I was happy to see Clemson and South Carolina took a firm stand in response to the appalling fight during the two rivals’ annual football game. Both teams were bowl-eligible but are staying home this year – an unprecedented move.
I was shocked at the intensity of the fight. The picture in the paper of a Clemson player kicking an unhelmeted South Carolina player in the head was just sickening. Just when I thought the thugs were all in the pro leagues, this sets me straight.
Bowl games are very lucrative to schools. Teams work hard to get there. Deciding to skip their bowls shows that the schools take sportsmanship very seriously. I applaud their decision, and I hope its message is received loud and clear.
I agree it was the right thing to do. But the bowls these two schools would have been going to would not have made them any money. In fact, they probably would not have broken even on the travel.
They should charge the Clemson player with assault.
You’re right about the money. That’s why I said “can be very lucrative.” Like the Fiesta Bowl, for instance. But, yeah, the bowls these teams were getting were at best break-even things.
At least they weren’t playing East Carolina. 🙂
Not going to any bowl games – that’s their idea of punishment? “You were a bad boy, and now you have to stay home.” What a joke! How about some direct punishment for the players who were involved in the brawl? At the very least, Clemson’s Yusef Kelly and South Carolina’s Daccus Turman should be arrested for assault (and/or kicked out of school). There is no excuse for this kind of behavior, and that fact needs to be made plainly clear to the idiots involved in the fight.
I agree that assault charges should be filed. But I also like the idea of punishment for the whole team(s). The sidelines were cleared so everyone should pay a price. And some should pay a much higher price.
They did not take it into the stands like NBA players. Player on player violence is merely an extension of the game and while might not be palatable to some, nothing they could do with their fists or feet compares to the damage they inflict with their helmets in allowable play.