CUTTING PLAYERS FROM SCHOLARSHIPS: A FAMILY TRAIT

It would be a travesty if Zeke doesn’t return for the Crimson Tide. That guy is the heart and soul of the defense.

I think there’s a special place in hell for the Bowdens, serving as caddies for Steve Spurrier for all eternity.

As much as I’d like to pounce on the Bowdens here— particularly the part about Bobby being clueless about that which is happening around him— I’d guess there’s probably more to this story than this kid’s girlfriend is letting on.

I’m fairly sure that every coach does this (telling players that the school is not renewing the player’s scholarship), but I don’t think every coach is this “dadgum” out of touch with his program that it happens so clumsily.

I can see the conversation now:
-“How are my boys doing in the learnin’ classes?”
-“Just fine Mr. Bowden, they’re especially doing great in music appreciation.”
-“Then them boys are fine. I’m happier than a trout with a q-tip. Time for my metamucil shake and nap, my work here is done.”

I am not an FSU fan either, but apparently the kid was a fifth year senior. They at least honored their commitment for 4 years. There are some schools (Notre Dame) who do not have redshirt freshmen, and will only allow 5th year seniors at the university’s discretion. Of course, these conversations always depend on your point of view. Do you believe, like the NCAA that it is a one year commitment, or not?

Where is the responsibility to keep RR on the team?

Someone please explain that to me.

Ray Ray was late for team meetings, practices, missed study halls, had to sit out some of spring practice last year for missing classes, etc etc etc.

Now, granted, he probably had a better reason than, “I got liquored up at the Esso Club, last night…”

But, it was, again, the Clemson coaching staff and their wives that basically raised Farhmar (sic) last year. You don’t want to reference the fact that little brother basically lived at Rob Spence’s house last year because it hurts your agenda.

But the reality is he was not fulfilling his obligations as a member of the football team.

I mean, you and others went running at breakneck speed to rip Tommy a new one, the Wizard of Odds as well, whom I also enjoy reading, but you conveniently failed to mention the positives that Clemson provided for the brothers.

Clemson is responsible for setting up a trust fund for the boys that now sits at over $100K.

Clemson is keeping him around so that not only can he finish his degree but get a graduate degree if he so chooses.

And for those that say that this newer scholarship does not compensate Ray Ray for room and board, again, $100K trust fund, with over 85% of the donations coming from Clemson employees as of 3 months ago. They will be able to get by.

Ray Ray took on a responsibility that we all applaud him for, but he was not living up to his duties as a member of Clemson’s football program.

It is not fair to the other 84 scholarship players to have someone be allowed to be tardy for practices, meetings, S&C sessions, or even not attend said mandatory functions at all…

and there be no repercussions.

But, nobody wants to focus on the above, or even reference it, because it is a better story to distort the reality of the situation.

As for FSU, I find it extremely hard to believe that Urban Meyer has not run one player off the squad in Gainesville since he arrived from Utah.

Glass houses and all that…

Easy there, Coop.

To me, the thing that makes the Clemson situation so noteworthy isn’t that Ray Ray was screwed over, it’s that Bowden would risk the potential PR backlash that would almost certainly come with cutting player who is such a sympathetic figure.

And re: FSU/UF: while you’re probably right, until a [former] UF player’s girlfriend comes out and accuses Meyer of similar misdealings, we’ll continue to bash Bobby Bowden.

Coop:

Meyer has probably run off his share of athletes with scholarships still remaining (hmmm….Markus Manson?), and there’s really no defense that that. However, I’m going to guess that Meyer, or any coach sans “Bowden” in the surname, isn’t stupid enough to run off what was easily the most publicized athlete on scholarship in the entire state of South Carolina at any institution of higher learning. You know that things like “facts” or “reality” really don’t matter in a situation like this, Clemson comes out looking like puppy-stompers no matter what.

There’s a considerable difference between pulling a scholarship and not bringing a guy back for his fifth year of eligibility. C’mon, Swindle.

Hey, a deal is a deal, no?

And Meyer doesn’t cut players. He stares and points until they leave.

I agree with you all that, from a PR standpoint, this was downright idiotic.

I said as much yesterday on O’s post with the picture of a pair of scissors.

But, PR aside, there is a great deal of pertinent information that nobody wants to acknowledge.

And, I doubt Larry Williams will be on the Clemson beat for the P&C much longer.

#12

Only sunshine pumpers allowed to cover Tommy B’s team, huh. And JD wasn’t telling the truth, either?

Why not just let your SID cover the beat for the newspapers? Then all of the CU info would be accurate.

I hear all the arguments that college players should be paid. I never agreed until a younger cousin was recruited and now plays in a D-1 football program. The time and dedication he has to put in…more than any law school grad I know. When you hear that essentially the player can have their scholarship taken away at any time on the whim of a coach, or essentially fired, it is reasonable to assume that they are paid employees of the athletic department.

This happens in EVERY program. Sylvester cut three this year, including two who had started two years ago and were playing some this past year, enough to have lettered. But I don’t hear any howls about that.

This is a fact of CFB life. RR was bad pub, agreed on that.

1. -O But is the deal for 4 years or 5? Even though most guys take 5 years, I think the framework is still a 4 year deal in most people’s minds.

Of course keeping non-contributors for a 5th year is the more honorable thing to do. But being honorable won’t call off the hounds if a team loses more than the fans think it should.

The original scholarship offer is indeed a four-year offer, so — yes, a deal is a deal. The fifth year… that’s completely at the school’s discretion. There’s not even a molehill here.

Since when does an email from somebody’s disgruntled girlfriend qualify as the smoking gun? Proof that this guy got screwed? I mean, I know bashing the Bowdens is a favorite pastime here, but there is such a thing as taking something for what it’s worth. It is what it is.

So anyway, Martians have landed. Yeah, right outside my patio here. I’ll send you an email if you don’t believe me. I mean, I don’t have pictures or proof or anything, but if I say it in an email, it must be true.

Berniard was on the team four years and was never on the travel roster. I don’t believe he ever saw the field other than the field goal team. It was pretty apparent from his second year on that he was never going to be a factor. The coach that recruited him got fired and the coach that replaced that coach got fired. The writing was on the wall here.

The guy got four years of college including summers. He got a fair shake.

Rip Bowden for a lot of things, but this story ends the same way at any other school in the country.

I might have read both of these situations incorrectly but it appears as if in both cases the universities “used” these players for football purposes and in return both have received a “free” education with degrees to show for it. I use the quotations because some believe that college football players should be paid although I am not one of them. Another topic, another day. Neither is apparently good enough to make it as a profesional football player so where did the universities go wrong? If I fulfill my promise of giving you an education(both receiving degrees this year), then my commitment has been met. Right? Coop made an excellent point about just how much Clemson University has done for the brothers. I don’t know if his bad-mouthing of Ray Ray as far as indicating the missed meeting and such was neccessary but it still remains true of his ability to meet team standards.

Michigan basically guarantees four years of scholarship. The fifth year is a little more touch and go. The coaches will meet with the prospective 5th year player and discuss his potential to contribute that year. On occasion, some players are told they are not welcome back. If I remember correctly, Ryan Mundy was told that he would not be welcomed back so having already graduated he went to WVU (and ended up starting). I do know that it was dicey whether Brandon Engelmon, who regressed in his redshirt junior year, was going to be invited back (and he ended up starting this year).

Brandent Englemon

I am sure if this was written by someone other than this kids girlfriend you all would be singing a different tune.