T*W*I*S: SI-CBS Story Gives Prep Players “Stupid” Lesson

Last week’s release of a study conducted by Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports was startling to any college sports fan.  We were aware that the frequency of college football players running afoul of the law has been on the rise, but the SI-CBS stats gathered on SI’s 2010-11 pre-season top 25 teams exposed the underbelly of athletic programs and coaching staffs whose apparent part-time occupations of late have been to shield many of their offending players from public scrutiny.  The numbers are staggering.  Numbers aside, what can current high school athletes learn from these disturbing findings?  How about, Don’t be stupid?  Admittedly, we may be preaching to the choir here.  A majority of high school student-athletes are good kids and the fact that you are reading this blog makes it unlikely that you are stupid enough to, well, do something stupid.  Nonetheless, when you get to college any number of athletes around you will have taken steps toward the dark side and might attempt to lure you into their sink holes.  If at any time you feel that the people you find yourself with in college, athletes or not, have a “stupid” agenda, run the other way as fast as possible.  Don’t hesitate.  Go!  What may appear on the surface to bean  innocent prank can quickly escalate into serious, life-altering trouble.  When you recognize a bad situation, get away right away.  Forget about how you will be seen by these knuckleheads.  One stupid act can put a cloud over your entire life, forever.