I see what you did there

"high" hopes

Eh. He was apparently missing classes and practices too. I don't know whether Harbaugh cares about pot smoking. I imagine he cares about following rules and staying eligible.

I don't think anyone is suggesting it is the weed he needs a wakeup call for. It's putting something as trivial as smoking weed as a priority above a promising football career and top notch education. You can say he is a teenager and most of us had our priorities backwards at that age and all that but wakeup call is still apt. 

You answered your own question in your second sentence, " I get kicking someone off the team who consistently violates dictates from the coach" If the Coach said, don't do this or there will be consequences....if you keep doing that, there are consequences.

I understand everyone has their own thoughts about certain substances (if thats what happened here) and its role in Ann Arbor. But the issue isnt whether or not it should or should not be something people can do legally. It's that it is presumably a rule that the staff has to prevent something they see as damaging to the growth of a player and football team. If you keep breaking rules, then its a problem. No matter how good of player you are or where you are from. I believe Bo had a quote that echos that. 

Depends.

If he's just blazing up, but still doing what needs to be done then it's a matter of whether he's going to be a risk to run afoul of getting McGary'd(it's still against the law in Michigan after all).

However, he could be one of those guys who can't handle it and loses his motivation when he smokes it.  If that's the case then you're talking about harmful second order effects and a wake up call is in order.  Same way it would be if a guy can't handle drinking.

Pot does have negative effects(even if they can be overblown) and those effects(loss of motivation, etc.) can be especially amplified on someone who has a lot of obligations as Cole did. 

it appears that is why he did get dismissed from the team; a pattern of consistently violating a dictum from Coach. We need not go further. If Coach Harbaugh, or any member of the coaching staff, for that matter, dictates "There wil be no tolerance extended to any team member who is found guilty of smoking weed. This rule applies to every member of this team, be it a player, staff member or anyone officialy associated with the program. There will be no exceptions to this zero tolerance policy and inasmuch as it is a violoation of state law, I would think, when dealing with a team comprised fully of adults, such a rule should not have to be spelled out. Because knowingly breaching what you know to be a state law reflects badly on the team. Further,all members of the coaching staff have been completely forthright with you in stating that we will take all measures necessary to make you the best football player you can be, and by extension, to assist you in any manner possible to help your progression in becoming the best person you can be. In return for these actions on our part, it is understood you will refrain from taking part in any activity that you understand is not in keeping with the best interests of the team. In matters that you are unsure of, it is understood you will err on the side of caution and will refrain from participating in. Given that you are all adults ,all understanding the difference between what is right and what is wrong,  simply exercising comon sense should ensure that you will not place the team or yourself in jeopardy."

Now it is obvious there is no need to wrtie these things. I  did so just to emphasize there is an unwritten, but thoroughly understood code of conduct that we all understand is an integral part of having the honor of representing  the University of Michigan on the football field. Players know they are truly fortunate to possess the athletic skills to actually be given an honor that less than 1% of the population will ever realize. Every member of the staff is aware of the hard work you put in to maximize your skills to the level to receive a scholarship to play college football. A large percentage of the staff was likewise blessed with these same skills so they are not merely giving lip service to "understanding the amount of work and sacrifices you made to get here." It's as simple as behaving like an adult.

I am a bit shocked, Andy, that you even suggest, due to his high level of skill, filling a position of need and representing a city where our instate rivals enjoys success in recruiting should somehow play a role in the decision by the staff. Believe me, every member of that staff and every member of the team will disagree with you. There is an understanding by all concerned, self interest never trumps the interest of the team. And the interest of this team is to win as many damn games as possible and rightfully so takes exception to anyone who would jeapordize their chances to reach that goal.

No one, be they Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Cam Newton..............place as many names as you wish and no matter who you list, they do not enjoy an exemption from  accepted practices that have existed since forever and would actually be insulted if you suggested they were. These are grown ass men, all understanding the difference between right and wrong. If that sounds hard it is only because I sense you feel exemptions should be made.

As to Brian, he is a young man, truly blessed with abilities not visited upon many. He is still  very young and given his freshman status, I would imagine he is no older than 19. Given the fact it has been a considerable amount of time since I have seen him on the field, is in itself a reflection of his talent because not many true freshmen are extended that honor, I assumed he was either not demonstrating the improvement expected of him or had gotten himself into trouble with the coaching staff for non-compliance of team rules. The later proved to be the case. Given his age, if he has a chance to regain his status as a member of the football team, I hope that comes to pass. If not, I hope he learns from this experience - Hell, almost all of us have fucked up at some point when we were young - accepts the reality it is unacceptable and does whatever necessary to take the steps to meet his ultimate goal of playing on Sundays.  If it requires professional assistance, I have do doubt UM will assist him in obtaining that help. The one thing they cannot do is make those decisions for him. That is on him and I'm hoping he does the right thing.
 

Am not heartless, Andy. Just realize the giant step this team has taken in just one season. It should only get better from here on out, but it will take steady focus on everyone's part and looking out for your teammate, although they may not like it, is a damn good thing.

Andy, I'm not responding to your comment until over 15 hours later as I did not read about Cole last night, so have no idea if you'll ever see this.

But while your point of view as a marijuana enthusiast is understood, to get the bigger picture of why someone would need to be removed from the team for repeatedly violating any team rules or dictates, just substitute something you're not as fond of as marijuana smoking in its place.

Maybe it could be underage drinking -  you might not think there's anything wrong with it personally, but the player knows the rules and expectations and repeatedly violates the law and team policy anyway.

Or to broaden the point, let's make it not about substance abuse - what's another thing the team might have perfectly good reasons to forbid players from doing that the student body at large do on the regular? Maybe using social media in a way that could compromise the integrity of the university, the player, or other students...

Or repeated traffic infractions might not get you kicked out of Michigan, but they might get you suspended from the team, or worse if the behavior continues. There's just a whole lot of things you might personally do and find no real problem with that the athletic department has good reason to forbid.

Google Kelly Baraka or Boubacar Cissoko to get an informed idea of what the type of players that simply cannot or will not abide by team rules end up doing with their lives.

Well done (but not burnt out!).

that was very blunt

Well, we know what bowl game he played in.