Aaron Hernandez was an All-American in 2009.
Regardless of what UF does with the brick it removed from outside the James W. “Bill” Heavener Complex on Thursday morning, Hernandez was an All-American that year.
The idea of scrubbing players, wins and titles from history has always seemed a little absurd – in fact, almost Orwellian – to me. I still remember USC beating Oklahoma for the championship, and I recall a certain Penn State coach winning a lot of games, even if his statue is gone.
But UF removing Hernandez’s All-American brick now is premature, and it shows what Hernandez – and all players – are once they leave: free advertising.
Let me first say that Hernandez’s alleged crime is heinous. It’s disgusting and should offend anyone with any human decency. If he’s found guilty, lock him up and throw away the key.
But he hasn’t been found guilty, yet. So why remove the brick now? UF got rid of it because Hernandez makes them look bad.
Florida wants everyone to forget he wore orange and blue for three years. SportsCenter can show him in a Patriots uniform now, and I’m sure Bernie Machen, Jeremy Foley and Will Muschamp want it to stay that way.
The University Athletic Association convicted Hernandez months before he will face trial.
What harm would leaving the brick up cause? Hernandez isn’t involved with Florida anymore. He doesn’t coach or play in Gainesville.
The Patriots releasing him is understandable – it’s hard to place a player on the depth chart when he’s in prison. But Hernandez had little to no involvement with UF.
Florida got rid of the brick because it doesn’t want to advertise that a possible murderer, who was coincidentally a great tight end, walked into The Swamp.
Florida wants fans to remember Tim Tebow and those two titles in 2006 and 2008. And while you’re basking in that nostalgia, just hand over your money. What was in that empty space? Don’t worry about it. Here’s your ticket.
It wants recruits to think of Joe Haden, Carlos Dunlap and the Pounceys. If you come play for Florida, you’re going to the NFL. Don’t worry about that Hernandez guy.
College football is a business, and UF is in it to make money. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Leaving Hernandez’s name outside the stadium was bad business, so now it’s gone.
But what if Hernandez is actually acquitted? He has a lot of money and can afford a strong defense. Maybe the jury will be made up of wicked diehard Pats fans. You never know.
Without the evidence right in front of me, I can’t say he definitely won’t be acquitted.
If Hernandez is found not guilty, what happens to the brick? Does UF just put it back and say, “Oops, my bad”?
But no matter what UF, the NCAA and the criminal justice system do to Hernandez, trying to pretend he was never here is ridiculous.
If the UAA wants to scrub anything, they should take a gander at Hernandez’s Gatorzone profile. There are some choice remarks there, such as current running backs coach Brian White’s 2009 quote:
“In 23 years of coaching, he’s probably the smartest player I’ve been around,”
Contact Adam Lichtenstein at alichtenstein@alligator.org.
Aaron Hernandez, left, appears at Attleboro District Court on Wednesday in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of Odin Lloyd.
