I have to admit, I like where ASUO President Adam Walsh’s head was on Friday.
It was then that he vetoed providing the Oregon club baseball team their full $5,800 for nationals this week after learning of an attempted theft by two of its players.
A startling number of collegiate athletic programs have taken their lumps this year thanks to their athletes’ dishonorable behavior off the field. The University joined that list in April when these two players broke the eighth commandment at a batting cage east of campus.
I’m not going to use my 13 inches this week to name names or rip into anyone, but I am going to commend Walsh for thinking twice about picking up the player’s tabs for nationals.
The two were allotted $446, an amount it will have to pay back after nationals.
The perfect repercussions for an imperfect crime.
I’ve always been in favor of punishing a guilty party and Walsh was aiming to do that last week. Yes, if Walsh’s blockade survives Wednesday’s re-evaluation by the Student Senate, the team’s wallet will suffer. But as they say in business, that’s one of the breaks.
Aside from punishment, Walsh left a message for other athletes at this University who, God forbid, ever give it a bad name.
It’s a message that’s echoed across the nation this year.
You heard it from Northwestern last week when the school’s women’s soccer team had its 2006 season scratched because pictures of its players taking part in hazing activities surfaced on the Internet.
Then there were the earth-shattering incidents at Duke. They cost theacrosse team its season.
What makes Walsh’s ideal punishment stand apart from what was done at Duke and Northwestern is the fact that he focused on the individuals. Those who were involved should take a page from the Northwestern players and give their school and fans a public apology, something that hasn’t been seen or heard from Oregon’s baseball players.
On Monday, the Wildcats stated that they “fully accept responsibility for our behavior and understand the magnitude and severity of the current situation. … We take extreme pride in representing this school, and this incident does not reflect the values, integrity and qualities we seek to embody.”
Although this sounds like a carbon copy apology from an athlete, it speaks volumes compared to those who don’t even take the time to publicly admit they were wrong.
It’s not too late for Oregon’s baseball players.
As for Walsh, he has shown great character and class by simply holding people accountable for their actions.
A team only wins and loses together on the field.