A Sad Day for the University of Miami

The Buffalo News announced today that former University of Miami and current Washington Redskin wide receiver, Santana Moss, received human growth hormones (a banned performance-enhancing supplement) from a Toronto physician, whom is facing federal charges.

Assuming the report is true, DBSF recognizes that the University of Miami and the Skins would certainly be disappointed in Moss's actions, however even the casual sports' fan acknowledges the professional athlete's desire to get the slightest edge. We all become so disillusioned by winning that we almost encourage athletes to cheat by taking illegal performance-enhancing substances, which can also prove pernicious to their physical and psychological health.

But, for DBSF the disappointment in these events rests not with Moss as much as it does with the University of Miami (aka "The U"). You see Santana attended The U for four years. (Keep this fact in mind.) He wasn't some one-and-done John Calipari phenom, who took four physical education courses and massage therapy one semester and then dropped out the second the season was over. To play four seasons means that--excluding summer classes--Moss attended at a minimum 7 semesters at The U.

When asked by a reported for his take on the accusation that he received these illegal hormones Moss so eloquently stated as only he could, "I'll talk about football. I don't know about nothing else. I ain't got nothing to do with nothing that ain't about me."

Okay, DBSF understands that language is tied to culture. Where you live, or perhaps your socioeconomic status influences your word choice and sentence structure. Moss very well have come from dire circumstances. But, remember--he attended at a minimum 7 semesters of college and was successful enough in those classes to the point that they let him stay in school and never suspended him from the team for poor grades. Therefore, he must have at a minimum a basic understanding of the language.

Not only is his comment gibberish, but it includes so many double negatives that he actually says the opposite of what he means to say. To debase English so skillfully its almost as if Moss had to have a James Joyceian mastery of English to be able turn it so upside down and inside out.

In the end, if found guilty Moss will likely just serve a four game suspension which means that Donovan McNabb doesn't have a 5'10" wide receiver who only runs fly's for a quarter of the regular season. Considering Moss collects all of his stats in 2 or 3 big games each season, the Skins might not miss him at all.

But, the real concern in this story is the University of Miami and their "education" curriculum. DBSF is unaware of the standards by which Universities receive their accreditation, but such language from a four year student merits The U to be relegated to "The High School of Miami" (aka "The HSM" which, of course doesn't flow off the tongue nearly as nicely as does The U.)