Cold Hard Reality Of College Athletics

[Eagle-96]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...mson/index.html

[UNTflyer]

Just another reason to hate the Bowdens.

[CMJ]

That is all kinds of wrong.

[Green Mean]

Just another reason to hate the Bowdens.

The Bowdens are not angels but thats just a harsh reality of all college athletics....especially big programs. I dont doubt that someone will find him and give him a scholarship at some point. He was on Clemsons team so he obviously has some sort of D1 or D1AA talent. Maybe we dont need running backs but what are the chances of Dodge and NT looking into this kid?

[untgirl04]

I have a coworker who graduated from Clemson, and we were talking about this just this afternoon. He keeps up with his team pretty well, and he brought up some interesting points not mentioned in the article. He said that the article didn't mention that the kid did not have a good year last year, either in practice or on the field. He had multiple incidents where he didn't show up to practice and was warned that if he didn't start attending practices and meetings and have a good work ethic, he would lose his scholarship.

I'm not trying to play Bowden apologist here, and perhaps there were some extenuating circumstances that prevented the kid from going to those practices or training in the weight rooms. But maybe he's not all innocent either.

[GreenAlums]

The Bowdens are not angels but thats just a harsh reality of all college athletics....especially big programs. I dont doubt that someone will find him and give him a scholarship at some point. He was on Clemsons team so he obviously has some sort of D1 or D1AA talent. Maybe we dont need running backs but what are the chances of Dodge and NT looking into this kid?

My thoughts exactly! TD has pretty high family values and I'm pretty sure a Clemson RB is a quality enough athlete to play some postion at UNT!

[Green Mean]

I have a coworker who graduated from Clemson, and we were talking about this just this afternoon. He keeps up with his team pretty well, and he brought up some interesting points not mentioned in the article. He said that the article didn't mention that the kid did not have a good year last year, either in practice or on the field. He had multiple incidents where he didn't show up to practice and was warned that if he didn't start attending practices and meetings and have a good work ethic, he would lose his scholarship.

I'm not trying to play Bowden apologist here, and perhaps there were some extenuating circumstances that prevented the kid from going to those practices or training in the weight rooms. But maybe he's not all innocent either.

I am certainly not surprised by that....there is USUALLY a reason for every decision that is made and this is something that is common and probably the case. If that was the case then I think Bowden should have just stated those reasons. If they are true then Ray Ray should face it.

[UNTflyer]

The Bowdens are not angels but thats just a harsh reality of all college athletics....especially big programs.

Oh, I was just speaking as someone who grew up as a Gators fan.

You are probably right... these stories usually leave out some element. How many times in a week did people come to my door last season and call Coach Dodge a racist? Too many to count.

There are four sides to every story- yours , mine, the media's, and the truth.

[untgirl04]

I am certainly not surprised by that....there is USUALLY a reason for every decision that is made and this is something that is common and probably the case. If that was the case then I think Bowden should have just stated those reasons. If they are true then Ray Ray should face it.

I can see your point, but I actually have more respect for Bowden if those facts are true and he chooses not to discuss it. It reminds of what Dodge did last year amid all the racial allegations - he refused to speak negatively about the players. True, you take a bit more of a media hit for it, but I think it does speak a bit more to a man's personal integrity.

[chomp]

As a Gator, I cannot believe that I am going to post something standing up for a Bowden, but here goes. Tony Barnhart had a good column today that explained the situation in much better detail. It sounds like what Tommy Bowden and Clemson did was actually pretty fair. A couple of excerpts from the column.

The Atlanta native was one of the feel good stories of college football in 2006 when, as a scholarship player at Clemson, he took on the additional task of raising his little brother Fahmarr, who was 11 at the time. Clemson petitioned the NCAA to make an exception its extra benefits rule in order to set up a trust fund to take care of Fahmarr. That trust fund reportedly has over $100,000 in it. Fahmarr has also received care from the families of assistant coaches.

Now Clemson and coach Tommy Bowden have made a difficult decision for the good of the program. Ray Ray can remain at Clemson and pursue another degree as a graduate assistant coach but not as a player with a football scholarship. McElrathbey has been promised financial aid by athletics director Terry Don Phillips if he chooses that option. If McElrathbey, who has two years of eligibility remaining, wants to play somewhere else, Clemson will help him find a new school. But the Tigers are four deep with quality tailbacks. McElrathbey is not going to get on the field.

Atlanta Journal Constitution on McElrathbey and Clemson

Ok, now that I have taken up for a Bowden I feel dirty and have to go take a shower.

[UNTflyer]

Ok, now that I have taken up for a Bowden I feel dirty.

You should.