THE GREAT DEBATE

DID KELLEN WINSLOW GO TOO FAR IN HIS

TIRADE AFTER MIAMI LOST TO TENNESSEE?

POINT: The 1st Amendment protects free speech, except when players start wailing about how the officials jobbed them out of a victory. Kellen Winslow is entitled to his opinion that Southeastern Conference officials had it in for him and the Hurricanes. Speaking his mind made for great copy Saturday, but he also stepped over the line with his complaints about the officiating. He certainly shouldn’t have equated football with war. Football is not war. Winslow is not a soldier. He’s a college football player. Taunting injured players isn’t cool. It’s stupid. At least Winslow had enough sense to offer a “no comment” when a reporter asked whether the Hurricanes had lost confidence in quarterback Brock Berlin. Winslow should be suspended for his remarks -- not that it’s any big deal for him, because he’s going to be headed for the NFL and the Hurricanes squandered their chance at a third consecutive trip to the BCS championship game.

-- Elliott Teaford

COUNTERPOINT: Play of the day? Winslow, hands down. Simply outstanding. I loved every word of it. I watched a collection of analysts -- Mark May, Trev Alberts, Terry Bowden and Brian Bosworth -- say that Winslow went too far. Yet the networks they work for were more than happy to play the tape over and over and over again as if it were the Zapruder film. And Bosworth condemning a player for speaking his mind? I thought I lost my mind! Remember, this is coming from a guy who was suspended from the 1987 Orange Bowl after testing positive for steroids, then wore a T-shirt on the Sooner sidelines that said “NCAA Stands for National Communists Against Athletes.” Since when did he see the light? Now I’m sure columnists will follow with a holier-than-thou mantra condemning Winslow for his actions. Give me a break. Coaches are too protective of players to begin with, and seeing Winslow vent was refreshing. He stood up like a man and said what he felt. Why should he be penalized for that? And besides, if Vin Diesel ever needs a double, Winslow is the guy.

-- Jay Christensen