A Tale of Two Cities

I'm sure Shakespeare could make something worthwhile out of this that would echo through the ages, but he's not here, so you'll have to eschew a potential tragedy-comedy classic for something more pedestrian.

Two fine US college basketballers won't finish their seasons this year after the sad events that came to light in the past 48 hours. On the one hand, a devastating tragedy with the fatal stabbing of Middle Tennessee State University basketball player Tina Stewart, and news that police have charged her roommate with first degree murder. Two young lives destroyed, two families and a college left in pain.

Meanwhile in Provo, Utah, BYU player Brandon Davies has been suspended for the season for an undisclosed transgression of the Mormon college's honor code. Unofficially, the word is he and his girlfriend failed to "live a chaste and virtuous life." Oops. However, as the code also includes "abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse", maybe he was seen drinking a caramel latte in Starbucks.

While on the one hand I respect BYU's rapidfire decision to stand by their honor code to the detriment of their team (#3 ranked team nationally, but flogged by New Mexico in their first game without Davies), I do feel uneasy about the public punishment of a player for a youthful indiscretion when there are clearly bigger problems out there.

After all, this is a country that has lost Presidents to violence, but kept another who strayed from a "chaste and virtuous life", without the excuse of youth. And settle down Limbaugh, I'm not talking about Obama.