Released Louisville Cardinals Point Guard Chris Jones Charged With Sodomy and Rape, University Reacts

At one point in time, professional athletes were revered as role models and American heroes. Now, though, it seems that not a day goes by without a onetime great being revealed as a violent individual or a sexual deviant. In recent news, the starting point guard of the Louisville basketball team, Chris Jones, has been suspended from play yet again. This time, as one source points out, these new disciplinary issues involve accusations of rape and sodomy. Also, the University has issued an official statement in regards to the matter.

Before all the charges and allegations, Jones was considered to be one of the nation's top prospects. Louisville even made it very clear that they expected the youngster to do well as a starter for their team.

Early on, he was putting up some impressive stats. He averaged 18.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in one season, and he led the Raiders to a No. 2 ranking and an appearance in the national championship game.

Now, though, all that hope and potential has gone out the window. According to Yahoo Sports, Jones will NOT bounce back after these intense claims:

"It's now abundantly clear why Louisville dismissed starting point guard Chris Jones only two days after reinstating him from an indefinite suspension...New disciplinary issues had arisen...Jones pleaded not guilty on charges of raping one woman and sodomizing another Thursday morning. A Jefferson County judge released Jones on home incarceration in lieu of a $25,000 bond...The alleged sexual assaults occurred Saturday night hours after Jones returned from suspension to lead Louisville..."

The college isn't outright hiding the reasons for their decision, however, according to Card Chronicle, they have been somewhat cryptic:

"It was discovered shortly after noon on Feb. 22 that Chris had violated a curfew and there were other accusations, without knowing specifics. At that time, Chris was immediately dismissed from the team. While Chris is no longer a member of our team, we understand that the allegations are very serious. While we cannot comment on this ongoing investigation, we certainly expect our student-athletes to uphold certain standards, including their treatment of others."

What are your opinions on these heinous accusations? Do you think Jones is guilty? Let us know in the comment section below.