Alabama's Andre Smith Earns NCAA "Mr. Stupidity of the Year" Award

As SportsCenter and pretty much all ESPN channels in ticker tape are reporting, Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Andre Smith has been suspended for the Sugar Bowl against Utah.

They officially said he "violated team rules," but it has been found out that he had illegal contact with an agent. A student-athlete cannot have an agent of any kind, so technically, he would be off the team.

People who have committed the same violation have, so why not Smith? Now, I am an Alabama fan, so hearing about our best lineman acting like a complete fool is hard to hear. He is the only lineman in Alabama history to be named Mr. Football.

Of course, many believed he would leave for the NFL after this year, anyway. Smith won the Outland Trophy for best lineman this year and was a consensus All-American.

Alabama knows he is the best lineman it has, and he is really needed on the line. Seniors will have to step up on the line, like Caldwell and others. The Davises need to step up, as well as the tight ends to compensate for the loss of Smith.

This could have been a big game for Smith to see how he works in big game situations. He had a pretty good game against Florida in the SEC Championship, but everyone knows a bowl game is where many players step up their game.

Every person who is in this game will have to, of course. I hope Smith realizes the damage he has done to his team. Alabama has relied on that O-line all year long. I also hope he doesn't hurt himself when he leaves for Indianapolis for the NFL Combine.

That would be terrible, wouldn't it? A guy who leaves his team out to dry just to have a good NFL career goes and has a bad combine, therefore making his draft stock go down.

And don't say it isn't possible; every year a guy looks good in college and does poorly at the combine and slips in the draft. He may look like the best O-lineman now, but many others can step up and start to look better.

Especially if Smith looks bad in anything he does.

At least we know it is now certain he is going to the NFL a year early. Thanks for the surprise, Smith.