The halcyon days for the Cougar program may have come to a premature halt, however, due to the dismissal of one of the team's best players, Brandon Davies, due to a violation of the school's honor code. It has since been reported that the violation was that Davies had relations with his girlfriend, outside of marriage.
It is not necessary to delve into whether or not Brandon Davies was wrong to do what he did. Frankly, that is his business, and I am sorry for him, his girlfriend and his family that something like this gets reported in the media...and then blogged about by people like me.
The question has turned to whether or not BYU did the right thing in suspending a player for such an act. Many will likely express bewilderment that a program with so much riding on a "dream" season would dismiss a key player for this, when most, if not all other programs across the country wouldn't even consider doing so. Those people are completely missing the point. The point is that BYU, as an institution, or to use a marketing term, as a brand, isn't like other schools/programs.
BYU's coach, Dave Rose, expressed this very well, when asked about Davies' dismissal from the team. "Everybody who comes to BYU, every student if they're an athlete or not an athlete, they make a commitment when they come." Rose went on to make the most salient point to defend the decision, when he stated, "A lot of people try to judge if this is right or wrong, but it's commitment they make. It's not about right or wrong. It's about commitment."
When asked about this dismissal, BYU graduate, and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, Steve Young said that BYU uses the honor code as a recruiting tool. While the 18 year-old me can't relate to their honor code being a selling point (keep in mind that the code also requires students to abstain from alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee, in addition to requiring them to attend church regularly), I admire institutions, programs and students who are so committed to their beliefs.
I certainly don't fault Brandon Davies. I actually feel horrible for him, and I feel sorry for his teammates, who will more than likely always ponder what might have been, if they fall short of achieving some of the heights that they appeared set to achieve. If last night's 18-point loss to New Mexico is any indication, that is probable. I do, however, applaud BYU for setting a glowing example of consistency to principles. The Final 4 is a branding benchmark for virtually all Division 1 schools. It is a height that most schools will never be in a position to reach. I would argue, however, that BYU did more for it's brand than any on-court or on-field success could ever provide.
Go Cougars!
Mike Norton
EVP
Norton Outdoor Advertising
