Discipline. We Have None.

averagedawg wrote: Steve, I understand where you're coming from.
Being a college football player is kind of like being a preacher's kid, held to a different standard.
As the son of a minister, I understand that all too well.

Here's the only issue with that...

It's hard... very hard.. to hold a 19 year old kid to a different and higher standard than
every other 19 year old kid. They are held to a higher standard to a degree. They must fit in
their studies and in addition do everything else a college football player must do like
practice and train. In addition to that it's hard to pile on a moral standard higher
than that which we all know most 19 year olds are going to live up to.

Don't get me wrong here, but I have known several preachers kids who ended up getting in
more trouble than their peers BECAUSE they were held to such a higher standard. They ended
up going to the complete opposite end of the moral standard in rebellion towards this higher
standard.

To be quite honest, I really didn't care that they were drinking. It is almost a given anyway. What I was trying to convey was the ego and attitudes towards a team that seems to care more about oneself than the team as a whole. It was the attitude that I read off of the players that night that almost drove me crazy.

I was one of those preacher's kids, Wartdawg.
Kids will be kids. College kids party. Always have, always will.
Preachers' kids are masters of disguise.
There's a point in your life where you either straighten up or suffer dire consequences.
I don't think our football team is any better or worse than any other major college program with the exception of the service academies who are on another level.

Well that's what I was trying to say. Kids will be kids, and I don't think doing a little partying
is the biggest issue.

What I hope for is that the respect the letter on the side of their helmet, and what it is
supposed to stand for... hard work and heart. I think if the players truly appreciate the
honor of wearing the helmet, the on and off the field discipline problems will go away.

I just have realistic expectations that kids will be kids. I'm not sure total abstinence from
the same lifestyle as most other college kids is mandatory.

If you respect the honor it is to wear the helmet.. I think most everything else will take
care of itself without a mandate from above. To me that means go ahead and be a college kid,
just don't do anything that puts the oval G in a bad light, and be ready to practice and
play hard.

averagedawg wrote: I was one of those preacher's kids, Wartdawg.
Kids will be kids. College kids party. Always have, always will.
Preachers' kids are masters of disguise.
There's a point in your life where you either straighten up or suffer dire consequences.
I don't think our football team is any better or worse than any other major college program with the exception of the service academies who are on another level.

Well, the problem I see is the fact that Athens is known as a top 10 party city. This alone does not help any temptations, especially when expectations are not nearly as high as they really should be.

Has anyone been to Boise to see what type of party scene they have? It's probably 1/100th of what goes on in Athens.

With that in mind, there should be MORE control and MORE rules set to make sure these kids do not get in trouble during the season. It's really selfish to get caught underage drinking only to leave your team behind while being suspended for a couple of weeks.

I also find that "Saint Richt" almost seems two face in this aspect. Look all moral and quiet on the field and have no control over his players off of it. It must have taken a ton of drinking to kick Mettenberger off the team, but we sit there and shrug death threats off?

Oh yeah, missing court dates and beating significant others is not acceptable either.

Athens is no worse than Chapel Hill or Knoxville or for that matter Fort Collins,Colorado.
I'm certain Boise is a party town also.