Ducks...Ducks...what the quack is going on in Eugene?

Let's rewind back to the beginning of January, The Oregon Ducks were facing the Ohio State buckeye's in the "grandaddy of them all." To all of you non-football folks, that's the rose bowl. Before the game we were told of the dynamic offense that oregon would bring to try to best OSU's stout defense. We were intrigued with the match up of Legarrette Blount and LaMichael James (oh and what is up with these names, sweet jesus!), going against Ohio State's line backing corp. We were also wondering how the much vaunted quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, a agile and fairly active quarterback would do against Ohio State's defensive line, and secondary. Well the game was very well played and Ohio State's athlete's made a difference in the end, and won the game, but Oregon and it's coach, Chip Kelly, made a good showing. It seemed both schools were doing well and represented themselves accordingly.

And then came the off season! Legarrett Blount of course was suspended most of the season for throwing a punch in the first game, but was allowed to play in the bowl game, and he did what we expected in the bowl game, he looked like who hadn't seen live football all season. He was not criminally charged though, he just looked like a loose cannon. It seemed as if the response of the administration and the coach were very fitting , if not a bit harsh. But then came the bombshell that Lamichael James (starting ruinning back all season) was going to plead guilty to an altercation involving domestic violence with his girlfriend, and that Jeremiah Masoli (the starting quarterback, and a Heisman mention for this season), was going to be indicted for a felony burglary. At this point, I have to admit I was starting to wonder about a lack of institutional control. Hold on to that thought, I will come back to it, but right now let's discuss the pleas they ....well pled to.

LaMichael James, he was charged with five misdemeanors including: strangulation,harassment, and assault. He pled to harassment, and was sentenced to 10 days in jail, but did not serve that based on jail overpopulation, and that, I assure was part of the plea. I assure you the judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney, knew darn well, he would not be doing any time, but we had to keep up appearances you know. If this is a first offense, or similar, this is a normal plea situation, he does community service, is on probation, blah, blah, blah. The only thing that irks me about this is the strangulation charge. I once had a wife, and lord knows I have been with enough women in my life that pissed me off. However, I do not think I have ever thought about strangling one of those crazies, now maybe the charged were trumped up, or part of an invalid or untruthful police report (those things happen all the time), then it's fine. However, if there is something to this domestic charge, are we just patting this guy on the rear end and sending him on his way, when he may have a real aggression problem? This kid is a freshman, he has never really had any serious adversity, and he is already putting his hands around a woman's throat? I guess if there is any meat to this allegation, my question isn't why he was on probation, why is this guy still at that university. Coincidentally, he was suspended by the coach for one game. Whew...I feel better about that, I bet the victim does too, and I am sure he learned his lesson.

So now let's go to Jermiah Masoli, the quarterback, and patron football saint of Eugene, Oregon. A lot of people had him on their watch list for Heisman contenders this season.....better update that list, as his career might just have gone up in flames. After having a not-so-stellar rose bowl, and shortly after it, I might add, Masoli, along with another ducks football player was involved in an action stealing laptop computers from a fraternity house. He was originally charged with felony burglary, and then at his arraignment pled to a reduced charge of misdemeanor burglary. He was then accordingly given probation, ordered to pay restitution court costs, and a fine. I will point out that James got more ordered days in jail then Masoli did...that is extremely curious, being that Masoli's charge was much more serious, and had a possibility of prison time. Masoli was given a full season suspension, and his actions and behavior will be looked at in a microscope from this moment on.

So what do we have here at the University of Oregon. At first we just thought it was a loose canon in Lagarrette Blount, he was given what seemed like a very stiff penalty, and by the bowl game, it seemed all kumbayah. But now we have the other running back with some very violent allegations against a girlfriend, and the starting quarterback who is involved in a felony burglary attempt. Do we have just some bad seeds, or has the University recruited a program of thugs, or lastly, is this football program doing something to make these kids think that they can get away with this stuff? No matter what, it looks like we have some pretty darn good, although, circumstantial evidence of a lack of institutional control of its football program. Vince Lombardi is known for saying winning isn't the most important thing, it is the only thing. Well, Lombardi, was a PROFESSIONAL coach. A coach in college is not there to push profits, and get championships, he is there , at least in part to help foster personal development, and help these kids learn life lessons.

What has Lamichael James Learned, or Lagarrette Blount, it seems they have learned that football is why they are in college, and if that is true, if that's what they have gotten out of this, they have been failed by scores of people. Masoli, may have learned a lesson, but he is still a student, and will still get a chance to play football again. But let's assume that all these students have learned what they should have, a lesson to future recruits is fairly clear. If you get recruited at the University of Oregon as a football player, as long as you don't force us to take actions against you, we will both protect you, and we're not too concerned what you do to the community at large. Because after all, you know how to play football, and that is what is really important. I hope these kids have learned some lessons, but the University of Oregon from top to bottom, has done absolutely nothing to help develop these men. It is Not Mr. Blount, Mr. James, or Mr. Masoli, I blame, they are`kids, and they will make mistakes, but I expect better jugment from the AD, Coach, and President, who should have certainly done better for these young men than what we have seen so far.

As always, keep sports on your mind, and the law on your side.

The Sports Law Blogger
www.sportslaw-sportslaw.blogspot.com