You know I understand the dynamic that many people tend to think that just because someone is a marquee sports athlete that they must automatically be above the rest and this paragon of morality and virtues. But I challenge you to stop believing the media hype and understand that athletes are normal people.

Moreover, please realize that college athletes are: one, still student, but two and more important, they are young kids trying to find their way and place in society while under the biggest spotlight and scrutiny in the world. These kids are 18-22 years old, experiencing their first times living away from home and learning how to handle superstar status and freedom at the same time.

I get sick of people assuming that just because you win some damn award for being the best college athlete or scholar athlete that it transforms you into this super mature person who is now not going to make mistakes because you have won something. The reality is they just like everyone else are learning how to be adults and act on their own.

I challenge anyone to think back to when they were 18-22 years old and tell me that you were the most mature person. Tell me that you weren’t making mistakes and doing shit that you had no business doing. I want anyone to tell me that they didn’t experiment with some of things these college athletes do; weed, drinking, etc.

No, I don’t think they should be above the law or not have to answer for their actions, but i do believe that we should all be given a chance to grow up and make mistakes and learn from them. There’s not a chance in hell that just because you win a sports trophy that you should be expected to be perfect. It’s a fallacy.

Now that Jameis Winston is headed for the NFL, I wonder how much people are going to keep referencing his college mistakes. Oh, and just because he gets drafted at 21, don’t think he’s now the ultra grown man, he’s not. Please remember it’s life’s experiences that makes you a mature and grown individual. It is those moments where you have to look within yourself and be faced with adversity before you really know what maturity and growth is.

So lets chill out on all the deification of these athletes to standards that are ridiculous anyway. They are normal humans, playing sports at a super human level, but they still go through the same normal, human personal growth process.