Evergreen Columnist: Give Heyvelt, Davis A Break

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A day in the life of the student-athlete, or is it the athlete-student? It seems that in our celebrity-obsessed lives, the fact that Britney Spears shaved her head and where Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter is going to end up is the most important news. It is no wonder that it took only a few hours for the news that two Gonzaga University basketball players who were allegedly caught with drugs to be front-page, headline news across the nation. Our culture is a part of the reason for the incredible amount of attention paid to these celebrities. As Americans, we love football, and we love basketball. Professional athletes are revered and paid a lot of money to do what they do. But this idol worship is not appropriate for the non-professionals – the college athletes playing their sports, while at the same time attending classes. The shame, embarrassment and humiliation the Gonzaga players are going through is far worse than any criminal punishment they could receive. They know that they let their teammates and their school down. Having everyone in America know about it adds insult to injury. Paying for the consequences of your actions should not include more public exposure and humiliation than a nonathlete would receive — Haley Paul, WSU Daily Evergreen.

Question: Should collegiate student athletes be treated like any other student when they get in trouble?