Tech drops the ?Ball? before bowl
Hopefully everyone had a great Christmas, and Santa brought everything you asked for. Apparently, I was good enough this past year to receive several things off of my wish list.
As for a few of my cronies here in the newsroom, Santa rode right past their houses on Christmas Eve. See boys and girls? Santa really does know who?s been naughty or nice.
? Speaking of being naughty, Georgia Tech will be playing in the Gator Bowl without its starting quarterback, Reggie Ball, who was ruled academically ineligible last week by Georgia Tech officials.
I?m sure the word ?disappointed? can?t even start to describe how the school and Ball must feel. The four-year starter threw 57 touchdowns and passed for 8,128 yards during his career at Tech.
From what I have read, Ball has had his share of academic problems over the years, so it probably isn?t a big surprise for some. But what is a big surprise to me is how he could find himself in this situation. More surprisingly is how the university could let this happen.
Student-athletes have to meet NCAA and school standards for completion of a required number of courses. I?m sure Ball and the Georgia Tech administration know this.
It?s a shame this senior isn?t going to play in what would be his final collegiate game.
So who?s to blame? Certainty Ball himself, but I put more of the blame on the administration at Georgia Tech. Knowing this guy?s academic problems, officials at Georgia Tech should have been getting a weekly report on his grades. When they saw the problem starting to get out of hand, they could have gotten him some much-needed tottering.
For me this goes far beyond the fact he?s not getting to play. It?s about letting a senior fall that far behind on his grades to the point of failing.
Basically the only thing officials at Georgia Tech would comment on was that Ball was eligible at the beginning of the semester, which if I?m not mistaken started back in August.
There has been a big injustice done and not only to Ball, but to every athlete who struggles academically.
All I?m saying it?s a shame this has happened, and hopefully it will open a few eyes. But it probably won?t. It?s happened a hundred times before and will continue to happen unless these universities start to actually care if their athletes succeed in the classroom.
? And speaking of success, what about the Titans? A team who everyone had given up on after a 0-5 start now has a chance to see postseason action. Even owner Bud Adams didn?t have any faith in his team as he was seen leaving several games in the third quarter.
Just a few weeks ago fans ? and even a few players ? were ready to back up the moving van to coach Fisher?s house. Now they?re talking about building an addition onto his home to hold the Super Bowl trophy the team?s going to win this year.
Granted, the Titans have done a tremendous job to reach their 8-7 record, but they still have to beat the Patriots. And if they can do that who knows what will happen, but I don?t believe we?ll see them playing in February. Congratulations to the Titans, and hopefully the Vols will conclude a successful season on Monday with a win over Penn State.