Would you let Chris L. Rucker back on your team?

According to the Associated Press, Michigan State cornerback Chris. L. Rucker has been reinstated to the football team after serving the past eight days in jail for probation violation.

Rucker (No. 29) was reinstated to the MSU football team the day he was released from jail for parole violation. While he is on the team, Coach Mark Dantonio said it was up to him whether or not he travels with the squad to Iowa this Saturday.

Wait, what? The guy was in jail for the past eight days, and as soon as he gets out he can suit up? The probation violation came due to a drunk-driving arrest on October 10. Rucker has missed the past two games, but according to Coach Mark Dantonio's "zero tolerance" policy, he was suspended indefinitely.

Apparently, indefinitely translates to 17 days. Dantonio did not say whether or not Rucker would start or play this weekend when the Spartans travel to Iowa, but he did say the matter had been resolved from both a team and legal perspective.



"I have been asked about last year's statement regarding zero tolerance. Zero tolerance means exactly that. We have no tolerance for Chris L. Rucker's actions. I repeat, I have no tolerance for his actions," said Dantonio during a press conference today (see the entire press release here). "He was immediately suspended. He has served his civil punishment, and there are other internal disciplinary measures nobody will know about outside the program. Again, zero tolerance does not mean automatic dismissal."


The turnaround for this transgression is mind-boggling. He is arrested October 10, goes through the trials and tribulations of not being a member of the nationally-ranked fifth best team in college football, but proves in the eyes of the law and his coaches that he deserves to be back on the team. In what other world (outside of sports: yes, I'm thinking of Detroit Lions President Tom Lewand here) would someone be free and clear after violating his probation with a drunk driving arrest less than a month later?

Well, maybe his original offense was no big deal, so that's why the authority figures in this case decided to ease his punishment. Wrong: he was one of those players convicted of assault during the infamous "MSU football vs. a fraternity" fight last spring. Following the incident, he said he was sorry for what he had done and he was ready to clean up the program's image.

After such a boldface lie, how can his coaches or justice officials take anything he says seriously?

It's not like he committed these transgressions as a minor, either. He was 21 during the fight and turned 22 two days after his alcohol-related arrest. He is a senior in college, has been an adult in the eyes of the law for the past four years, and continues to err on the side of immaturity. Of course adults make mistakes too (again, Lewand, really?) and I do think he should be forgiven--if he proves himself.

Obviously the outside world is probably never going to know how he convinced his coaches and teammates he was still Spartan material. But to fans of football, it frankly appears as though Dantonio was simply blowing smoke with his policy. Everyone knows what zero tolerance means, and everyone remembers many of of the past ridiculous circumstances Spartan football players have found themselves in. This was a slam-dunk opportunity for the coaching staff to show their team, fans and the world that they would not stand for illegal action, that to wear the green and white as a football player implies you live by a higher code of conduct.

Dantonio missed the hoop on this one, folks; I would love to hear his answer when he's out recruiting next year and a parent asks him how his or her son's character and maturity will grow under his tutelage.

Because I can't see a positive response coming with a straight face.