Reputation

Reputations are a big part of life. A good reputation can get you into positions to succeed, while bad reputations can prevent you from those same opportunities.

Reputations are also a big part of sports, both professionally and collegiately. In the same way that Dirk Nowitzki is lauded for being a championship-caliber player, Rasheed Wallace is labeled as a bad apple. Both play/played with similar skill sets, yet fans were probably more likely to take pleasure in seeing 'Sheed lose than Dirk win.

This is not some stunning revelation or a new phenomenon. It's often times human nature to feel these types of emotions. But this became particularly bothersome to me while watching my Arizona State Sun Devils lose to the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night. And much of the scrutiny both during the broadcast and after fell on the man, the myth, and the legend that is "#7 on the defense," Vontaze Burfict.

It's no secret that Burfict is one of the most feared/talented/hated players in all of college football. He is every bit the talent of the linebackers you see playing each Sunday, but often the maturity of a kid still in high school. He's been called a "dirty player" by Matt Barkley and has seen opposing coaches draw up gameplans seemingly designed to bring out his temper and the penalty flags that usually follow.

But after Burfict was called for a late hit on an Oregon receiver who during the play had run as if the ball were still live despite stepping out of bounds (in addition to the whistle being blown late), it became painfully clear that referees have thrown the concept of fair officiating out the window because of the reputation of big, bad #7.

The Sun Devils came into the game averaging the third-most penalties in all of the FBS. During Burfict's freshman season in 2009, they averaged 85.6 penalty yards per game, the most in the nation. It's no secret that Dennis Erickson-coached teams have been known to rack up the penalty yards, but all of this season's  mistakes seem to be squarely centered on Burfict's shoulders.

There may have been six other penalties on the night against the Ducks, but none will receive nearly the same coverage as those incurred by 'Tez.

And as I sat there reflecting on the game, I wondered to myself: At what point does it stop, if ever? At what point do you tell a player of Burfict's caliber to stop playing the game that got him to this level of football, and instead to play in constant fear of the men in the zebra shirts? The fact is, you can't take away any player's instinct. It's either good or bad, but it doesn't make it right for referees to zero in on one player, looking for even his tiniest slip-up or flaw that will help to reinforce his reputation.

Sure, you can call my views biased, but in no way am I saying that Vontaze Burfict is perfect. There have been many times that I doubted his ability to stay on the field consistently because at times it didn't appear that his pure ability would match up with his production. And I'm certainly not saying that every penalty Vontaze Burfict has ever committed has not been justified. What I'm saying is that I don't see how it's acceptable or good for the game to hold one individual to such a painfully-obvious double standard compared with those of the teammates and competitors around him.

People can say and think what they want about Vontaze Burfict, but there's no denying what he can do once he steps on the gridiron. Opposing fans can call him a dirty player, but as soon as he puts on a jersey with their colors, he transforms into a hard-nosed tackling machine that occasionally lets his temper show. In a way, Burfict is as much a polarizing figure as Steelers' LB James Harrison. Fans of 31 opposing NFL squads may hate his guts, but they'd be damned fools and liars if they said they wouldn't enjoy seeing him line up every Sunday for their team.

The debate on Burfict will undoubtedly continue for the rest of the college season and the Sun Devils' success will play a huge role in it. But I think it's time we start letting him decide which path his talent takes him and not having officials decide it for him.