<p>
[quote]
But while Yale is as much a part of college football's history as Florida State, let nobody suggest that the football pressures in the Ivy League match those at a school such as Florida State, where Rolle's defensive coordinator once suggested the kid might be devoting too much time to academics and not enough to football.
<p>Here are two more stories about Myron Rolle from FSU. The decision had to be hard for him because he is definately NFL draft material and that means giving up big bucks to do two years at Oxford. Evan more than this game, which could decide the ACC championship, that is a lot for anyone to give up. And now that the starting safety, Darius McClure is out for the season after the last game, the coaches have to be rethinking their decision. FSU and the athletics department have stepped up to the plate on this one though and it seems have done everything they could to make both the interview and the game happen for Myron. </p>
<p>He completed his premed degree in 2 1/2 years with a 3.75 GPA and is now taking graduate courses in Public Administration as he finishes just his third year of college. He'll be studying medical anthropology if gets Rhodes. I'll be watching the game against Maryland just to see if this remarkably talented, compassionate and dedicated young man makes it on to the field after halftime and I would love to hear it announced that he is the newest FSU Rhodes scholar. </p>
<p>This is so sad. Sad because of all the attention being paid to a few athletes. What about all the other deserving finalists for a Rhodes? What about all the others that don't get a charter flight, and must pay their own way? What about all the other finalists who have also made hard decisions and sacrifices along the way?</p>
<p>Are varsity athletes somehow more deserving?</p>
<p>I am so impressed by all of these fine student athletes and wish them all the best of luck. What fine role models for other young student athletes to read about and emulate.</p>
<p>As for the football player, seems to me that the private flight is for the benefit of the university rather than the student. The FSU player is making the choice that the interview is his priority - and the school is supporting that decision - and making the best of the situation by using the plane to get him to the game in time for him to participate.</p>
<p>scualum,
[quote]
the private flight is for the benefit of the university rather than the student
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You are kidding, right? It is so important to the University that he play in a football game that they're spending thousands of dollars on a charter? </p>
<p>Am I missing some important concept here? </p>
<p>BTW, what is so special about student athletes?</p>
<p>And yes, the flight is important to the University. It's a good PR move to support a student's academic potential. If they're smart, they got a rich donor to pay for it. If the school paid, that's OK, too. The kid is earning a masters in 3.5 years. I bet the plane costs less than the semester scholarship he might have used.</p>
<p>Yes it is so important to the university or they would not be paying for it. </p>
<p>FSU football is a very significant part of the public image of the university - and having a player on the team up for a Rhodes scholarship provides a very positive light on that program (which has had some not so positive publicity lately). They could simply let him miss the game - but his contributions to the team are valued highly enough that even a part of the game is worth the cost of flying him there - otherwise why bother.</p>
<p>
[quote]
This is so sad. Sad because of all the attention being paid to a few athletes.
[/quote]
Not sad at all. These are multi-talented kids. They are very good at both academics and athletics and have worked hard in both arenas.
Football and Volleyball are not just games that people play to get into college.<br>
There are many attribute that student-athletes bring to the table because they are both a student and an athlete.</p>
<p>Both FSU and West Point understand what being part of a team is. It means standing by your team mates, showing up to do your part. For a team to achieve every member must do his/her own part. These folks are an intergal part of their team. They both have very big contests this weekend in academics and athletics and if the schools can help them, they should.</p>
<p>It's not that athletes are special, it's just that Americans love a beat the stereotype story. And the academic stereotype for athletes is far worse than the academic stereotype for the bioengeenering major who has spent the last three summers working on a cure for AIDS in Africa who is also an outstanding, hard working, dedicated individual.</p>
<p>I would be equally impressed with an entrepreneur finance major who stood to make millions with his company in the next two years or newly discovered highly sought after actor or anyone else whose talent was a high commodity item in our society who stood to make millions with his company or in films. Being willing to give up both what you love and huge sums of money as well as fame at such a young age to pursue a primarily intellectual pursuit takes the 'sacrifice" to a whole new level that most Rhodes scholars don't have to contend with. </p>
<p>The FSU football player was a number 1 football recruit. He made it clear to coaches up front that academics were his first priority. He chose to take the Rhodes interview without asking for concessions or plane rides to get him to the game. </p>
<p>As sad as it may be, high profile sports bring in big donations to Universities. And extending the season through championships and major bowl game bids not only brings in tv and gate receipt revenue in the millions (which helps support lower profile sports and the general scholarship funds), it is a huge PR tool. It increases the school's acceptances for the next year including help the school snag some academic "heavy hitters" who think more positively about the school because of the constant good press that comes with these post season opportunities giving the school a feeling of "school spirit" that even nerdy kids find comforting. The year after Wake Forest University made the Orange Bowl for the first time ever or when Boise State took their bowl game a couple of years ago the applications to these schools rose. So, yeah, getting this key player to the game, given that the their starting safety is now out of the picture is more important to the University than to the player. While he is thrilled to do both, he made his decision and commitment to the Rhodes process and was willing to live with the consequences. FSU wasn't and they found a way to get the most bang for the buck from this young man that they paid for through scholarship money. </p>
<p>A very large number of schools foot the bill for their Rhodes scholars candidates. Finalists frequently don't have to find their own money to fly to their home state to interview and some will even help with interview clothes for lower income finalist. Not uncommon for an administrator or two to go along with the kid to protect "their" investment of time and effort (and to continue to drill the candidate on answers for the interview) so that they can get the PR boost a Rhodes scholar designation brings their university. Big difference is, if you aren't an athlete, no one has to approve or even report the extra assistance you get. These scholarship competitions are big business for Universities, just like athletics. So, with the scholar athlete, Universities win the PR game twice so a better return on their investment. </p>
<p>And a scholar athlete of pro caliber in a sport that pays its players far in excess of their possible value to society (hey, even golf and tennis fall in this category in my mind), has a tougher job getting a Rhodes designation because the committees would tend to be skeptical that someone would give all that up for a somewhat poorly financed Rhodes. So, if he manages to cut through the skepticism and win this thing, it's possible it won't be because he is a hyped type athlete but rather in spite of it.</p>
<p>You really believe big time sports generates "general scholarship funds"? Yes, it is true that the "money" sports can bring in more revenue than expenses, if you ignore the cost of stadiums and gyms (which by rights should be part of the equation), but overall, no athletic program I am aware of generates excess revenue. That's one reason why non-revenue sports have been cut back at so many div I places. </p>
<p>Regarding the role of sports success giving rise to greater institutional visibility, true, for folks that prioritize that way.</p>
<p>You can be sure that many of the other Universities are hyping their Rhodes finalists also. Especially in press in the region they are competing in. Just like movie studios and TV networks do for their Oscar and Emmy candidates. Oscar or Emmy wins bring rewards to these studios and networks. Generally, bigger as well as better endowed Universities that already have a larger, better trained PR dept will do a better job of getting the press for their candidates. They know the trick to getting the press they need and getting the support of the media is to find a different angle to their candidate. One that appeals to a larger number of people. Yale usually has multiple candidates. Don't you think they try to hype them too? But they know that the academic star athlete is a different angle for this type of competition. Unfortunately, that is what is going to appeal to more media outlets because that is what appeals to their readers. A good overcoming major life tragedies like 1st generation college, living with alcoholic uncle cause both parents died in tragic fire while young, with one teacher, pastor, coach who took them under wing at 12 years and gave them all this drive will get picked up too. It's the way society thinks here and the media prints what sells. </p>
<p>Getting the University's name out their in a positive light is the important part. Makes no difference if it is for scholarship competitions, major medical company grants or athletics. The positive press brings in applications, alumni donations, and more grants. So, even if they don't get a Rhodes scholar this year, it is important for Universities to get as much mileage in the press as they can during the competition for their finalists so a favorable view of the University is what's left. But the media decides who would appeal most to their readers and for some outstanding finalists, it is tough to compete with drugged crazed celebrities who are parading naked, dogs that come home after 6 months (feel good stories sell if they are the right ones), politicians who are sleeping around with anybody, and brutality of any kind. Sad but true.</p>
<p>In the end, none of that takes away from the accompishments of these and many other outstanding college students who are competing in a multitude of academic competitions. Just because their institution or the press chose to make them a story doesn't mean they deserve the honors more. On the flip side, it doesn't mean they are less deserving of the honor than other candidates. At the end of the day, all the students can do is play the hand they are dealt and hope for the best.</p>
<p>The stated qualities for a Rhodes are as follows so being a significant athlete at a high level certainly is part of the package.</p>
<p>"Rhodes' legacy specified four standards by which applicants were to be judged:</p>
<p>literary and scholastic attainments;
energy to use one's talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports;
truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship;
moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one's fellow beings. "</p>
<p>Oh renotse, I imagine that today and tomorrow will be both tension filled and exhilarating for you! When your daughter goes to Oxford (always think positive), what does she plan on studying? Does your daughter feel her University has been supportive? Wishing great things for your daughter.</p>
<p>I'd rather see a school pay to get a Rhodes candidate to the interviews and back for a football game, than see people griping that football players only get to admitted to top tier schools because of their athletic prowess, not their academic abilities.</p>
<p>-- parent of student who recently <em>chose</em> not to participate in a winter sport because he wanted to focus on junior year grades. S was repeatedly cited by coaches as being a role model for academics on his team this fall. Coach asked S for GPA, S told him, and coach then offered to "call your parents" to convince us to let him play. No need to convince us, coach: S had already made the decision himself.</p>
<p>Isn't Rhodes looking for uncommon and accomplished young men and women? </p>
<p>Athletics has always been a favored criteria for Rhodes. They're not saying that non-athletic smart people are any less worthy....they get Rhodes too. </p>
<p>It's just the way the scholarship has been structured. </p>
<p>But I agree that being a D1 starting athlete...especially in a sport like football at a nationally competitive school....and a top academic student is actually an amazing acomplishment. Many of the D1 athletes barely make it academically. They miss lots of classes and get lots of tutoring. A dedicated D1 athlete in a sport like football and a truly outstanding student is not easy to accomplish and not very common.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!!! How exciting. What will she be studying? You will have to hang around here for a couple of years with advice for other parents and updates on how the next two years go.</p>