Judging second chances

When should a coach take a risk on a troubled player? It’s not uncommon to see college coaches accept transfers who left a previous school because of disciplinary issues. Skeptics say these coaches care only about winning. Optimists say people deserve second chances.

Sometimes the risk pays off. Sometimes it’s a disaster. Baylor head football coach Art Briles is under fire right now because of a transfer he accepted who went on to sexually assault a fellow student. The player, Samuel Ukwuachu, left Boise State under a cloud, but Briles and Boise State coach Chris Petersen differ on the details that were shared prior to the transfer. Did Briles make a foolish decision? Did he do his due diligence? What kinds of standards should a coach abide by when making such a decision?

A coach must seek out any viable source to learn the nature of the player and why he was disciplined. Next, the coach must make a judgment call on whether he sees contrition and a positive attitude from the accused. If the player shows such evidence of change, merely accepting him is not enough. The coach, as a leader, must put safeguards and accountability in place. People can’t extricate themselves from trouble or independently leave behind bad habits. They need help, and a good organizational leader will provide it.

For fans, it’s easy to play armchair judge when coaches give second chances to “bad apples.” Just like we cast aspersions on anyone famous who falls and tries to recover (pastors, musicians, politicians, etc.), and on those who accept them after their fall, we sit in self-righteous judgment of athletic programs that welcome besmirched players.

But fans should operate with cautious grace. Rather than writing off a player, or any person, we should welcome them while understanding they’re a risk—grace and reason hand in hand. Risks sometimes hurt, but when it comes to a person’s life, they are definitely worth taking. We must realize that most of our judgment is speculation and ought to assume that those making the decisions to take a risk know more than we do. They likely have more and better information about the player and the circumstances. The exception to this is if the decision-makers have exhibited a pattern of foolishness and poor judgment. Again, we must show the grace to accept and the wise caution to discern.

Too often we take to our perches on social media and weigh in on such situations. We make assumptions about the participants, motivations, and situations without realizing our own motivations are often impure. Sometimes we want victories, so we approve of an organization cutting corners. Sometimes we want to look holier-than-thou, so we point out every flaw while failing to recognize how often we too need a little grace. Second chances are risky and can hurt. They’re good and can restore. We should be willing to live with the tension between the two.