School Ties

BYU's national title hopes were severely dashed last night when sophomore Brandon Davies was dismissed from the team for violating the honor code. Like many of you I was curious what the BYU honor code consisted of.  I went on the BYU website and found a link to the student honor code.  Any student attending any BYU affiliated school is expected to observe this code of conduct at all times.

Be honest
Live a chaste and virtuous life
Obey the law and all campus policies
Use clean language
Respect others
Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse
Participate regularly in church services
Observe the Dress and Grooming Standards
Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code

BYU released a statement last night that they became aware of the violation on Monday.  BYU did not say specifically what Davies did to warrant the dismissal but head coach Dave Rose will address the issue after tonight's game against New Mexico.

This is a huge blow to the Cougars.  Before Davies dismissal BYU was a legitimate contender to make a final four run.  BYU still has The Jimmer and his 27 points per game and underrated point guard Jackson Emery, but Davies rebounding and athleticism was a huge key to BYU's success this year.  He was the teams leading rebounder, and at 6-9 had the length to be a matchup nightmare for opponents.

Great guard play can win you two games in the NCAA tournament, but once a team gets to the second week it is imperative a team has muscle inside.  College basketball is so devoid of elite post players that a guy like Davies will be difficult to replace.  Guys like Stephen Rogers, Charles Abouo, and seldom used James Anderson will have to step up and fill the huge void left behind by Davies.

We are still unsure what led to the dismissal, but it had to be a serious violation of the honor code.  BYU became aware of the Monday and Davies was dismissed on Tuesday.  Davies dismissal begs the question, is the honor code unrealistic.  For those of us not in the LDS community some of the rules may seem petty but every BYU student and athlete is aware of the code when they set foot on campus for orientation.

In our win at all costs society it is nearly impossible to believe that a team having their best season in their long history would dismiss their third best player over violating a school honor code.  Remember, Davies did not break any state or federal laws.  There are players who have done a lot worse who have sat a half or maybe a game.  There is something oddly refreshing about an institution and team valuing a personal code of conduct over winning a game.