I just saw a couple of interviews and looked at the vid again.
A year's suspension is severe, but understandable as Blount was way, way, way out of line. Oregon's coach Chip Kelly and the U of Oregon was put in an impossible position, and had to give Blount a severe suspension.
Though obviously wrong, Blount was remorseful and apologetic in the locker room immediately after the incident. While that doesn't excuse his actions or allows him to be let off the hook, it does show he's not a "thug" or a heartless "criminal" who should go to jail. He appears to me to be a kid from a hard neighboorhood (aka the hood or the ghetto) who made a terrible mistake, and who should be properly dealt with.
I'd say 6 games would be about right, but I can understand a year based on how far out of control he was, the fact he got hostile physically with his own teammates, he physically went after the fans, the game was televised nationally, and how it truly embaressed the Oregon football program. Also forcing the coach's hand with suspending him this harshly is the fact he is a first-year coach and his team looked bad in that game, so the coach has to gain control of his program.
Even though Hout looks like he was probably taunting Blount, it doesn't excuse Blount's actions. Bad sportmanship on Hout's part is not cool, but he isn't repsponsible for punching someone and almost starting a serious melee either. If I was Boise State, I would have suspended Hout for a half a game for taunting, if he admitted that was what he was doing. I would have done it mostly as a political move. Yes, politics plays a part too.
Press charges? It's a football fight, so get real as long as no one was seriously injured.
And yes, as usual, Blacks and Whites as groups will, to a certain extent, have in general, a different opinion, in varying degrees on the matter since the incident involves a white guy and a black guy.
I feel bad for everyone involved-no winners in this one.
Peace.
