Dismissal... a punishment or a life saving action?

To waste his opportunities would be a truly sad thing. To waste a human life because of his recklessness would be a crime and a sin.

Cliff Harris at his best

(HARRISVILLE, N.H.) - In an article titled “Oregon Ducks Dismiss CB Cliff Harris”, published by the AP today, December 5, 2011, we discover that All-America Cornerback Cliff Harris has been dismissed from the Oregon Ducks for violating Team rules.

Cliff Harris – Oregon Ducks

The article goes on to say, “Harris was already suspended from the Ducks and wasn't allowed to participate in team activities. He missed the last five games of the regular season and last weekend's Pac-12 championship game.

Harris was suspended by coach Chip Kelly after a traffic stop in Eugene, during which Harris was cited for driving on a suspended license, without proper insurance and without a seatbelt.

Harris was also suspended to start the season after he was cited for driving 118 mph on Interstate 5 in June.

It was unclear if Harris’ dismissal was related to the suspension, or if it was a new violation. A spokesman for Oregon said the nature of the issue was not disclosed.

After the latest traffic stop, Harris provided proof of insurance on the car he was driving and that charge was dismissed. He pleaded no contest to the driving on a suspended license violation and was entered in a diversion program. He paid a $100 fine for the seatbelt violation.

Harris' family paid the fines related to speeding incident.”

Now Coach Kelly is taking some heat for the decision to dismiss Cliff Harris as, I am certain, other school officials are. This is somewhat understandable since Oregon claimed its third straight Pac-12 championship this season and will face Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on Dec. 2.

Here is something to consider before deciding how you personally feel about Harris’s dismissal:

1. He is a young man in obvious need of guidance. It appears that regardless of what he does, someone is there to pull his fat out of the fire rather than make him understand that everything we do has a cost associated with it.
2. His reckless actions could well cost him and or someone else their life.
3. Absolute disregard for Traffic laws is foolish at best. No one drives 118 mph accidentally and to do so on an interstate shows a total disregard for his own safety and that of others.
4. Driving after a license suspension indicated that he believes that he should be above the law . . . another dangerous trait.
5. His disregard for what his dismissal will likely cost the team is selfish to an extreme and clearly earmarks him as anything but a real team player.

The individual we are speaking of is a good looking young man and a very gifted athlete. He is in good health and has a potential future that most young men would envy. However, if someone he respects does not get his ear and make him understand that all of this can go away in the blink of an eye; he will probably lose it all.

Most young people have a difficult time grasping the fact that they are not invincible. They do not understand what happens to the human body when the vehicle they are traveling in hits a bridge abutment at 118 mph. They have never seen that if the body does manage to hold together at all, when it is removed from the vehicle, it is similar to moving a bag of jelly. Maybe a forced stint with the Eugene Police department where he must attend every accident that happens on that same interstate for 3 or 4 months might wake him up. I do not know if it will but for his sake and everyone else’s around him, something had better. To waste his opportunities would be a truly sad thing. To waste a human life because of his recklessness would be a crime and a sin.

It would be interesting to hear the various opinions regarding this decision. I believe that Coach Kelly made a potentially life-saving decision. If not for Cliff Harris, possibly for one of his teammates... but, that is just my opinion.

These are some of the things Robert takes into account when writing commentary that is designed reach people, to "get them thinking" in his words, and indeed it does. Salem-News.com's goal is for all people to be on the same page, we appreciate Bob's more conservative approach toward that same goal."

You can write to Bob Collingsworth at this email address: colli2@webryders.net