Honor

The big talk of the sports world today is what’s going on at BYU. If you haven’t heard, the school suspended one of it’s best basketball players for violating the school honor code. BYU, currently ranked third in the country, suspended 20 year old Brandon Davies for having pre-marital sex. Most, if not all, schools have an honor code. You’d be hard pressed to find a school with a stricter set of rules and stronger punishment for violating those rules.



The honor code at BYU includes a ban on caffeine, tea, alcohol, foul language, students have to be honest, observe the dress and grooming standards of the school and participate regularly in church services. This isn’t your typical college, and I’d be happy to disagree with pretty much every item on their list. Except that everyone who enrolls at BYU, does so voluntarily. Okay, I’m not sure if that’s completely true, those Mormons are a tad bit different.

This suspension has crippled the basketball team, a team that had a real shot at a #1 seed in the tournament as well as a better chance than most schools at making a run to the Final Four. An accomplishment the school has never reached in its 104 year history. The pay off is huge, tons of publicity not to mention money. Undoubtedly, amazing experiences for all those kids and now they pretty much have no chance of realizing that dream.

The chatter I’ve heard has focused on how unrealistic it is to ask college kids to abstain from everything BYU asks, as well as the apparent lack of forgiveness and a second chance. A local sports radio show host stated that he believes a one or two game suspension, with the threat of being kicked off the team for a second violation. Maybe that’s fair and makes more sense. I’m all about second chances and forgiveness, I think that’s what’s required for people to be part of a civilized society.

I just don’t think that this is a debate about forgiveness, or silly rules, or proper punishment. To me this is about honor. I never imagined I’d say this, but I agree with BYU. To bend the rules now, no matter how silly they are, would show a lack of honor. It would be the complete opposite of honor. We’re a society now that not only gives second chances, we celebrate those who crap all over honor. Politicians, who preach to us about family values, yet sleep around as if they’re the 20 year old college sophomores on a top four team. Crack head actors get paid upwards of $40 million for a season, for portraying drunken womanizing idiots.


This is about standing up for something you believe in. Davies knew the punishment for violating the Honor Code, and maybe he thought it was silly. Yet, he violated it, and when asked about his actions, he was honest with the school. Is he being rewarded? No, but he shouldn’t be. He should, however, absolutely be commended and respected, because the kid has shown courage and honor. It sucks for the rest of the team and its fans, and it sucks even more for Davies. Then again, if it were easy, they wouldn’t call it honor.