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Dignity

Two weekends ago, Anthony Wunder, a fourth-year student at Ohio State, left his seat at Buckeye Stadium during a game against Cincinnati, got through a line of security and ran out onto the field.

Many feel he got what he deserved when, in front of 100,000 people, he was slammed down by Anthony Schlegel, an assistant strength coach and a former Buckeyes linebacker.The hard take down went viral and quickly received 4.6 million views.Given our current environment where homeland security is a high priority, the fourth-year mechanical-engineering student paid a high price for his minute of infamy. Along with the public humiliation, he was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing and lost his scholarship, which covers tuition and housing.His attorney entered a not guilty plea in municipal court. It will be a tough case to fight since police say that Wunder was drunk.NCAA does not sell alcohol to the general public at its championship events but allows schools and conferences to make their own policies. About half their concessions revenue at the 21-beer selling schools in the U.S. is derived from alcohol.At Troy, an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision school (formerly known as Division I-A) in Alabama, it's estimated that beer will account for $200,000 this season. Under the concessionaire contract at its 30,000-seat stadium, Troy will receive 43 percent of gross beer sales, or better than $2 for every $5 beer.West Virginia, which has a budget of more than $80 million, has had beer sales since 2011. To address the problem of drunken fans coming and going from tailgate parties during games, the school doesn't allow anyone to re-enter the stadium once they leave.Beer sales inside stadiums may draw more fans and pump money into athletic budgets, but there is still the question of personal conduct by the consumer.A good case in point is Anthony Wunder, whose lack of control cost him not only a scholarship but his dignity.By Jim Zbicktneditor@tnonline.com