First, a statement by Mike Williams. Take a guess when he said it.

‘I learned that everything is not given to you. You have to work for everything. At first, I’m thinking, ‘I’m Mike Williams. I’m on top of the world.’ That’s how I felt. But now, me being suspended helped me. It helped me realize that I’m like everybody else.’

If you thought Saturday evening, try again.

Maybe you would have been right in a perfect world, where star athletes truly consider the magnitude of their words and take accountability for what they say. It seems Williams has not yet reached that level of maturity.

How else can we explain this situation? Williams was suspended Saturday for Syracuse’s game against Akron by head coach Doug Marrone for violating team rules. In a game the Orange needed to win if it reasonably expects to make a bowl game, Williams, the player who has literally carried the offense all season, was not allowed on the field.

That seemingly honest and heartfelt revelation Williams so passionately delivered came from a story that appeared in The Daily Orange on April 16. That was Williams’ apology for missing the entire 2008 season, suspended from the university for breaking the Academic Integrity Policy.

At the time, it was easy to believe him. His comments implied remorse and understanding. We were ready to forgive Williams for his transgressions.

We don’t know why Williams was suspended this time. When asked for an explanation, all Marrone offered was a stock answer about making decisions ‘in the best interest of the program’ and wanting to protect Williams’ privacy.

Marrone did say that Williams will be immediately reinstated to the team, so he will almost certainly face the media later this week to give his side of the story.

But the reason he was suspended is irrelevant. The fact that Williams did anything Marrone felt was reprehensible enough to warrant a suspension is a complete betrayal of the trust we all put in him. Everybody – Marrone, SU, the fans – put their faith in Williams. This latest incident is one giant slap to the face.

By missing Saturday’s game, Williams let down his teammates, who count on him to shoulder the bulk of the load. He let down the Syracuse fan base, which has showered him with nothing but adulation ever since his return to the field.

And most importantly, he let down Marrone, who stuck his neck out for Williams just to let him on the team at all. His football career was on the verge of collapse – another NFL-caliber prospect who fizzled out in college. These stories are a dime a dozen.

Marrone gave Williams a second chance. Williams disrespected the one man who had the power and authority to help him.

Give Marrone his well-deserved credit for sticking to his guns and suspending Williams. Not everyone would have been so bold. How often do you see a coach bench his best player before a big game?

The significance of Marrone’s decision to suspend Williams may go unnoticed because Syracuse won Saturday. Consider the outcry had the result been different. Marrone knew the consequences of a loss. He knew not having Williams seriously hampered the SU offense. He didn’t care.

Marrone made sure Williams knew what was at stake when he welcomed him back with open arms. He outlined the conditions. Williams seems to have ignored them.

Williams gave us some insight into his mindset earlier this week before Marrone even announced the suspension. It was right there, uncensored on his Facebook page:

‘I HATE COLLEGE I CANT SEE ME DOING THIS FOR LONG……..HINT HINT.-0 LMAO’

Williams tried to make amends later in the day, when he updated his Facebook page again. This time, he was singing a different tune: ‘Everyone Im (sic) staying in school to get my degree sorry for the faulse (sic) information every one getting.’

Maybe he was joking the first time. Maybe he was having a bad day and lost his head for a moment. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Not this time. We did that once before.

Clearly, these are the sentiments of someone who doesn’t recognize how lucky he really is right now to even be in college. This from the same guy who six months ago said he completely dedicated himself to his schoolwork because he so badly wanted to get back to Syracuse.

So much for that.

Jared Diamond is the sports editor for The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at jediamon@syr.edu.

Published on November 1, 2009 at 12:00 pm