If Chris L. Rucker ever plays football at Michigan State again, the benefits of him playing will be outweighed by the message it would send about the Spartans' football program, and the university in general.
He is a very good football player. The Spartans have moved into contention for the Big Ten title. Rucker's presence on the field is paramount to that.
But he blew it. He reportedly got behind a wheel and drank alcohol past the legal limit for driving. I'm all for second chances, but this was his second chance. He was a part of the fight with the football players and a fraternity last fall. He is on probation for the incident.
If what happened early Sunday with Rucker isn't a violation of team rules, it should be. Otherwise, MSU's football program has run amuck.
Look, Michigan State's an institution of higher learning. That's the biggest part of the equation. Football comes second.
Michigan State has a long and infamous history involving deportment issues involving its athletes, which has enormously hurt its reputation academically.
Time to put a foot down and say, "Enough's enough."

Random Thoughts

- Wonder how much Carl Crawford's free agency stock will drop based on his postseason performance against the Rangers? My guess: Not much. He is still the No. 1 guy on the market. Remember, he had played in the postseason before and done well.

- Honestly, when the Lion player scores a touchdown, I hope they learn to act like they have been there before. The celebrations Sunday at Ford Field bordered on bush league.

- Anybody shocked the Tigers didn't pick up the contract option on Magglio Ordonez's contract? Please. Whether he remains with the Tigers or not will determined by what other moves they make this off season. Ordonez will be this year's version of Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye in the sense he will have to wait out the process, and the big-money offers he is seeking may never come in.