In the immediate wake of that ugly scene that ended the kickoff of this college football season in Boise, Idaho, Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount somehow regained his wits and apologized profusely for having punched out Boise State defensive end Byron Hout -- and having to be restrained by authorities -- after Hout taunted him.
Within a day or two, Blount and his coach, Chip Kelly, called Hout and Boise State coach Chris Petersen to apologize again.
And the other day Blount wrote a letter of apology to all concerned that was published in a newspaper and spread all over the Web.
Oregon was due applause for the swiftness, if not the harshness, of the penalty it pinned on Blount for his regrettable reaction to Hout. It suspended him for the rest of this season, his senior year. It did so despite him being the Ducks' best running back, if not best offensive player. It did so even though such an action would probably derail the team's effort to get back in the national title hunt. That's what college athletics is all about, right?
Oregon is due even more applause Friday for saying that it would rescind the season-long suspension, pending Pac-10 allowance, if Blount continued to meet the demands it placed on him to show repentance and redeem his reputation. Because at the end of the day, that's really what athletics in an educational environment should be all about: learning.
"It's not a football decision, it's a human being decision; it's about that individual," The Associated Press quoted Kelly on Friday. "And he's got a lot of things he's got to do."
Blount was wrong, as he said quickly and with contrition, and he is demonstrating that he is learning to be better -- not only in the future, but right now.
We don't yet know if the same observation can be made of the young man from Boise State who pulled Blount's trigger. Boise State athletics spokesman Max Corbet told me Friday night that Hout hasn't issued any public admission of guilt or sorrow for his igniting the scrap. Corbet said Hout did entertain Blount when Blount phoned and said the characterization of Hout as telling Blount he felt badly for the incident is true as best he knows. I wish we could all hear that in a public forum like Blount manned up for rather than a private forum that only gets relayed through hearsay.
But this chapter of this story isn't about Hout; it is about Blount. Boise State coach Petersen said the entire affair would be a teaching event for his player but it is Blount who looks to be learning from it. He is deserving of a chance to play again.
Playing school football is a privilege for those with the talent and the demeanor. There have been too many times when talent has been allowed to override demeanor and Oregon must be careful not to allow that to happen.
Nebraska's last famed coach, Tom Osborne, failed at that with a talented running back named Lawrence Phillips in the '90s. He let Phillips play after he was arrested for assaulting his then-girlfriend. In my book, Phillips shouldn't have played again at least until his case was adjudicated. He was a college student and not a pro. There was a lesson to be learned and he never got it. He was in trouble constantly after that incident. It derailed what looked to be a promising pro career and Phillips is now serving time in prison for assault on yet another one-time girlfriend, among other charges.
Blount isn't Phillips, save being a young black man from the South gifted at carrying a football. He wasn't arrested or convicted. He threw a punch in anger at another football player who baited him. That's not criminal unless or until Hout goes to the authorities and there is no indication that will happen. Hout was dazed and embarrassed. He didn't suffer a busted jaw like Raiders defensive assistant Randy Hanson, who has told police he suffered his from a punch by Raiders head coach Tom Cable.
Blount reached out to Kermit Washington, the accidental assault and batterer of Rudy Tomjanovich in the NBA's most famous and tragic punch. Washington has been wrongly defined by his one action, devastating though it was, and shared with Blount ways for Blount not to be defined by his emotional response.
"This is what I said to him: 'Don't make any excuses because nobody wants to hear that," Washington told Dave Zirin of EdgeofSports.com. "You do need to be public with your regrets. Write an open letter to the University. Write a letter to the Oregonian. And just say you're sorry. Say publicly the truth: that you embarrassed your school, your coach, and your team. People respect honestly, courage, and truthfulness.
"Even those who think the worst about you and will always think you're a thug. They might not like you but they respect those traits. It's very important that you write the letter in your own words. No PR people. And remember: no excuses."
Blount's coach Kelly also heard from Miami coach Randy Shannon who was involved in a Hurricanes scuffle or two during his playing days.
Oregon never kicked Blount off the team. It never took away his scholarship, which really would have been overly punitive. You don't lure a kid across the country from Florida through Mississippi to Oregon only to discard him like a worn out tackling dummy.
Kelly told Blount that he could still practice, which must have seemed like a big waste of time for a star player who wasn't going to be able to play. But after missing a first post-punch practice, Blount rejoined his team.
Kelly said he designed a ladder of goals for Blount to climb if he expected to suit up again for the Ducks. It included academic rungs and behavior rungs and athletic rungs. Kelly said Blount autographed the agreement last week.
"The ball is in LeGarrette's court," Kelly said.
Blount seems to realize as much. He appears to be bent on becoming a poster figure for what to do after becoming a poster figure for what not to do, and I hope he succeeds.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-03-2009 @ 2:01AM
Brad said...
WTF,,,,,stop trying to make it look like Hout is the bad guy here. If Blount is making strides in the right direction then great give him a chance to play but to keep portraying Hout in a negative light is at best a bad joke.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 2:58PM
Albert S. said...
WTF is right ! But how can you say that Hout isnt A bad guy here . WTF dude is in Blounts face talking sh!t laughing pointing his finger in his face . You mean to tell me thats OK. That there is nothing wrong with that? The punch was regretable he should not have thrown it period , Not to mension the other things he did. But you can only push a man so far . This is a violent sport . Hout got what he had coming end of story. Though I wish it would have been a back hand ( bitchslap ) more fitting .
10-03-2009 @ 5:55PM
Edgar said...
albert how can you seriously defend blount's actions?? u think a player like jerry rice would have reacted that way? its crazy to say blount was provoked. its football and it is a violent sport but being a little b@#ch and sucker punching someone is selfish and a joke
10-03-2009 @ 11:19PM
jbudd00 said...
And here I was actually believing that Blackistone, after his relatively calm and unbiased last few columns about concussions and other things, was actually going to do some real journalism and not play the race card and make apologies for every black athlete who messes up and does something he should be thrown in jail for. I thought that all of the complaints filed with AOL and maybe somebody had gotten the point and stopped this clown from spewing his racism on what are supposed to be sports pages. Kevin I am sorry that these guys were given a shot to make it big and make more money than most of us will ever see and they mess it up. I know it is our fault that Michael Vick bred dogs to kill and Plaxico Burress felt the need to carry an illegal gun (at 7 million a year hire a bodyguard!!) and LeGarrett Blount punched an opposing player and every other crime out there and they should be excused from their misdeedsbecause of their environment. I hate to tell you most of them do not live in that environment anymore since now they can afford to get out of there. Kevin you are a racist and I really hope that AOL comes to their senses and stops you from spewing your hate and making your excuses for these misunderstood youth who get paid (or in Blounts case were going to get paid) millions upon millions to play a game that children play for free.
10-03-2009 @ 7:24AM
furrsher said...
If this happened in hockey, it would warrant five minutes in the penalty box
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 11:27AM
chrisgomez55 said...
The University of Oregon and the NCAA would be making a huge mistake and sending the wrong message to allow Blount to play again this season. It's time that the adults playing college sports are treated like adults and punished like adults. This was not a 10yr old at a pop warner game.
If any of us were to punch a co-worker and then go after other co-workers and then even go after customers, we would lose our jobs....! You don't get to go around and physicaly assault people that call you names.
If you believe Oregons motivation to rescind the punishment is about doing the right thing for Blount then your sorely mistaken. Just like Blount's remorse is tied to his actions not the loss of revenue for his actions. Wake up and smell the coffee.
If the NCAA and the University of Oregon really want to teach Blount something, then teach him you don't get to go around and ASSAULT people that piss you off, and that Saying you're sorry won't change how you're punished for you're actions. That you're lucky to still be in school and to keep you're scholarships.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 11:52AM
WWLeake said...
What a white wash. Blackstone needs to be able to write without glorifying the thugs that now play sports. I watched the incident live and if what the white guy did was baiting I have to wonder how Blout walks the streets with out fighting all the time. This is about money and how much the school will make when they get him back on the field. The punishment was too harsh and to take it back now just says that if you are good they will find a way to get you to play no matter what you do.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 12:19PM
buford1 said...
If tis was a white guy Blackistone (The Jesse Jackson of Sports Writers) would not be writting this story.
If the guy was white Blackistone wold want him suspended for life.
Blackistone almost never writes a story about a white sports figure.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 1:19PM
cohara1950 said...
Blackistone, How the hell was was Kermit Washington's sucker punch of Rudy Tomjanovich an accident. Washington committed a criminal assault and should have been prosecuted. You are indeed clueless and have proven in more than one article that there isn't a black thug in any sport that you won't defend.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 4:47PM
Lakergregg said...
He learned his lesson? Its been a month.
You know when a person learns their lesson? When the lesson isn't cut short and is carried out.This is why people not just athletes DON'T learn their lesson because they don't take punishment serious enough.
And, the Boise St. player sure he was running his mouth and unnecessarily touched Blount but he paid for it with his jaw, so why should he have to issue a public apology?
Besides, Blount was running smack up until the game so he deserved to have it rubbed in.
And to say Oregon LURED Blount across the country is Blackistone's way of equating giving a kid a scholarship to play football at a University and at the very least an opportunity to earn a college degree with slavery.
Blackistone must've been sitting next to Mariotti when he wrote this garbage.
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 5:48PM
Edgar said...
trash talk is part of the game,i cant believe blackistone says " the man who pulled blount's trigger". . . that ridiculous, a team player would have thought twice about sucker punching someone knowing the consequences it would have for him and his team. but a lot of these ghetto athletes are stuck in their ME ME ME mentality like T.O. and dont think about anything but themselves! suspend him the whole season!!!
Reply
10-03-2009 @ 10:13PM
asmurfintime said...
Notice Blackistone deftly avoids mentioning how Blount went after fans after the game, or how he's been suspended in college before, AND in junior college? Blackistone is so in the tank for any non-white athlete that it's becoming blushingly embarrassing to read his columns now.
Memo to Mr. Blackistone: it's not always the white guy's fault. I don't care what he said to Blount, but violence is never the answer. At least you didn't fetishize the punch to his face like you did in your last article on the same subject.
Kevin Blackistone, racist.
Reply
10-05-2009 @ 1:56PM
DuckinDan said...
I am an Oregon fan . I will not try to defend what Blount did , he should have been better mentally . Hout should have been suspended also in my opinion , for poor sportsmanship , and for being stupid enough to taunt someone without his helmet on .
I am a disciplinarian by nature , believe there should be consequences for actions . I also see the benefit of rewarding those who work hard to improve and become a better person . A parent would never ground a child for doing something wrong with no hope of ever getting un-grounded .
You want to give your children hope , you want them to succeed . That is apparently the thinking here .
I wouldn't have a problem if it is determined that he will not be allowed to play , and if he is , dude better be the most grateful , model citizen from that time forward .
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 5:59AM
Brett Young said...
"Oregon never kicked Blount off the team. It never took away his scholarship, which really would have been overly punitive .... Kelly told Blount that he could still practice, which must have seemed like a big waste of time for a star player who wasn't going to be able to play."
***********************
Gee, what a shame it would've been if Blount would have been condemned to only go to classes for the rest of the year and, hopefully, finish with a degree that he could use after football.
It seems pretty clear here that the coach/university regretted their decision, then had to come up with an excuse to get Blount back on the field. They are the ones who look the worst out of all of this.
Blount certainly did something wrong, but it's not his fault that Oregon couldn't come up with a punishment they could live with.
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 5:55PM
Nate said...
First of all there is no way Hout should be suspended. If what Hout did is considered taunting(which is unbelivable to me) than every player that taunts someone should be suspended. Is you guys are saying. NO, because this goon went nutso and tried to get into the stands and pull a Ron Artest, you want the person who tapped on his shoulder to be suspended. If the security would not have been there, Blount would have punched his teammate, and jumped into the stands. But MR Blackistone thinks the person who slapped his shoulder should have been suspended. How is this guy allowed to play again. I will tell you in 5 letters. NAACP, that is all that needs to be said.
Reply
10-07-2009 @ 1:29PM
mnvols said...
Blackistone...I usually like your columns, but you're way off on this. You cannot send the wrong message by allowing this guy on the team. I find it ironic you blast hockey players for sucker punches and call for them to be suspended for the season, but you're ok with Blount coming back after 1 month. Blount will still get drafted in the NFL in the later rounds, so he should concentrate on staying out of trouble and his grades. Its the wrong message to allow him back on the team.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 1:28AM
Bob said...
Another Blackistone article, another continuation of racism in this country. We have a mouthy, violent young black man who runs his mouth all game, and then assaults a player after the game is done, but it's okay, because he assaulted a white man. We're not sure what the white man said, but it was definitely his fault for getting sucker-punched...because he is white. The university was right to suspend Blount, but they are also right to rescind the suspension? Huh? Well, because he's black, and he was well-coached in exactly how to word his apology. Kermit Washington's assault shouldn't count against him, because he's black, and he hit a white man? Blount isn't guilty because Hout never filed charges? Tom Cable IS guilty, because he's a white man? Where does it end, Kevin? Is it even possible for you to say a black person is guilty of a crime, or to praise a white person? The next time you ponder the prevalence of racism in this country, try looking in the mirror, because you're exactly what keeps it humming along.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 8:46AM
billb0925 said...
Let me be clear - I'm white but I'm about to defend Kevin Blackistone. Yes, he writes mostly about black athletes. He tries to make them look good and is an unabashed apologist for their bad acts. He's a black racist by any definition. That said, I believe he does what he does because he thinks the sports world needs someone to tell the other side of the story when it comes to black athletes, and you have to admit that he does a good job of it. I rarely agree with him, and I didn't today, but maybe he overdoes it on the black side because no one else tries to see that side of an issue like Blount and Hout. In the final analysis, he can write what he wants, and if you know in advance that you're not going to like it, just don't read it.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 4:37PM
Ed Fielding said...
Blackstone is a stone cold racist. The worst of the worst. A sanctimoneous racist. I actually agree on the point that Blount deserves a second chance, but I question Blackstone's ability to be able to do the same thing if the young man were White instead of Black. It's a shame that Blackstone has to look at everything from the prisom of black and white. He isn't a bad writer, otherwise.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 5:31PM
rob said...
So let me get this straight, Blackistone, you racist piece of garbage. Blount should be allowed to play again after assaulting another player and then attempting to fight his coaches, teamates, fans and security but Rush Limbaugh shouldn't own an NFL team because he's made statements you don't agree with. You're pathetic.
Reply