Skip Bayless denounces Stoops's punishment of Peterson

Skip Bayless has just pushed me over the edge. I don't know who he thinks he is, but I applauded Stoops for this hardline stance. Finally, a coach stood up and told a blue-chip athlete that you are here for school and that is #1. But in response to Bayless's article I will use logic instead of fury (for the moment). He wants to seperate this from the student-athlete talk, FINE. As a college athlete, Peterson is responsible for meeting all of the requirements for eligibility. One of the requirements is that he does a small matter of ATTENDING CLASS. So would Bayless be more comfortable with Stoops saying that he failed to fulfill an eligibility requirement. I am sure that Bayless would not mind punishing him for skipping a practice, so why is class so different? If he does not meet the minimum GPA, the school and the NCAA will not let him play so maybe Stoops just wants to head off the potential loss of Peterson for the season before it becomes an issue???? Now comes the fury. How dare Skip publicly undermine Stoops just for the sake of his cherished Sooners winning another game. I don't know much about Stoops but I will say that what he did sent a message to the team and to any other athlete that goes to OU, you skip class you will be punished, and I say RIGHT ON BOB!!!!!!!

posted by mcstan13 at 08:48 AM - reply - flag:

Great honk, he is an awful writer. I didn't expect to be more annoyed by his writing than his TV appearances, since the TV stuff includes seeing his adam's apple and hearing his Shouty McYellerson rants, but I am. This could have been written by anyone. The piece goes off the rails when he mentions Vanderbilt. I had to read those swollen paragraphs a few times to get his point, and I'm bitter that those two minutes of my life are gone. And he's smugly comfortable shrugging off the "bad behavior" of OU players. What a giant ass. I think that until college players are straight-up paid, schools should at least try to emphasize academics, so good on you, Stoops.

posted by pooch at 09:13 AM - reply - flag:

Skip Clueless strikes again. I swear he just takes the devil's advocate position for the sake of it. God knows he's neither funny, nor particularly insightful.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:20 AM - reply - flag:

Whatever. I skipped so many frickin' classes in college and I seemed to graduate just fine. My campus employer never cared. Clubs never cared. So long as he still passes the class, I see no reason why he should get in trouble. And he went to Vanderbilt? So what?? You can still skip classes and graduate just fine from Vandy.

posted by jmd82 at 09:29 AM - reply - flag:

Bayless, once again, rants away without thinking. This shows Stoops is trying to change the image of Oklahoma, and I applaud him for that. What Skip forgets is that not every player (very few, for that matter) will ever take the next step to the NFL, even though most probably THINK they will. The reality is, most NEED to go to classes and get this education and degree. Not treating Peterson, who most likely will go into the NFL, the same as the rest of the team sets a horrible example. Most Sooners will leave Norman with some great football memories, and, hopefully, a degree. If they follow Peterson's example, they'll leave with no football future, and quite possibly, no future, period.

posted by dyams at 10:00 AM - reply - flag:

Skip Bayless is a hypocrit! Here he points out that Barry Switzer handle a team incorrectly and says it was a mistake to play player who brought down the name of the University's Atheletic Porgram. Now he think Bob Stoop's should do the same. Skip Consider this. Adrian Peterson has a tender shoulder that could affect the future of his NFL career. Bob see's this problem and says, "Adrian you might need a education too." So he disicplines him to go to class. Is Bob WRONG? NO! To say he is interferring with the offensive where he doesn't belong in doing this because Chuck Long is the Offensive Coach and play caller is stupid. Chuck has the job at Bob's liesure, he is his BOSS! He, in fact, IS Long's boss. So is he interferring? I applaud Bob. Kejuan Jones is not a incapible back..... Peterson get thru the hole the linemen make for him and so can Kejuan. He insult Kejuan saying you are not good enough to play? NO! As for Bomar, Bob understands one thing. This was not something that 99% of all the other students are doing drinking underage. This isn't a school issue. Dusty Devorchak was suspend for one YEAR! His problem was not a normal problem. Bob said get help and behave an you can come back. Again the right approach! Skip you fail to see a difference because you a Oklahoma fan. I am too! He points out he was born and lived in Oklahoma City. Well Skip I was raised in Norman! You can honestly say that because you are raised in Oklahoma City that well you like football and have business in Norman. Sorry Skip! You are a fan I was a resident. Shut up! You go bitch about Oklahoma City problems not football problem. Leave it to people who live in Norman to bitch about our city problems and for that much OUR University which I attended. You went to Vanderbilt. Obviously you don't see the nose in frount of your face if all you think about is football. Bob see the more important aspect of college to and that is education. It makes you a hypocritic to critize Switzer for doing what happened then and now say Bob Stoops should ignore the same thing. We don't need writers like him in the world. Hey Skip can you say. "I want fries with that." That is about where you intelligence lies whether you went to school at Vanderbilt or not you didn't learn a damn thing about education!

posted by Rob at 10:40 AM - reply - flag:

As an OU fan, I don't care if OU players are required to attend a single class ... Bayless should be ashamed of himself for writing this. He's clearly just trolling for controversy to prop up his pathetic career.

posted by rcade at 10:42 AM - reply - flag:

I am not a Bob Stoops fan naturally because of my TAM connection, but I say well done BOB and keep up the good attitude about attending class. (duhhh this is school)Learning is the goal, not just passing jmd82. From the looks of your vocabulary yopu should have gone to more classes. Keep it up skip you just confirm what most people know about you when you open your mouth and spew your ignorance.

posted by batman at 10:52 AM - reply - flag:

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but ... I agree with Skip Bayless. At least to a degree. Anyone who mouths platitudes about an Oklahoma football player's first job being his studies is wildly out of touch with reality. Adrian Peterson did not choose OU to become proficient in molecular biology. He was not sought for his tremendous ability to slash through differential equation texts. The man is a football player. OU does not give a damn about Peterson once he leaves the Norman city limits. Neither do you, Sooner fans. What you care about is whether or not Oklahoma covers the spread, wins the Big 12 and plays in another national title game. If you did care, you'd have been more concerned when Barry Switzer had this program firing on all cylinders and the fuel was rapists, thugs and illiterates. There's a simple way to sort all this out. Just stop pretending football players at OU or any other major university are actually there for an education. Let them exist as normal students, expel them if they break the law or flunk out, and don't expect more out of them simply because a larger chunk of the school's ability to fundraise sits on their collectively underpaid shoulders. If the athlete wants an education, he'll see to it he gets it. If he doesn't and he ends up slinging hash or picking up garbage for the remainder of his life, he'll see to that also.

posted by wfrazerjr at 11:21 AM - reply - flag:

No wonder they stuck Skippy on Cold Pizza, the remedial class of sports programs. I wonder if he rides the short bus to work?

posted by evil empire at 11:22 AM - reply - flag:

Even if you assume that no one cares about the education of Peterson, you have to realize that him not caring about his education, puts OU in football jeopardy. Bad grades at the end of this semester means no bowl game. So, Bayless is wrong no matter what your point of view.

posted by bperk at 11:33 AM - reply - flag:

Anyone who mouths platitudes about an Oklahoma football player's first job being his studies is wildly out of touch with reality. I think most individuals DO understand this is probably the norm on most big-time NCAA division 1 schools. But is Stoops to get his team together at the beginning of the year and immediately separate the players with legitimate NFL asperations from those who merely play on the team, contribute on the starting squad, but will never play in the pros? He's supposed to tell them, Adrian Peterson (and a few others) doesn't/don't have to go to classes. The rest of you do"? And saying that any program that wants to be successful (win) at the Div. 1 level can't have student/athletes is only perpetuating the stereotype that many college athletes are morons. I remember Craig Krenzel at Ohio State, who quarterbacked a National Championship team and was also one of the brightest students in the country. Stoops has to automatically settle for the "business as usual" outlook many programs run? What, exactly, does Peterson have to do with his time on campus during days he (and the team) are there, anyways? Sleep, play video games, watch TV? Anyone reading these posts that thinks you win consistently as a coach by setting up a situation where the star players are treated in a different manner than the others have obvioulsy never played or coached team sports. There's no better way to ensure you're team chemistry falls to pieces, and I'm fairly confident Bob Stoops understands this.

posted by dyams at 11:48 AM - reply - flag:

Who cares if he skips class??? As long as he can pass the class overall at the end of the semester who really cares. It is his life to make his choices and if he wants to risk blowing his college career and anything more, then I say... see ya sucker, Have a brick of government cheese. (on me of course)

posted by tankerhog at 11:55 AM - reply - flag:

If the athlete wants an education, he'll see to it he gets it. That seems naive to me. Athletes in big-time programs need help, support, and guidance to succeed in their classes. Playing those sports is a time-consuming job and they are often coming from poor educational backgrounds where they were coddled for athletic skills. What Stoops is doing isn't necessarily a pretense. There are coaches who pay more than lip service to the academic success of their players. Perhaps he thinks by catching Peterson early and making this public, he can help turn some disciplinary issues around early, rather than letting this become another Switzer-sized problem later.

posted by rcade at 11:57 AM - reply - flag:

But is Stoops to get his team together at the beginning of the year and immediately separate the players with legitimate NFL asperations from those who merely play on the team, contribute on the starting squad, but will never play in the pros? No, because it isn't the job of the head football coach to be trailing around adults to make sure they are attending classes. His job is to win football games. He doesn't have to give any direction to his charges other than guiding them through practices and tell them not to flunk out and screw themselves out of opportunities to play. Bad grades at the end of this semester means no bowl game. Since when does not attending classes automatically mean bad grades? As an experiment, the guys on my dorm floor kept track of our attendance during the first semester of my sophomore year in college. IIRC, I hit 23-24% of my classes and finished with a 3.2 GPA. Will everyone do that? Probably not, but if you're going to tie academic standing to the ability to play in games, I guess you shouldn't be recruiting layabouts or morons, should you? On preview: That seems naive to me. Athletes in big-time programs need help, support, and guidance to succeed in their classes. Playing those sports is a time-consuming job and they are often coming from poor educational backgrounds where they were coddled for athletic skills. Agreed, which is why players should be paid as if they have a job rather than trying to do all of these things at once. Scholarships should be either usuable at the end of the player's eligibility or available after a player has exhausted his or her opportunity to persue a sport as a profession. My argument is for the NCAA and sports fans to stop acting like student-athletes exist, at least at the Division I level. A few manage to excel, but the vast majority are too burdened with their first priority -- athletics -- to worry much about being a student. Let them attend as many classes as they are able to handle with the full-time job they have and deal with the rest down the road, when they are finished filling the coffers of Oklahoma University.

posted by wfrazerjr at 12:23 PM - reply - flag:

Look's like Woody Paige has some good material to work with.....Go Woody!

posted by scottyooooo at 12:46 PM - reply - flag:

I want to add this -- I'm glad Stoops takes an interest in his players attending classes. It's admirable, but I'm afraid he's tilting at windmills. Unless the NCAA makes some across-the-board changes, all Stoops is going to do is get himself fired.

posted by wfrazerjr at 12:51 PM - reply - flag:

College is a learning experiece in many ways. Getting an education, living with new people, attending class. To meet eligability for sports you have to attend class and keep up your grades. If you cann't do this, "Good-bye. Attend 25% of your classes and have a 3.2 grade average. Makes me wonder what classes you were taking.

posted by Richie Bee at 01:06 PM - reply - flag:

I don't know that making students attend class will equate with less success on the football field. Florida State has mandatory attendance. Every day the football players have to get their professor to sign their attendance sheet. There is also mandatory tutoring sessions. And, Florida State is never going to be accused of being a tough academic institution. But, to play at the end of the week, you have to attend your classes. Seems reasonable. Agreed, which is why players should be paid as if they have a job rather than trying to do all of these things at once. Scholarships should be either usuable at the end of the player's eligibility or available after a player has exhausted his or her opportunity to persue a sport as a profession. What will this accomplish? Football players miss Friday during away game weeks and no other class. The NCAA limits their practice time during the week, so that there is ample time for schoolwork. If a player wants to get a degree, I don't see football as a roadblock.

posted by bperk at 01:24 PM - reply - flag:

I'm all for ditching the illusion of student athletes and going with hired guns, at least at the top schools. The athletes are getting screwed, and I'm not sure how much "help, support, and guidance" is going to help students who don't want to go to class and, in many cases, would never get into the school without athletics.

posted by justgary at 01:24 PM - reply - flag:

That's why baseball does it the right way. For players who don't want to go to college (and are good enough athletically), get drafted (or signed) and go to the minor leagues. Maybe football needs this same system. Stop affiliating colleges and schools of higher learning with teams filled with guys who don't even know their way to their scheduled classrooms. Get some of these athletes with rocks for brains far, far away from the academic world. They can play minor league football, then the NFL can draft from either the minors or college football. Let individuals who can actually play football AND get an education grace college campuses. The fact this idea sounds so ridiculous is an indication of the real problem, which involves thinking it's naive to think a person going to college would actually attend a class. And as for Stoops not having anything to worry about but winning football, I assume he probably has agreed-upon rules and conduct expectations he has his players sign prior to every season. He's already known as a great coach, and I'm sure having high personal expectations for his players is due to the respect Stoops wants for himself. He could have a losing record this season, get cut loose from Oklahoma, and dozens of teams would be beating down his door instantly.

posted by dyams at 01:29 PM - reply - flag:

Attend 25% of your classes and have a 3.2 grade average. Makes me wonder what classes you were taking. Three relatively easy courses, physics and two core journalism courses, I think. Guess which ones I went to most? Football players miss Friday during away game weeks and no other class. The NCAA limits their practice time during the week, so that there is ample time for schoolwork. If a player wants to get a degree, I don't see football as a roadblock. Have you ever been around high-level college athletics? Consider not only the three-hour practices each day, but the time in the weight room, in training sessions, team meetings, travel and everything else that goes along with being a top team athlete. God, it's not like these guys are laying around eating Pringles and playing GTA.

posted by wfrazerjr at 02:14 PM - reply - flag:

Have you ever been around high-level college athletics? Consider not only the three-hour practices each day, but the time in the weight room, in training sessions, team meetings, travel and everything else that goes along with being a top team athlete. God, it's not like these guys are laying around eating Pringles and playing GTA. I went to Florida State, so yeah, I have. The fall semester is all work, no doubt. But, so what? Their spring schedule isn't nearly as bad. And they are there during the summer as well. There are lots of rewards to it, even for those who aren't going to be in the NFL. I don't recall anyone quitting because it was just too much work. And, they seemed to find plenty of time to socialize. I think basketball players have it much worse because they miss most of the spring semester.

posted by bperk at 02:23 PM - reply - flag:

There's a reason he's number 36 on Phat Phree's list of the 50 people who most deserve a vicious beating. As seen here.

posted by LostInDaJungle at 02:45 PM - reply - flag:

I don't understand this thinking that a football players time is so consumed by his sport that he has no time for classes. What about those who excel on the field and in the classroom, do they not have the same load to carry? Case in point , Tim Green was an all-American in football, was a Rhodes scholar, became a pro football player, teacher, lawyer, novelist and NFL commentator . Seems to me he, among many others, found time for academics as well as sports. So please stop with this crying about how tough it is to be a student athlete.

posted by evil empire at 02:51 PM - reply - flag:

Let's not get too far off topic here...Skip Bayless is an idiot. Thank you for your time.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 02:55 PM - reply - flag:

Who gives a flying leap if these guys are in 3-hour practices and weight room and games all week. I worked 25-40 hours per week every semester I was in college. Some how I made it to class, got both a bachelors and a masters degree. Maybe you would get more from the players if you expected more. Seems to me that if you let them slide in class, they will try and slide on the field too. You will only get out of a player as much as you expect from them.

posted by mcstan13 at 02:59 PM - reply - flag:

Yeah well I had to work so much at school - I couldn't even go to school! Couple that with the fact that I lived in a house without floors, walls or ceilings! It was a bench! I lived in a bench! And I had roommates! And after 85 hour work weeks at the abatoire (I tied the colons) I had to teach myself all the material that I couldn't get at class - on a bench! I handwrote all my essays - and when it rained I handwrote them again - on a bench! Every Saturday after working the 12AM to 12PM shift my parents would take me out for lunch and then beat the shit out of me! And it was for my own good! And I still graduated! Man, kids are so coddled these days.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:10 PM - reply - flag:

I dont know if I would call Skip Bayless an idiot, however I am certainly not a big fan of his or of his opinions!

posted by daddisamm at 03:10 PM - reply - flag:

From the looks of your vocabulary yopu should have gone to more classes. I'm a science major. Being a good writer is not a prerequisite to graduate for me ;-)

posted by jmd82 at 03:30 PM - reply - flag:

Evil Empire, that's a terrific example of taking one person and making him the standard for all. Tim Green was and is a very intelligent fellow. So are a fair number of guys who play D-I ball, and those guys would probably succeed if you rushed up and kicked them in the nuts before every midterm. However, the large majority of high-level college football players are not Rhodes Scholar candidates. They aren't too bright, they aren't very educated coming into college and they aren't focused on an education because it's not what brought them to the university. They were brought there to play football, not crack books, and during the season playing and training for Saturdays is just about all they do, as bperk agreed. So why not just have them attend school in the spring and summer sessions? Or give them another year or two after they run out of eligibility? MC, what was your side job in college? Was it mining coal? Or maybe arc welding? You know, something that would approximate 5-7 hours of daily getting your ass kicked to put on top of your class time and your studies? Just curious.

posted by wfrazerjr at 03:33 PM - reply - flag:

I don't understand this thinking that a football players time is so consumed by his sport that he has no time for classes. I don't understand that thinking either. But then, nobody here has said that players have *no* time. Case in point , Tim Green was an all-American in football, was a Rhodes scholar, became a pro football player, teacher, lawyer, novelist and NFL commentator . Using a superhuman resume like that as a benchmark for ordinary people seems unrealistic. That's like saying Superman flies, sees through walls, lifts giant boulders, AND finds time to write for the Daily Planet, so obviously reporters should stop complaining about their deadlines.

posted by Uncle Toby at 03:47 PM - reply - flag:

JMD, I have news for you: If you want to do better than Starbucks (yeah, I went and looked at the top of your blog) after graduation, being able to write and express yourself well will absolutely be important for you. Especially the way technical jobs are migrating out of the USA.

posted by billsaysthis at 03:56 PM - reply - flag:

So why not just have them attend school in the spring and summer sessions? Or give them another year or two after they run out of eligibility? The problem with these and similar solutions is that coaches will pressure students to not attend classes at all during the fall. Student-athletes already experience pressure to not take "hard" classes. The coaches will want the students to spend even more time practicing. And, for those students who are not Rhodes scholars, but interested in getting a degree, this could make it impossible.

posted by bperk at 03:58 PM - reply - flag:

I've missed whether Stoops is actually going to do it or not. I'm also wondering if a series of plays matter that much... Is it possible to be a great student and athlete? Obviously. Even on the great programs, you'll have prominent guys who end up as Rhodes Scholars. But there's a difference between 40-hour weeks at the bookstore and 40-hour weeks being yelled at by coaches and beaten up by teammates. Couple that with an ambivalence about school in the first place, it's not a good picture... There's probably more of an emphasis on stuff like this because, as someone mentioned earlier, there are greater consequences for programs with low graduation rates. The previous two or three guys probably said it better, but I've wasted 10 minutes on this, so it's getting posted. Bayless is Bayless. Thought the column was a bit silly, but it was funny because of its similarity to what you might hear on talk radio. All emotion.

posted by jackhererra at 03:59 PM - reply - flag:

Have you ever been around high-level college athletics? Consider not only the three-hour practices each day, but the time in the weight room, in training sessions, team meetings, travel and everything else that goes along with being a top team athlete. This is what I read that made me write that post uncle toby. And as for mentioning Tim Green , it was just an example of what can be accomplished while in college. It's a matter of how much work you want to put in and what goals you want to accomplish. It seems to me that these student *cough* athletes are selling themselves short.

posted by evil empire at 04:01 PM - reply - flag:

"Student-athletes already experience pressure to not take "hard" classes" I'll admit that I didn't give a damn about this during my college years, but I do wonder if these guys get the full use of the university during their time. Obviously, they get some perks, like getting early enrollment. But is there a clustering of majors where most of the classes don't coincide with practice, etc. No offense, about the Tim Green business, but with undergrad education turning into Vo-Tech, you have to come in to college with a pretty great foundation and curiosity to become a Tim Green. Football people don't really care about the first, and almost tries to stifle the second. The sport works best with drones.

posted by jackhererra at 04:08 PM - reply - flag:

There's the occasional orphan who has a CV similar to Tim Green, Bill Bradley, Shane Battier or Robert Smith. And obviously, a lot of guys get their degrees -- increasingly more than "regular" students. But I don't see what's wrong with letting guys work on their studies when they have more time to concentrate on it in the "off-season" (chortles galore) or at the end of their eligibility when they're able to appreciate it more.

posted by jackhererra at 04:21 PM - reply - flag:

As a Oklahoma resident and a OU fan, I read the newspaper, watch the sports on TV etc. This gives me privvy to OU news that might not be published in another state. Not many ppl know, because it has not been widely published, but the Pres. of OU (the big kahuna) himself issued an edict that ALL student athletes WILL attend classes unless that student has an excused absence which will be checked thoroughly. The first offense is handled by the coach with the appropiate punishment meted out. The second offense warrants a suspension for such a time that the athlete fully understands his/her responsibility to the the university. So our Mr. Skip "Clueless" knows not what of which he speaks.

posted by johncee at 05:16 PM - reply - flag:

I know this getting off the topic but... Have you ever noticed it's always the male athletes that have academic problems? I've never heard of any woman athlete who was dismissed for academic reasons or suspended for skipping classes. They must have the same workloads as a male athlete. Must be they don't play the prima donna like the top (and some bottom) level male athletes. ok, now go out of the way to prove me wrong, **laughing** I know someone will try.

posted by evil empire at 05:19 PM - reply - flag:

now go out of the way to prove me wrong I'm sure there are plenty of female players with off court problems, they just don't get the attention male athletes get (good and bad).

posted by justgary at 06:11 PM - reply - flag:

When the first two words in a front page post are "Skip Bayless," I know a world of unintended, uninformed and just plain ignorant comedy awaits. That article did not disappoint.

posted by chicobangs at 06:25 PM - reply - flag:

I worked 25-40 hours per week every semester I was in college. Some how I made it to class, got both a bachelors and a masters degree. Did you travel out of town 6-8 times in one semester? Even if you presume that 25-40 hours at the Olive Garden is just as arduous as 25-40 hours in a major football program, the travel alone would make studies difficult. I don't expect these athletes to get a pity party. But if a school really wants them to graduate with a meaningful education, and many schools do, the athletic department has to be committed to academic support and guidance beyond that offered to other students. Ninety-nine percept of these aspiring NFL pros won't draw a single check playing football. The degree they get in college is their best shot at the good life.

posted by rcade at 08:16 PM - reply - flag:

After reading the article online today, I realize why I'm in college. I'm not at a Div I school, but I am a student athlete. And as such, I'm proud to be able to even go to college...plus I get to do what I love, which is wrestle, to boot? Oh, Hell yeah. I'm very grateful for the opportunities I've recieved to get here. (By the way, I got into my school on an academic sholarship, although I couldn't have went due to wrestling) This Peterson thing is just shameful to me. I get to use the facilities that my college has to offer, AND I get to wrestle...BONUS!!

posted by supersly26 at 08:25 PM - reply - flag:

Everybody knows that these athletes can play football- thats usally it. They can play a game. Do you think Peterson will ever use his degree? He could have went to the draft last year, and easily be drafted in the 1st or 2nd round. He probally stayed in school to ensure a top 5 pick, and to further prove him self. Im pretty damn sure that Peterson didnt stay in school to study. The kid is set for life- and probaly gets the treatment at school. But- he makes the school tons of money- MILLIONS OF DOLLARS so, they let it slide. Who knows- this shit proball yhappens in all prestigious schools. But who cares, its all about the Saturdays!

posted by redsoxrgay at 08:28 PM - reply - flag:

rcade, your last post was hilarious. First off, not all college students work at the Olive Garden. Second, the jobs that I had did not stop from December to August. My 25-40 hours was ALL YEAR. Third, I was also married and I am now in my second year of law school with a child and a job. Those of us who don't have Mom's and Dad's who pay for everything buck it up and get it done. We don't sit around and bitch like the Peterson's of the world. Maybe people like you should stop making excuses for these whiners and start expecting a little more out of them.

posted by mcstan13 at 08:41 PM - reply - flag:

Most of them are student athletes, but there are about 10 in every big football program that are not, and they are using that program as the minor leagues to hopefully make the NFL. The university makes money off of them and they get the chance to get an education for free if they want it. Key thing is if they want it. No one cares if a normal student graduates or not, so why should we care if an athlete does? And if they really cared about how the athlete does at school they would not lower the bar just to get them in. An athlete that can hardly read coming out of high school and he is suppose to be able to handle actual college classes? It is all crap, we use them to pay for the rest of the athletic department and they role the dice at becoming a millionare, that seems fair.

posted by Turbo at 09:25 PM - reply - flag:

It is all crap, we use them to pay for the rest of the athletic department and they role the dice at becoming a millionare, that seems fair. College athletics in a nutshell.

posted by justgary at 10:21 PM - reply - flag:

Here's what I don't get. The guy asserts that major football schools either care about winning or about scholastic achievement, and that furthermore that these school CAN'T care about both. This is a pretty bold statement in itself. What shocks me is the temerity to then side with the position that these schools SHOULD be football factories. You can't hold this position and also hold that college athletes aren't getting robbed by the NCAA. Otherwise, he's basically advocating a form of slavery - lock these football prodigies into colleges from 18-22, pay for their living expenses, and make millions of dollars off them in fucking tv revenue and bowl appearances.

posted by chmurray at 02:55 AM - reply - flag:

First off, not all college students work at the Olive Garden. Second, the jobs that I had did not stop from December to August. My 25-40 hours was ALL YEAR. Third, I was also married and I am now in my second year of law school with a child and a job. You left off the part about walking to and from school 12 miles uphill and doing your homework with lumps of coal on a rusty shovel. We don't sit around and bitch like the Peterson's of the world. Like the Petersons of the world? He hasn't said a word about this. He isn't allowed to talk to reporters. Those of you who think major college programs shouldn't care whether players go to class should advocate paid salaries for these players.

posted by rcade at 04:44 AM - reply - flag:

Is there any problem with "student"/athletes at least going along with the charade of being a student while going to college, and, in turn, going to class? Maybe Peterson will do SportsFilter a favor (ala Lawrence Phillips, etc), and bomb out of his NFL career asperations, wonder aimlessly through life screwing up here and there and giving us entertaining stories to post about. Now that Notre Dame looks like they've come around a bit on the field and may be winning more consistently, I guess we all should be doubly impressed because they actually have tougher academic standards for athletes to even get in to the school! So next time we are all responding to stories that go on and on about poor educational backgrounds and gender-biased entrance exams that hinder minority students, let's also take time to remember many of the very people responding to this topic do just as much to keep the stereotype (that of stupid, clueless (often minority) jock) alive and well. Even just taking up a seat in a classroom and being unproductive when their schedule has them on campus is obviously too much to expect. And, I haven't heard for sure, but I'm sure this situation involves more than missing just one class. It probably had to get to the ridiculous point before they'd ever make a example out of the team's star player.

posted by dyams at 07:34 AM - reply - flag:

Am I late for Martyrdom 101, because I have a new slogan for us. SpoFi: Home of the double standard. So all the times in college when you went out and partied too hard the next before, or just didn't feel like walking across campus, or you were just too wrapped up in "The Price Is Right" to leave ... those were fine, right? Skipping class is just fine for you, but not for someone on the football team, because goddamn it, I'm paying for their education! Get off their Johnsons, people. They're just like you, except when they skip a class, it makes the paper. This is brilliant, turbo: No one cares if a normal student graduates or not, so why should we care if an athlete does? And if they really cared about how the athlete does at school, they would not lower the bar just to get them in. It's what I advocated earlier -- if you want student-athletes at your school, don't recruit guys who can't handle the schoolwork. Seems simple, huh? I notice we didn't get an answer on your college job, MC. I shouldn't even bother with this, though, because if you actually think a Division I athlete only works at his game from August to December and doesn't have serious year-round responsibilities, I suggest you visit the weight room and the athletic trainer's office in March at OU and see if it's a ghost town.

posted by wfrazerjr at 10:08 AM - reply - flag:

I worked Two jobs(one fulltime), was married and had a child while going to college full time. A lot of people have done it over the course of time..........it really no big deal... This discussion has really gone south! It time to go make a potato salad! :-)

posted by daddisamm at 10:23 AM - reply - flag:

And, I haven't heard for sure, but I'm sure this situation involves more than missing just one class. It probably had to get to the ridiculous point before they'd ever make a example out of the team's star player. I feel stupid using my own quote, but I have to stress this again. I'm sure Peterson wouldn't have been consequenced if he missed a class here, a class there every so often. I tend to think this was a class he probably never, EVER showed up to, period. That's a little different than: So all the times in college when you went out and partied too hard the next before, or just didn't feel like walking across campus, or you were just too wrapped up in "The Price Is Right" to leave So, just anticipating the next story that involves the "Athlete as Role Model" theme, lets think beyond Peterson. High school kid, a decent athlete, but thinks he's better than he really is when measured against all college athletes. He gets the impression athletes at colleges and universities don't have to take/show up to classes, so him taking anything academic seriously in high school is a waste of time. After all, he has to work out, practice, etc. Then, a ways down the road, this same kid is hit right between the eyes with the fact he's NOT good enough to cut it. Maybe he takes up space on the sidelines at a D-1 school, waiting for his time, but it never comes. Now the reality is: No sports future, nothing to show for going to college. This will probably be nothing more than a meaningless blip on Adrian Peterson's radar, but for over 90 percent of student/athletes, they need to join the real world. They'll never be a pro athlete (or, possibly, a college athlete).

posted by dyams at 11:06 AM - reply - flag:

Playing football is a privilege and an extra-curricular activity. To take part in certain extra-curricular activities, you must attend class. Peterson can miss classes if he chooses or if he partied too hard. However, he has to face the consequences of that decision, which in this case is not starting the game.

posted by bperk at 11:33 AM - reply - flag:

Sixty posts down in this thread, here are some baseline principles for this conversation. Neither will draw a Joey Lawrence "Whoa!" reaction: 1) Education is a good thing. 2) Playing football is not a privilege. I think the questions are (a) who is Bob Stoops fooling; and (b) what's the best way to achieve a better balance between what the school gets from the kid and what the kid gets from the school. If you're unable to select a certain major because the classes don't fit with practice or off-season workouts, one's perseverance on the cotton fields isn't really the issue. For players who have no genuine use for school, I'm still wondering why players won't explore the CFL as an option. The good part about the early entries in the NBA over the last 10 years was that it made the league move a little closer to having an actual minor league.

posted by jackhererra at 01:23 PM - reply - flag:

Friday, September 16, 2005

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