Violating Team Rules

My dear friend, and former Notre Dame football player, Oscar McBride has written this fantastic post on Violating Team Rules that I felt just needed to be shared. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and please, leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Photo: John Bazemore / AP

After careful consideration I've decided to take a closer look at the epidemic that is sweeping the country. More and more student-athletes are being suspended for "violating team rules," so I thought we would put the situation under a microscope to see what's really going on.

Yes, it's official that the Honey Badger will not be at LSU this fall for "violating team rules." Cierre Wood will not be starting in the backfield for the Irish for the first couple of weeks of the season due to "violating team rules." Kansas suspended its long snapper Justin Carnes for "violating team rules." Tennessee wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers was suspended for "violating team rules then transferred. Auburn suspended wide receiver DeAngelo Benton for "violating team rules," and now three wide receivers from East Carolina were just suspended for, yup - you guessed it ... "violating team rules."

What the HELL is going on here?!?!?!?

This really pisses me off, simply because the schools are so concerned with their precious little images and the endowments coming in from alumni that they're in denial about the truth.

Wake up people, we have a problem! A problem that's been around since Moby Dick was a minnow!

First let's cut the crap and put it out there that "violating team rules" is code for he tested positive for or got caught smoking marijuana, weed, chronic, pot, Mary- Jane, blunts, skimbibbidy, wacky tobacky, Maui Wowee, sticky-icky or whatever you want to call it.

Has anyone bothered to wonder why all of the sudden these kids are getting suspended in droves?? C'mon – you can't be that naive.

Here's a question that maybe someone can answer for me: "Why is it that division 1A colleges and universities have huge budgets in their athletic departments, but not one penny is obviously being spent on substance abuse treatment and/or prevention?"

Someone? Anyone?

In my humble opinion these young people need help, not suspension. Wait, before anyone comes unglued – I'm not suggesting that they shouldn't be disciplined for their actions, but what I am suggesting is that these young people need guidance and help. I know it might be news to some programs out there, but there's more to life than just athletics. Agree with me or not, these programs are aware of the problems these athletes have.

Is it really a big secret? "SSSHHHHHH … don't tell coach we smoke weed!" Really? What? Is everyone becoming Jim Tressel and "unaware" of what is happening in the program? Whatever. You mean to tell me that no one can help? Wait, no one cares to help?

From this poor man's perspective these institutions of higher education need to live up to what they promise these athletes and their parents when recruiting them – "take care of them." Taking care of them doesn't mean giving them money or a car or some lavish place to live.

Helping them means living up to your end of the bargain as much as they're supposed to on Saturday afternoon! Help them become better people. Help them with their issues. Help them with their studies. Help them, PERIOD!

Violating team rules … psssh …what a joke!

If you enjoyed these words of wisdom from Oscar McBride, please check out his web site for more information on how you can follow Oscar! OscarMcBride.com You can also catch his blog, "Ask Oscar."

Cheers!