actually, 'poor kids' have lots of access to tutors and all sorts of scholarship programs to pay for tuition. The kids who generally have it hardest are those from middle class families because they don't qualify for any assistance. These guys live in a fish bowl. What other students do that? These guys can have that 'free ride' taken away at the end of the year without ever doing anything wrong and getting straight As in class. That happens every single year. You guys just treat that with an 'aw shucks, dats the business.' without ever realizing the hypocrisy of that statement. Alabama has a DB. His name is Ha-Ha Dix or Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix or something like that. I know the Ha Ha part. I'm not sure about his name. You know what I'm sure about? Ha Ha smokes menthol. How do I know that? I've got a few buddies who work down in Tuscaloosa who were taking pictures of him in a convenience store in T'town buying them. Of course the following thread was all the 'ohhh what will Saban think' lame ass Facebook stuff that you'd imagine. What other students on campus, including other athletes, would cause such a fuss? Make no mistake, at the vast majority of these schools (even minor programs) football is their first priority and that comes from the top down. Academics is lip service for the fans on TV. As long as they are eligible, we can keep patting ourselves on the head thinking all is right with the world. We don't care about the quality of education they are getting. We don't care that these kids are steered toward garbage majors by coaches and academic staff whose only interest is the success of the program, not the young man. The train has been off the tracks for a long, long time. The life of college football players, even 20 years ago, is not relevant in terms of what goes on today.. not at all.
It will be a snowy day in hell before I feel sorry for the demands on an athlete of a full college scholarship with room and board. These kids are treated like rock stars since they played youth sports. Basically, they pay for nothing. In the case of ND, what percentage of the football players do you suppose would attend the univerity if NOT for football? 1%? Less? Life is full of demands and most people face them daily and without the adoration of an athlete. Nobody forced them into this life. If it is too much to bear they can go the local community college and work at the mall. Or their parents can work two jobs and take out a second mortgage to send thechild to college if it is just too demanding for junior to play ball and study.
That's not true. That's one of the great illusions of the college athlete. The problem with talking this issue with ND fans (fellow ND fans, mind you) is that you guys don't realize how far and above our guys have it. Even when our facilities were behind the times, our guys are incredibly well taken care of and that includes the hundred dollar hand shake or 'soul hug' that leaves your breast pocket full. How guys are treated while playing for ND can't be compared to a lot (most even) other programs. I've befriended a few folks with kids who play football in the SEC. If you remember, Jeff Ramsey took great exception to things I posted. They were straight from the mouth of a UT player and his mother. It was one of their better players, as well. I know in his case, he was still needing lots of stuff. The only avenue of his life that was taken care of entirely was his football life. As long as all he did was live the life of a football player, it was ok. Nothing else was truly taken care of and many of the things he was 'fortunate' to have were really not that great at all. That's Tenn-e-fuckin-see. Do you know how shitty players at Auburn have it? We're talking SEC here. You can play for a guy like Tubesteak who was a God in Alabama until Saban dethroned him. Tubesteak started his tenure by axing several scholarship players (some starters). These weren't problem kids. These weren't kids who didn't contribute. Some of these kids played. Some were all-academic. Why did they get their ride pulled? Because the new guy wanted to bring in someone else.. period.. Just because ND doesn't do something, or their fans don't think it happens there, doesn't mean the other 99% doesn't deal with it. They do.
Corey, correct me if I am wrong but the SEC now offers 4 year scholarships and our Commissioner is to be informed and needs to approve when a scholarship is taken away. That is my memory about how the SEC changed. I know the Gators offer 4 year scholarships.
I know that was the talk in 2012. That still doesn't prevent the school from finding a way to purge the kid. The SEC, it should be commended, put in place a Commissioner's approval for medical hardships. People quickly realized that they could still get rid of the kid and open up the football scholarship, but placing him on medical hardship scholarship. It's a step in the right direction, but it should be pointed out that it is not the NCAA doing that. It's select conferences and schools.
The "final verdict" on Manziel's taunting episode: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VzVCwLNJIf8" frameborder="0"></iframe>
As soon as I see that tool Mark May, I refuse to go any further. He is so blinded by how he embarrassed himself last year with his predictions we'd suck and beg to return to the BigXII, he will never give us a break. What he fails to consider is there was a lot of crap coming from Rice during the game... and while I don't like Johnny taking the bait, it's not a huge surprise that a player reacts to it eventually.
Kevin Sumlin must have agreed with May, because he yanked him and commented after the game after the game that he was disappointed in Manziel and thought that he'd learned something and gotten past all of that. Manziel better get used to it because he's going to hear it all year and he'll hear it even more if the opposing players know he's got rabbit ears.
He's fast becoming college football's version of Lindsey Lohan.....too much, too soon.....not handling it well.
I agree with Sid. The kid is an incredible football player and I think made his whole school proud. Now though he could lose it. Half a game, big deal but it was really dumb of him to do the couple of things he did yesterday. Just shut, quit doing all he can to draw attention to himself and get that attention by the quality of his play. Better for him, better for the Aggies. If he is on to much of a collusion course with his coach, he will lose.
I agree as well. Too much, too soon. Obviously he is not particularly interested in academics or, for that matter, Texas A&M. Hell of a talent. Not much of a person. He'll be gone soon.