What to do with Garrett Wittels: A conundrum....

Garrett Wittels/Courtesy: baseballrumormill.com

This is a really interesting story that poses a lot of questions and may make a statement about the place of sports in real life.

We've reported a few times last year about Florida International University baseball player Garrett Wittels. Wittles, gained notoriety last season with what is now a 56-game hitting streak, just short of the NCAA record held by Robin Ventura of 58.

Here's the problem. Wittels was charged with rape in a December incident that happened in the Bahamas. You can read our original report on the incident RIGHT HERE.

The case has yet to go to trial.

FIU kicks off the 2011 Baseball season on Friday. And our friends at ESPN will be there to cover it. To see if Wittels can break the record.

FIU, for their part, is making Wittels and others from the team available to the Media on Wednesday...with a caveat.

FIU is on record saying that anyone that asks about the Bahamas incident will end the presser and have their credentials revoked.

Read more from the Miami Herald RIGHT HERE

OK. We have a major problem with this on several levels. First off, if this were a football player with legal issues, he wouldn't be playing. FIU says they are following their "Student Code of Conduct". Quite honestly, we don't believe that....for a minute.

Second. FIU is threatening reporters that ask the question they don't want asked. No, that isn't how it works. You don't have to like or agree with or even answer the question if its asked, but threatening...no, FIU--you aren't big time enough to get away with that. However, we suspect the Sports writers/reporters there, won't ask.

It sure smells a lot like they are making every attempt to get publicity at the expense of Mr. Wittels. While he certainly hasn't been proven guilty of any crime here, the fact that he's been charged should be enough to keep him out. It wouldn't affect his chase of the record. No, we would be willing to bet that the sole and only reason that he'll play is the investment a certain network is making to broadcast the next three FIU games.

Check out this mini-doc the University commissioned on "The Streak":