Weis Playing Favorites?
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by The Beast
Two months ago, on June 23rd, Notre Dame Freshman Quarterback Jimmy Clausen was cited for transporting alcohol as a minor. Indiana State Excise Police cited the freshman quarterback outside a liquor store about 10 p.m. on a Saturday night near the Notre Dame campus along with a 23-year-old who bought two bottles of vodka, a bottle of whiskey and a case of beer.
On Monday, Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis was very understanding of Clausen's mistake saying, "I think it's out of ignorance -- and by ignorance I mean lack of knowledge. I don't think he was defiantly trying to get himself into trouble with the law."
Weis said he himself didn't know that it was illegal for an underage driver to transport someone who is of legal age to a liquor store to buy alcohol.
Overall, Weis seems to be taking it a little easy on his young quarterback. Instead of scolding Clausen and suspending him for a certain period of time, the coach placed the blame on his ignorance. Every person is ignorant to a certain point, but the average driver is expected to know what the rules and regulations of the road are, including Jimmy Clausen. Transporting alcohol as a minor if convicted is still a misdemeanor crime, whether Weis agrees with it or not.
While Weis, continued to belittle the citation, defensive lineman Derrell Hand, awaits his fate from the school in the next few days due to a misdemeanor charge of propositioning a prostitute. As a result of the arrest, Hand was suspended indefinitely.
The two scenarios are similar, but they have gone in different directions. Neither Clausen nor Hand were convicted of a misdemanor. However, Hand was the one who was suspended while Clausen remains scotch free. It seems to me that Weis may be playing favorites. What do you think?
