A few weeks ago, I was watching the KU–Mizzou football game. It was the first time thes e two schools had played in almost fifteen years. Coming from a long line of crazy Jayhawk fans (not me…them ), I always pay attention to this rivalry. But what stood out to me wasn’t the intensity of the game—it was one specific moment that revealed how far we sometimes drift from the values we claim sports are supposed to teach.
After a touchdown, a penalty for taunting should have forced Mizzou to kick off from the 20-yard line (Rule 6, Section 1, Article 7). Instead, their coach convinced the officials to let them punt—something flatly against the rules. After the game, Coach Eli Drinkwitz admitted: “Just wanted to see if we could. It’s like asking your parents to do something that you know they probably shouldn’t let you do … We knew that was only allowable after a safety … but they said yes. What were we supposed to say?” They were supposed to not ask and follow the rules.
The Big 12 suspended the officiating crew for the next weekend due to not knowing the rules. Which is justified. However, I am not aware of any consequences or even conversation regarding the Mizzou coach.
It may sound minor, but let’s be clear: that’s cheating. And when it comes from a coach, it sends a message that cutting corners is acceptable if it helps you win.
This isn’t just a college football problem. Years ago, when the New Orleans Saints ran a “bounty” system that rewarded players for injuring opponents, many brushed it off as toughness. I remember voicing my opinion back then, saying that in the real world, this would be called assault and people could go to jail. My assistant coaches at the time made fun of me for taking that stance. But I couldn’t shake the thought: why do we excuse behavior inside sports that we would never tolerate outside of it? The inconsistency is striking…what we condemn in everyday life is excused, even admired, in the name of competition.
We can’t have it both ways. We can’t put coaches on pedestals as role models shaping the character of young athletes, then look the other way when they bend or break rules to win or gain an advantage. If sport is supposed to build character, then coaches must model that character—even when it costs them.
So here’s my challenge: lead with integrity. If you know the rule, follow it. If the ball goes out of bounds off your team, own it and move on. Your athletes are watching. And the lessons they take with them will shape more than their playing careers. I truly think it will shape their view of integrity and doing the right thing.
We can’t have it both ways. If sport is truly to be a classroom for character, then integrity needs to win and be celebrated.
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