There is a precedent for this at LSU. A few years back, Skip threw Bryan Grace off the baseball team for striking his girlfriend. After a year off, and receiving some counseling, he was allowed to come back. It's really the only time I've ever questioned Skip's judgement on anything. I agreed with his initial dismissal of Grace, but had to disagree when he allowed him back on the team...primarily because, counseling or no counseling, the fans are always going to remember what happened, and they're always going to look at that young man a little differently. Not to mention that, once again, whether the young man receives counseling or not, striking a woman is NEVER acceptable behavior, and should never be countenanced.
Look at it as though you knew Oliver though. All his hopes & dreams ruined because of one relationship gone bad. I agree that hitting a woman is NEVER acceptable, but I don't think we can make these judgements without both sides. This could have been an abusive relationship from both sides. She could have been abusive to and been taunting him... He also could have just swung his arm back & hit her on accident (VERY niave).
Please don't tell me that you accept that as an understandable reason for striking a woman. To me, the ONLY acceptable reason to EVER get physical with a woman, is if she's threatening you with a weapon, and you need to disarm her...and EVEN THEN, you should use only the force necessary to do so. No matter what people may tell you about equality between the sexes, the one immutable law of nature is that, by-and-large, women ARE the weaker sex. No self-respecting man would ever harm a woman for any other reason than self-defense. As far as all his hopes and dreams possibly going up in smoke...well, that's regrettable, but the young man in question should have calmed down long enough to remember what was at stake. We're not talking about kids that don't know right from wrong here. This young man should have realized that his actions carry more weight and draw more attention because of who he is and what he represents...and if he screws up, then he runs the risk of no longer being a part of all that.
And what is my attitude about violence against women???? Oh that's right you don't know me so you don't know wtf you're talking about. Most young men don't realize how big a problem domestic violence is that's why I suggested the battered women's clinic. Seeing the women come in day in and day out. Seeing what they deal with leaves a lasting impression on you. It did for me and maybe it would for Oliver too. Oliver has a problem and that's obvious. I think it's the judicial systems job to punish Oliver. I feel that it's part of Sabans job to help these players mature and become productive adults.
You are right, I don't know you ... I can only judge you by your post. You suggested that Saban should "suspend him for a couple games and make his life in practice hell. Make him do community service at the battered woman’s center or the rape crisis center downtown, but use this opportunity to make Oliver a better person." That's a weak punishment for someone beating up your wife, sister or mother don't you think?
Maybe it shouldn't. But tell that to the young man who has to listen to the catcalls and jeers while he's on the playing field...especially on the road, where the fans tend to be extremely unforgiving of a kid's off-the-field transgressions.
