Let me preface what I am about to say with a little background. I moved to Waco when my dad got a job at Baylor twelve years ago this August, and so I grew up in a perfect college town. Although I was never fully "into" the college sports scene, I always enjoyed the picture-perfect setting: Saturday afternoons in the fall were either spent watching Baylor football from the comfort of our couch or braving the crowds tailgating outside "The Case" and the searing Texas heat. For me, Waco was Baylor town. Baylor athletes were practically celebrities to me. When I told people my dad worked at Baylor, the way faces would light up taught me that Baylor was something to be excited about.
Fast forward twelve years. I am a high school graduate, and after a year and a half of stress and prayer, I finally decided that Baylor is the place for me to continue my education and pursue my dreams. I am not just a future Bear, I have been raised as a Bear. Growing up in a college town has given me a unique perspective on Baylor. I have seen dozens of close friends be radically changed for the best by the culture at Baylor, and I have seen incredible growth in faith. It is these aspects of culture and community that were the selling points for me to commit to Baylor.
Baylor has been a huge part of my past. Now, I have chosen it as my future as well. I will always wear my Baylor shirts proudly and tell all who ask that "yes, I know where I'm going" or "yes, I went to Baylor". In recent weeks, media has shed a negative (albeit necessary) light on the university I have grown up with. Accusations have been made. The public has begun to take up torches. I am torn between a love for my second home and a heartbreaking sadness over what has transpired. The most important thing I have reminded myself in the midst of this dark chapter is that I am not on the football team at Baylor. I am not a member of the coaching staff. I am not an administrator. I am (thankfully) not a victim of sexual assault of any kind. I don't know the details of what has gone on. All I know are accusations, rumors, and tragic accounts. My heart hurts for the girls that have been assaulted, and even more so that they found the strength to speak up to administrators and were ignored or even discouraged. My heart also hurts for family members of Baylor faculty whose lives have been thrown into turmoil in the last weeks. Regardless of my love for Baylor, I believe that in the end people are more important than a sport.
In 2015, the search names "Art Briles" "Ken Starr" and "Baylor University" were typed into Google hundreds of thousands of times. With a Big 12 championship, Heisman winner, and consistent blowout games, Baylor University is a nationally recognized name. College football fans recognize Briles' name instaneously, and after Starr's involvement with the Clinton investigation, his name is well-known as well. These two men have become icons at Baylor - while Briles inspired dozens of collegiate football shirts, pictures of Starr adorn almost every piece of mail sent to prospective students. That is why I respect greatly that the Baylor Board of Regents made the decision to remove Coach Art Briles and Ken Starr from their positions last week. Removing these two men sends a very clear message - Baylor is not taking this matter lightly, and they are taking serious measures to ensure the public realizes this. Don't get me wrong - I hate that Baylor may not have a fantastic football season, and I hate that Starr won't lead the freshmen Baylor Line next year. But you know what I hate more? The idea that my university could've continued to ignore very serious claims and contradict everything they stand for.
Interim head coach Jim Grobe's press conference on Friday was promising. "We need to do better," said Grobe. "Winning is very important, but not at the expense of character and integrity." Coach Grobe promises to hold his players to a high standard at Baylor, and to encourage a different culture within the athletics department. I hope that Coach Grobe upholds these promises, and I pray that he will prove to be a respected leader in the Baylor community as he has to make changes that football fans may criticize. I pray that he would implement an attitude of prioritizing the character of his players above the outcome of a game. Overall, I pray for victims of sexual assault at Baylor and the innocent players and coaches suffering from projected outrage, and I pray for my community as we recover from the aftermath of sin tearing apart students and families. I hope that Baylor football wins in 2016, but more importantly, I hope that a radical turn-around is in order for the culture of the athletics programs at Baylor.
