Dear Eric,

I won’t call you a sissy (that’s for our editor to decide), but I will say you have no clue what you’re talking about. Though I agree the recent plight of Diamond (you still can’t convince me that shouldn’t be in quotes) Taylor and Jeremy “Danny” Glover is a sad story, I don’t see what else the university could have or should have done. Student-athletes are already fairly well taken care of, from tutors to public relations officers, and these high profile players are more than prepared to defend themselves against reporters and professors alike. Just not burglary charges.

You could make the argument that for all the revenue and exposure they provide the university, they aren’t properly compensated, but you didn’t. Instead, you chose to demand the university institute some kind of “don’t steal shit, and oh yeah, don’t drive your car into the Open Pantry drunk (P.J.), and don’t kick down some girl’s door (Michael) or steal her shoes (Lance) either” program.

Being a student-athlete puts considerable strain on the individual, but things like the already mentioned media relations office and tutoring programs help student-athletes deal with the demands that arise from their status as revenue-sport athletes.

The problems that you malign, Eric, do not arise from status as a student-athlete, but from human shortcomings. Drunk driving is not limited to football players and larceny is not the product of one-too-many Mikan drills at basketball practice. So please stop trying to drag society and the athletic department into this. There are plenty of ass clowns on this campus that steal things, the only difference here is that these two had sweet jump shots.

P.S. Mad props to Barry, Bo and Co. on the basketball tickets. It worked way better than football did.