James McDonald, We Hardly Knew Ye

July 28, 2010 – | View Comments

Penn State has produced plenty of quality offensive linemen–and that’s pretty much a given when you consider just how solid the running game has been just about every year in the past 50. But only one Penn Stater ever received the highest honor for his …

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James McDonald, We Hardly Knew Ye

Submitted by Devon on July 21, 2009 – View Comments

When news broke yesterday that WR James McDonald had been arrested for a DUI, it was a blatant reminder to us Penn State fans of the dangers of the offseason. Well, it was reported today that McDonald would be getting the Chris Baker/Phil Taylor treatment, getting kicked off the team for his transgression. The Penn State athletic department released a statement, informing the public of the dismissal.

James McDonald, a reserve wide receiver and recent graduate of Penn State’s College of Communications, will not be invited back for his fifth season on the football team.

This won’t have much of an impact on the football team. McDonald would have been a 5th year senior with just 7 career catches to his name. As the statement discussed, he already earned his college degree, so it’s not like he’s got nothing to go back on. He wasn’t going to be a pro football player anyway. He’s just joining the workforce a year earlier than he was expecting. He’d been in the doghouse of Joe Paterno before, having earned himself a suspension in 2007.

Good luck, James, but let this be a warning to all Penn State players (especially those who aren’t superstars): mess up and face the consequences. To me, a DUI is far more egregious than underage drinking or marijuana possession, because you run the risk of seriously hurting other people. It’s certainly fair to dismiss McDonald for this crime.

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suchfools

How ignorant Devon...maybe being an allstar of his hometown football team, Paterno shouldn't have promised him & his parents that he would play him. James is a great guy & is subjected to mistakes just like you & I. So never judge a person...Only God has that authority!!!
psudevon

Thanks for chiming in, but I'm not sure where I passed judgment. Only Joe Paterno had that sort of power. It's a sad fact that he was dismissed from the team, sure, but I didn't call him out for it, just passed along the news. And it's unfortunate that someone who enjoyed so much success earlier in his career was unable to contribute at the NCAA level.