Plyler’s Blog, Clemson Football Hissyfit Time® (CFHT®), and a Gnome’s P.O.V.
My thoughts are this:
We know that half these kids can’t graduate in major other than underwater basket weaving. Yeah, they get their degrees, and that makes the school look good from a statistical view point. Do their degrees add to the academic stigma of the university? Very little at best because they don’t go out into society and accomplish anything that makes people say “Wow, that Clemson grad is really sharp. They taught him a lot of good stuff.” Here is the crux: Barker wants a Top 20 Public Institution and the Clemson Nation has embraced the goal. Awesome, I’m part of the embraces. He sets goals such as Final Fours, National Football titles, and Olympic Sport Championships as part of the path to our destination. Then we turn around and limit ourselves with a committee that exceeds in expectation what the NCAA clearinghouse has set as a minimum requirement. Now, I know why Barker wants to accomplish these things. They bring positive attention to the University. The fact is, many very intelligent kids (and I include all of us in this list, regardless of some of our stupid moments) choose their colleges at least somewhat on social factors, that typically hinge, at least somewhat, on the schools athletic prowess. Now, here is the question: Do you let a couple academic morons who will slide through by the hair of their chins come play ball and bring you success or do you tell them to stay home. Their success brings notoriety which brings better overall student bodies. Or do you worry about the fractional percentage difference affect they bring by possibly not graduating? It’s a Catch 22. I say let them come and do your best to make the most out of them and prepare them for the future as well as possible while building successful teams. Anyone that uses their head for something other than a hat rack knows how the system works, on the academic end, with these kids anyway.
The one thing I know to be true. This little committee just dropped a big load in their pants. Let the kids come in, or deny them. Fine. If you are going to deny them, do it in a timely manner. If you are going to one up the national minimums and act in a non-timely manner, typical of most University bureaucracy, then you must face the consequences. In this case the consequences are a recruiting class not at the level expected or projected. Heavily recruited individuals going elsewhere, by no fault of the coaching staff. And other possible recruits being let go to the wayside because the coaches thought they had bigger/better fish on the line only to find out it’s nothing but a tire at the bottom of the sea. I just hope the administration both in Sykes Hall and the athletic department remember these goings on when we play the likes of Chapel Hill, South Carolina, and FSU and some of these recruits are handing us our rear ends on National TV…assuming we have a good enough record to garner that kind of exposure.


