This story--or ones like it--have been germinating in the UVA alumni chattersphere for some time. The issue is, early admission for football players to attend Spring practice. That is--REALLY EARLY--as in a kid takes a GED exam at the end of his senior year of HS football, then enters the University as a First Year Student in January of the following year, some eight months earlier than his "classmates" will. This is of course, to enable the young man to participate in Spring Football--and for NO OTHER GOOD REASON.
Several years ago, a friend of mine recounted to me that Va Tech had been doing this for years, as had many other Division 1 teams (sorry, I still call them that). He was really upset--not that UVA was considering it, but that they didn't do it. I told him that we shouldn't do it, that if winning were that big a deal, it wasn't worth winning.
And now, it appears that UVA is has truly decided to cast its lot with the winning at any cost crowd. This is an embarrassment and a great shame upon a great University.
Monday, November 29, 2010
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Very simple solution, drop to Division 1AA status. If you want to play big boy ball and keep up, you have to follow the new big boy rules. Otherwise, join the MAC or Patriot Division. Just so you know, some kids actually graduate HS early by earning enough credits rather than the GED route.
BTW, this kid is a 3 star recruit, he ain't going to help them next year.
"If everything works out okay with U-Va. and with his high school with where his grades are right now,"
And just what are his grades right now? No doubt this young man will not be properly challenged in his last semester in high school and wants to get on with a rigorous course of study at Mr. Jefferson's school (just nobody tell him it's "Thomas" and not "George" Jefferson)
I'm opposed to freshmen eligibility in varsity sports period, much less this hairbrained scheme.
But I guess UVA has to do something. Just like the Wolfpack, they stink on ice.
Opposed to freshmen eligibility in varsity sports? Kids are bigger, stronger and faster than in the 50's and 60's. The year of sitting out was supposed to be used to get them ready for varsity. With camps and private coaches, they are ready.
rebring, I think you miss the point. A college or university is an institution of higher learning, not the NFL's farm system. Requiring freshmen to concentrate on their studies, giving them time to adapt to their new surroundings makes perfect sense unless of course you intent is to exploit.
If I ran the show there would be no freshman eligibility, no academic exceptions from admission standards, a stipend for athletes (when appropriate) and no student would, as a requirement of scholarship, be allowed to earn money playing any sport until their class graduated.
That's if I ran the show.
Look CW, if you really wanted to attend an institute of higher learning who put education ahead of sports and who would never think of early admission, you could have gone to the Naval Academy. Of course, no self-respecting goat would be caught dead wearing a bowler so I guess that wouldn't have worked out for your long-term plans.
You're right Mudge! Instead, I could have had an EXTRA year of high school so that I could be ready to play Navy football--The Naval Academy Prep School! That's SO much better....
Precisely, it's called a standard. You work until you meet it.
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