sports fanatics saved souls

SPORTS LIBERALISM

Troy Smith could not have won the Heisman trophy without Maurice Clarett. They never played on the field in the same year - but came in on the same recruiting class of 2002 at The Ohio State University. Clarett played as a true freshman Autumn of '02 winning the national championship. Then he filed a fraudulent insurance claim summer '03, and was suspended from the team. After only one year in college, he sued the NFL to let him in the draft early, was denied, then drafted a year later but released after pre-season. He committed armed robbery Winter '06 in Columbus (where a few people might recognize him) in the midst of signing to play in Europe. Then, Summer '06, he refused to pull over to police who found he was driving with a bullet proof vest and had three concealed handguns. He then struck a deal to go to prison for 3-1/2 years and a consolidation of charges against him. Somehow college athletics could not save Clarett from the streets, much to the dismay of sports-fanatics. But they were able to capitalize on Smith who also had a tough childhood. Smith was involved in a few campus disturbances and received money from boosters - resulting in missing a bowl game and not starting a critical home game against Texas. But Smith repented and grew up with the help of his head coach - sports writers and Heisman voters went ecstatic. After loosing Clarett to the dark side, the sports-fanatics found redemption in Smith. That is what they believe in after all - the power of sports to change peoples lives for the better. Sports healed the Nation after Sept 11th. Football healed New Orleans, and football is now healing Virginia Tech. Aren't we all happier now?