One of the things about college sports that deeply troubles me is the scrutiny that college athletes receive. Correction: It isn’t the scrutiny but the expectation. Recently I read an article about Florida State QB, Jameis Winston, a polarizing figure in the world of college sports. The article, predictably, chided Winston for his behaviors. He was charged with shoplifting in 2014, earlier in his college tenure he’d been accused of stealing soda from a Burger King and was once questioned about a bb gun battle involving 13 FSU Seminole football players that resulted in broken windows in a complex near the stadium. Finally, he was accused of sexual assault in 2012, a charge that was never substantiated. The sexual assault issue is a big deal and one worthy of a red flag. A college study done by Sarah Lawrence in 1990 suggested that 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of sexual assault. The percentage far from excuses Winston of the accusation, but I’m not trying to excuse him. I’m making it clear that if that behavior occurred, he deserves scrutiny. I also am reminding the pubic that we don’t know what happened and won’t until a full investigation is completed (perhaps not even then). The accusation alone is not enough to turn him into a monster.
The rest of the crimes–petty as they are–tend to be considered as typical collegiate behaviors. I remember many nights running through the buildings of Iowa State University firing laser tag guns at each other. I stole food from the cafeteria to make sure I had enough to eat. I’m certain I’ve jacked soda from McDonalds on more than one occasion (statute of limitations, y’all!). My point here is that Winston and other college players are routinely criticized for behaving like college kids as opposed to professional athletes. We are quick to forget that the brains judgement center doesn’t fully develop until we are 25. until then we are all still adolescents.
Too bad media scrutiny doesn’t allow certain kids to act like they are kids.