The Maryland Terrapins' banner season has now been marred by two scooter accidents. Earlier this season,offensive lineman Pete DeSouza suffered very serious leg injuries due to a car hitting his motorized scooter. Now, the Terps have been victimized again, as cornerback Dexter McDougie suffered a broken clavicle when a scooter operated by a teammate crashed in a "single scooter accident."
↵You'd think that the madness would stop, but as it turns out, there's really nothing Ralph Friedgen can do. In a press conference before the 2010 Military Bowl, Friedgen said he wishes players would not use scooters and has written parents about it.
↵↵↵↵↵"I am sending a letter out to our parents recommending that they support me on this," Friedgen said today. "Pete DeSouza and now with Dexter. The thing with Dexter, one of his other teammates was driving and they just lost control. Obviously, you don't like to lose people on the field. Now we're losing people off the field. It doesn't help you."
↵
But as Rick Snider notes, isn't it weird that Friedgen doesn't have any authority to ban scooters.
↵↵↵Friedgen said he lacked authority to ban scooters from players. Really? Seems surprising given coaches have so much control.
↵
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Either way, the thought of football players on motorized scooters seems kind of silly in addition to being dangerous. Hopefully this will put a stop to the madness.