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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                        Robyn Morrow             Chris Elliott                        
                                               John Arterbury       Caitlin Cuppernull

Athletes who violate rules should face punishment

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia will not be welcome to participate in the Gamecocks' spring practices. 

Garcia, 19, was arrested Saturday in Columbia, Ohio, after being accused of damaging a professor's car on the South Carolina campus. On Feb. 17 he was arrested and charged with drunken driving and failure to stop for police. 

Local authorities and the South Carolina Department of Athletics are taking the matter seriously and have not settled with just giving the recruit a slap on the wrist. 

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier, with his decision to exclude Garcia from all team activities during the spring semester, has sent the message that no athlete is above the law or team rules, no matter how heralded of a recruit he or she is coming out of high school. 

The Rivals.com four-star recruit out of Tampa, Fla., should look at his suspension and realize that if he plans to one day become a star in that program, future offenses and run-ins with the law will be handled in the same manner -- with suspensions. 

If Garcia screws up again, it could cast South Carolina in a bad light. Texas -- see Romance Taylor, Tarell Brown and Tyrell Gatewood -- knows all about that. 

Successful football programs make money for universities and generate alumni support. Star players, however, should get the same treatment as other students and not given immunity when they violate the law or university policies. 

Spurrier's decision may have been a necessary public relations move, but at least it gives Garcia a chance to consider how bad decisions will affect his future. Great arm or not, Garcia is still a student and a citizen and should be treated as such.