It’s time to take a stand. When the same criminal act takes place over and over again yet is not severely punished, someone must do something. While I’m just a small market morning radio host, moving forward, Baylor University athletic teams will not be mentioned during my show.
This year the men’s basketball team is highly rated and has a shot at the Final Four. Maybe the football team regains national prominence, but you won’t hear it on during SportsChat on 103.7 The Game. It’s unfortunate other teams get caught in the so-called crossfire, but school created this mess.
Elizabeth Doe has filed a lawsuit against Baylor alleging 52 rapes, five gang rapes, one including a woman who was raped and then signed a non-disclosure agreement in exchange for free tuition, on top of the football staff arranging sex for recruits.
This story is becoming an epidemic at Baylor University, supposedly a Baptist school, that believes in something, although I’m not sure what.
So while the head football coach, Art Briles lost his job and the university president Ken Starr stepped down, I don’t think that’s enough. Mostly because the school with ignored, decided many of the allegations were false or just plain covered them up.
And why did they do this? Money and recognition for their football team. Before Robert Griffin III arrived at Baylor, it was generally known as a awful football school. One of the worst in the nation for 30+ years. Briles grooms Griffin, who wins the Heisman and winning football at Baylor is off and running.
Nothing and I mean nothing was going to change that. Certainly not a few dozen sexual assaults by the football team, including repeated offenses by Tre’Von Armstead and Shamycheal Chatman.
Quick memory jog. In 2003 Bears basketball player Patrick Dennehy was murdered by his teammate Carlton Dotson. Bears basketball coach Dave Bliss attempted to cover up the murder. Cover up a murder. While Bliss received a 10-year show cause preventing him from coaching again, Baylor avoided the death penalty.
Despite 52 alleged rapes, I highly doubt the NCAA will end the Baylor University football program. Once again, because it is incredibly profitable. But perhaps the people can institute our own death penalty. Ignore them. Don’t mention them in sports updates, don’t mention local recruits choosing to attend Baylor, but most of all, if ESPN and FS1 stop broadcasting their games, eventually they’ll get the message.
Sexual assault should never, ever be accepted. Especially when you’re just trying to protect a football team. The only way Baylor University will ever get the message is when it gets hit in the wallet.
