BYU is Filled With a Bunch of Religious Nuts(and I Agree With Them)

So today is day number one in my new office. I've got my Playstation 3 hooked up and all my clothes are still in boxes. I was ALMOST late for work yesterday because I forgot I put all my underwear in the same box as my old Matchbox cars(you know, to protect them from the elements). What can I say? Since leaving for multiple months to the godforsaken suburbs of the Most Overrated City in the Country, Dallas, Texas, I've discovered new fountains of productivity. Today I return to the written word with the controversy going on in everyone's favorite Morman city, Provo, Utah.

For those that don't know, earlier this week, the starting center for the BYU Cougars NCAA Division 1 basketball team was dismissed for violating the school's honor code. Did he steal a computer? Was his father involved in a pay-for-play scam? Was he arrested for underage possession/DUI/hit-and-run/assault(some UGA greatest hits)? Negative. He admitted to having premarital sex with his girlfriend.

What makes this relevent is this is one of BYU's best basketball teams in school history. This past weekend they were a prohibitive #1 seed in the big tournament and favored to make it to at least the Final Four. He is their leading rebounder and top three in scoring. Even to the layman, it's easy to see he is an integral part of this team, and the hopes of a national championship is dashed never mind the Final Four.

I have to give the young man credit for taking this punishment on the chin, and taking full responsibilities for his actions. Before signing on with the Cougars, he was brought before multiple school officials and the honor code, albeit extensive, was spelled out to him point by point. It wasn't like many schools, of which I will mention none, where you get a book handed to you between your syllabi and your map to all the package stores, and you can violate some obscure rule where you can only drink can beer on weekdays and game days. Dude was taken by the hand and actually signed a contract, promising to live up to BYU's standards. Whether you agree with the code or not, Davies said he did, and as long as he was there, he agreed to these standards and would live his private life as such.

On the flip side I gotta throw BYU some love for thier actions as well. In sports(collegiate especially) there is an endless list of examples to the attitude of the classic "win at all costs" attitude. From Belichek to Auburn to USC, all you see is instance after instance of institutions, players, and coaches of all levels, throwing out all ethics(and a few laws to boot) in search of the allmighty "W". While I might not agree with BYU's code, at least they are up front about it and they truly believe in something more than just the win. (and thankfully I'm a Dawg fan)