Oregon Ducks LeGarrette Blount’s post game punch should result in season long suspension
To start the game, both teams met at half field to exchange handshakes, a move that was meant “to encourage sportsmanship in college football”. After LeGarrette Blount’s post game activity, there will be plenty of talk about sportsmanship in college football in the coming days; or lack thereof, anyway.
In the days leading up to the game, Blount’s quote was circulating all over the net; “We owe that team an ass-whuppin’.” I guess when he couldn’t deliver one on the field he decided to deliver one in the form of a sucker-punch after the game.
I hate to bring a goofy movie quote into a serious article, but the entire time I was watching the Oregon game I couldn’t stop thinking about Patches O’Houlihan from the movie Dodgeball telling Peter La Fleur that “that was the worst display of dodgeball I’ve seen in 30 years.” I’ve seen worse displays of football, but not a single one was coming to mind as I was watching this game unfold.
And then, the aftermath. LaGarrette Blount sucker-punches Boise State’s Byron Hout straight to the jaw, and then proceeds to fight with his own teammates (including two blows to the head to WR Garrett Embry) and then eventually need police restraint. In case you didn’t see it…
Talk about a miserable display of football. As the game dragged on, I couldn’t help but think about the negative press it would bring the Pac-10; year in and year out this conference doesn’t get the respect it deserves, and having one of the conference’s premier teams lose in such ugly fashion on such a huge national stage was sure to spread more of the national garbage that this is a one-team conference, and any team not named the USC Trojans should be ignored.
Instead, one of the conference’s most highly touted players who is featured on preseason watch lists of most of the nation’s most prestigious awards (the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Doak Walker) steals the spotlight in one of the worst ways imaginable. I’m just disgusted right now. The Oregon Ducks players and fans deserve a lot better, as do players, coaches, and fans in the entire Pac-10 conference.
With Commissioner Larry Scott on hand to see the events unfold, as well as all the national attention this is garnering, I’d be absolutely shocked to see LeGarrette Blount play in another game this season. If he does, it would be a huge mistake.
This sort of conduct is completely unacceptable, and it sends the wrong message to the team and the conference if he isn’t punished severely. It is one thing to get upset and shove a player. It is quite another to blind-side a guy with a punch to the jaw, then punch your teammates, and then go after fans.
If both first year Commissioner Larry Scott, first year Athletic Director Mike Belotti, and first year coach Chip Kelly all go the slap of the wrist route, I for one will be extremely disappointed. This is a good chance for one (or all) of them to send a clear message that this sort of behavior will never be tolerated, and they should definitely do so. I’ve always had nothing but respect for LeGarrette Blount as an athlete, and I know how much losing him would hurt Oregon’s chances in the conference this year. But letting him play would do even more damage.
There will be plenty more on this from all over the net in the coming days, but this is my initial reaction. If missing a few team meetings or misconduct off of the field warrants suspensions and punishments, on-field misconduct of this magnitude on national television should be a one-way ticket out of town.
EDITOR’S NOTE (2:10 PM, 9/4): Oregon Ducks suspend LaGarrette Blount for duration of the season. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4446898
