Let’s Be Blount, Shall We?

In Oregon’s embarrassing loss to the WAC’s top Boise State was only made more embarrassing by the antics of Oregon’s near uncontrollable Running Back, LeGarrette Blount. Coming off of a season where the Pac-10 suffered a terrible out of conference record that inevitably kept USC out of the National Championship Game, this game against a newly respected Boise State could have been the Pac-10’s most important game of the year. Oregon blew it. Both in the game and after it.

Football-wise, the game was near unwatchable. In the second half, neither team looked great. It felt a little bit like a tennis match with the ball changing hands on seemingly every other play in the beginning of the 4th quarter. It was a 19-8 debacle, that should have probably would have been more in the realms of 39-8 if Boise State could have held onto the ball for more than two snaps. Oregon didn’t even get a first down until halfway through the 3rd quarter. They were slow, deflated, and let Boise State push them around and hit them hard. Apart from one good drive, the only time that the Ducks were able to hit back was after the final whistle.

In case you missed it, here’s the video. On the way back to the locker rooms, Boise State's Byron Hout popped Blount on the shoulder, said something to him, and then turned back to his buddies with a cocky grin on his face. Helmeted Blount then decked un-helmeted Hout in the mouth. The punch landed well because Hout’s eyes rolled back and his knees went out for a second. After back pedaling to the Oregon sideline, Blount got in a quick altercation with a few teammates, and was then literally forced off the field by coaches, teammates, and police officers. Entering the tunnel, a few Boise fans shouted something at him and he turned around and starting to go after them in the stands. The fans quickly backed away, their male ego quickly giving way to reason. Blount was then literally dragged into the locker room screaming the entire way.

Before the game, Blount went on record and said that Boise State was “going to get an @$$ whoppin’.” Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio’s The Herd, received an email from Byron Hout’s alleged brother, Quinn, this morning. Quinn had called Byron this morning to ask what he said. Byron’s response was “All I said was ‘how about that @$$ whoppin’?’” Whether or not that can be confirmed is irrelevant, but regardless of whatever was said or how it was said, in the video, you can see that Chris Petersen, the Boise State Head Coach knows that Hout said something bad. Petersen lunges at Hout to pull him away and get in his face immediately. Before he can get him, Blount strikes and wackiness ensues.

Both parties are at fault here: Hout with his comment and smug frat boy smirk and Blount’s erratic response. Both should be reprimanded, Blount obviously more than Hout. This was his second chance in the last 6 months. Blount has previously been suspended for what has been called “behavioral issues,” and should be suspended at least one game for this outbreak and most probably wouldn’t be surprised if he was suspended indefinitely. Unfortunately for him, his draft status just went from early-mid 2nd round to untouchable. Whatever anyone says to you, you NEVER have the right to hit someone, and he’s going to pay for this mistake. Not only was this on the national stage, but Larry Scott, newly appointed PAC-10 commissioner was AT THE GAME, and like I said, this was one of the biggest games for the PAC-10 all year. Not only did Oregon not represent the conference on the field, but they also absolutely embarrassed them off of it. There will be repercussions.

Regardless of the events and the consequences, a huge commendation needs to go to both the Oregon and Boise State coaching staff. They handled the situation with complete class and were able to swiftly diffuse a potentially disastrous situation. Even though “fights” like this make for great sports talk radio and develops good fodder for writers and bloggers, this is not something that any true sports fan wants to see. It brings shame on the game and making football into a side show spectacle is not in the best interest of anyone.