OSU Fan Loses Scholarship For Rushing Field, So Should Jameis Winston
Ohio State University has removed a scholarship due to actions taken at the team’s victory over Cincinnati Saturday. The catch: the scholarship had nothing to do with the football team or its players, but instead a fan who rushed the field in the middle of a play. 21-year-old Anthony Wunder ran across the playing field while Ohio State was in the midst of an offensive drive. He made it to mid-field before being brutally tackled by a member of the Buckeyes’ coaching staff.
If you haven’t seen the video yet, it is quite the watch and has become one of the top stories on social media. Click here to watch the vicious hit on ESPN.
Strength and conditioning coach Anthony Schlegel essentially cloths-lined and body-slammed Wunder before dragging him off the field. Schlegel has not been charged with any wrong-doing and it is uncertain if he will face any repercussions from the incident. Wunder, on the other hand, is not as lucky and is facing a misdemeanor criminal trespassing charge.
As if the legal charge and hard takedown wasn’t enough, Wunder has also been removed from the Evans Scholar program, which pays for tuition and housing for former caddies.
Obviously, you cannot rush the field as a single individual, especially in the middle of the game. However, hasn’t Ohio State taken this far enough? The kid already has to go through legal proceedings and pay a lawyer. Now he also no longer has the financial backing that got him to the school in the first place?
Wunder probably had one too many before the game, was dared or enticed by a few buddies and in his inebriated state, thought running on the field would be a great idea. One thing is certain, it got him in the news. Yet, his “crime” is next to nothing compared to some of the incidents and accusations that NCAA student-athletes have been wrapped up in.
Let’s use Jameis Winston for an example. The Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner has graced the headlines with more than one obscure and obscene incident. Just last season, he was investigated for sexual assault.
Winston followed that up with a bench clearing brawl during the college baseball season as well as shoplifting accusations and topped it all off this year by yelling an obscene phrase at a Student Union meeting. That final incident led to him being suspended for all of FSU’s victory over Clemson.
In my opinion, that is three strikes and you are out! Why does Winston still have his athletic-scholarship and why is he still wearing an FSU uniform? Maybe it’s because he brings in a lot of money for the school. Maybe it is because Florida State does not want to return to ambiguity in college football.
It is absolutely ridiculous that Wunder simply runs on the field, loses his ride to a higher education and faces legal charges. Wunder needs a college education and degree more than Winston does. Plus, aren’t Winston’s screw-ups a bit more serious than Wunder’s? After all, Winston is basically the face of FSU and NCAA football.
It is a travesty and a shame that the world of sports has created such an awful double-standard. From the professional level to the collegiate, if you are a star-athlete than you can basically get away with anything and still go on to make millions of dollars. It is time for professional sports leagues, the NCAA and fans across the nation to look in the mirror because this horrible double-standard must be done away with.
Shane Phillips is a Sports Writer for BigDogSportsBlog.com. Follow Shane on Twitter @ShaneRantSports, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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