I have to admit that the following observation, offered by Notre Dame radio analyst Allen Pinkett, got my attention.
“I’ve always felt like, to have a successful team, you gotta have a few bad citizens on the team,” the former star running back told The McNeil and Spiegel Show last week:
“I mean, that’s how Ohio State used to win all the time. They would have two or three guys that were criminals. That just adds to the chemistry of the team. I think Notre Dame is growing because maybe they have some guys that are doing something worthy of a suspension, which creates edge on the football team. You can’t have a football team full of choir boys. You get your butt kicked if you have a team full of choir boys. You gotta have a little bit of edge, but the coach has to be the dictator and ultimate ruler.”
For this bit of wisdom, the Notre Dame IMG Network has suspended Mr. Pinkett without pay for three games. Apparently the hosts offered him an opportunity to escape the noose by clarifying his comments, but to no avail.
“I absolutely meant that,” the radio commentator added. “Chemistry is so important on a football team. You have to have a couple of bad guys that sorta teeter on that edge to add to the flavor of the guys that are going to always do right. … You look at the teams that have one [won?] in the past. They always have a couple of criminals.”
To be fair, Pinkett noted that he didn’t favor any “mass murders or rapists” being recruited [whew!], but “guys that maybe get caught drinking that are underage, or guys that maybe got arrested because they got in a fight at a bar” could be considered.
Since then, Pinkett has apologized for his remarks. He’ll be back on the job in late September. I’m still wondering whether he’s being punished for saying something inappropriate, or for publicly acknowledging a fact on the ground. Radio Survivor readers, what sayest thou?
