Paul Finebaum

The title should be enough said. But I might still have to say a few words. WOW, what in the heck did Auburn do to this man. Did a girlfriend dump him for an Auburn grad or something. Nevermind the fact that Paul is so far biased that he cannot see any of the other side, lets get to the fact his column writing is about as poor as the NY Times attempt at journalism. If you want to read the article click on this link, but I am warning you that things might be thrown. I am not going to repeat my last post, but it is time we get a reality check on college education here in America. America has put huge emphasis on a piece of paper that you can hang in your office. I love Auburn, loved the college, love the football team, and received what I thought was a great education in subjects, but mostly in life and growing up. But as far as my job goes, I got more experience to prepare me for my job through internship, and a job I held as a webmaster at the college of business. I took hard classes like JAVA, Cal I and II, C++ Programming, E-Commerce with PHP, Economics, Finance and all prepared me to talk the talk and walk the walk in my profession, but I also took Golf I and II and Bowling, and Organic Gardening, as what the press are calling GPA builders. With that said I dare one person from Alabama, Tennessee or Georgia to tell me that there education as better or that they are better educated than me, because I took a few easy classes among my hard ones. So for Paul Finebaum to tell Tommy Tubberville that he is stupid because he boasts of a high graduation rate is absurd. His school that he loves so dearly has the same type classes the Auburn offers --- see previous post for proof on good ole Brody --- and I do not see any problem with it. I heard a quote on the radio that said when Daniel Moore paints a picture of Jay Barker or Bo Jackson walking across the stage in his cap and gown and people buy it, then we can talk about the serious problems in education, and I promise it will not start with the problem of GPA building classes.

What is going on down on the plains?

Auburn has potential for a really good season, and in this off season we have had two drunk driving incidents to deal with, and now education allegations. Let me start by saying that I hope they do a full investigation and find out if there is any foul play or wrong doing when it comes to preferential treatment, this should not be a part of academia.

Here is the catch though, this is done with tons of classes, and not just for athletes as the article states, but the focus is strictly on the football program...Why you ask??? Because it sells papers. Independent studies run ramped throughout all the schools, and most of them are pretty valid. I am speaking from personal experience on this. I would not have graduated on time if it were not for a professor helping me out and allowing me to do an independent study, and the fact was I learned more with the assignments I had to do for him, then most likely I would have sitting though powerpoint education that overruns our colleges today.

Favoritism does not just go for athletes, I took a history class, taught by an extreme left wing professor, and any student that spoke a more conservative answer to his questions were picked apart by him in the class. I took a programming class, I helped a class mate get her program working that only met the basics when he said extra credit would be given for added functionality, and the girl made a better grade than me.

So unless you are dealing with math or multiple choice, grading and teaching, especially at the college level is subjective, all in the professors hands...that was the scary part of college for me...the power each of your professors had.

I am not trying to justify any wrong doing, but lets at least get a reality check about the nature of college academics throughout the country, and not act like it does not happen across the board, to all students, athletes or not. I hope for Auburn sake this ends up being a lot of fluff and a newspaper trying to sell ads because a stupid southern school showed up on the academic radar a few months back with its high academic score, but if it doesn't there should be action taken, I just think people should take a step back and look at the entire situation.

Enough is Enough

I have been a long supporter of the statement that athletes are held to a different standard than most college kids. College kid does something stupid, it might make page 30, a college athlete does something stupid, it makes front page. I have always said the university and NCAA make millions off these athletes yet put ridiculous rules on them about getting jobs and basicly any move they make.

With all that said it has been insane to me to hear just this summer, in the two major Alabama football schools(Auburn and Alabama), there has been three drunk driving arrests. Two of them so far have for all practical purposes gotten away with it.

First drunk driving is one of the most selfish and idiotic things a person can do. Everyone, especially a starting football player, has to have one friend out there that can pick them up. Second drunk driving is not only illegal, you are putting someone else's life at stake. A mother, a little girl or even a fellow team mate. Third lets make the statement 'you a starting athlete for an elite football program'. You get your education paid for, you get worshipped like gods around campus, and every Saturday you get to go play a game that could potentially pay you millions. It is sad that a 22 year old man can not put into perspective the fact that something is illegal, you could kill yourself or another person, and you are sacrificing what you and your team work so hard for.

These athletes doing this insult their families, their college, the students and the fans that support them and even though I am a huge supporter of how hard it is to be a student athlete, there comes a point when enough is enough.