Letter to the editor: Athletes need punishment

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

It seems that the University will turn a blind eye on the privileged few for the sake of its athletics programs. The Athletics Department seems content to internalize damages and punishments, forcibly moving on from its players well-known actions.

This comes at a cost — the respect of the school. The University of Kansas is first and foremost a place of education.

Student athletes may have higher profiles than most, but they are still students. Do rules not apply to them? A verbal argument between students is tolerable, but a fight on campus that endangers other students in the area is a crime that cannot be ignored.

Had it been any other students — a fraternity rivalry turned violent, for example — I do not hesitate to say that real punishments would have been handed out quickly to all guilty.

Unfortunately, the guilty have been allowed to hide behind the political media shield of Perkins, Mangino and Self, safe from any real consequences. They refuse to let any of their cash cows go out to pasture. And why should they?

Fans will forget it all if games are being won. The real loser here is the University and the common student.

University administration, you show a real lack of integrity in letting a few students nationally tarnish the reputation of the whole school. Students, your value to the University is obviously less than that of its cherished athletes. I ask both of you to save face and not let such a blatant violation go unpunished.

— Thomas Bowman is a junior from Seneca

Comments

LawrenceGrown (anonymous) says...

High five on reiterating exactly what the Sep. 25 letter said. Where did you get all those ideas?

September 30, 2009 at 8:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Hendrix321 (anonymous) says...

I've got no problem with it. The University knows the public has a short attention span and perhaps needs to occasionally be "reminded" that some of us do demand accountability.

September 30, 2009 at 9:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

You missed an apostrophe.
Besides which, you've got it all wrong. You have the animals that when you beat them, they learn to behave and you have the animals that when you beat them, they become insane animals. What kind of animals do you think we have on the teams? I am not a veterinarian, but my guess would be the insane type of animals.
PS: Kudos on putting your neck out like this when you already know what happens to those on whom the sports teams turn their baleful eye.

October 2, 2009 at 11:21 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Hurleyvision (anonymous) says...

Basketball players should be taking care of their lives, school work and thinking about becoming the best basketball players that they can. How many of them are in top physical condition? How many could hold their own in a cross country race? How many meditate on sinking treys from downtown?
And, not to forget the football players, how many can bench press 300 pounds? How many have designed their own agility drills? How many of them can concentrate so well that they can move objects with their mind?

Note: If someone calls you an undesirable name, just say, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will only upset me and ruin my whole day."

October 2, 2009 at 10:27 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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