Yes..it was followed before the game...but unfortunately that didn't really help with what happened after the game!
IMO - I still like the idea of fostering good sportsmanship but am opposed to pre-game handshaking especially for a up-temp, hyped up game like football where on one side coaches are giving adrenaline pumping pregame locker room talks to keep everybody in that highly amp'd mood...and on the other side, they are being asked to go shake hands. I am sure others on this list feel differently... On Sat, Sep 5, 2009 at 9:04 AM, Helen Huntley <[email protected]> wrote: > Because this incident was shown on camera and got a lot of play, it should > (hopefully) have more impact on player behavior that preaching about > sportsmanship and shaking hands before the game (new NCAA recommendation, > which I think was followed at this game.) > > > > On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Woody <[email protected]> wrote: > >> He was suspended for the remainder of the year... the guy he hit is gettin >> his hand slapped too for taunting or whatnot.. >> >> >> On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 7:58 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> You need to see the video - he was trying to fight everyone - the other >>> team, his own teammates, the fans, the cops, .... >>> >>> http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4446898 >>> >>> Punch at Boise ends Blount's season >>> >>> >>> EUGENE, Ore. -- A day after Oregon's college football season opened, it >>> ended for running back LeGarrette >>> Blount<http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=378483> >>> . >>> Blount was suspended for all remaining games on Friday for punching Boise >>> State defensive end Byron Hout in the jaw following the 16th-ranked Ducks' >>> 19-8 loss to the 14th-ranked Broncos the night before. >>> >>> Because he is a senior, Blount's playing days in Eugene are over. >>> McShay: Blount Blows Chance At NFL >>> >>> His sucker punch at the end of Thursday's loss at Boise State will sink >>> out-of-shape Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's chances of an NFL >>> career, Todd McShay writes. >>> *Blog<http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4445041&name=nfl_draft> >>> *[image: Insider] >>> >>> >>> >>> Oregon's first-year coach, Chip Kelly, told a sobbing Blount about his >>> decision after reviewing tape of the altercation. >>> >>> Celebrating the victory on the Broncos' trademark blue turf, Hout yelled >>> in Blount's face and tapped him on the shoulder pad. Before Boise State >>> coach Chris Petersen could pull Hout away, Blount landed a right to Hout's >>> jaw, knocking him to his knees. >>> >>> Blount also had to be restrained by police from fans heckling him on the >>> way to the locker room. >>> >>> Later he apologized saying, "It was just something that I shouldn't have >>> done. I lost my head." >>> >>> Still, Kelly was taken aback when he saw the punch on tape. >>> >>> "That's not what we're all about. That's not what we coach. That's not >>> what we stand for and it's unacceptable," he said. >>> >>> Blount's suspension includes bowl games. He will remain on scholarship, >>> however, and will continue to practice with the team. >>> >>> "He is taking this very hard," Kelly said, choking up. "He understands he >>> made a mistake and he has to pay for the mistake. But we're not going to >>> throw LeGarrette Blount out on the street." >>> >>> Kelly said he hoped Blount's ultimate legacy "won't be a YouTube clip of >>> what happened to him on September 3rd in Boise, Idaho." >>> >>> Hout won't be suspended for taunting Blount. Boise State spokesman Max >>> Corbet told The Associated Press in an e-mail that Petersen planned to spend >>> time with Hout this week to help him learn from what happened. >>> >>> Mike Bellotti, who stepped aside as head coach to become Oregon's >>> athletic director this summer, said the Pac-10 was consulted about the >>> punishment and supported Oregon's decision. >>> >>> Bellotti was with Kelly when Blount was told of the suspension and >>> described the running back's reaction as dismay. >>> "It was a very difficult decision and one I don't think he was expecting, >>> but he was aware there was a certain amount of gravity to the situation," >>> Bellotti said. >>> >>> Oregon president Richard Lariviere called Blount's behavior >>> "reprehensible." >>> >>> "We do not and will not tolerate the actions that were taken by our >>> player. Oregon's loyal fans expect and deserve better," Lariviere said in a >>> statement. >>> >>> Blount, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound transfer from East Mississippi CC, rushed >>> for 1,002 yards and a school-record 17 touchdowns last season. >>> >>> On Thursday night, he had eight carries for a loss of five yards. >>> >>> In February, Blount was suspended indefinitely from the team for "failure >>> to fulfill team obligations." Bellotti did not share details, but Blount >>> reportedly missed offseason team meetings. >>> >>> He was reinstated before spring practice. >>> >>> Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott was at the game and saw the punch. >>> >>> "We commend the University of Oregon and its leadership for taking swift >>> and decisive action in response to this incident," Scott said in a >>> statement. "The Pac-10 strongly emphasizes sportsmanship and fair play in >>> all its athletic competitions and expects high standards of sportsmanship >>> from all participants, including student-athletes. In this case, those >>> standards were not met and the university has taken appropriate disciplinary >>> actions." >>> The NCAA also weighed in. >>> >>> "Under no circumstance is fighting acceptable. ... Sportsmanship is >>> everyone's responsibility, including student-athletes, coaches, officials, >>> institutions and fans," NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said in a >>> statement. >>> >>> Players from both sides, Blount included, met at midfield for a pregame >>> handshake Thursday, the result of a sportsmanship initiative developed for >>> this weekend's games by the American Football Coaches Association and the >>> NCAA. Grant Teaff, the AFCA's executive director, said Friday the incident >>> would not dampen the weekend. >>> >>> >>> "This case points out that we still need to have a commitment to >>> sportsmanship and respect," Teaff told ESPN's Joe Schad. "It was sad as I >>> watched [the events in Boise], but the good news is nobody joined in. That >>> would have been a brawl back in the day. This was one player who was >>> frustrated and infuriated and lost control." >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
