In 2006, the football teams at the University of Miami and Florida International got into this ugly brawl:
In the aftermath of that brawl, Miami slapped the offenders on the wrist, simply benching them for one game, against a Duke team that Miami knew it would beat easily.
Stung by criticism of those slaps on the wrist, University of Miami President Donna Shalala claimed that her school would implement a "zero tolerance" policy toward on-field misconduct in its athletic program. But the truth is, Shalala was lying when she made that claim, and the case of Jack McClinton will demonstrate that.
McClinton was ejected from Tuesday night's game against Ohio State for slapping Ohio State's Anthony Crater. He probably deserves to face some kind of discipline -- beyond getting ejected and leaving his team shorthanded -- for what he did, but he certainly doesn't deserve to get kicked off the Miami team for it. That would be a ridiculous overreaction.
But that's the corner Shalala painted herself into with her silly "zero tolerance" claim. In the aftermath of the Florida International brawl, Shalala said that any Hurricane athlete who hit an opponent would immediately be kicked out of the Miami program. McClinton hit an opponent. He won't be kicked out of the program. Shalala was full of it.
The truth is, blanket "zero tolerance" policies are stupid. A school should evaluate discipline for student-athletes on a case-by-case basis, and not implement far-reaching policies in response to one extraordinary incident. Shalala came out with her "zero tolerance" policy because she wanted to sound tough, but the case of McClinton will show that her rhetoric was empty.
Jack McClinton Slap Shows University of Miami 'Zero Tolerance' Policy Was a Joke
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12/03/2008 11:53 AM ET By Michael David Smith
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- Michael David Smith
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Read More: University of Miami Jack+McClinton, JackMcclinton
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
LOL!!! Just another excuse to try to drag up some Miami hate. McClinton got hit first, then slapped at the OSU player. I've seen the replay three times and still don't think he made contact. What a joke to even write about this and compare it back to the media created "major brawl" from a couple of years ago.
Yeah, I basically agree with Darrell. First of all, MDS, there are a lot more things in sports to whine and make a big deal about than zero tolerance policies. Second, it didn't really look like McClinton got that OSU player, although the OSU player certainly acted like someone hit him in the face. Some people want to know why the OSU player wasn't punished, but it looked like the OSU player was making a very bad attempt to stop the pass whereas McClinton had a reflexive reaction. If McClinton got him, he needed to sit out the game and, at most, a couple more games. Honestly, OSU probably wouldn't have won without that ejection, so that's almost punishment enough because it's like a forfeit when your team clearly had that game until then. BTW, that's more of a topic than this, i.e. how OSU wouldn't have won otherwise.
Miami is a thug school, want more could you expect!
Can't spell "scum" without "UM"; where's the surprise at anything that happened here? Miami's a third-world cesspool, and that's actually an insult to other third-world cesspools. I defy anyone to name one credit to society who ever came out of that so-called institute of higher learning, which is nothing but a breeding ground for athlete-criminals and a babysitting service for the retarded children of rich parents. A pox on that entire area. McClinton should be kicked off the team! Hell, he should've been led off the court in handcuffs. Probably wouldn't be the first time and I'll bet it wouldn't have been the last time. Miami is good for nothing.
Classic. The University sits in Coral Gables, one of the most beautiful cities in the country. But that's okay. They do say that ignorance is bliss, so you should be quite happy.
bigflyer- are you a retard in real life, or do you just play one on the internet?
Sarcastro:
you used one three syllable word in a sentence. Are you an alumni of U of M?
Fidel still rules your little poor island.
bigflyer is a dumb redneck bitch.
bigflyer- Curses! I never expected you to know how to count syllables! I've been defeated!
Also, the current president's father has been working with the oral sex president, I guess that explains his lack of character and integrity.
this post is a joke. both players should have been given a technical foul. the punishment was uneven.
this has nothing to do with the miami-fiu brawl. completely absurd...