I have a slew of links that are worth passing along but you're going to have to wait until this weekend for those because I feel obligated to respond to a recent reader's post concerning my March 6 post
"Class of '08: Thanks for the uh...memories?"
In that post I gave a rundown of my favorite and least favorite memory of the four seniors from this year's basketball team. Here is what I wrote concerning Butters:
Darryl ButterfieldFavorite memory: N/A
Worst memory: Wow, so many to choose from. I'm going to go with the time he was charged with peace disturbance barely over a week after he was arrested for beating his girlfriend.Here is a response verbatim from "Anonymous" posted on June 11:
"You suck on Darryl Butterfield you is a hater of Darryl Butterfield. He is not a abuser that you paint him to be. You is a person how likes writing ugly thing about people if it's not the truth, get a life. I wonder if you get in trouble and someone write a bad comment on you how will you take it. what go around come around one day it might be you. Hater of Darryl Butterfield We love Butterfield he is a wonderfully person who care about people one thing I know about butterfield he don't throw people under the bus, like you hater."
"Darryl Butterfield I know is a kind person who will help people if he can he doesn't talk about he wouldn't thow people under the bus give him the dues that he deserves he had some good games at mu he did help the team. You is not fair in your writing of Darry Butterfield. you is one of the reasons why player by pass Mu. You is a hater"
I'm going to resist the urge to analyze this reader's, um...unique writing style and thank them for the passionate response. I'm being serious here, I would rather have a dozen responses like this one than none at all. That said, I have a point to make.
Nowhere on Big MO Sports have I ever passed judgement on Darryl Butterfield's character. I have, however, questioned his (and several others) commitment to the University of Missouri's men's basketball team dozens of times. Doing that does not mean I think Butterfield is a bad human being. I understand everyone makes mistakes and nobody looks good doing them. I hope Butterfield ends up being successful and living a happy, prosperous life.
But this is a blog about Mizzou athletics. And during his time as a Mizzou athlete, Darryl Butterfield proved that there were other things a lot more important to him than basketball. He proved that by getting charged with peace disturbance (something he pleaded guilty to) a week after he had that disturbance with his girlfriend. He may have been completely innocent in that first altercation but if he was already on thin ice wouldn't it make sense for him to be on his best behavior? And to make matters worth he breaks curfew at least once during Athenagate.
Oh, and I'm not "painting" anything here. These are facts. They actually happened. I also don't like writing stuff like this about athletes. I'm a Mizzou student. I grew up cheering for the school's sports teams and especially the basketball team. Following the university's sports teams might be my most enjoyable pastime. I'd much rather be writing about what a great and unselfish player Butterfield was and how he always put the team first. But unfortunately that's not how he conducted himself.
Nonetheless, I wish him well because contrary to what "Anonymous" may tell you, I is not a hater.
