It may not have been as swift as some would have liked, but the punishment for LeGarrette Blount was certainly about as harsh as you can get.
Head coach Chip Kelly announced after practice this afternoon that Blount had been suspended for the remainder of the 2009 season for his sucker punch of Boise State’s Byron Hout and subsequent meltdown on teammates, coaches, fans and stadium security.
Not only does this end Blount’s season, it also ends his collegiate career as the running back is a senior.
We’ll have more on this story, including quotes from Kelly, as it develops…
Thank you Ducks, for doing the right thing.
OUCH!!!!
Exactly what the thug deserved. Lost his chance to play in the NFL too. Idiot.
Heres the video. The guy should be banned for life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0kk-LQ5IgI
Hopefully, this guy’s behavior and the consequences of it will serve as an example. Sadly, for him anyway, it likely means not much chance for an NFL career.
oh please. if you guys think this blows his shot at the NFL you’re nuts. history is littered with thugs getting their shot to play in the league. if he can play, someone will pay him.
I agree that Blount deserves to be punished but I think the message is lost. Can anybody say Haynesworth – dude stomped a guys head – twice – and nobody is talking about it now. All they talk about is a giant contract and what he’s gonna do for the Redskins. Tell you what, Haynesworth should have been banned for life by comparison to what Blount did. And Haynesworth had a lot more to lose than Blount and was older and should have been more mature than Blount. I actually feel bad that Blount may have cost himself his entire future by punching a guy who antagonized him – not that I agree with his actions. I think a 3-4 game suspension would have been the right thing. Still give him a chance to prove himself to pro scouts and make his life right.
By the way, if you’re gonna talk trash after stompin’ somebodies a$$ on the field, you best protect yourself. Hout got what he deserved too.
The Boise guy should be suspended too since he started it!
I can’t stand Oregon, but suspending him for the season is ridiculous.
It really wasn’t even that big of a deal.
So glad to see that Blount was dealt with an appropriate penalty. It is about time that players learn that there are consequences for their actions and that violence will not be tolerated.
Unfortunately, Avsrick is right. If the NFL will take back Michael Vick, they’ll forgive anyone. It all comes down to talent. If O.J. wasn’t so old and broken down at this point, he could make a comeback too. Not saying it’s right; just the way it is.
“oh please. if you guys think this blows his shot at the NFL you’re nuts. history is littered with thugs getting their shot to play in the league. if he can play, someone will pay him.”
You missed the point. People who sit out for the year before the draft never do well. Think Williams, think Clarette, etc. No matter how good they are, it’s hard to come back from not playing a season to playing in the NFL.
S.H.I.T. happens…Blount messed up…crucially…if he’s nice he’ll still go 2 the league…his 1st contract wont be worth a dime tho…he’ll probably go undrafted…unless they let him in the combine & he raises his stock
now make the idiot repay his scholorship and pay to go to school.
now make him repay his scholorship and deal with tuition like everyone else
Ok, time to go scout another RB for my fantasy team…
Too harsh,Hout asked for it by taunting him and hitting the guys shoulder….You just destroyed Oregon don’t be assholes about it.
I live in Boise and I’m a HUGE BSU fan, so I’m probably going to get burned alive for this. Hout got what was coming to him. I’M NOT CONDONING BLOUT’S ACTIONS, he needs to be suspended, but for the rest of the season??? That’s a little much.
But if your going to be VERY unsportsman like and mouth off and gloat( Hout) to the losing team, someday, sometime, someone is going to knock your block off. They BOTH need to be disiplined and take some anger management courses/community service for their actions. Hout’s display was embarrassing for the Bronco Nation, but I bet he never does it again.
where’s jessie when you need him
HELP WANTED
Embarrassed coach seeking running back
for over-rated Division 1 college football
team. No experience required. Must play
well with others and have completed advanced
Anger Management training. Prior UFC
experience not required, nor desired.
Compensation based on experience; includes
room and board, clothing allowance, national
exposure on TV and cover shot on Sports Illustrated.
Call Chip at 1-800-GODUCKS ASAP.
Talent = NFL.
People…. cmon! Hello? Why does anyone think he “blew” a shot at the NFL?
This fatass douchebag had negative rushing yards against a WAC team. He never had a shot at the NFL.
This is the right thing to do. He had already been suspended by the team earlier this year. Hout will never do that again. His sporsmanship was horrible, but he didnt punch someone, then fight off his own teamates that tried to calm him…then go after dudes in the stands for taunting him…then try to fight off multiple security staff for stopping him.
I live in the Boise area and was happy to see BSU win this game. But both players are at fault. Suspending Blount for the rest of the season is overkill, because this wholesale change of status removes him from needing to correct his behavior. Four games is more appropriate. At the same time, Chris Peterson ought to suspend Hout for four games. Taunting a just-beaten opponent is just as bad as a sucker punch. Grow up, guys.
I think both players should have some punishment but tapping a shoulder is one thing and doesn’t deserve a punch to the jaw! I Think these days players have such BIG EGOES they need a reminder that they are not above rules/laws! REMEMBER YOU ARE PLAYING A GAME THE SAME GAME WE ALL PLAYED AS A KID FOR FUN! I only hope one day the NFL/MLB/NBA will do the same but with the all mighty dollar and owners who sell their souls for one win. I can only wish!
The suspension is for more than just the punch in the face. The guy was out of control against his own team and support staff. He went after fans and struggled against Security AND uniformed Police officers. If he would have gotten a hold of those bystanders in the bleachers that’s Battery, my friends. That’s jail time on top of your little suspension from football.
Whether or not the suspension is too long/too short kudos to Oregon for recognizing the seriousness of the offense and taking an action. Boise State on the other hand has chosen to turn a blind eye (no suspension, he just has to talk to the coach) towards Hout. Hout exhibited horrible sportsmanship and then was the first one to get physical. He created the situation, that I don’t personally care for either team but BSU’s treatment of this makes me sick. Coach Petersen cares more about winning than character apparently.
I have three points to make:
first off in the heat of the moment things do happen this was not a great situation for either school, coaches, fans, and players involved. It did not help the Boise State’s Byron Hout taunted and touched LeGarrette Blount. It also did not warrant a smashing right to the jaw of Mr. Hout who quickly realized that he was wrong in instigating the whole event.
Mr. Blount forcefully was removed from the stadium but in a very untimely manner by today’s standards. That’s what got him suspended for the year which in itself self is a joke considering that they were pumping him up as a legit Heisman Trophy candidate.
Secondly, I think that before mention action was to preserve the integrity of the university. How would they look constantly promoting him after this incident. I am sure that booster advertising dollars went towards his push for the best player of the year award.
Oregon’s hands are behind their backs but they were not tied. The decision to suspend for the year is not a statement it is a hasty decision that should have been discussed with more time not just a few hours.
I agree that a stiff penalty should have been levied but for the entire season no sir, and the thought of him not having a future after this leads me to my final point.
Lastly, if you really think that LeGarrette Blount will not get drafted and play in the NFL that just proves my point that people will always hate on someone who has any opportunity to do something that someone else can’t. Not only will he get drafted but it will be on the first day. He will hire and team, agent, p.r. practitioners, a nutritionist, trainer, and even an anger management professional. He WILL go to the combines in shape and ready to roll, and all he will have to do is not be bored for the rest of the school year, do his home work and get his degree, and wait for that day in April we he gets drafted. Oh it’s gonna happen if you saw any of his runs from last year’s games you know…somebody will draft him first day.
nuff said
This Duck is COOKED!
Blount’s career ending suspension from the Oregon football team is well deserved. This is not the first suspension he has earned while playing for the Ducks. Blount’s previous trangressions from earlier this year had already got him suspended once from the team. He was probably told being held to zero tolerance for more antics by the Ducks coaching staff.
Blount’s behavior last night on national TV is an embarassment to the Univ. that he is supposed to represent.
Given the national exposure of the game and the endless discussion across the USA sports media today meant that the Ducks had no choice but to drop the hammer.
Blount blew it.
As far as any post-Oregon professional football career, who knows. Certainly not the first talented collegiate running back to blow up their careers! Just look at Lawrence Phillips and Maurice Clarett.
# wowiecom says: September 4, 2009 5:56 PM ET
I live in the Boise area and was happy to see BSU win this game. But both players are at fault. Suspending Blount for the rest of the season is overkill, because this wholesale change of status removes him from needing to correct his behavior. Four games is more appropriate. At the same time, Chris Peterson ought to suspend Hout for four games. Taunting a just-beaten opponent is just as bad as a sucker punch. Grow up, guys.
Two words for you wowiecom:
1) LAWRENCE
2) PHILLIPS
Philips was never “remov(ed) from needing to correct his behavior” while he was in college, he was continually coddled by Tom Osborne for (supposedly) the same reason you cite. And we all know what a fine, upstanding citizen he turned out to be. Don’t we? We can’t continue to enable these arrogant turds. It doesn’t work.
This suspension is not overkill. I watched that tantrum over and over and I’m still not sure how this bastard managed to not get tazered and thrown in the back of a police cruiser. He attacked:
1) an opposition player AFTER the final whistle,
2) at least 3 different police officers or state troopers,
3) FANS!
4) one of his own players.
This asshole is very lucky to not be in the pokey right now.
Screw him! The next we’ll from him is when he get’s busted for one (or all) of the following:
1) DUI
2) Beating a girlfriend nearly to death
3) fellony drug possetion.
Sorry… that’s probably 2 too many lists for a single post.
# progredior says: September 4, 2009 5:41 PM ET
now make the idiot repay his scholorship and pay to go to school.
Like he gives a shit about an education…..Moron.
“Whether or not the suspension is too long/too short kudos to Oregon for recognizing the seriousness of the offense and taking an action. Boise State on the other hand has chosen to turn a blind eye (no suspension, he just has to talk to the coach) towards Hout. Hout exhibited horrible sportsmanship and then was the first one to get physical. He created the situation, that I don’t personally care for either team but BSU’s treatment of this makes me sick. Coach Petersen cares more about winning than character apparently.”
————————————————
If I’m not mistaken, BSU has said that they will handle the situation internally. We don’t know what that means. To assume that it means “he just has to talk to the coach” is foolish. Judging by the reaction of Coach Petersen on the field just before Hout was dropped by Blount’s punch, my guess is it will be more than just a friendly little chat.
Everyone siding with Blount by saying Hout started it needs to remember Blount ran his mouth earlier in the week. If someone talked smack and I beat him, I would say something too. In other words, you should rub their nose in it a bit and I don’t think Hout over did it . . . Blount did.
And I also think if Blount settled down after the punch, it wouldn’t have been as severe a punishment.
Would he be elgible to play for another college by transfering? this suspension is only within Oregon College.
What? I’m not a fan of either team but to call that a sucker punch is ABSURD!! The running back was walking back to his sideline,not turning around talking trash,and he has someone go OUT OF HIS WAY and tap HIM on the shoulder and talk trash!! I’m not condoning his actions and can care less about his suspension BUT essentially what the Boise St player did was grab him and shove his face in a pile of crap!! Who cares about the trash talked BEFORE a sporting event! That has always been a part of our culture in every sporting event. When you win a game,especially of this magnitude,dance,cheer and be merry with your coach,teammates,family and fans,go home and enjoy the Media and ESPN completely demorilizing the Oregan Ducks BUT don’t encite what could have been a riot, by going out of your way to rub someones face in it. The coach even knew it,hence the fact that he quickly grabbed and yelled at his player!! To demorilize this person is ridiculous! Any MAN with a SACK would react in the same way!! Don’t rub a mans face in shit!! Look at him before this happened,his head was already hanging low.Hout should have been suspened as quickly as the running back!! I guarentee,he won’t do that again!!
Smack talk is NOT unknown to the world of sports. Does that make it okay? No. I’m not going to say that Hout got more than he deserved. Depending on what was said (which as far as I can tell, we don’t know) he might have rightly deserved a good punch in the face. I’m assuming it was more than “you suck” to warrant the hit. Maybe it was bad enough to deserve a suspension, but we don’t know that yet.
Coach Peterson was angry at Hout before he got hit- as soon as he heard what was said, Peterson shoved Hout in reprehension. Post-hit, he was not tending wounds and feeling sorry for his player. The Coach was taking Hout to the side and yelling at him.
Deserved or not, punching someone is a worse display of unsportsman-like behavior than smack talk – Not to mention that his behavior after was also WAY out of order.
Either Hout dropped a slur or something equally as bad, or Blount just really needs to chill out. Football is a game, that’s why you play it.
As a Boise native, I am personally very disappointed in Hout’s behavior. Oregon can deal with their own player, but I think we also need to focus on what kind of behavior is acceptable from our players. Does he kiss his Mama with that mouth?
Well first that was an out and out sucker punch and Blount gloated afterward too, so he deserves what he gets. And if you think you won’t see him in the NFL you haven’t been watching lately. The NFL LOVES this type of player — so he will be drafted for sure – and maybe higher now than he would have otherwise.
I agree with suspending Blount for the rest of the season. There is no place for those actions. EVER!There are plenty of replacements players who can conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. But I also agree that Hout should be suspended for a number of games too. Winning does not give you a right to taunt, let alone touch, an opposing player! This is unsportsmanlike conduct. Quite possible Hout wanted to rub it in because of the pre-game thrash talk about the 2008 game and the upcoming A$$ whoopin’ OU would lay on Boise St. Emotions run high throughout the game and more so after the game. Obviously actions do speak louder than words, but irregardless, Hout deserves a minimum multi-game suspension. The trash-talking and physical assaults have to be stopped. The NFL, and professional sports in general, has lost control and college football is right there too. Look what is happening in Prep sports and even down to the grades. This doesn’t have to be the new ‘flavor of the times’. Schools, teams, coaches, fans & parents are condoning aggressiveness by accepting it. It’s got to stop and sportsmanship has to return. If you don’t follow the rules, someone else will be willing to do so! Those who can’t grasp the right thing should be penalized. It’s got to start somewhere whether it’s a 7 year old or a 40 year old. Winning -and money – isn’t everything. Instilling sportsmanship & character is! I believe in second chances but you have to earn it even if it means sitting out and proving yourself.
The fine is to harsh….
Byron Hout won’t jump in nobody face no-more…
Lets not forget everybody they are playing Football…
How much dirty stuff do they miss…
Very surprised that some consider this move overkill.
Standards are even farther in the toilet than I imagined.
Good move, Coach Kelly.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Another collegiate testosterone (steroid perhaps ?) induced violent, uncontrolled and cowardly rage outburst, occasioned by an utter lack of self-discipline, false pride and personal embarrassment. The man-child Blount can now join the ranks of those who are the masters of the cheap-shot and go cry over his stinking performance against Boise State and his lost football career. Thanks for doing the right thing U of Oregon, too bad it took so long to do it!
I did think it was overkill — until I saw what Blount did after he punched Hout. Attacking the crowd, and then fighting with security and police, were what sealed the full season vacation for him.
The punch by itself, while not justifiable, would have probably only earned him a few games off his year if he hadn’t gone into total meltdown mode afterwards.
His postgame apology was way too little, way too late.
Hout should be suspended for a game for being an A-hole.
Blount was lucky not to get arrested. He should be sitting in jail right now for assault.
As a black man, all I can say is ‘what an embarassment’, especially the backpedaling windmilling of the fists, as though he was home in the hood………he got exactly what he deserved
Everyone’s talking about the guy that threw the punch. An excellent punch, btw, on the chin that put the other player out cold. But what did the player say to start the incident? Did the Coach ask Blount what the guy said to him?
It demonstrates that words matter. The wrong words in the right ear gets you placed on your fanny. Yes, I thought the suspension was excessive. All the networks had the video and the coach was embarrassed. Pure Politics!!
GO STEELERS!
“Taunting a just-beaten opponent is just as bad as a sucker punch. Grow up, guys.”
Are you serious? Why don’t we all just start jacking people in the face when we don’t like them bragging a little. I’ll do it to my co-worker when he wins the weekly pool. Yeah sounds like a great place to bring up a family. This guy got what he deserved, probably the first time in his life someone told him acting like a thug was wrong. The other guy’s an idiot too, but you can’t just go around sucker punching people when you don’t like the way they act. Yeah, and we need to grow up.
I can’t stand the U of Zero, its fans, Phil Knight, Nike, Steve Prefontaine, or the Ducks “new look” uniforms.
Saying that, I think that Oregon’s suspending LeGarrette Blount for the entire season is bigtime overkill, but UofO is just bowing to public & media opinion. They should tell him he’s out for the season, and then “reconsider”, and reinstate him after two games, just to really put the “fear of God” into him.
The punch he threw wasn’t like Kermit Washington ‘s sucker-punch on Rudy Tomjanovich
Byron Hout from Boise State should be suspended for BSU’s next game, but the BSU fan who tried to bitchslap Blount should be banned for the season from BSU games.
A fan has no right to interfere in that sort of situation, & this ****wad should be banned & forced to listen to hours of Lou Holtz and Flo from Progressive
@BradyGazelle
Glad to hear you’ve never been in a fight. Sticks and stones and all that. Tell you what, call some mean looking SOB on the street a choice name or two. After you get the crap beat out of you, I can surmise from your comment, you’ll feel as if you got in the first “punch”, but otherwise richly deserved your facial redecorating.
Not enough of an example? Highway – driver 1 gives finger to driver 2 who sideswipes driver 1′s vehicles. Surely that’s justified action on behalf of the rager (driver 2, if you’re unsure).
Still not getting through? Here’s one more for yeah: Baby cries, mother shakes baby to death to shut the little bugger up. Damned babies are always a pain in the ass, huh?
Do you understand now? Sure, some words are bad enough to report to the authorities. The worst of all, the useless “n” word, “there’s a bomb” or “I’m gonna kill you”, but nothing can be uttered to deserve a beating, at lease in the eyes of civilized man.
Another PUNK getting a free college ride, send his ass back to the ghetto so he can chill with his homies.
Even though this guy has problems I can’t help feeling bad for him that his football career has been brought to a close in such an embarrassing way.
Hopefully this arguably just punishment will serve as an eye opener for this guy to get is temper and life in order.