1) A high school football coach started a walk-on defensive back based on a rumor about his abilities, not proven performance. 2) Most college teams redshirt freshmen due to an unproven rumor that no freshman is ready to play rather than individual evaluation. 3) A football coach assumed a player did drugs based on the neighborhood they grew up in, not facts about the individual. 4) Many are reluctant to date football players due to stereotypes of cheating rather than individual character assessments. 5) A transfer player was started based on coming from a formerly successful school, not their own proven merits.