Why the heck is happening in the Oregon football program? It has been a year of bad decisions from various players. A quick review:

  • LeGarrette Blount:  The 2009 opening game, Oregon vs. Boise State, resulted in an Oregon loss. The bigger loss was a heat of the moment decision by Blount to take out his frustration by “sucker punching” a Boise State player. The result of this decision — out for the rest of the season. A once promising running back is now trying to redeem his career.
  • Jeremiah Masoli: Next up, the potential Heisman Trophy candidate for the 2010 season is now suspended for the upcoming season after pleading guilty to a second-degree burglary charge.
  • LaMichael James: Another Oregon running back pleaded guilty to one count of physical harassment and was sentenced to 24 months of probation. He was suspended for the Ducks season-opener.

Why do people who have so much in front of them make stupid decisions which negatively impact not only themselves but the people around them? It is a question that baffles me and encourages me to study this more. There has to be a way to better equip young people from making these bad decisions so early in their promising lives.

No one is perfect. That is a fact. However, why the bad decisions from people who have good things going for them? Not that bad people should make bad decisions, it is how do you get people to take a deep breath before making a decision that takes them off the deep end? Is it that they believe they are above being blamed for bad decisions? Is it that they believe they can get away with it because they are “special?”

Each of these players are paying the price for bad decisions. That is good news, because there should be a consequence for bad behavior. How to prevent more of these bad decisions from occurring is still the challenge.