Is Gary Patterson's criticism of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill the pot calling the kettle black?

Is Gary Patterson's criticism of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill the pot calling the kettle black?  

In 23 days, LSU and TCU will sqaure off in a Top 20 college football match-up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The pre-game fireworks have already begun. Last week LSU coach Les Miles reinstated troubled Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill after pleading guilty to simple aggravated battery which violated his probation from a 2012 misdemeanor from a sexual relationship with a then 14 year old student at Redemptorist  High School. Jeremy Hill cowardly sucker punched a man outside of a nightclub, knocking him unconscious and then "high-fived" his friends. The man suffered a concussion.

 "Hill plead guilty to misdemeanor simple battery for the bar fight charge in July. Monday's hearing was on whether to revoke his probation on the 2012 charge based on the violation of that probation.

Instead, state district judge Bonnie Jackson chose to extend his probation and add more community service, opening the door for his return to the team." -ESPN

The aftermath of this has sparked much debate and disgust throughout the college football media website and blogosphere. The real issue became when LSU coach Les Miles allowed his team to vote on whether Hill should be allowed to return to the team. They of course voted yes, and Miles has said that further punishment of Hill will be coming internally. 

"He owes this team, this school, this community his best behavior," Miles said. "He will have further punishment. It will be internal. It will be comprehensive. We will see the whole person." - Les Miles. 

Let me state right away that I am an LSU fan. Born in Louisiana, living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. I am indeed disgusted by the cowardly act of Jeremy Hill and agree with many that he should be suspended for a lengthy time. I also acknowledge that Miles may or may suspend him. I don't like it but, that is the world of college football and how many high profile College Football powerhouses operate now. Will I be self righteous and say that I will not support LSU because they allow criminals on their team? Of course not...if I took that stance I would not have a team to root for. And I also acknowledge the existence of sports hypocrisy and bias. It is a fans right to look the other way while supporting their team. Right? But, in all seriousness I think Jeremy Hill has some real work ahead of him as a human being and football should not be his crutch.

Which leads me to Gary Patterson of TCU who made news today with his little jab at his August 31st opponent, Les Miles and his LSU Tigers.

On the subject of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill, Patterson went on to say:  "I'm sure if it was some opponent they'd beat by 100 points, [the players] wouldn't have a vote," Patterson said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "It's not my worry. I've got to play whoever they put on the field." 

"My whole team would vote Devonte to be back on the team because they all want to win," Patterson said. "That doesn't teach life lessons."

You see, Patterson suspended his superstar defensive end, Devonte Fields for a "violation of team rules" earlier this year. So his barb at Miles seems deserved since he suspended one of his best players. It would only be right that Miles follows suit and does the same, right?

Well...lets tap the brakes just a little on the self righteousness of Gary Patterson. Anybody remember the name Casey Pachall? Of course you do, he is the current Horned Frogs starting QB who has hopefully turned his life around and beaten the drug and alcohol demons. You see, Pachall was suspended indefinitely last Oct. 4th after he was arrested for a DWI.  And before you say, well he was suspended, what's your point, let me add a little nugget. Pachall had already failed a previous drug test earlier that year (February) and he was not suspended at all. In fact at the time of Pachall's DWI, he was 4 games into the season. Pachall was also a roommate of Tanner Brock, one of 4 TCU players who were arrested in a huge drug ring bust on campus at TCU. I am not implicating Pachall was a part of that because he was obviously not arrested. But, a week after the bust he failed a drug test and Patterson chose not to suspend him for the season opener or any games in 2012 until Pachall was arrested on October 4th for a DWI.

This was Patterson's quote:  "I've got a young football team and a person who obviously needs help," Patterson told The Associated Press. "Until I can come up with some answers, it's not about one season, it's about a lot of seasons."

Seems fair...Oh but, how quickly Patterson forgets. A year later he is chastising Les Miles for doing exactly what he did a year before. In fact Pachall is thankfully out of rehab and he is set to start against LSU. But, a year later maybe Patterson wised up and realized that "Life Lessons" should be taught to players like Devote Fields who break team rules because can you imagine the firestorm if Pachall had killed somebody while drunk before his DWI arrest? Patterson would have been BBQ'd for not suspending the QB and allowing him to play in 2012. So he makes good with Fields and steps up on a pedestal and looks down on Les Miles and LSU for doing something he did a year before. Sorry Gary, it doesn't work like that.

Let us not forget that Les a year earlier suspended his best player and Heisman candidate Tyrann Mathieu aka The Honey Badger for drug use. In fact, Miles ended up kicking Mathieu off of the team and LSU obviously missed him throughout the year. People love to criticize Miles, and the SEC for running thug programs and looking the other way.  I will admit right now that it concerns me as a fan to see that happen. But, to say Miles doesn't suspend players is wrong because he has done that and suffered for it. He suspended Starting QB Ryan Perrilloux back in 2008 for breaking team rules and kicked him off of the team. He suspended Jordan Jefferson and other players after a 2011 bar fight. That same season he suspended 4 starters mid season in the middle of a SEC Championship run due to the use of "SPICE" The fact is, Miles has suspended players in the past and has suffered the consequences. Does that mean that Miles should not suspend Hill for his involvement in the "sucker punch" incident? Absolutely not. And he has said that he still could be suspended and I hope he is. But, do not paint Miles as a "Do nothing" coach. He runs a program that obviously has many warts. The SEC has many warts, the Big Ten has many warts, so does the Big 12 and on and on. The problem is nearly epidemic. I am not absolving LSU or anybody of that. 

That is why when I see Gary Patterson make these statements when he did the same thing a year prior, it raises red flags. Hopefully Casey Pachall turned his life around. Hopefully TCU not kicking him to the curb allowed that. Hopefully Jeremy Hill somehow does the same. Hopefully he does have further punishment coming. But, Gary, your statements were indeed the pot calling the kettle, black.

LSU VS. TCU
August 31st, 2013.