Hart Surgery: Clarett the Norm, Not the Exception

By: Micah Hart

Can we please stop the insanity?

Another athlete (surprise!) has lost his eligibility, thanks to a school bending the rules and outsiders trying to grease the wheels for him. I must say I am shocked (sarcasm). I never thought we’d see this again (heavier sarcasm). Certainly not at a big-time program like Ohio State (chart-topping, Dennis Miller-meets-David Spade sarcasm)!

Pardon my language, but what the @!#$^ is going on here? How do schools and athletes continue to make the same mistake over and over (and over) again? What puts the thought in everyone’s heads that it will be different this time?

The latest incident involving Maurice Clarett was almost inevitable, the way he burst onto the scene last year. As the first true freshman to start a season-opener for Ohio State, he blew away Texas Tech with 175 yards on 21 carries. From there he kept going and going, rushing for over 1,200 yards despite missing all or parts of five games with a shoulder injury. The hype grew even bigger when he helped Ohio State to its first national title since 1970. It almost would have been a let down if he didn’t screw it up somehow.

How does this keep happening? Do people not watch the news anymore? Read the papers? You cannot get away with it! The NCAA suspends players for putting too much mustard on hot dogs (rule 21.3.a clearly states only one packet per wiener); you think they aren’t going to notice your negative GPA?

In a recent column by Rick Reilly in Sports Illustrated, he mocks the NCAA for finding a host of violations in Utah basketball coach Rick Majerus’s program (personally, I don’t know how he has time to violate NCAA rules, he is so busy coaching Maryland football in the off-season). Reilly makes light of the NCAA’s many inane stipulations that turn innocent gestures by coaches concerned their student-athletes’ welfare into capital crimes.

I agree with Reilly, there are too many rules regarding coach and player behavior. But it is worth having them in place if they help keep the big fish in check. The fact is, the second Clarett walked onto campus, he became a God Among Men - heralded for his football prowess and ability to lead the school to a higher ranking and finish. And now he is finished.

Unless Clarett transfers to an NAIA school (now starting for DeVry…Maurice Clarett), he is done with college football. If you want to see him play this year you better find out where he trains, or purchase a copy of NCAA Football 2004 for your Playstation. The closest he is coming to the gridiron is if he buys a ticket. He is the latest in an ever-increasing line of star athletes who lose their eligibility because everyone treats them like superstars.

Lebron James was in the same situation. Once the attention avalanche started tumbling after him it was only a matter of time before he missed playing time because of improprieties. We knew he was going straight to the NBA, but in the end he actually had no choice because a litany of violations would have made him ineligible.

The irony in all this is we fall all over ourselves for these kids with amazing athletic talents, but do so in such an extreme way we make it impossible for them to play the games they are famous for in the first place.

So, one last time, here is a plea from all the sports fans:

  • Media types, PLEASE stop giving so much press to teenagers with a crossover. It’s hard not to have an inflated self-ego when your image is plastered all over the television. And stop giving kids nicknames like “King” and “The Chosen One”. Whatever happened to nicknames like “Red” and “Lefty”, what was wrong with those?
  • Boosters, PLEASE stop “loaning” out cars and giving athletes “jobs.” No one is falling for that s#*t anymore, if they did in the first place. Just hook them up with slutty college girls like the good ole’ days, and everyone will be happy.
  • Athletes, PLEASE wise up. You will not get away with it. You will get caught. For every Maurice Clarett who will still have a pro career despite his troubles, there are countless others who got nailed and now work the overnight shift at Waffle House. And don’t think the schools will stand behind you to catch you when you fall. If Ohio State had deserted Clarett any faster, there would be a cartoon-like dust cloud where the campus used to be. Schools like championships, but not as much as they like NOT being on probation, and they are almost Mafia-like in their fervor to rid themselves of any perceived threats to the program.The situation at Ohio State is embarrassing, but it is sad because all anyone really wants is to see the kid play. That opportunity is now lost.

    The real question is: how many more Claretts will it take before everyone gets the message?

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    Micah Hart is an original contributor to the CSR, and works in sports media in Atlanta. Micah can be reached at micahbhart@yahoo.com. He reminds you to Hook 'em Horns.

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