What is Power?

They say that the love of money is the root of all evil, then what is the fear of losing it? Was that the primary decision in former University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe stepping down in the wake of pressure stemming from ignoring the signs of racial tension on the campus? Whether it was the regents pressuring Wolfe to resign (which he did) because it was in danger of losing up to $1 million had the football team skipped its game on Saturday or not, the point is that change had to come. The students, and more specifically, the football players, had enough of being looked upon as nothing more than weekend gladiators who entertained the Columbia faithful. They wanted their voices to be heard and went to an extreme that forced the administration to listen.

One can debate whether or not if they had a perfect record would this protest even have taken place, the point is that there was a line that these young men felt had been crossed by the actions of a heinous few. It drove one young man to declare a hunger strike until changes were made, and more players began to chime in. It led to a campus-wide protest that led to the president's ouster. However, it wasn't just the fact that these protests have changed the face of the campus, it had demonstrated that in this day and age, taking a stand for justice is still an option.

Sports is an arena in which we cheer for our favorite teams and jeer our opponents, and once the clock hits 0:00 we are supposed to return to our reality. There comes a point and time in which the battles that athletes face isn't on the gridiron, court, or diamond, but it's in society. If nothing else all athletes should take a look at what took place in Columbia and realize that they can speak out. We've seen it in the NFL with the stand against domestic violence, and to see it on a major collegiate football power demonstrates courage and sacrifice for the greater good.

This wasn't about money, or gaining more power, but it was about making a difference at any cost.