Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="RF2044, post: 275450, member: 40"] I want to clarify my position, because I obviously haven't made my point clearly if you are concluding that I am downplaying stealing or advocating leniency / preferentially favorable treatment for Hunt just because he's a QB. I am glad that Marrone is a hard ass. I am glad that Hunt got punished--deservedly so. One of the most important things that Marrone has done [my opinion only here--so apologies in advance for the soapbox] was changing the culture of the program and instilling discipline amongst the players. Hunt committed a crime. He absolutely deserved to be punished in some fashion. I don't take issue with that punishment being severe, or with Marrone meting out a punishment that he deems appropriate to the circumstances. I just wish that the punishment wasn't him being suspended for spring practice [couldn't care less about him being held out of the spring game as part of the punishment], because it is counterproductive from a development standpoint as Tomcat explained in his post. Two other things. Me talking about Hunt's infraction relative to other things isn't chalking it up to "boys will be boys." I believe there is a substantive difference between what Hunt did and infractions involving drugs, fighting, sexual abuse, etc. I don't condone shoplifting--it was a stupid mistake that the kid made. I just don't view it on par as the things listed above. That doesn't mean that stealing isn't a problem, or that it doesn't warrant a steep penalty. Also, I agree that we don't have all of the information that Marrone is privy to. Maybe there were other things--like the pattern of behavior you allude to--that required a more severe penalty. Then again, maybe there wasn't. In that regard, the opposite of your point is also true--absent a pattern of negative behavior, that should work in the player's favor in terms of a lesser penalty if this is a first offense. If Hunt is a good student, didn't have issues on / off the field, etc. then maybe a suspension is too harsh. And if there were underlying issues, then perhaps the suspension was right on the money. As you point out, we don't have all the facts. I just wish that there had been a way to penalize the sh-t out of the kid without him having to miss spring practice because it hurt the team. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?