Brandon Davies, a star player on the BYU basketball team has been suspended for the rest of the year due to an honor code violation. The interesting part of this story is the amount of attention this story is getting. Now BYU currently sits at number 3 in the college basketball polls have lost the possibility of winning the NCAA tournament. At least that’s what some commentators believe and it’s all over the honor code. When students decide to go to BYU they must sign the honor code. It’s something that is a known fact and it’s not kept secret. The honor code is important especially since BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of which I am a member. If the student is a member of the church, the honor code should not be hard to follow. I am not saying that things do not happen because of the honor code. I am just saying that the honor code is something the majority of the students have already been living. But I guess what really gets me is the crazy reactions from columnists, sports writers, etc… on this issue. One columnist, Alexandra Petri, who writes for the Washington Post said BYU is just bizarre. Others can’t believe that pre-martial sex is frowned upon. Others, mostly sports writers, have written BYU’s basketball team off. Apparently the offending player was the team. Now they will have to limp through the rest of the season even though they are 27-3. What has happened to the morals of our country? We don’t have to look very far to find they have gone down hill. We certainly don’t have examples in Washington or Hollywood. But I believe BYU has set a great example that shows that no matter what honor is more important than basketball or any other sport for that matter. We need to get it thorough to our young men and women that we don’t go off to school to party hard and hope to graduate. We need to teach them that by being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtous and in doing good to all men that these things will get them farther than any drink, indiscretion or other immoral behavior will get them. This young man has a huge support group and he will not be thrown out on the sidewalk. That is one of the many wonderful parts of the LDS Church — redemption. I applaud BYU for upholding the standards that have been set forth. And by the way, I think the basketball team can pull it together. Go Cougars!
The 13th Article of Faith:
aWe believe in being bhonest, true, cchaste, dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to gendure all things. If there is anything hvirtuous, ilovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
I agree! Good post 🙂
When I heard the report on WMAL, I thought “Oh, boy, here we go.” BUT, they were very supportive of BYU. They explained the honor code and how the player had agreed to it. You could tell they thought that the honor code went a little too far, but in the end they applauded BYU and thought it was sad how society has sunk to the level that this honor code seems bizarre.
It was nice to hear.
Amen, sister! I feel for Davies, it’s got to be hard to go threw this on national TV, but I’m proud to graduate for a school that holds spiritual wll-being above sports stats.
I listen to sports talk during my commute on both regular and satellite radio. To this point I have not heard any of the commentators blast or bash BYU for their actions or the code. For the most part the school has been applauded for staying true to it’s own code.
For years at most mid to major colleges/universities athletes have been given a pass on any range of immoral and often illegal activities.
While it is true if this same situation happens at any top 25 school nobody blinks. In fact most think it is the norm.
I will say that it has been hard for some commentators to not somewhat trivialize the honor code at BYU in some ways because of the portions connected to the words of wisdom. No caffiene, no soda, etc… But most realize that this wasnt about somebody having a Dr. Pepper it was about something much more serious.
It is a sad state of affairs though when people question why a college would have their students sign that they will be good and moral citizens. It is criminal to turn your head when these college athletes are allowed to do drugs or carry weapons or commit other crimes in the name of national championships.
I understand from purely the sports side of things why they would question this move. Here is a team that could compete for the National Championship and is highly ranked. Why eliminate one of your best players. While I agree that BYU is no longer a front runner, because of Brandon’s suspension for this season. I don’t believe for all the same reasons.
On the floor BYU is now hurt because he was their best back to the basket player. There is no one on the team that can do what he did at the level he did it. Jimmer is a great player but he cannot carry this team alone. Davies absence makes this team a bit one dimensional in where their scoring comes from in relation to the basket. This being said BYU can still overcome this with other players picking up the slack and coming together as not only a team but a University to show the world what they are made of and that the honor code does not restrict them it empowers them. That allowing their beliefs to stand on the forefront can guide them to victory.
Along with the actual physical loss of a highly skilled team mate they are dealing with the emotional loss as well. That can hurt this team greater than his suspension. Here is a team that has played well together all season and now that core has changed. Additionally, are there any members of the team who may have done something they shouldn’t have and are now worried about being found out? What about those who are upset because he did that to the team? I think those will be the things that will hurt the team and their chances to advance deep into the tournament.
Many sportscasters mentioned how the 1st game after Davies was suspended BYU lost by 25, and that shows what a mistake it was to let him go. My feeling was and is that the team was dealing with the loss of a friend, a brother, a teammate, and were in shock and after a full season were out of sync with their normal plan.
Colin Cowherd of ESPN radio said that he understood and gave kudos to BYU for sticking to their guns. He did feel though that whomever Brandon confided in about his activities should have kept it confidential. Brandon Davies confessed his offense and he should have been able to leave it there. While the world didn’t need to know what his offense was, Colin doesn’t get that this isnt Notre Dame where you tell a priest and they absolve of your sin after a few hail marys or whatever and then you are back on the court or field or wherever. He broke the rules of the University and has to suffer those consequences. He then only need to ask God for forgiveness, no middle man required.
BYU should be applauded for maintaining this high level of a program and still maintaining a high moral code for their students to follow.
This is not the first time an athelete has been suspended for breaking the honor code. The last time the student was suspened for the season but allowd back the next season where he was successful until he decided the BYU way of life did not meet with his agenda and left school. Brandon Davies will have another chance unless he decided he does not want it.
By the way if you dont remember BYU with their unbending honor code has won a National Championship in football. Maybe holding students accountable to higher standard and not allowing a free pass can work.
Here is a good story from Bill Plaschke in the L.A. Times…
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-20110304,0,5294368.column
Very well written Jana!
I too feel for this young man but he knew the consequences of his actions and I applaud BYU for their stand.
While we all agree that BYU stayed true to their honor code and that it was the best thing, what does this really do to the program on a national scale? Especially a program looking to be an independent?
How does the the coach letting Davies participate in cutting down the net the other night look?
What about the honor in selling yourself out? I guess he gets to try again next year.
Why not give him a shorter suspension as a reward for coming forward and telling the truth?
Surely that is worth something less than a season ending suspension.
As an independent they will no longer have the support of a conference. There is no guarantee that you will build a schedule worthy of another tournament run. Which could also mean recruiting could suffer. Perhaps even the best Mormon players will find other places to play to ensure they get a chance to be seen and build towards a NBA career or a NFL career. As those programs fall doesn’t it hurt the university as a whole?
I think winning a national championship might have pushed BYU to a higher level. In the long run people wont remember that they stood by their values. They will remember BYU gave away a shot at the National Championship.
I guess the question is which one do you think is more important?
I don’t give a blankety blank blank about the national championships. Never did, never will. BYU is looking for points in heaven, not the scoreboard. Just my two cents.
standing up for integrity is important and the right thing to do. Sometimes people remember the standing up for standards more than a championship. It is best not to compromise your standards.
I think this means a lot more in light of what is happening with Ohio State.
Just remember the record books don’t record moral victories.
While a National Championship doesn’t win points in Heaven, having an honor code or upholding it doesn’t gain you points in Heaven either.
Always remember this the is nothing you can do to make God love you more.
There is also nothing you can do to make God love you less!
I agree completely with this Free Radical!!!
I agree completely with this Free Radical!!! The last comment. 🙂
To free radical . . . . there are record books in heaven, where your every action is recorded. It makes a difference in how I live my life, and is much more important than earthly record books.
And yes, God loves everyone, but to say he doesn’t feel disappointment is irrational. (I know you didn’t say it)
I agree that how you live your life is important. But I fully believe that God does not keep score.
The record books on earth only matter to those who read them. It is an earthly past time.
Bottom line is BYU and the honor code is not going to Heaven. God loves Brandon Davies whether he follows the honor code or not.
Just has He does people who go to other institutions without honor codes.
The only record in Heaven is the one that shows GOD loves all of us NO MATTER WHAT!
The only win – loss record is the one where the world looked at it as a loss but was the hugest win of all. That was won with Christ and Grace. In the big picture that is all that matters.
But here on earth how many titles you won or how BYU blew a chance to have a great tournament seed and a possible tournament championship by suspending a top player for something that happens daily on many other campuses, maybe even daily at BYU makes good discussion. How we live our lives good or bad generally only matters to us, and those who want to deflect attention away from how they are lving their own lives.
Lots of comments on this subject!!! Let us move on! 🙂
tee hee! Good call Mom!