Interesting that you just signed up to post on a thread from last August.
Posted on 08/23/2011 4:02:24 AM PDT by rhema
The honor code at West Point possesses an admirable directness: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."
In those few words the United States Military Academy sends a clear message about what the institution expects of its cadets. Of its 12 words, the last five are the most difficult. Plainly it's not enough to behave honorably oneself.
The code comes to mind while reading the sordid news about the University of Miami's football program. The Hurricanes have been in the headlines since last week, when Yahoo! Sports ran a story about a former booster—now serving time in federal prison for a $930 million Ponzi scheme—who says he spent millions on cash, hookers, holidays and entertainment for players from 2002 to 2010, at times with the knowledge of coaches. As a result, Miami is now fighting off a threat by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to impose the "death penalty"—i.e., banning the football team from competing for at least a year.
Now, like West Point, it turns out that Miami too has an honor code. That's not unusual. These days our colleges and universities are overflowing with codes: speech codes, tolerance codes, sex codes, you name it. The longer the code, the less effective it becomes.
Miami's website says its code "specifically covers four violations": cheating, plagiarism, collusion and academic dishonesty. It goes on to say, "Anyone affiliated with the University, including faculty, teaching assistants, and students, may file a complaint in accordance with this code." Miami athletes are further reminded that they are obligated to follow all laws and rules: the university's, the NCAA's, the state's, and the federal government's.
Notice anything different? No emphasis here on not tolerating others who violate the Miami code—and only a tiny mention that violations "should" be reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Is Miami any different than any other University? It has been known for years that University’s take in virtual idiots to play Basketball, football and baseball and that they either fudge grades or supply tutors to keep them playing, and that they give “benefits” to good players.
Nothing new just because Miami got caught.
Why don’t they just drop the charade of amateurism, and make the athletes paid employees of the universities?
All of bigtime college football is corrupt, some just get caught at it. Its like Cycling. They are all doing drugs.
Heck, if they’re state-run universities, make the players unionized state employees. At least then they’ll get disability pay and pensions when they’re 30, brain-damaged, and illiterate.
The big difference is that West Point recruits those who have already honor and Miami recruits hoodlums.
I might have a bad memory on the years but iirc the 1950 or ‘51 West Point football team, (and other non players also), were involved in a heck of a scandal. Point shaving I think? Anybody know the details for sure?
Our military academies are not filled with moral paragons. Like their peers, their student bodies are populated with young Americans in their late teens. They are every bit as human, and an honor code has never been a guarantee against scandal. From the huge 1951 cheating scandal at West Point that saw more than 80 cadets expelled (including nearly half the football team) to more recent scandals at Navy and Air Force, the academies have had their share.
The difference is they don't delegate to the NCAA the idea of right and wrong, and they take community seriously. On these campuses, no man is an island. The message is: You are all in it together.
A friend of mine puts it this way. "The academies want no cognitive dissonance—between what is learned in the classroom, what is learned in the barracks and on the athletic field, and what is expected of the community," says Thomas Crimmins, U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1992. "Thus the sanction most feared is the negative judgment of one's peers."
A Washington Post review of an ESPN movie on the subject is HERE.
Yes. Here comes all of the "everybody does it" crap.
It might be crap, but it;s pretty much true.
Schools may cheat, but not like Miami did.
Interesting that you just signed up to post on a thread from last August.
zot
Who decides what is “inflammatory” in your world?
Extremist?
Hatred?
Speaking the truth about islam and muslims is none of those. The U.S. military needs to be starkly reminded and informed about the enemy they face in those $hitholes and the more stark the reminder, then more of our troops will come home alive and in one piece.
Unfortunately, we have a bunch of handwringers who think we just need to “give peace a chance” with this death cult and their followers.
I agree with xone, IBTZ.
Could be a 1 post zot, if the mods move quick!
yes...
Happy FReep Anniversary btw...Class of Feb 2004 myself.
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