The Admissions Bowl

My son recently experienced the college application process, which included meeting some fairly rigorous academic requirements. I'm pretty sure one of them included being able to read.

Down the road at Ole Miss University there's a hot debate going on about admissions right now, specifically a freshman applicant named Jerrell Powe. Jerrell is a 340 pound lineman prospect who wants to play for the Rebels. Let's let Commercial Appeal writer Geoff Caulkins set up the story:

Except the NCAA Clearinghouse ruled Powe hadn't satisfied his academic requirements. Powe sued, alleging he had.

Thursday, a Mississippi Chancery Court judge granted Powe a temporary restraining order, requiring Ole Miss to admit him, put him on scholarship and let him practice with the team.

You can see the logic behind the decision, right? Why let a little thing like illiteracy keep a guy out of school?

Said Powe's mama:

"I am the mother of Jerrell Powe," states Shirley Powe. "Jerrell really is a good child but he just can't read. Please give him a chance to attend Ole Miss."

Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

But it shouldn't be a surprise. Any ole fool knows the drill--the college execs want the money, the athletic department wants him because he'll improve the team, which pleases the alumni, who care about nothing but gloating about how their alma mater kicked the crap out of their friend's down the hall. Mama wants him admitted because she's been counting on those golden eggs for a long time.

Not one scholarly reason exists to support letting an academic imbecile into a college like Ole Miss just so play football. And there's not one regular reason why the path to the NFL has to travel through an institute of higher learning.

Hey, I understand it's a passion and love thing, so before you begin sticking needles into an A.C. kewpie doll consider the following ideas. One, just come up with a damn minor league system for football!! Er, wait, that wouldn't satisfy the alumnus, coaches, regents, agents, television execs, merchandise vendors, lawyers, et al.

Or how about this--a special "Football Degree" that could be made available to the academically challenged. This degree would be similar in spirit to the "driving permits" Tennessee issues to illegal aliens. Diploma lite, if you will. They wouldn't be much good for anything except getting an NFL tryout. Athletes could later go back and take regular classes and get their full degree later. That way everybody makes their money. Could work.

UPDATE 9/14/06

The NCAA has a spine. Let's hope it sticks. Mr. Powe will eventually get to play somewhere.