Sammy DOES NOT need to be suspended...

Did you play college football?
Are you mentioned as a possible Heisman Trophy candiate?
Possible collegiate All American status,a career in the NFL?
Sammy is first,and formost a student,a person with a talent to play a game many of us can only marvel at.
Now,I will admit that he should not be suspended from school.In fact I do not think any first time offender should be suspended from school if restitution is made.
However,he is in a high profile sport where athletes are treated differently because the exposure,and money they bring into the University.So something needs to be done.
Should he have a crimal record? No.
Should be be permantely kicked out of school,or off the team ? No.
But,imo,a one game suspension should be imposed to set an example that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
And for the record,I think the one game suspension should be the Auburn game.Sitting him out for Ball State,or Furman does no good,and you definitly want him for conference play.
So you sit him out for the opener,against a good SEC opponent in a nationally televised game.He should not even be allowed to dress out.
That should send a message that Clemson University is not like Stephen Garcia U 90 miles down the road.

RevDodd

All-In [49613]

TigerPulse: 100%

Posts: 30357

Joined: 12/10/98

Doesn't have to be ... but he will.

May 5, 2012, 8:18 AM

Dabo and the staff understand what "We're Clemson: We're better than that" means. Sometimes we all have to be reminded that as Tigers, we are called to a higher (pardon the pun) standard.

So no, Sammy doesn't need to be suspended. But he will because the staff understands that this is one of those proverbial forks in the road.

They know that losing him for a game or two is far less painful than realizing they could have helped one of the greatest talents they're likely to help mold avoid a lifetime of bad decisions, but didn't. The world is littered with the lost abilities of Garcias and OhSons because no one was on hand to help them realize just what they were throwing away.

If you slap his wrist and say "Now don't do that again," and don't reinforce why, the temptation ... and likely action ... will repeat.

Give him a taste of that his life would be like without the game he loves, and the likely path to adulation and wealth and the best use of his God-given skills, and suddenly the choices become much more clear.

In the world at large, Sammy's transgression is as you suggest: pretty meager fodder for scandal. But Sammy isn't just another college kid.

Sometimes being special doesn't mean you get away with stuff ... it means you are held to a more narrow path than the usual Thurday night college kids.

Sammy, I'm certain, already feels bad about it and will do what it takes to restore his image ... for the hordes of little kids who want to grow up to be like him.

No one wants to grow up to be the Thursday night hero with weed and whiskey. They want to grow up to be the Saturday and Sunday hero.

And that's why Sammy will miss some form of the game this fall ... so he'll be sure to see the field the rest of his long, memorable career.

And memorable for all the right reasons.