LeGarrette Blount's sucker punch
What's the proper punishment when a college player punches out an opponent after a game?
There won't be a lot of defenders out there for LeGarrette Blount, said Pete Fiutak in Fox Sports. Blount, a football player for the University of Oregon, sucker punched Boise State's Byron Hout after Oregon's embarrassing loss in the first game of the season. Emotions were high and Blount is only 22 years old, so the Blount punch shouldn't be allowed to "ruin his life"—but everyone will probably agree he should be kicked off the team (watch the LeGarrette Blount punch).
That would be a good start, said John Canzano in The Oregonian. Blount apologized, saying it will never happen again, but first-year Oregon head coach Chip Kelly needs to make an example of him to show that such "cheap" and "disgusting" behavior won't be tolerated. But the Ducks running back should also "be arrested and charged with assault."
Blount's apology is unlikely to save him from a suspension, said Pete Thamel in The New York Times, but whether to punish him more severely will be a topic of hot debate. Blount is arguably Oregon's best player, but the Blount punch was clearly not the kind of thing a university can tolerate. Coach Chip Kelly "is facing the first big test of his coaching career. And thanks to a video that promises to be played over and over, everyone is watching."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
Keith McNally' 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more