Tennessee Vols coach, Lane Kiffin, is defending his decision to dismiss freshmen wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards from the team. Both were involved in a robbery last week.

After the incident occurred, I wrote about how bloody stupid those kids were for doing what they did, know full well they have scholarships to pay for stuff. It makes me wonder how much better they think their lives would have gotten if they got away with it, but I digress.

I hate to get all preachy and Americana on the readers, but we are a nation of second chances (of course certain crimes limit the potential for a second chance). I’m not defending what they did and the commend Kiffin for trying to run a clean program, but perhaps he could’ve come to another resolution. Perhaps he could have suspended the two for the remainder of the season and then see where they were at the start of next season.

People who commit crimes or otherwise get into trouble in their spare time are the ones who need sports the most. They need sports to show them how to be good people and essentially not get into trouble. Sure by kicking those players out, Kiffin guaranteed parents that they run a clean program. And sure, he can say over and over again to recruits “we run a tight ship,” but I think it would sound better if he were able to tell parents (who know they have a trouble making kid) that his program can change athletes for the better. Come to think of it, Coach Tressel of Ohio State has always said they make men and they’ve had some players get into trouble with the law. Instead of kicking them off, he gave them a second chance to prove they’re both sorry and worthy.

Coach Kiffin should reconsider.

[via SI.com]