he would look in a Cleveland Browns uniform. Now, I wouldn't consider him at all. Winston is a classic example of what is wrong with sports. Here is a kid who has an enormous amount of talent. I'm sure he has been catered to since he was in Jr. high school. As a result, he could do no wrong and get whatever he wanted.
While the NFL is getting raked over the coals for its mishandling of the various player behaviors that have resulted in violence against women and children, major college athletic programs also need to be called out for their "win at all cost" attitude. What's the difference with the Carolina Panthers letting convicted domestic violence perpetrator Greg Hardy play in their first 2 games and Florida State allowing Winston to play at all this Saturday? There is no difference.
Until college athletic programs and professional sports leagues put a premium on character as opposed to "winning at all costs", we will continue to put up with guys like Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, etc. Both college and pro sport teams need to put an emphasis on proper personal conduct, including domestic violence, alcohol and drug use and the handling of weapons. Prompt and appropriate measures need to be in place to deal with indiscretions.
As fans, we can do something about this too. We need to make our voices heard by not buying products that have the player's name on it and any product that has the team's logo on it. We need to let team sponsors know that we will not purchase their products unless they apply pressure on the teams to take a tough stance with players who violate personal code of conduct policies. We need to stop watching ESPN's Sunday Countdown Show which glorifies violence in it's "Jacked Up" feature and has the nerve and audacity to have Ray Lewis on its panel.
Unfortunately, it will take awhile before anything changes. That means Jameis Winston very well could be the number one pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Why not, he fits right in to the "new" NFL mold.
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