• March 29, 2024

Give Them Credit, BYU Got It Right With Davies

In a world where there are few things less corrupt then the NCAA, it is important to point out when a school gets something right.

I feel when BYU kicked starting forward Brandon Davies off the team for violating their honor code by having sex, they got it right.

Davies played an intricate part in leading the BYU basketball program all the way up to the number 3 spot in the National polls. He was averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds for the team, but none of that mattered when he reportedly admitted to school officials that
he had sex with his girlfriend, which goes against the Mormon school’s honor code.

In all reality, BYU had no choice but to kick him off the team. If they would have let him stay, they might as well of gotten rid of the rule all together. What message would it have sent to not only his teammates, but the student body, if Davies would have stayed?

It would have sent the message that winning is more important then following the rules. and unfortunately in the NCAA, teams send that message far to often.

Reggie Bush and Cam Newton are two recent examples of players breaking rules and paying little or no consequence. The schools do whatever it takes to win, worrying about the backlash later. Yes, Reggie Bush had to give back his Heisman, but that means little to USC now.

BYU could have easily waited until after the season, playing dumb until then, but by kicking him off now, they showed how serious they are about putting the student before athlete in student athlete. Davies knew what he was signing up for when he went to BYU.

No one forced him to accept the free education they offered him.

People will say that if it was star player Jimmer Fredette this would be different, but BYU has shown in the past that is not the case. The school cast aside their all team leading rusher in football Harvey Unga for breaking the honor code as well.

The students will be upset, the teams play on the court may suffer, but BYU did the right thing and should be commended for it.=

Eliot Shorr-Parks

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schiller
schiller
March 3, 2011 1:18 pm

When I first saw the headline, I thought ‘how in hell can you argue that is the case’. But after reading it, I see your point. You hit the nail on the head though, when you said “If they would have let him stay, they might as well of gotten rid of the rule all together.” THAT is the bottom line here. I say – schools should have no input at all about a players personal life that doesn’t involve crime or academics. BUT, that’s my philosphy, and one reason I never enrolled in BYU. I think the rule is absolutely silly, but if the kid thought the rules were just a technicality and he chose to play at BYU and ignore the rules…. I guess, in this NCAA climate, they had to enforce it.

navyeaglefan
navyeaglefan
March 3, 2011 1:44 pm

1) He accepted the educational and athletic opportunities presented by this outstanding institution. He did not have to, he did so of his own free will.

2) The strict rules at BYU are legendary (Jim Macmahon used to poke fun at them all the time). The student-athlete was well aware of the rules.

3) In a society where we frequently complain and gripe about greed, getting ahead at all costs, and wonder what is wrong with people today, BYU tries to be an institution that places its spiritual and moral values ahead of ‘winning at all costs’.

I think BYU made the correct decision in showing that they place standards and values (maybe not mine, but theirs) first and foremost.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
March 3, 2011 2:00 pm

Agreed. It may not be a rule that we all agree with, but it is refreshing to see a school actually enforce rules on their student athletes.

EagleBeliever
EagleBeliever
March 3, 2011 2:13 pm

Why not just suspend him for the last two games? Then allow him to play in the tournament. It’s still a punishment, but it doesn’t punish the kid for all the hard work he put in since September. Kids who play college basketball only dream of playing in the tournament. There is no guarantee BYU will make it next year or the year after.

I think the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I understand the whole “he signed the letter of intent to play there so he knew” argument but honestly I think it is a little much. What if he didn’t play basketball? What would be the consequence? From the reports I read he is still enrolled in the school and may not be kicked out. If that is the case, then I think it sends the message that athletes are punished in a different way because there is something to take away.

I think BYU wants to send a strict message to the rest of the school about their bogus honor policy. And having a member of the #3 team in the nation getting kicked off the team sends a pretty stern message.

To me, there is a difference between enforcing your rules and overreacting to the situation. There are multiple ways to punish the kid (suspend for games, remove scholarship, etc.) but to take away his chance to play in the tournament that is only weeks away….it kinda sours the whole situation.

dawkplex1221
dawkplex1221
March 3, 2011 2:38 pm

I dont know about all this, but your telling me that a college can say weather you can have or not have sex with there girlfriend? Thats ridiculous in my opinion. The suspenion i agree with but the idea that a college can say “for you to come here you cant have sex with your girlfriend” is ridiculous. And there mormon lol hahah. You can have 17 wives but no sex in the champagne room lol hahahha

paulman
paulman
March 3, 2011 3:12 pm

It’s a whole different world out there in Mormon Country Dawkplex..
Just wait until Mitt Romney becomes President.. and we all thought Obama was bad… jiminy crickets…

schiller
schiller
March 3, 2011 3:19 pm

paulman, you’re weird – if you don’t like Obama, then Romeny will be your cup of tea. They are polar opposites. Hence your statement makes no sense.

EAGLE Co 32
EAGLE Co 32
March 3, 2011 3:25 pm

I agree with the punishment. I would have never attended that school but I agree.

paulman
paulman
March 3, 2011 3:25 pm

That’s the nicest thing any of you have said all week to me..
I am a registered Independent , but you know, Obama and Romney are closer
to the middle than most would probably think…..

bsmvideos
March 3, 2011 3:38 pm

Our society has decayed so much that it is funny that it is being labled a BYU rule.

No sex outside of marriage is basic Christian scripture not invented by BYU.

GayBC(ABC) and other “Modern Family” Type shows and entertainment are eroding our morale compass.

And everybody is wondering why Charlie Sheen thinks it’s O.K. to have his Godesses (porn stars) raise his kids.

navyeaglefan
navyeaglefan
March 3, 2011 3:39 pm

Dawk – yep – that’s what is being said. BYU has the folks sign a paper. Freedom of Speech is protected by the Constitution, courts have actually ruled (stolen Valor Act) that it is OK to lie that you have won military medals… school I went to said if you lie, your gone.

schiller
schiller
March 3, 2011 3:40 pm

bsm, and for non-christians? Or do they not matter?

paulman
paulman
March 3, 2011 3:48 pm

To BSM
Is Catholic Priests fooling around on the young boys in their parishes also in the Scripture.. Christianity is no different than all the hypocritical religions which became powerful by manipulating men,disgracing women and putting fear into thier congregations.. More people have died in the History of Mankid for their “Religion”.. and for what… eternal salvation.. The way most of these organized Religions are run, I wouldn’t even want to remain forever with any of them…

paulman
paulman
March 3, 2011 3:51 pm

Most people say Money is the Root of all Evil.. I disagree wholeheartedly,
“Organized Relgion” is the Root of all Evil…

dawkplex1221
dawkplex1221
March 3, 2011 4:07 pm

navyeagle@ thats amazing i cant believe that. I had no clue schools could do such things

navyeaglefan
navyeaglefan
March 3, 2011 4:10 pm

Wow – talk about crawling into the vices of the world…… we have prostitution, pedophilia, homosexuality, religion, and what defines morales…….

BYUs rules. If the kid doesn’t like him, he can transfer. If future kids don’t like them, don’t go there.

navyeaglefan
navyeaglefan
March 3, 2011 5:54 pm

Dawk – most schools have some form of ‘honor code’ but most are tied to academics – I admit, I first thought it was something like copying a paper and having someone else take a test for him. Some schools, 99% private have stricter codes, the Academy’s (navy, Air Force etc.) private military (Citadel, VMI, Norwich) and some religous get stricter and things like lying become dismissable offenses – and lying could be as simple as placing pillows under your bedsheets to ‘decieve’ the person making sure you are in after taps.

Not saying any one is any better, Navy (my alma mater) had a kid that popped positive for marijuana, and the Academy let him stay. Upset many that they placed a key member of the football team above the zero tolerance drug policy. He eventually got kicked out.

bsmvideos
March 4, 2011 7:40 am

Paulman

I understand your comments. But failures you point out are also detailed in scripture(king david/besheba).

The scripture is sound. It is man who is unsound. That was the entire point of sending the Son. To redeem Man.

Schiller

Not only do non-christians matter they are the most important.

A doctor comes to heal the sick not the healthy.

schiller
schiller
March 4, 2011 8:34 am

bsm – so non-christians are sick?

paulman
paulman
March 4, 2011 9:11 am

To BSM,

To each his own.. Then only thing I can say about the “Scripture” is that it was written by “Men” so take it for what it’s worth
In your repsonse to Schiller
Are all non-christians sick and in need of Christianity to save them from hell
Nothing worse than a Religious bigot…Do what works for you but don’t tell me or others what the “proper” religion is …

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
March 4, 2011 9:17 am

Videos- Please take your preaching somewhere else. You want to call the spreading of tolerance eroding our moral compass? You don’t decide my moral compass and if I disagree with you then that doesn’t make me wrong. If you want to cling to your hate and judgement, then there is a nice Baptist Church that that is now recruiting in Tokeka. They are always looking for an extra set of hands to hold a picket sign outside a military funeral.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
March 4, 2011 9:21 am

Topeka, Sorry.

bsmvideos
March 4, 2011 1:30 pm

Paulman

You said “to each his own”, yet I am a “religious bigot” for sharing my views of a article about a religious school upholding a religious principle?

Well one at a time.

bugsyhawk

Having served 2 overseas tours in the United States Army Protecting you and your families rights, I did not return to abandon mine. The comments were relative to the story.

Clumping all people who believe in God into one fanaticle group is like saying all white people belong to the klu klux klan. All black people can tap dance. And all Italians are mobsters. And all Asians are good at math. You get the idea

Paulman

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2:Tim 3:16

The Bible proves this scripture by telling us the earth is round and in space (job) 10,000 years before we knew finally understood it was not flat. At least 1000 other proofs are revealed by archeology and detailed in Grant Jefferies books signature and handwritting of God.

When you step off a roof, the law of physics take over whether you believe in them or not. Whether you like them or not. As you said ” to each his own”

Take that for what it’s worth.

Schiller

Thank you for the diciplined response.

I was talking to homeless man yesterday. He critisized another man for getting drunk all the time. I told him that was that man’s right, as long as he did not hurt anyone else. Then I reminded him that earlier in our conversation he defended his right to smoke weed. He said “that’s different”.

The point is, whatever habit’s we have, we all believe that they are correct or we would not do them. Hence if I truly believe that there is a heaven and a hell and the Bible is from God then that would mean I also believe that those that do not are in error.

None of us alive can be 100% sure that is why it is called faith. The substance of things hoped for the evidence not seen. Hebrews 11:1

I defend Paulman, Bugsyhawk and Schillers right to believe whatever makes you sleep good at night. As well as my own rights. Death is an appointment none of us is going to miss. It’s like driving 2 identical cars into a tree. Both get totaled. The one with full coverage gets a new car. The one with no insurance…will wish he had it.

schiller
schiller
March 4, 2011 1:41 pm

Bsm, I respect your response. But I question whether you think jesus would agree that Christians should judge non christians as less virtuous. In my opinion, hell no. I think he was a liberal humanist, (in the context of his day, hence the religion), so I think he’d be laughing and disappointed at his followers misinterpreting his priorities, not to mention holding a book written centuries before electricity as the golden rule in an age of the internet…I think he’d be quite disappointed that people are judging others and haven’t progressed past the wisdom of his time….

I say those with unquestioned ‘faith’ are the sick ones, thinking an ancient book should guide their lives and an imaginary nonexistent figment of social imagination should guide one’s life.

But to be religious and judge others as less than thou at the same time, I say that’s messed up.

Separately, thanks for serving our country. I have a lot of respect for that and I think we need to do a ton more for our veterans (and preventing future misguided military operations as well).

paulman
paulman
March 4, 2011 2:52 pm

To BSM,
If you believe the “Men” that worte the Scriptures were guided by God by some Divine Intervention, then go ahead and do so, Just don’t tell me that I have to believe the same thing as you and that this Belief is the be all,and end all of Mankind..
I too commend and thank you for your Service to your Country and for the record, I have never met an Asian who was not excellent in Algrebra,
Calculus and Statistics so I think your theory may be a little skewed.. ..

schiller
schiller
March 4, 2011 3:11 pm

oh the persistence of Pualman’s arrogance. He hasn’t experienced it personally, therefore it doesn’t exist. And of course, casual racism/prejudice is harmless.

What a tool. What a tool.

YouNeedJesus
YouNeedJesus
March 5, 2011 9:06 pm

Hey Paulie no way you’ll ever see Mitt Romney as President I hope that was a joke. Because it aint gonna happen.

FanSince1960
FanSince1960
March 5, 2011 9:37 pm

BSM, your religious views seem ntolerant, and the basis for the hatred of members of other religions. I don’t need your religious icon to save me, thank you. But if you want to wish me well without proselytizing me or putting me in the “needs to be saved” category, I will thank you and be happy to know you. Paulman, to say that “Romney and President Obama are closer to the middle than anyone might think” is a load of crap, except for the fact that are both “politicians”, which means bul*shi**ers. And kicking someone off a team for having sex? Come on now, that’s SICK! Where are you “second chancers”. This is ill!