{mosimage} A very interesting, but perplexing story is emerging from Clemson University. A bit of history.

In 2005 Clemson recruited Ray Ray McElrathbey to play football. Coming from the Atlanta area McElrathbey was rated the nations #15 safety by CollegeFootballNews.com, the #29 cornerback recruit by SuperPrep, and the #32 cornerback by Scout.com. In 2005 Ray was redshirted at Clemson. In 2006 McElrathbey played special teams recording 6 tackles.

It was in the fall of 2006 that Ray Ray McElrathbey garnered national acclaim as he obtained custody of his 11 year old brother, thus avoiding foster care for the boy. Apparently the child's mother was fighting an addiction problem in Atlanta and his father had a gambling problem. After custody was granted Clemson obtained a rare waiver from the NCAA allowing a trust fund to be established(the fund has raised in excess of $100,000.00), and further allowing the Clemson coaches and their families to provide the brother transportation to and from school. According to McElrathbey his brother had become the unofficial mascot for the team. Ray goes on to say, "He's more like an unofficial player. He runs around with us a lot. He loves my teammates and my teammates love him". Any of us that are parents would understand quotes made to ABC News, " I would consider myself a learning parent. I wouldn't say I am a great parent, as yet. But I'm striving to be the best parent I can be." Quotes also appear in the Charleston Post and Courier that we parents can also understand. "I have to live up to standards that.... I wouldn't say are unfair, But they're hard. I'm not what everyone wants me to be. I'm a 20 year-old that isn't expected to live like other 20 year-olds, and I can't do the things that as a 20 year-old I would normally do. Because everything I do is magnified, changed, and looked at differently."

McElrathbey has been celebrated for his willingness to juggle academics, parenthood, and athletics. This past January Ray was at the Orange Bowl to accept the FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Previously he was named Person of the Week by ABCs World News. Further he received the Keith Jackson Award of Excellence on the ESPN College Football Awards Show.

In the spring of 2007, now playing running back, McElrathbey was suspended for four practices because of academic setbacks and spotty attendance at team functions. Per coach Tommy Bowden Ray was "having a tough time juggling academics. I'm not sure he can do it at the level that he needs to at both ends." In August of 2007 McElrathbey suffered a season ending knee injury. He has gone through six months of rehab and participated in the Tigers winter conditioning program.

This past recruiting season the Tigers signed a full compliment of players including 2 acclaimed running backs. With the signings Clemson exceeded the NCAA limit of 85 players on scholarship. If you have ever wondered what happens when the team over signs recruits just ask Ray Ray McElrathbey.

Although McElrathbey has 2 years of eligibility remaining the Tigers coaching staff has decided not to renew his athletic scholarship. Bowden says,"We're pretty good at running back right now." Clemson spokesman Tim Bourret said, "He's not playing this spring so he can get his classes in order to graduate in August." Bourret must be practicing to be a politician as this is spin. The facts are as stated above. The University elected not to renew the scholarship freeing up one slot in an effort to meet the NCAA cap of 85 players on scholarship. Again, to appreciate the story you have to recognize Bowden and Clemson signed players in February that would mandate x number of existing scholarship players leaving the program.

Concerning this recent development Clemson running back James Davis is quoted as saying, "he said something about how they weren't going to renew his scholarship. It really surprised me. But there is a lot of stuff you can't say. It's something I guess everybody has to live with."

As stated above, McElrathbey is on course to graduate in August. This is graduating in three years. Obviously Ray has been able to juggle the academic side of this equation. Clemson has now offered McElrahtbey a GA position with the football team that would allow pursuit of a graduate degree with many of the same financial benefits as an athletic scholarship. The decision facing Ray is whether or not to pursue a grad degree or transfer and finish his two years of eligibility.

So, as I pen this article I struggle with the actions of Coach Bowden and Clemson University. Have they treated Ray Ray McElrathbey fairly or not? I believe it goes without saying Clemson University and the coaching staff, in supporting Ray and the responsibilities he undertook, should be commended. A degree in three years is invaluable to Ray, and with the help of the University community Ray's baby brother has a chance in life that beats the hell out of the chance he had in Atlanta. To be a GA for the football team and go to grad school is more than invaluable. At the same time, assuming McElrathbey was meeting his football responsibilities, I can not condone the coaching staff telling Ray after three years we don't want you on our team anymore. Certainly when Ray was recruited he was told he would be on the team for four or five years. Certainly when Ray was red shirted he believed he had four more years to play football for Clemson. Ray was not a star. At best he was the third string tailback with two good freshmen coming in. It further stands to reason Coach Bowden believed recruiting all the players he recruited, along with the two running backs, was best for the team.

I guess that is where he and I differ. Yes, he and the University should take pride in all they have done for Ray and his brother, but in my eyes, they ultimately reneged on the thresh hold deal. We see over signing of recruits year after year. This author has never had a face to apply to the over signing. Now I do, and I do not like it. My refusal to accept that business and winning is more important than sportsmanship and honor has been slapping me upside the head lately. Again, I do not like it. I will go one step further, I bet the Clemson players don't like it either along with the high school coaches in Atlanta. Or all the good Clemson University and Coach Bowden did for Ray Ray Mcelrathbey, ultimately, they have reneged and done him wrong

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (7)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

A Clemson alum and fan said:

I love a feel good story but let's look at the facts.... 1) Feel good stories don't put fans in the seats but wins do. As a shareholder, I want to see wins, ACC championships, BCS births, etc. Competition breeds success. 2) I didn't have the luxury to have my undergraduate or graduate school paid for; Ray Ray will have that luxury without even starting a single position on the field. 3) He will get another $100K to support his little brother from a trust fund that Clemson lobbied to the NCAA for. Clemson will still embrace him because nothing has changed there. There's tons of kids including myself at the time that wish they had that type of financial support. There's tons of scholarship players who lose their scholarships annually, without being able to graduate, let alone go to grad school for free. Competition and the emergence of success brings out the best in a program but it also reveals the low hanging fruit. The media is all about being the first to break a "feel good story" or someone's demise. They don't have to put people in the seats, meet university presidential goals, and justify added expenses. If NCAA football was strictly about feel good stories then the stadiums would be half full on Saturdays.

report abuse vote down vote up

March 12, 2008
Votes: +0

JEH45 said:

	But do you think the reality should be as you say it is? I don't. Regardless of all the great things Clemsn has done for these two-I think Ray was promised 4 or 5 years to play ball.
	report abuse vote down vote up

March 12, 2008
Votes: +0

A Clemson alum and fan said:

Ray Ray was not promised anything. You see, the scholarship is an annual renewable scholarship and promising a kid 4 years of playing time would be career suicide for any administration. They promised that if he met the minimal requirements that he would get his degree and he will. There's sides to the story that you won't see because it doesn't tug on the hearts of the American citizen and is not market propaganda worthy. By reading this blog or articles like this, you wouldn't know that he missed some classes, practices, etc. Why? Because he was taking his little brother to class, etc. Coaches can only go so far before it becomes a liability, yet our coaches have bent over backwards to help this kid. Would your boss allow you to miss work repeatedly even if you had to take care of your spouse, child, etc? College football is a multi-million dollar business and you can't make exceptions for one person that you wouldn't for another.

report abuse vote down vote up

March 12, 2008
Votes: +0

JEH45 said:

Clemson Alum: Technically you and I agree that scholarships are renewable on an annual basis. We also agree that promising 4 years of playing time is suicide and I would add wrong. Where we disagree is that when an athlete is recruited I believe he is promised 4 or 5 years of an opportunity to earn playing time provided the athlete meets his academic requirements, his football requirements, and his citizenship requirements. Obviously Ray Ray has met his academic requirements. If Ray Ray didn't meet his football requirements through his rehab and winter conditioning that is new information to me. Actually the above article does say that Ray Ray was suspended in the spring of 2007 for academic and team reasons. After that he was reinstated to the team which tells me he was meeting his football requirements. Tommy Bowden intentionally signed enough players this winter to exceed the NCAA limits. That fact necessitated "getting rid of" x number of players. The appearance is that Ray Ray was "gotten rid of" because he doesn't possess the necessary talent, not again for academic, football, or citizenship reasons. That is where I believe the coach was wrong. If he made a talent evaluation mistake in 2005 then that was his mistake, not Ray Ray's. I appreciate your thoughts as it isn't everyday that someone makes you think. Also i will again say what Clemson did until now was extraordinary. I will finally add that of course I am not privy as to the inner workings of the team and program so there certainly could be facts that would change my opinion, but based upon what I could research you have my thoughts and opinions. Again, I appreciate your making me think about this.

report abuse vote down vote up

March 12, 2008
Votes: +0

A Clemson alum and fan said:

I hear what you are saying and the decision does look unfair from the outside looking in. I assure you that Tommy Bowden would not do this solely off of Ray Ray's abilities or lack thereof to compete at the running back position. We have had far worse athletes that were able to stay on the team for your reasoning to garner any substance. Bowden did this guy a favor by offering him the ability to become a GA and go to grad school free of charge. He could of easily went public with the various factors that helped him come to this decision but in doing so, he would have drug his name through the dirt. If Ray Ray hadn't appeared on Oprah, CSS, etc with his documentary this would be a non-issue and our coaching staff would have developed all the probable documentation on why he is no longer eligible to play football. Now that SI has gone public with the article, it looks like we might just get the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I can assure you that what you and other publications are about to see in writing will do more harm than good to Ray Ray. When the whole story comes out, shame on you guys. In closing, Jamie Dimon of Bank One Corporation thought that Eliot Spitzer (NY Attorney General at the time) was a man of integrity and great value. Little did he know.... Out!

report abuse vote down vote up

March 13, 2008
Votes: +0

A Clemson alum and fan said:

from Clemson SID Some media reports today have said that if Ray Ray McElrathbey elects to return to Clemson to pursue a masters degree that the scholarship would not include room and board. He would in fact receive a stipend that would cover his room and board, in addition to his education expenses. Even in the doom and gloom that you guys keep pumping out, Clemson is continuing to bend over backwards. Again I ask you, what about the guy that doesn't get this preferential treatment? Shame on you.

report abuse vote down vote up

March 13, 2008
Votes: +0

JEH45 said:

Clemson Alum: This is the second time you have said the "shame on you thing. Whats up with that? I have said as plain as I can I believe when Ray ray was recruited he was promised by the Clemson coaches the opportunity to play ball for 4 or 5 years provided he met his academic, football, and citizenship requirements. Do you agree or disagree with this? It would appear he has met his citizenship and academic responsibilities. Do you agree with that? To my knowledge the only reason the scholarship was pulled was because Bowden oversigned. If Ray Ray has done something wrong as you have hinted then I reserve the right to change my mind. Wouldn't you think Jamie Dimon has the right to change his mind abot Elliot Spitzer now that he knows more about Spitzer than he previously knew? You should be fair to us. The article gives credit to the coaches and the University for all the things they did and are doing for Ray ray. If they have a justification for changing the initial deal with Ray ray I haven't seen it, but again reserve the right to form an opinion if and when additional info becomes available. You ask about the "other guy" that doesn't get preferential treatment? My position is there shouldn't be other guys. Players should live up to their responsibilities and coaches should live up to their promises.

report abuse vote down vote up

March 13, 2008
Votes: +0

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment