This is troublesome, "If an Eagle Scout does something improper, his actions not only reflect badly on himself, but they tarnish the image of all Eagle Scouts, and all Boy Scouts". The Purdue players have done absolutely nothing wrong based solely on winning or losing. Purdue players do represent the University. They are not responsible for the personal happiness of you, 1973, or anybody else other than their friends and family and even with them it has nothing to do with sports. I find it sad that anyone thinks otherwise.
Obviously, you don' t share the same beliefs as many others do. and we've had this conversation before. As a student, I almost received a free 1 week vacation to LA and the Rose Bowl. Purdue Music organizations would have paid for everything in support of our football team. All we had to do was beat Michigan at Michigan. nd I went to that game. And as I watched that game, I saw my personal all expenses paid trip to the rose owl disappear in front of my eyes as we lost. Their loss did personally affect me, my emotions,, and my vacation because I could never have afforded to go. As part of that vacation, I may have had the opportunity to live a lifelong dream of going to Disneyland. That loss was a very emotional one to accept.
Additionally, when players become thugs, thieves, and commit crimes off the court, it reflects upon themselves, the team, the coach, the university, and employers who come to the university to interview prospective employees. A school has a reputation to the outside world. When that school makes more headlines for off court crime actions, it DOES affect alumni. I would not want to apply for a job and say I'm a Baylor alumni at this moment. if you had two graduates applying for a job, and yo u were doing the interview, and they were both athletes, would the history of recent Baylor activities cross your mind? the Baylor coach recently got a job with a Canadian football team, and then the media found out, and he was let go. He has no criminal record, but his name was tarnished by the actions of others.
UW has an image of being a party school. And it's deserved. for better or worse, if you have a degree from UW, many people will just assume you are also a party animal because that is the image your school has.
Purdue has an image. and it's graduates carry that image and uphold it. and people do become frustrated and emotional by the actions of what happens on a field or a court by current students. and when the facts come out a certain RB from Texas Tech had a 0.00 GPA but was still allowed to play in a Bowl game , that affects the image of that school and your degree. When a certain QB is kicked out of Florida because of academic reasons, but is allowed to start at Auburn because of his football talents, that speaks volumes about the lack of integrity of the Auburn athletic department, and the school for letting it happen, and for the alumni. But then again, the y won and he became a heisman winner, so it's all Ok.
and for some people who are old and have never accomplished anything, many who are not even alumni will say , well at least my team won a championship. Each day I lived in Alabama half of their population bragged about their team and it's championships. they didn't even go to college, yet they bragged about their team as if it was their son or dog or favorite fishing pole. Alabama was their life and their only accomplishment they could cling to.
That's not me. However, I was placed in a position as a college instructor where athletes expected a good grade or at least a passing grade because they were athletes. I was also ridiculed by many as being an instructor as what was considered as a diploma mill. And those inferences hurt. I didn't give any student a grade they didn't earn. But the University I taught at had a very bad academic reputation based solely on the lack of academic activity on the part of our athletes. I was not their instructor. but because they failed to go to class, and still passed, my reputation was affected.
it's similar for the military . The Air Force has a reputation. the actions of our current Air Force and other services reflects back on those who have previously served - even more so in the Marines. The Marines are family. I'm very proud of my military service. but if today's military turned into a bunch of drug addicts and thugs, they would tarnish my reputation and service. And yes, there were communities I lived in that would not rent to military members or allow them in their business establishments because they were too rowdy. That wasn't me, but I was affected.
This is where I'm coming from.
I doubt more than 5 people read this far, because I have a reputation of writing long posts and people place me on ignore.
