Should O.J. Simpson Be Considered for Rose Bowl Honor?
As a college football player, O.J. Simpson's talent was undeniable when he took USC to two Rose Bowls and rushed for 100 yards both times. Now a panel of members from the Football Writers Association of America is considering him for the All-Century Class honor for those performances.
“What they're trying to do is put together an all-Rose Bowl team and take one representative from every decade. He's been nominated to be one of the three – they’re going to pick one out of three from the 1960s," CNN's John Berman reports.
But can you separate football and the man?
"Hard to argue that he wasn't the best player on the field in the 1960s," Berman says, "but it is a controversy."
The Football Writers say they're making their judgment on just what happens on the field.
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Paula Deen said some things in the privacy of her own restaurant, and is created a media villain. George Zimmerman defends his life from a thug and gets his head cracked, and NBC editing his 9-11 calls to appear racist. Then the ignorant and uneducated of the world believe it and put a bounty on his head. But a REAL KILLER like OJ Simpson, who MURDERS two people, and kidnaps others. He's made a HERO? I can remember the old days when people honored HEROS! NOT VILLIANS! What about troops who come home in Body Bags?... What about people who give their lives to others may LIVE? Why must we honor degenerates like OJ????
He was never convicted of the crimes in which you speak. He was stupid in Las Vegas and that's about it. You can't deny his talent on the field. Plain and simple.
No way should OJ be honored by anybody for anything at this time.
Sports is more than athletic ability, it is about character.
I loved watching OJ run the ball at the Rose Bowl back in the sixties,
and it broke my heart when we all discovered his ugly underside.
Honoring him now sends the wrong message to our young people.