We at THE Weed Blog prefer not to write about busts but this one hits home. As a huge Oregon Duck fan, today is a sad day for me as two year starter and at one time potential Heisman Trophy quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the Oregon Duck football team after receiving a citation for possession of less than an ounce of weed. The incident happened Monday night in Eugene. This was his second arrest since the season ended with a loss in the Rose Bowl to Ohio State. The prior arrest resulted in a conviction for 2nd degree burglary and a season-long suspension, for what was basically a frat house prank. He was dismissed Wednesday by coach Chip Kelly for “failure to adhere to obligations previously outlined” after his burglary conviction.
This issue has me completely conflicted. At first I was disappointed, not that my quarterback smokes weed, but because he got caught. I have no issue with college kids smoking pot, especially if it keeps them from turning to alcohol to unwind. But if you are already on probation, you need to be aware that marijuana is still illegal and certain responsibilities must be taken. He knew the potential consequences and still choose to take a stupid risk. Because of his poor judgment, his career as a Duck is officially over.
Once I had a few minutes to think about it, I was able to put this into prospective. Possession shouldn’t be a crime and if it wasn’t, he would still be on the team and this wouldn’t be an issue. He may have made a few mistakes, but Masoli was an overall good guy and was respected by his team mates. He doesn’t deserve the stigma that will inevitably follow him wherever he goes and his life just got a lot harder. He is getting killed by the media for something people all over do everyday. In a roundabout way, he is the unspoken victim of marijuana law. So whatever your future endeavors may be Mr. Masoli, thank you for the memories and I wish you the best.
Picture from https://blog.oregonlive.com/
