Ballers vs. Students????

 Not to side with anyone in particular on this thread, except to say I agree with Arthur Ashe, who was very vocal in his objection to lowering the bar for African American student athletes in order for them to gain admission to universities and play D1 sports.

Many D1 athletes are already severely ill equipped for the rigors of college academics, no less have to carry the burden of playing a two semester sport like basketball, which includes 30-40 games, heavy travel, and a demanding practice regimen. Only the most disciplined student athletes, a kid lke GG, a Charles Minlend, a Rudy Wright, or a Frank Gilroy ever take their studies seriously. I observed Gilroy first hand, coming into the acdemic computing lab several times a week during the semester to complete assignments on his own.

John Thompson argued for lowering academic standards to account for the poor education systems poor African American students came from. Ashe thought this was without merit, and felt strongly that if you held African Americans up to a standard, and kids wanted to play a college sport, they would work harder all the way through to get an education. The late Mr. Ashe felt to do anything but hold African American athletes up to the same academic standard was racially biased by setting lower expectations. Ashe reasoned that lowered standards basically are telling those kids they aren't capable intellectually, when Ashe was fervent in his belief of intellectual equality.

Joe3 makes a valid point. Our NCAA D1 system is a huge profit center for colleges, and many student athletes use it as an audition for the pros, not taking advantage of the educational opportunity they are offered. Again, the rigors of playing a major college sport often requires that academics is secondary to the sport. When was the last time you heard of a St. John's player (or any player for that matter) missing a game to study for his math test. An absurd thought. However, i'd venture a guess that many an exam (and classes) were missed by student athletes too busy with travel or games to be on campus. Quite frankly, the system sucks, and is not designed for compromised student athletes to succeed in the classroom 
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 Beautifully written Beast. I have attached an article that shows what can happen when a coach, an African American Head Football coach nonetheless, takes an active role in insuring that his student athletes understand the SYSTEM they are involved with. Aazaar Adbul-Rahim goes through the process with his players in what is by most accounts an underprivileged school, and readies his players for what the system needs to qualify them.

I'm tired of the stories of entirely blaming the student athletes or solely blaming their administrators/coaches. It takes a concerted effort by all parties to be conscientious and empower themselves. No excuses for anybody - understand the "game", and get it done.

I've seen or read about as many, or more, crooked unethical, immoral white collar criminals than crooked ballers...

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-football-power-friendship-collegiate-academy

Even on the streets, the players that know the game win...gotta get a lil' Wire in now and then...

  

"I've got the shotgun, you've got the brief case...it's all in the game tho', right?"

 
Great clips purist.The Wire may have been the most realistic TV series ever - or at least up there with Oz.

Joe - there is something to be learned from the way in which society characterizes different groups in distinctive ways - the problem lies in the temptation to perceive people as a carbon copy of the label they get attached to. When the indidvidual gets eclipsed by the mystique a distinct disservice is done to the person under consideration.

Case in point: Emeka Okafor, University of Connecticut. Okafor wanted to be a pro basketball player but he also had every intention of being an outstanding college student. He majored in finance at UCONN and graduated in three years with a GPA of 3.8. The term student-athlete is certainly à propos in his case and anything but an oxymoron.

 
 
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