Ducks' RB Blount... wow

[johngateswhiteley]

might as well chime in. i think Blount's suspension was unfair and unnecessary. Not nearly enough people were talking about the Boise State player going out of his way to TOUCH and talk to Blount. People have been punched for much less. Obviously Blount overreacted, obviously he needs to be punished...to the tune of 4 games.

[JMarkJohns]

He was suspended for the punch, but suspended for the season because of the greater context and further goings on after the initial punch. Hitting Hout was Blount's third strike since the end of last season, and with open-hand shoving a teammate in the head post-punch, attempting to go into, or pull a fan out of the stands and his subsequent scrum with security, police and coaches on national TV, with this being Kelly's first year as head coach of Oregon and it also being the first year for the current Pac-10 commissioner, the season-long suspension is both deserved and the smart call.

Blount's as big an at ude problem as he is a football talent.

As for Hout, I'd have suspended him for the next game, or at least a half, and been pretty hard on him in practices for his antics. However, he passingly tapped on the shoulder, and uttered a one-line smack talk, and wasn't even reaching the in-game levels of smack talk. He passingly referred to Blount's summer smack talk about delivering an ass-whoopin to Boise, turned and got sucker-punched.

He was stupid for talking with his helmet off, and he shouldn't have riled Blount at that time, but Hout account for like 25% of the problem, and, while it can't be proven, if a brief mention to Blount from a player caused physical violence and insanity towards everyone around him, then you will not convince me Blount, without having been provoked by Hout, would have simply walked past the crowd of obnoxious Boise fans saying the same stuff or worse without flipping out similarly.

Long post, but Blount was very deserving of his punishment within the greater context, and while it sucks, clearly he was a hot-head and problem for the coaches already, and likely would have faced similar issues at some point/multiple points throughout the year.

Now Oregon can just move on. Blount stays on scholarship so he can still practice and use the facilities, as well as (possibly) finish his degree before focusing on the NFL prep.

[johngateswhiteley]

He was suspended for the punch, but suspended for the season because of the greater context and further goings on after the initial punch. Hitting Hout was Blount's third strike since the end of last season, and with open-hand shoving a teammate in the head post-punch, attempting to go into, or pull a fan out of the stands and his subsequent scrum with security, police and coaches on national TV, with this being Kelly's first year as head coach of Oregon and it also being the first year for the current Pac-10 commissioner, the season-long suspension is both deserved and the smart call.

Blount's as big an at ude problem as he is a football talent.

As for Hout, I'd have suspended him for the next game, or at least a half, and been pretty hard on him in practices for his antics. However, he passingly tapped on the shoulder, and uttered a one-line smack talk, and wasn't even reaching the in-game levels of smack talk. He passingly referred to Blount's summer smack talk about delivering an ass-whoopin to Boise, turned and got sucker-punched.

He was stupid for talking with his helmet off, and he shouldn't have riled Blount at that time, but Hout account for like 25% of the problem, and, while it can't be proven, if a brief mention to Blount from a player caused physical violence and insanity towards everyone around him, then you will not convince me Blount, without having been provoked by Hout, would have simply walked past the crowd of obnoxious Boise fans saying the same stuff or worse without flipping out similarly.

Long post, but Blount was very deserving of his punishment within the greater context, and while it sucks, clearly he was a hot-head and problem for the coaches already, and likely would have faced similar issues at some point/multiple points throughout the year.

Now Oregon can just move on. Blount stays on scholarship so he can still practice and use the facilities, as well as (possibly) finish his degree before focusing on the NFL prep.

i saw the after party, as well. but i didn't know it was his third strike...? thats completely different. what had he done?

[JMarkJohns]

He had already been suspended from practice and the team for constantly missing or being late to practice/at ude issues.

Blount started this entire bad-blood feud by telling Sports Illustrated Oregon owed Boise State and ass-whoopin'. Had he not run his mouth, Hout has nothing to run his over, and the situation is aoided entirely.

[johngateswhiteley]

He had already been suspended from practice and the team for constantly missing or being late to practice/at ude issues.

Blount started this entire bad-blood feud by telling Sports Illustrated Oregon owed Boise State and ass-whoopin'. Had he not run his mouth, Hout has nothing to run his over, and the situation is aoided entirely.

i see. well, that makes sense then. as for him telling SI Oregon owed them an ass-whoopin'...i have no problem with that. neither here nor there.

[JMarkJohns]

I only bring up what Blount said because so many are getting pissed at what Hout said, which was based entirely upon what Blount had said. In my opinion, can't get upset with the latter without getting upset with the former for starting it. He was stupid for doing it without his helmet on specifically, and dumb for doing it in general, but he talked trash back to a player who talked trash first on a national stage. It was poor timing, and for that I would have sat him for a half of the next game, but Blount clearly was looking for a reason to be pissed if, "How 'bout that ass-whoopin'?!" got his goat that badly.