Virginia's offense has just taken the field. The stadium is saturated with excitement as quarterback Marques Hagans barks his pre-snap routine. Finally, the ball is snapped and Hagans, with football extended, treads an all too familiar path toward running back Wali Lundy. He whips the ball back at the last second though and surveys the field. A few seconds tick by, and Hagans launches a deep, arching pass through the early evening sky. The ball drops into the hands of wide receiver Ottowa Anderson and the crowd erupts. Anderson is dragged down only after a 57-yard gain.
Like the rest of the crowd, minus the 20 Western Michigan fans at the game, I screamed my head off when Anderson gave us first and goal on only our second offensive play of the game. In retrospect though, I have to question whether or not Anderson should even have been on the field.
Following the 2003-2004 school year, Anderson was suspended for academic reasons for the following year. Shortly thereafter in July of 2004, Ottawa Anderson was charged with assault. Allegedly, he and a female University student got into an altercation over a computer. In the conflict, Anderson shoved and injured the female student. She then responded by threatening Anderson with a knife. The charges later were dropped.
This year, Anderson was allowed to enroll in classes and was allowed back on the football team.
Now, I am all for second chances, but I am left wondering why exactly Anderson was given a second chance. Did Anderson learn his lesson and therefore deserve the second chance or were his potential contributions to the football team the deciding factor? The picture becomes a little clearer when you examine the rest of the college football scene.
Sunday's and Monday's prime time games provide more examples of football players given second chances. Sunday night Virginia Tech quarterback Marques Vick led his team to victory. Vick, who was suspended all of last year as well, has his own problems with the law. In May of 2004, Vick was charged with providing alcohol to three minors and having sex with a 15-year-old. Vick was 19 at the time. Despite these transgressions, Vick was not suspended until he was charged with reckless driving and possession of marijuana (Vick pled guilty on both counts). Despite all of these legal troubles, Vick still led his Hokies onto the field Sunday night.
Perhaps even more troubling though is the case of University of Miami linebacker Willie Williams. Williams, a redshirt freshman, made his debut on Monday night despite a laundry list of run-ins with the law. Williams was first arrested at the ripe old age of 14 for petty larceny. He followed that arrest by recording five more the next year. At the age of 17, Williams was sentenced to 18 months probation for felony burglary of an occupied structure and possession of burglary tools. In total, Williams has recorded 10 arrests. For an encore, while on a recruiting visit to the University of Florida, Williams was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery and a felony count of obstructing fire extinguishment.
The University of Miami discovered these problems after admitting Williams, but kept him on the condition he meet more difficult academic standards. Williams apparently met these standards and took the field Monday night.
I am not trying to say that all of these people are bad guys and do not deserve a second chance. And, in fairness, each player had different circumstances and each school was justified for responding differently (Anderson's infraction looks like that of a boy scout next to Williams' list). But at the same time, you have to wonder why they were afforded that opportunity. Had Ottawa Anderson been an ordinary student, would he still be at the University? How much weight does being an athlete carry at a major university? Are these athletes actually above the law? It is unfortunate we have to ask these questions.
Read More
No. 6 women’s squash falls to No. 5 Stanford in first match of the new year
By Peter Kratz | 13 hours agoThe Cavaliers fall to 0-1 in conference play after their first clash with the Cardinal.
Katie Grimes posts historic debut as women’s swimming and diving annihilates Virginia Tech
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoGrimes broke out as a new superstar for Coach Todd DeSorbo's squad.
Women’s basketball displays stingy defense, but falls short versus No. 14 Duke
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoThe Cavaliers nearly conquered a ranked rival but could not generate consistent offense.
