Mailbox: Deshaun Watson may never be a player fans can love
Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
On Deshaun Watson
To Brian: The Deshaun Watson saga starts with the Haslams and before that, the Houston Texans. But where was Roger Goodell and his office then? Any abusive behavior must be confronted early, not allowed to drag on for years. It's an ugly, lingering gash on the game that's been too often repeated. There's no leadership at the top, and at team level the Haslams are absent, only trying to protect their investment, Watson, who's now going nowhere. Simply put, he's just not contrite. I understand his guilt may actually involve a handful of women. But he must, in his own heart and conscience get right with God and the public if he's going to mature and have any future. He's young and without wise counsel. If he had done this a year ago, he might be playing sooner. Eleven games will leave him unprepared and vulnerable for injury in the cold weeks remaining. I had hoped he could have started the opener then miss all six division contests. Fine him heavily, instead. But he didn't repent. Sadly, he may never be the player pro football fans could love.
Larry Cheek, Dublin
To Larry: "Without wise counsel" is a good way to describe Watson's journey. He accepted the suspension, yet insists he did nothing wrong. Fans want to like him. They really do. But he has failed to let it happen.
On Tom Weiskopf
Dear Mr. White: In the mid-1980s I lived in Manhattan and, as happens, I was called for jury duty in Foley Square. During the voir dire elimination round, as lawyers dutifully tested the fitness of potential jurors, one elderly man revealed his career had been spent at the Augusta National Golf Course, home of the prestigious Masters Tournament, where he was a caddy. At this point, the judge perked up, decided the bench needed to intervene and proceeded to pepper the man with questions about life in the world of professional golf. The highlight of the session. Sensing it was time to move on, the judge had one final question: “Sir, who was the best golfer you ever saw?”
Without hesitation the man replied: “Why that would be Mr. Weiskopf, Your Honor. Yes, sir, Mr. Weiskopf.”
Jon Armstrong, Columbus
To Jon: Great story, and I encourage all to read Rob Oller's fine piece on Weiskopf we ran last week.
On college football
To the editor: From the Quinn Ewers fiasco to the mind-bending addition of UCLA and USC to the Big Ten, it’s clear that college football is going full pro. All the while, Dispatch writers have advocated more money for the players. But who are “the players?” A handful of superstars in a couple of sports whose market value exceeds the value of a free college education. The tail is wagging the dog. About 1,200 athletes play 36 intercollegiate sports at Ohio State. No one is giving the best player on the women’s field hockey team a $200,00 car. Such parity as might have existed in college football is rapidly going down the drain. And the disparity between the high flyers and the third-string linemen who have to settle for “only” free college is bound to affect team morale. Even Nick Saban, one of the select few in a position to prosper from the new reality, has expressed reservations about paying players. Lower-tier schools and non-marquee sports are bound to suffer.
Was the prior system anticompetitive? You betcha. But the best fix was not for colleges to go pro, but rather to do away with the age or grade restrictions keeping the superstars from going pro themselves. If some are not quite ready for the big time, let the NFL open its deep pockets to develop them. Why allow colleges to subsidize the pro league?
I love the Buckeyes as much as any fan and want them to have the best players available, but I’m confident that colleges could still put out a quality product with amateur players.
Kevin Duffy, Columbus
To Kevin: Mr. Saban, I'll point out, is so uneasy with the NIL process that he has bragged several times about how much his players are making from it.
On high school football
To Brian: High school football has begun early again to accommodate the lengthy playoffs. With 64 schools now making the playoffs in seven divisions, that's 448 schools, which is over 50%. This isn't basketball. The 14 teams which play in state championship games will be playing their 15th straight week, a lot for young kids. Last year, many schools with terrible records made the playoffs, including one which went 0-10. Each division has four regions. Of those 28 regions, lower seeds went 0-8 in 10 regions in the first round while going 1-7 in 10 others. Double-digit seeds went 22-174 in the first round.
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
To Dennis: Expanded playoffs are great, to an extent. A winless or 1-win team can't be fired up about going out there for another week of physical abuse.
More from The Mailbox
Reader says most can't understand pressure athletes like Deshaun Watson face
Leave Deshaun Watson alone. No, ban him from NFL. Readers have a lot to say
The Cleveland Browns are an embarrassment, and the Crew are painful to watch
Readers say Big Ten should add entire Pac-12. And Notre Dame. And Boston College
Ohio State is now a pro football team; school's NIL dealings don't feel right
PGA vs. LIV Golf dispute is maddening, confusing; Where's the Crew's defense?
Big Ten, SEC should break off on their own; Browns should trade Deshaun Watson
Ohio State coach Ryan Day should pay players himself, or give his cash to charity
Ryan Day just an average coach in SEC; and what car did Woody Hayes really drive?
An apology to Ohio State coach Ryan Day, and kudos to him for taking the cash
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Sports editor's mailbox: Can fans ever love Deshaun Watson?
