Athletes should show respect on and off the field

What is going on with college football? From the outrageous brawl between University of Miami and Florida International University, to Brenden Hill's ridiculous sideline dance, despite being down in the game, it seems that college athletes are becoming more and more disgraceful on the field and embarrassing coaches and fans alike.

College football as a whole is headed down a dangerous path, and who is to blame: the coaches just as much as the players. College coaching staffs nationwide need to enforce proper sportsmanship and leadership. Nothing like the fight between Miami and FIU should ever happen, and displaying anything less than appropriate sportsmanship on the field is inexcusable. The fact that a combined 31 players got suspended between both Miami and FIU is disgraceful.

Players need to know they can't initiate unacceptable behavior ever, no matter what the circumstances, and it is up to the coaches to enforce this standard. Football is a violent sport by nature, but it has gone way too far.

Think of all the dumb penalties Virginia Tech has had just recently, including Chris Ellis face-masking twice at Boston College and repeated personal fouls by senior leader Aaron Rouse, just to name a few. Marcus Vick flicking off West Virginia fans last year only emphasizes this point.

Granted, Virginia Tech is far from the only college demonstrating unacceptable behavior on the field. However, it is up to us to set an example of college sportsmanship, especially since the idea of Hokie Respect has taken such a forefront in athletics this year. The athletics department needs to set the first example when dealing with coaches and players. Football players need to set the prime example of what proper sportsmanlike behavior is. How can we as fans be expected to show respect for our opponents when our own athletes representing us don't? Continuous instances of violence in soccer and volleyball, for example, are virtually non-existent. Football players need to be held to the highest standard, arguably even higher than the rest of the student body, as the Hokies are a visible team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. With great privilege comes great responsibility. Our athletes need to start acting like they are worthy of it. If athletic departments want the continued support of alumni and students alike, they need to continue to create a respectable program that people will be proud to be a part of.

Most fans attend Hokie football games to enjoy watching their athletes play, for the love of competition and excitement. Now we are almost at the point where we feel embarrassed for our athletes and ourselves. This has nothing to do with winning or losing, but rather the way our athletes handle the pressure when things just aren't going our way. Football should be more than just skill, but rather a compilation of talent, attitude and personality. While some may say we should leave recruiting to the scouts, clearly whatever they are doing is not working, as our reputation in the last five years has gone downhill.

The overall character of college football is not improving. The weekend fight between Miami and FIU is reminiscent of the 2004 brawl between Clemson and the University of South Carolina only two years earlier. USC had a good overall season, but that one sideline fight caused their coach, Lou Holz, to resign because he could not handle his own players.

On that same note, if the fight that occurred this past weekend in Miami had occurred, for example, along Main Street in Blacksburg or in Lane Stadium, without a doubt, those involved would be charged with assault or a criminal offense. Just because the violence happens on a football field does not make it excusable.

Despite the fact that college athletes are not paid, they still need to take responsibility for their actions. Taking away a college football player's playing time will likely lessen his chances of making it to the National Football League. However, it is up to the coaches to enforce these standards and hold college athletes responsible for their actions