Golden Nugz 11.09.09

Lea B Olsen is one of my favorite members of the local sports media, and she's a former Gopher.  She wrote a very good editorial in the Star Trib recently about who is really responsible for the inappropriate behavior of college athletes.  Lea is rather plugged in to the Minnesota high school basketball scene and knows her stuff.  In this article she lays out some of what is obvious and recognizes that the blame is shared...

By the athlete's families

Teaching your kids morals, the difference between right and wrong, and that there will be consequences to ones actions is the basic responsibility of the family.

By the fans

Our expectations are so incredibly high.  We want winning teams and we want them now.  Most of us are usually willing to take a risk on kids who have proven in the past to have had issues.  This would be okay if it was really about giving the kids a second chance, getting them an education, and doing what is best for the kids.  But, it’s really not about that is it?  It’s about the thought of what our team could look like if the kid did get his act together.

By the greedy types who plug themselves into the lives of young athletes

Recruiters (ed. and agents) going into grade schools promising the world if the athlete stays healthy and can perform is often the start of the ugly cycle that creates the mentality of you can do what ever you want as long as you can perform.

And obviously the athletes themselves.

Being treated different your entire life, being allowed to make mistakes with out suffering consequences, and having adults worship the ground you walk on doesn’t mean you are off the hook for taking responsibility for your life.

All very true.  Like I said some of what she said is rather obvious but a good read, especially in light of the rash of recent Gophers in the news for antics not related to the basketball court.

• Lawrence McKenzie was drafted, in the NBDL.  The Sioux Falls Sky Force drafted Lawrence who spent last year playing in Macedonia and appeared in 10 NBDL games.
• For a perspective from the winning side, here is Hail to the Orange's game recap.
• Gopher soccer won it's last game of the regular season.  The Gophers finished tied for 4th in the conference and will wait out the NCAA Selection Committee on Monday.
  
• Kent Youngblood shared some of Brewster's comments from the Sunday meeting of the beat writers and TBrew.  The insight is about Brewster's method of teaching/coaching and not yelling.