I was disappointed with Keith Dunlap’s column in The State News on Monday (“Richardson, Randolph must really love money,” SN 4/16).

I don’t believe Dunlap has put himself in the shoes of either Jason Richardson or Zach Randolph and looked at the world through their eyes. He believes it’s the love of money that provoked their early departure. I believe it is the love of family and community that made the decision clear for these young men.

It is not money itself that is so evil, it is what people do with it that can raise eyebrows. Do you know exactly what Richardson and Randolph plan to do with their potential fortunes? Has it ever crossed your mind that they may plan to give a lot of their money back to their respective communities? It may very well be that this is the reason they chose to announce their decisions at their respective hometown churches.

Instead of criticizing them for their “love of money,” perhaps we should be supportive and encourage them to be responsible with their future income. Obviously, other people such as coach Tom Izzo have realized this. As an MSU basketball fan, I was sad to hear that I won’t be able to watch Richardson or Randolph in an MSU uniform anymore.

However, just because they are not staying here to earn a degree does not mean that they will be irresponsible people in the future. I look forward to their further success on the court and in life, as should the rest of the MSU community.

John Rasch
horticulture senior