Yes

Brigham Young University has been highly publicized over the past week due to the school’s decision to suspend leading rebounder Brandon Davies for his violation of the university’s Honour Code. This code requires all students to be honest, live a chaste and virtuous life, use clean language, and maintain specific grooming standards (including not growing a beard). In addition it prohibits alcoholic beverages, substance abuse, tobacco, tea, and coffee.

This strict Honour Code is not for me. To clarify, I would never attend BYU, as my day-to-day life conflicts with the code (I’ve already had two coffees, did not shave this morning, and I just made plans to go out for a beer this evening). Davies, however, like all other students at BYU, was aware of the Honour Code and agreed to it when he decided to attend the university. He made a commitment to follow the code, and by having premarital sex with his girlfriend, blatantly violated it. He was not blindsided by this news, as he was fully aware that he was committing an infraction. The university simply stood by their principles, and, in doing so, they sacrificed a top player and, potentially their ability to win a national title.

In sports, owners, general managers, and coaches too often turn a blind eye when their players commit infractions because acknowledging it would have negative consequences for the team’s performance or potential profit. Major League Baseball, which has spent the past few years trying to distance itself from the dark stain of the “steroid era,” is a prime example. During this time the obvious prevalence of steroids was ignored by coaches, general managers, owners and even the commissioner, because players hitting home runs made the teams better, and brought fans out in record-breaking numbers. Once the information about performance enhancing drugs became public, MLB had to face the music and clean up its act. It’s clear, however, that they failed to act even when they (and not the fans) knew what was going on.

BYU has been condemned for suspending Davies, with critics arguing that he was not in violation of any criminal codes and that his actions were consistent with social norms. I believe, instead, that BYU should be applauded. Finally, a sports organization has placed its values ahead of winning. The NCAA’s core values do not include winning, but they do include “the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship.” BYU’s actions represent the integrity that has been sorely lacking in the sports world. BYU could have swept this under the rug, and no one would have known. Instead they’ve shown that their principles are a genuine priority—and that these principles trump athletic success.    

For students at McGill, such an Honour Code might seem ridiculous. Freshman students’ first impressions of university life come from Frosh Week where the two most emphasized activities are alcoholic consumption and promiscuity. To argue, however, that a restrictive Honour Code is unjust illustrates a lack of contextual understanding. BYU is a private university, and their values do not harm, and are not imposed, on others. Their Honour Code is based on Mormon religious values and it reflects the presence of religious freedom in the United States. Institutions are permitted to establish their own value systems and codes of behaviour, as long as they are within the law. It would be unjust to enforce this Honour Code if students were forced to attend the institution, but, as in the case of Davies, students choose to go and are fully aware of the code of conduct to which they will be held.

While it seems shocking that Davies will be suspended for the season just because he had sex with his girlfriend, his violation of the school’s Honour Code warrants such a punishment upon further review. If Davies is to represent the school as an athlete he has a responsibility to adhere to its principals, and failure to do so warrants suspension. Rather than being criticized, BYU should be commended for standing by their Honour Code and enforcing their principles. Davies’ suspension is unfortunate—but it is just.

Jonathan Rosenbluth

No

We live in a world in which people are far too quick to turn a blind eye to athletes making mistakes and acting like morons because they’re famous and athletic. Despite this, suspending Brandon Davies for the entire season was the wrong decision.

Admittedly, Davies knew what he was getting into when he signed BYU’s Honour Code. If he didn’t want to live by those rules, he should have chosen another school. The problem lies with how BYU responded to the breach of their code. First off, their decision is devoid of any attempt to understand the personal changes that often occur during college. But in addition, the suspension has caused much more harm and damage than Davies’ actions ever did.

College is a period of transition in life. People change quickly and their core values change with them. An Honour Code is a noble idea, but it ignores the reality that a graduating student will be much different exiting than they were entering. There are things I have done during my last four years of college that I would not have thought I would ever do as a 17-year-old freshman. I could have signed an agreement about my conduct and actions entering university that I was very comfortable with that I wouldn’t be alright with now. Does that make me hypocritical? No. It makes me a normal university student.

The difference is that Davies actually did sign an agreement and he broke it. He should be held accountable for his actions. But does this act really merit a season long suspension and possible expulsion? He deserves to be punished but he also deserves a second chance. Suspend him for a game or two, but not the entire season.

Davies only “crime” is that he had sex with his girlfriend. Who was harmed by this? Davies? His girlfriend? I don’t think so; in fact I’m willing to bet they both had a pretty great time.

Davies committed to BYU two years ago. Sure, as a freshman he might have been confident that he would abstain from sex while at BYU, but a lot can change in a couple years. He met a girl, they started dating, and they had sex. Seems pretty reasonable. BYU should react with understanding, not dogmatic discipline.

Moreover, the suspension is harming many more people than the violation did. First, Davies and his girlfriend are being scrutinized, analyzed, and judged by the national media, which they don’t deserve. If BYU had dealt with the issue behind closed doors and suspended him for a couple games it would not have blown up nationally like it did.

Additionally, it dismantled the BYU basketball team. Some may argue that basketball is just a game, but the reality is basketball is not just a game to Davies and every other member of the team. The sport is their life; they’ve spent thousands of hours practising, playing, and training. At one point it stops being a game and becomes something much more important to each and every one of those students.

Davies’ suspension doesn’t just ruin this season for him, but for every single member of his team. BYU was ranked third in the nation and had a legitimate chance to win the NCAA tournament. Success is fleeting in college basketball as players graduate and turn pro very quickly. As a result, great teams only exist for a year, maybe two, before exiting players dismantle them. This season was the team’s chance to be the best; without Davies they’re still good, but not great. With this suspension, each and every player on that team will wonder for the rest of his life what could have been. More devastating is the fact that Davies not only feels responsible for ruining the season for himself, but also ruining it for his teammates.

Yes, Davies broke the Honour Code, but he’s a changing 19-year-old who admittedly made a mistake that harmed no one until BYU decided to suspend him. Does his girlfriend real
ly deserve to be nationally humiliated? Do his teammates need to feel cheated? Does he deserve to think for the rest of his life that he let each and everyone of his teammates down? These are the direct results of the suspension. Where’s the honour in that?

Walker Kitchens

Winner : YES

When Davies decided to go to BYU he made a commitment to comply with the school’s Honour Code. It’s a refreshing breath of fresh air to see a collegiate institution choose their values over athletic success.

When you spend too long in one place, it tends to get to you. Therefore, it makes sense to use Reading Week to escape a dreary Montreal February for warmer climes. Yes, your faithful writer sought to escape the aggression of constant snow and biting wind and went to the Big Apple. New York City. I had a warm spot on the floor of my artist friend’s Brooklyn loft and tickets for a Knicks game—quite the hipster hajj.

Carmelo Anthony felt trapped too; a pending escape (his free agency, my graduation) from our current homes mere months away. When all looked dead during earlier trade negotiations to facilitate Melo’s exit from Denver, doubtless he turned to the sky and open face of heaven—to breathe a prayer for Knicks GM Donnie Walsh to pull the trigger. “Trade for me,” he whispered. The Knicks would have to give up half their team, but his prayers were answered.

I had the dumb luck that my tickets fell on Carmelo Anthony’s debut night at the Garden. There’s nothing like an arena full of fans whose team has just landed a coup-de-grace, making a league shaking trade which improves their team dramatically in the long run and for a playoff push this year. The Garden that night was delirious, replete with chants for Melo that occurred, impressively, even outside the arena before the game.

Both wearing blue, in Melo’s case a bright new #7 jersey, mine a smudgy Knicks t-shirt that smelled funny and was purchased from a man on the street, we excitedly watched the arena fill. Madison Square Garden is physically different than most arenas, much wider and lower, so every fan feels closer to the court. With the court well lit and the seats dark, it’s more like a Broadway theatre than any other arena, fitting for New York. But the game, and all of the pomp surrounding it, felt kind of like a big-budget performance.

Early in the evening, the Knicks superstars seemed so excited to play together. A surreal pre-game press conference included a photo op with Melo, Amare Stoudemire, and Chauncey Billups all beaming. Speaking of Stoudemire, the Garden faithful have embraced him in a way rarely seen by most new acquisitions, though one would suspect that if Mohammar Quadaffi averaged 26 points per game, Knicks fans would love him too. That said, the mayhem at their game introductions showed that New York adores their hometown hero, Anthony, perhaps even more than they’ve already welcomed Stoudemire. The only cheer louder than the one for Anthony’s introduction was for his first quarter put-back dunk—some of his first points as a Knick. In the first quarter, when he got his first rest it must have dawned on Melo that he managed to control both the game and the entire league. We are in the era of the superstar, there is no doubt.

But what about the basketball? It might take them some time to learn to play together—the Heat have been dealing mightily with chemistry problems all season—but Billups and Stoudemire form an excellent pick and roll combo and Melo is terrific in isolation. When the team finds a way to reconcile the two, lesser opposing defences will cease to exist and the Knicks will get every open shot they need. With Milwaukee’s defence focused on Amare and Melo that night, Billups went off for 21 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, and the crowd chanted his name. Backup PG Toney Douglas scored 23. The Knicks finally have a glut of scoring options. As for Melo’s numbers? He put up 27 points and 10 boards and the Knicks won by six. Strangely, though, the stats seemed secondary to the spectacle. The grandeur was a perfect way to start Anthony’s Knicks career, to add a new chapter to his relationship with the league. For one night his story was a pleasant and gentle tale of love and languishment.    

After the game I held an ear to SportsCentre and NBA.com. I wanted to reflect on the supposed history I witnessed that evening. Catching the notes on Melo, an eye to the game and an eye to the fans, I was filled with excitement about spending the next few seasons watching the sailing cloudlet’s bright career with the Knicks. For he who has attended supposed sports history, he mourns that day so soon has glided by: E’en like the passage of an angel’s tear, that falls through the clear ether silently.