Suspending JW is probably the right thing to do. But, from a purely selfish ND perspective, suspending JW is a lose-lose proposition. If we win, haters will say the win didn't mean anything. And if we lose, then the loss looks that much worse.
And what do we care? WE didn't commit the crime. WE didn't suspend him.
History won't put any asterisks next to the win either. Is anybody outside of the ND community still complaining about the Bush Push, or the absolutely horrendous spot they gave ND that led to the push? Nope. Nobody even remembers it, unless we remind them.
I could care less whether Winston plays on Saturday. If he plays and they win, so be it. But with or without Winston, if we win the game, I'm not going to let a bunch of jean short wearing rednecks who can't even spell NCAA Investigation, let alone comprehend the meaning of it, make me feel bad about a win. Winston could roll an ankle on the first play of the game and the net effect would be the same.
I made my peace with the fact that ND does things differently a long time ago, and chose to be a fan because of it. I cannot be bothered by the extent to which other institutions turn a blind eye to accountability and propriety. I don my Irish jersey on Saturdays knowing full well that we're likely playing against a team who cares far less about honor and educating men and women than Notre Dame does. Notre Dame is more than just one football game - its a way of life. And when it comes to winning the game of life, FSU and the J. Winstons of the world are the underdogs, not the men and women of Notre Dame.
I have a young friend who just enrolled at ND as a ph.d student and is thrilled about attending football games. She asked me last week whether we would win. I told her it was impossible for us to lose, because at the end of the day, regardless of the score, we're still Notre Dame and they're not. Perspective, folks.
And in case I wasn't clear, f$ck Florida State.
