Readers react to a column by Evergreen columnist Tyler Laferriere, in which he calls on WSU football Head Coach Mike Leach to expand his cardinal rules – don’t abuse women, don’t use illegal drugs and don’t steal – after police said between five and 12 football players may have been involved in a possible felony assault over the summer. Laferriere states that simple ‘don’t’ rules are not enough to curb bad behavior, and in order to create a successful Cougar football program, Leach and Athletic Director Bill Moos have to instill discipline both on and off the field.

Read the full column here. 

Wyatt Antoine: “Oh WOW. How noble for Leach to go out of his way to hammer home these simple tenets. You know, the same general rules that any person who isn’t either a massive jerk or twelve years old should intuitively know to follow. …”

Brendan Smith: “So the coach needs to hold the players hand through life?…. Pete Carroll is praised for letting his players be themselves, yet Mike Leach must make a rule about everything? Joke.”

R. Michael Gruber: “Oops. Leach has ALWAYS had those tenets. They aren’t in response to this particular assault. In fact, he’s been quite quiet about it, as he should be, until the authorities complete their investigation. He’s had a hard line on discipline since arriving at WSU. Plenty of players sent off.”

Tim Lewis: “There’s a fine line between the press holding people accountable and the press pulling out the hatchet. Clearly the hatchet was the route taken here. … The legal system around here has a pretty reputable history of holding athletes accountable.”

Danny Spanish Alexander: “… This isn’t a football issue, this is an issue where if someone has a party you run a risk of something happening. Why are we talking about this now? What about all the other fights that I have seen first hand from parties or bars? Quit singling out one subset of the student body that just happens to bring in revenue for the university you attend!”

Editor’s note: The comments used in reader reactions are selected from public responses to stories on The Daily Evergreen’s Facebook page. The names listed with the comments are those provided as the individual’s identity on Facebook.