This great land of ours, which I like to refer to as the “U.S. of A.”, is a land of second chances.  It’s a place where you’re allowed to fail, because we recognize that without room to fail there will be no successes. Americans love a comeback story.  Our ethics dictate that a man who has admitted his wrong and has done his penance is forgiven, and free to proceed with his life. Once. If, however, you screw-up majorly a second time you’re likely to be branded a failure and sent to the Island of Misfit Toys where you must wait for a reindeer to save you.

Three years ago, Maryland senior linebacker Rick Costa, then playing for Temple, head-butted a police officer and put him in a full nelson. Temple pulled his scholarship, but Ralph Friedgen recognized Costa’s talent and was willing to give him a second chance in 2006.  Despite the illegal nature of his actions, the fact that he used the full nelson on a cop made for a cool story, and was likely a factor in Costa getting a new lease on life.