It's not just Boulder, its everyone

It's an interesting concept, this whole "entitlement" thing that football players on college campuses all over the country seem to have.

There are athletes from coast to coast, who, because they play a game, feel that they are entitled to a certain level of luxuries.

Regardless of the consequences, these athletes feel like they can have whatever they want, whenever they want, and often times, because of fat-cat alumni, the kids get what they want.

Well, it seems that now, as a result of these kinds of ideas, there is a college football program about to buckle under the weight of it's own transgressions, and there is a young woman who wanted to chase a dream, but instead was chased out by a nightmare of massive proportions.

Katie Hnida is a football player.

It's what she did in high school, at a very successful rate no less, and she was given an opportunity not many high school football players get.

She got to play football at the next level.

It seems that somewhere in the middle of all the recruiting trips, kickbacks and preferential treatment of football players, that is what everyone at the University of Colorado seemed to forget.

The issue in the Hnida case is more than a young woman accusing her teammates of rape.

It also isn't just the University of Colorado either.

The blame needs to put on the public, to a certain extent, for the way college sports have exploded into an arena of hero worship and idolization, of kids.

There is nothing wrong with rooting for your favorite college team, or selling out a packed stadium to see your school play.

It's not wrong to televise games, and award a championship sponsored by the latest dot-com or cell phone provider.

However, what is wrong is that somewhere, in the tidal wave of money and the shine of the spotlight, the educational institutions have become nothing more than an extension of the athletic department.

These young men and women are student-athletes.

Yet, still these kids-yes, they are kids-are placed on pedestals that are level with that of political figures, musicians and other subjects of public adoration.

Its problems like these that not only provoke, but foster problems like the ones the University of Colorado is facing.

In 2003, Vanderbilt University took a huge step in reforming the way college athletics are structured.

Instead of continuing to pump state allotted money into an athletic program, they scaled back, and eliminated the athletic department all together, making it an extension of the student life department.

Vanderbilt, it seems, has begun to get the picture, and turn their focus to students, teaching, classrooms and education rather than trying to field a competitive team in the SEC.

They still play varsity sports, and they still compete at a respectable level, but the Vanderbilt Commodores play with a little more perspective these days.

Perhaps one of the worst aspects of the case the University of Colorado is faced with is that there is an assumption that it is an isolated case.

It's not isolated at all.

Colorado was just unfortunate enough to get caught.

From personal observation, even at a small college, football players roam every campus in the country, with a sense of entitlement and immunity from the regular rules.

There are players who are good people, do good things for their community and school, don't be mistaken.

However, let it also be said, that for every one of those, there are a few more whose pockets are stuffed by alumni, and whose backs are patted by boosters who want to get to the title game.

It isn't just the athletes anymore, either.

Head Coach Gary Barnett said following the rape accusations, that "... not only was she a girl, she was terrible."

It sounds almost as if Hnida had been good, maybe that would have justified what happened to her.

If a physics student was raped in a classroom, and the professor made a comment like, "not only was she a girl, but she was terrible student," would that be an excuse for what happened?

I somehow doubt it, but somehow, Gary Barnett has gotten away with his comments with nothing more than a reprimand from the school, and a period of administrative leave.

Our physics professor on the other hand would be given a pink slip and a boot out the door.

After all, good physics students can't run a four-second 40.