OT: Do other schools do this, too?

[ecompt]

This week's SI has a great article on Greg Oden and his career at Ohio State. Seems that Greg is taking TWO classes this semester, Sociology 101 and History of Rock N' Roll, and is getting college credits for playing basketball. That's why I wonder whenever I see the graduation rates of the big football-playing schools in the Big Ten.

[MarquetteDano]

If that is true, it is ludicrous.  I thought you had to take 12 credits at most schools to be considered a full-time student.

Does anyone know if our student-athletes have to take at least 12 credits?

[NYWarrior]

This is why Bob Knight was correct in saying that the one and done rule is a joke.

[Marquette84]

This week's SI has a great article on Greg Oden and his career at Ohio State. Seems that Greg is taking TWO classes this semester, Sociology 101 and History of Rock N' Roll, and is getting college credits for playing basketball. That's why I wonder whenever I see the graduation rates of the big football-playing schools in the Big Ten.

So much for those stories out Columbus that Oden takes his education seriously and is considering coming back for his Sophmore year.

[NYWarrior]

So much for those stories out Columbus that Oden takes his education seriously and is considering coming back for his Sophmore year.

well, it doesnt mean he can't.....but u have to wonder.  I think students have to pass 12 credits in the fall to stay eligible for spring athletics---i can see kids peeling back on spring credits even if they are not going pro.  To be eligible for the fall, all that means is that Oden (in this case) would have to take two or three summer classes ...not a huge load.

[ecompt]

and we all know what those summer courses will be. Remember how OSU kept Andy Katzenmoyer eligible that one summer? SI did a big article on that, too.

[NavinRJohnson]

No wonder he "loves college" and is seriously considering coming back next season. LOL! Serious about his education indeed. As long as he learns how to spend money, he should be just fine.

[Ready2Fly]

I seem to recall Matt Leinart staying for his fifth year at USC after winning the Heisman.  The only class he took that semester - ballroom dancing.  What a complete joke.

[Avenue Commons]

I seem to recall Matt Leinart staying for his fifth year at USC after winning the Heisman.  The only class he took that semester - ballroom dancing.  What a complete joke.

The difference there is Leinart had done everything else that was necessary to graduate. You can argue that he shouldn't have come back for a 5th season, but you can't argue that he wasn't dilligent in staying on top of his schoolwork.

[MU8285]

The article says he is taking two classes this QUARTER.  Not sure how OSU does it, but if that means they take less classes per quarter and spend more time on each and then different ones next quarter, it would be like taking four classes at MU.  No idea if that is how it works, I am a MU grad. and we went by semesters, just noting it could be a different way of doing things down there. 

As to the history of rock and roll class, for all I know it is actually a hard class in terms of work/memorization/papers/testing, though it is hard to take the subject matter too seriously.  One advantage of not really worrying about graduating or having to pick a major is that it would allow you to take the easiest classes from different areas.  No method to the madness other than to stay in school, but if you don't plan to graduate it would work.

[muwarrior87]

I know you have to have 12 credits a semester to be considered a full time student and am almost positive the same goes for playing sports.

[MUtrain]

He's in school year round; he started taking courses over the summer.  It doesn't make sense for him to take a full load this quarter, with all the traveling involved in the second half of the basketball season with conference games and tourney games; why would you take your tougher courses now when you might miss half of the class sessions to travel with the team, when you can take them during the offseason (final quarter, summer, fall, and even winter, when most games are at home).  Additionally, I remember hearing an ESPN game analyst talk about a discussion he had with Oden about his history of rock n' roll course; I'm not saying it sounded like the most difficult of classes, but it was apparent that it was something Oden was interested in (hell, I'd love to take that course, just because its something I'd like to learn about) and that Oden was pretty familiar with the coursework to that point.  Katzenmoyer took AIDS Awareness and Golf Appreciation.  This is a bit different.  While I'm not calling Marquette's student-athletes into question (and I'm proud that our school holds athletes to standards above NCAA regulations), I doubt all of them are in biomedical sciences/business, etc.  It happens everywhere.

[NavinRJohnson]

The sooner everyone stops trying to fool themselves into believing that guys like Oden, Durant, Carmelo Anthony, even Dominic James, etc. are in school to get an education, the better off we will all be. They aren't there for school, they are there to play basketball. They know it, their coaches know it, the NCAA knows it, Dick Vitale knows it, we all know it - I am at a loss as to why so few people are willing to admit it. Obviously, the majority of guys are there to do both, but as far as NBA caliber players go - not so much. Therefore with a case like Oden, so long as he is meeting the minimum requirements, I give a rip what courses they are taking because that's not why he's there.

College to them is sort of like going to a trade school - they are preparing themselves for their career which is basketball in the NBA. The college classes are merely something they have to do. Take Dwyane Wade for instance, if he was really motivated to get his degree, don't you think after three years of college and four years out of college he could have it by now, or at least be damn close. By all accounts when they announced his jersey retirement, he is not very close, and Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care! He has a better career/future carved out than most college graduates.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This week's SI has a great article on Greg Oden and his career at Ohio State. Seems that Greg is taking TWO classes this semester, Sociology 101 and History of Rock N' Roll, and is getting college credits for playing basketball. That's why I wonder whenever I see the graduation rates of the big football-playing schools in the Big Ten.

OSU has a history of this...many large schools with a gazillion majors can hide kids (though I hear Oden is an articulate guy).  Remember Katzenmoyer (sp?) from a few years ago OSU and what he was taking for a course load.  Frightening.  I think he was taking Football.  CPR.  AIDS awareness.

[Virginia Warrior 77]

These universities are the biggest hypocrites.  All they care about is the money they make from their athletic teams in exchange for the free "education" they offer to their players.  I heard that MU's graduation rate is in the 90's - is that true?  Wonder how it compares to those professional sports farm teams masquerading as universities?

[mutpm]

Katzenmoyer was taking golf, music appreciation, and AIDS awareness.  The joke is that all the class did was watch Caddyshack.

[MarquetteDano]

I hear what you are saying regarding certain players.  The problem is that every so often one of these "locks" for the NBA do not end even getting drafted.  Maybe the kid gets lucky and has a decent, professional basketball career non-NBA.  Maybe he doesn't.

The point is that you have to protect the student-athlete.  The only way I know how is to ensure they are taking classes towards a legitmate degree.

If Dominic James blows out his knee next game wouldn't it be better that he is half-way towards a degree than a freshman academically because he took b.s. classes and only six credits at that?

By the way, in no way am I saying Dominic does any of this.  I am using him as an example because he is the likely NBA player at this point.

I do agree with whoever said the "at least one year in college" rule the NBA has instituted is a joke.  If a kid can get drafted out of high school, God Bless.  Let's not use up a scholarship... someone else could use that who will ultimately need an education.

- Dano'

[Chili]

The sooner everyone stops trying to fool themselves into believing that guys like Oden, Durant, Carmelo Anthony, even Dominic James, etc. are in school to get an education, the better off we will all be. They aren't there for school, they are there to play basketball. They know it, their coaches know it, the NCAA knows it, Dick Vitale knows it, we all know it - I am at a loss as to why so few people are willing to admit it. Obviously, the majority of guys are there to do both, but as far as NBA caliber players go - not so much. Therefore with a case like Oden, so long as he is meeting the minimum requirements, I give a rip what courses they are taking because that's not why he's there.

College to them is sort of like going to a trade school - they are preparing themselves for their career which is basketball in the NBA. The college classes are merely something they have to do. Take Dwyane Wade for instance, if he was really motivated to get his degree, don't you think after three years of college and four years out of college he could have it by now, or at least be damn close. By all accounts when they announced his jersey retirement, he is not very close, and Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care! He has a better career/future carved out than most college graduates.

Have to disagree with some of what you just wrote here.

First, Dominic is here to get an education as well which is why he has over a 3.3 GPA and his major goal is to be an Academic All-American. Not saying he doesn't want to go to the NBA, but he realizes he has an opportunity to get a free education and he is using it.

Also, if Dwyane didn't care about academics, why would work so hard to get about a 3.0 his last semester if he knew he was going pro? Seems odd to me.

Or take Emeka Okafur who graduate from UConn with honors and a 3.8 with a degree in Finance.

Greg Oden in High School carried a 3.6 GPA and is currently majoring in Business Administration and wants to get his CPA. I don't care if he doesn't ever get it – you don't even have that as a goal if you are just in it for the ride.

Now many of the players you mentioned are just here for the quick buck, but many do see the educational opportunities presented them and want to take advantage of them. Personally, Wade will get his degree some day. It took Shaq 7 years. (I think). Also, this summer he will some reading time after he is out of surgery. Maybe he will take some credits.

[MarquetteVol]

(though I hear Oden is an articulate guy).

Thank you, Senator Biden. Kidding, kidding, kidding.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

The sooner everyone stops trying to fool themselves into believing that guys like Oden, Durant, Carmelo Anthony, even Dominic James, etc. are in school to get an education, the better off we will all be.

I wonder if something like this plays into recruiting at all. Or, perhaps, if recruiters don't mention it, at least if it plays into the psyche behind how a player decides where to go to school. Obviously there are a gazillion factors in general, and "academics" probably isn't on the average recruit's top 5 list of factors in deciding. But, it'd be interesting to see if the level of academic seriousness demanded by an Athletic Department plays a role in deciding. I mean, wouldn't it sound a little more appetizing to hear about how if by choosing X state university you could major in agricultural journalism and only have to sit in a classroom a couple hours a week?

Regardless, I think MU deserves serious props for being serious about academics, especially when so much of collegiate athletics puts it on the back burner.

[MikeyT42]

as a frosh you have to pass 9 credits to be elgible in the spring semester. Also if your season starts in fall and ends in spring (basketball) you don't have to have a full course load in the spring semester.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I took history of rock and Roll w/ Naylor.  Does that make ZiggysFryBoy any less of a student?  Answer:  absolutely. 

I never took more than 12 credits a semester from 2nd semester sophomore year on and loaded up in summer school.  Out in 4 plus summer w/ a marketing degree.

I'm not defending Oden, but I am saying that if ZiggysFryBoy can do it, Greg Oden can do it.   

[Mayor McCheese]

hell, Oden already looks around 40ish... might as well take his time on his studies too....

I remember my sister telling me in her one of her senior science classes (she went to UW, I know I know)... she had Ron Dayne in her class (his senior year as well) and it was a year-round course (1st part fall, 2nd part spring), however after the Rose Bowl that year... he didn't show to one class in that spring semester... no reason for him to, he knew he was getting drafted.  However with Oden taking only 2 classes, thats a joke.  I remember in a SI article way back in the day (late 90's), they showed an offensive lineman from Nebraska's class schedule, and sure he had 7 classes, however most were one credit gym classes that his football coaches taught, it was an absolute joke...


A question, is there a place were you can see the graduation rate of basketball programs... want to laugh at Memphis's and Cinci's... and soon to be K-State's (good ol' Huggy Bear)

[Sir Lawrence]

A question, is there a place were you can see the graduation rate of basketball programs... want to laugh at Memphis's and Cinci's... and soon to be K-State's (good ol' Huggy Bear)

Here ya go--happy researching:

http://www.ncaa.org/grad_rates/

[DoubleMU0609]

Wow, our student athletes have a higher graduation rate than our general student population!