There are two behaviors in life that every person will decide to follow. They are morality or immorality. The truth is as Paul wrote in Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; and that includes immorality of all kinds. In the world of 2012, immoral conduct is seen in all facets of life from politics to sports and every profession in between. More often than not, it is sexual immorality that ensnares the practitioners of bad behavior. Such behavior is reprehensible, but just as bad is the number of people who make excuses for the behavior because the person involved is a highly paid and visible figure readily identifiable to the public.

In recent months and years, coaches at various universities have been involved in conduct that is not only immoral, but a violation of the trust that has been placed in them by the institutions for which they worked. The Ohio State University coach was fired because he lied and tried to cover up the behavior of football players who sold or traded awards and other items for tattoos and other favors. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Sugar Bowl officials implored the NCAA and the conference not to punish the players until after the Sugar Bowl game. Ethics and honesty fell by the wayside for money and big TV ratings.

The basketball coach at the University of Louisville involved himself in an unseemly affair and was sued by the other party. Did the university dismiss him from his position?  Of course not. He is a good coach and knows how to coach winning basketball teams. Honor, ethics and morals took a backseat to money and winning.

Penn State became embroiled with a coach who abused young men and the university chose to ignore it. After all, reputation of the school and winning must be protected at all costs. Were they protected?  Not at all because the truth prevailed and that led to the sullying of the reputation of a coach who people revered. That coach overlooked the behavior until he had to report it. Did he report it to the police? No, he followed the rules instead of contacting the police and did nothing but give it to a higher up who did little with it.

There are other instances where schools officials have chosen to overlook illegal and immoral conduct. But there is hope that it will change due to at least one school upholding truth, virtue, ethics and morals by placing them above all else, including winning and money.

Recently, the head football coach (now former head coach)at a well known university became involved with a young female employee of the athletic department. No one knows the duration of the affair, but it came to a crashing end on April 1, 2012. Literally, the end of it was crashing. The coach wrecked his motorcycle and from that point on his life became a train wreck. He lied in an attempt to cover up his behavior, but it didn’t work. Nine days after the crash his life as the football coach at Arkansas crashed. Yet, there were those who didn’t want him fired and expected that the athletic director should overlook the indiscretions and only mete out some form of penalty  so he could continue to build a winning national football powerhouse.

Lars Anderson, writer for Sports Illustrated, opined in the April 16, 2012,  issue that Bobby Petrino would be on the sidelines come fall. He based his opinion on the fact that Rick Pitino’s contract had a for cause dismissal clause and Louisville didn’t invoke it. Anderson compared apples and oranges . Though both coaches had gross misbehavior, Arkansas isn’t Louisville and  one has nothing to do with the other. Apparently, in Anderson’s mind, truth, honesty, ethics, honor and morals are outweighed by wins and money.

However, the athletic director, Jeff long,  stood tall and made the correct and only decision that could be made. The man was fired according to the spelled out terms of the contract. Honor, ethics, honesty, truth and morals were given top billing by athletic director with the trustees giving support for the decision. If more people in responsible positions would follow the rules of morality, ethics, truth and honesty, many of the problems the republic faces will disappear. The University of Arkansas will have far less problems now with the departure of the coach; many times less than if he had been allowed to stay.

What is the lesson for all concerned in the events listed above? It is found in Numbers 32:23 and be sure your sin will find you out. Sooner or later they will be and the result of the sins will ruin and affect many lives.

The question in the title can be answered. For once, morality was found at the University of Arkansas when those responsible for the moral, ethical and honest behavior demanded of leadership, acted accordingly. In Sorting It Out, while it is only one university, it is a beginning and may it spread to others who are winking at wrong doing in their pursuit of money and winning.

© 04-11-2012 DEC