Tennessee Football: How is it Better than Ole Miss?
With both programs experiencing varying degrees of turmoil, we must assess the question of what’s really important to us as college football fans.
Over the course of the last year, Ole Miss Football and Tennessee football have lived through some incredible highs and lows. I’m sure I’ll be blasted for this article, since I’m a University of Mississippi alum. But I can’t seem to figure out something that seems to reflect very poorly on our society. Ole Miss football has seen some serious allegations come their way and appear ready to fight them. Tennessee football has also seen some serious allegations and had a judge deny their request to have the charges dismissed.
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I know we live in America, where those that are charged with criminal activity are innocent until proven guilty. But let us suppose for a moment that both programs are 100% guilty of what they have been accused of.
How is being accused of making financial payments and an individual posting a video of Laremy Tunsil allegedly smoking weed through a gas mask (Ole Miss) being seemingly painted to be more vile than turning a blind eye to a culture sexual assault (Tennessee)?
Ole Miss has received a notice of allegations and is preparing their response. Something definitely appears to be amiss. Tennessee, however, faces a slew of lawsuits and accusations. Both have been accused of fostering criminal cultures. Again, let’s just assume both are guilty for a moment.
If Ole Miss football is found guilty, they had college kids smoking weed and a few rogue boosters paying players. I don’t mean to make it sound less serious than it is, as they’d definitely be deserving of some NCAA sanctions. But if Tennessee football is found guilty, they turned a blind eye to a culture of sexual assault and punished players for trying to help victims.
Why are the nation’s leading sports channels and websites acting like Ole Miss football is trying to destroy collegiate athletics and Tennessee football is deserving of a wrist slap? More pressing, why is it that anything involving Ole Miss recruiting violations blows up on social media, while people are so uncomfortable by the situation at Tennessee (and Baylor) that they ignore it?
As a graduate of the The University of Mississippi, I’m embarrassed and want the truth as to what happened to be exposed. The 2016 NFL Draft was supposed to be a night of celebration, instead Ole Miss football faithful cringed. I wouldn’t have a problem if I had a child that wanted to attend, though.
If I were a Tennessee grad instead of a graduate, I’d also be embarrassed and want this issue resolved. The difference, though, is I’d be hesitant to send a son or daughter to Knoxville until I knew the pending issues were resolved or the culture had changed completely if the accusations turn out to be true.
In a day where marijuana is becoming legalized and it’s a foregone conclusion that most big name players receive some sort of payment for playing college football, am I the only one that views one of these issues as far more disturbing than the other?
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Of course we’ll all need wait to see if either program is convicted of any wrongdoing and what the punishments are. None of that has been hashed out for either program. But the treatment the two have received is the most concerning part. It appears as though we’re too uncomfortable with the most vile crimes to confront them.