LeGarrette Blount's Impulsive Act Garners Unfair Punishment

Ari Horing by Columnist Written on September 05, 2009
BOISE, ID - SEPTEMBER 3:  LaGarrette Blount #9 of the Oregon Ducks is escorted off the field by head coach Chip Kelly after Blount punched a Boise State Broncos player on September 3, 2009 at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Boise State defeated Oregon 19-8.  (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

If you have haven't heard about it yet, Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount sucker punched Boise State's Byron Hout following the Broncos' 19-8 victory Thursday night in Idaho. 

Now although it was a classless move, I do think that the result that has already and will ultimately come from this in the end will not serve justice.

Although Blount's punch was clearly despicable, there is no doubt that he was provoked by a player who initiated the contact. But even worse for me was the fact that the winning player initiated contact after the game was over.

Talking trash to players before and during the game is ok by me, but afterwards should definitley be forbidden. Once the game is over, it's over, and the winners need to be respectful to the team they just beat.

But regardless of whether he should have been provoked or not, Blount still had no right sucker punching Hout. However, the reason I belive that what will come from this will ultimately be unfair, is that this one impulsive moment has essentially destroyed his career in college and likely the NFL.

Now it's not as if, Blount came over and just randomly punched someone. This was not premeditated. This was a impulsive moment that Blount will regret the rest of his life.

In the end Blount embarrassed Oregon a bit, and probably gave Hout a large bruise. But in reality, Oregon's reputation will be fine, and Hout's bruise will heal. However, Blount's life will likely never be the same again.

He has already been suspended for the remainder of his senior year, and now rumors are going around that his NFL stock has dropped off tremendously and he is essentially undraftable.

This incident reminds me of what happen to a guy I knew in high school, who was actually a very good guy.

One impulsive moment got him expelled and would almost ruin his life. I'm not specifically going to go into what happen, but the the reason I find this similar is that what happened to the "victims" involved went away within a week, but that one moment would haunt that guy the rest of his life.

In the end, who really becomes the real victim. Ultimatley by punishing someone so severley because of a impulsive moment, they end up being the true victims.

In a few weeks, Blount's punch will be forgotten, Oregon will move on, Hout will likely laugh about it with his friends, but blount...well...he will likely never be the same again.

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written on September 05, 2009 Opinion

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