Kid Flunks Out Twice. Why Assign Blame?

[Cap'n Cat]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4067941

Texas Tech defensive end McKinner Dixon has been indefinitely suspended by coach Mike Leach for not taking care of his academic responsibilities.

Dixon led all returning Tech players with nine sacks and 11 tackles for losses last season on the Red Raiders' 11-2 team, which captured a share of the Big 12's South Division championship for the first time in school history.

But Leach did not hesitate to suspend Dixon, who had flunked out of school once before.

"We've got 130 people out there," Leach told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper. "I'm getting sick and tired of wasting time on a handful of people who can't do what they're told. It's like the 95-5 [idea]: You spend 95 percent of your time on 5 percent of your players. Baloney. I'm not doing that."

Dixon had a standout freshman season in 2005 before flunking out of school. He then attended Cisco Junior College to improve his grades before returning to Tech last season for his junior season.


I might not know the entire story, but I do know that this is the second time for this kid. My objection is the seeming hostility with which Leach is dealing with this guy......and in such a public manner.

Kid probably didn't belong in college anyway. In the several locker rooms I was in in my playing days, I saw guys who had no business being in college, taking coursework.

That's the problem.

Thoughtskis?

[danefan]

Could be that the kid didn't put the effort into school that Leach expected of him. If that's the case then the blame is placed appropriately on the kid. If the tried hard but just couldn't do it, then no one is to really blame, except the admissions department for letting him in.

[Cap'n Cat]

Could be that the kid didn't put the effort into school that Leach expected of him. If that's the case then the blame is placed appropriately on the kid. If the tried hard but just couldn't do it, then no one is to really blame, except the admissions department for letting him in.

Zackly.

[ChetSteadman]

Judging by Leach's hostilities, I'd bet the kid wasn't going to class and wasn't pulling his weight in the classroom. Leach seems to be a pretty decent guy and I'd hope that he wouldn't go off on a kid who just didn't have the brains to make it in college.

[andy7171]

There are definately tons of players in both FBS and FCS that do not belong in college, period.
But like BF said, I think the hostilities lie in how he flunked out. The coach is counting on this guy to pass his classes and be a star player on the field. I suspect he wasn't even trying or going to class. This kind of anger doesn't get dealt out to a kis who is trying.


Hell, I still have the "not gone to class in a few weeks and showing up for a test" nightmare.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

kid needs to take a look at the mirror... that's his future he just flushed.

i agree, leach seems pissed because of EFFORT... which, in my lifetime has been what coaches care about. they want results, but what they DEMAND is effort. I don't think Leach saw it with this kid.

I think it may speak to the fact that this stud athlete shouldn't have ever been accepted... but it really makes you wonder about the kind of social promotion that goes on with star athletes... I know it happened at my high school (which was like Ohio State of high schools)... the stars got passed along to keep them playing and doing D-I... where they almost all flunked out freshman year.

[Grizo406]

Not to get too far off the topic, but am I still the ONLY one that likes the look of those Oregon uniforms?

[grizzaholic]

Not to get too far off the topic, but am I still the ONLY one that likes the look of those Oregon uniforms?

Yes.

[Cap'n Cat]

Good thoughts, guys.

On the other hand, I have seen many guys with whom I played at UNI who did not belong in college, but who, nonetheless, took advantage of the opportunity and struggled through, graduating and becoming productive citizens.

[grizzaholic]

Good thoughts, guys.

On the other hand, I have seen many guys with whom I played at UNI who did not belong in college, but who, nonetheless, took advantage of the opportunity and struggled through, graduating and becoming productive citizens.

And there it is. They saw an opportunity to better themselves and they took it.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Not to get too far off the topic, but am I still the ONLY one that likes the look of those Oregon uniforms?

Yes.

[andy7171]

Not to get too far off the topic, but am I still the ONLY one that likes the look of those Oregon uniforms?

Yes.

[BlueHen86]

Not to get too far off the topic, but am I still the ONLY one that likes the look of those Oregon uniforms?

No, I like them too.

[BlueHen86]

There are definately tons of players in both FBS and FCS that do not belong in college, period.
But like BF said, I think the hostilities lie in how he flunked out. The coach is counting on this guy to pass his classes and be a star player on the field. I suspect he wasn't even trying or going to class. This kind of anger doesn't get dealt out to a kis who is trying.


Hell, I still have the "not gone to class in a few weeks and showing up for a test" nightmare.

That happened to me once. It was an economics class that I hated. I showed up the day the exams were returned!

I caught a huge break when the professor made the exam optional (if it helped your grade he counted it, otherwise he didn't count it).

[BlueHen86]

Maybe Leach's hostility is meant to send a message to the other pllayers on the team; i.e. there are penalties for not doing your school work and he won't be shy about meting them out.

[putter]

Maybe Leach's hostility is meant to send a message to the other pllayers on the team; i.e. there are penalties for not doing your school work and he won't be shy about meting them out.

I agree. I think the only way Leach gets this ticked is if he talked to the kid before about his grades and that he needed to get them up. Major programs have a lot of programs for athletes (tutors, etc.) so my guess is that Leach was fed up and did not want to deal with a kid who did not care.

[dbackjon]

There are definately tons of players in both FBS and FCS that do not belong in college, period.
But like BF said, I think the hostilities lie in how he flunked out. The coach is counting on this guy to pass his classes and be a star player on the field. I suspect he wasn't even trying or going to class. This kind of anger doesn't get dealt out to a kis who is trying.


Hell, I still have the "not gone to class in a few weeks and showing up for a test" nightmare.

That happened to me once. It was an economics class that I hated. I showed up the day the exams were returned!

I caught a huge break when the professor made the exam optional (if it helped your grade he counted it, otherwise he didn't count it).

Second Semester History class. Was so bored I stopped going, forgot about test, went to see professor. Professor told me the only way to take it was right there, on the spot, before he handing them back the next class. Took me 10 minutes, got a 100%, blew the curve out of the water (next highest score was 85%).

[grizzaholic]

That happened to me once. It was an economics class that I hated. I showed up the day the exams were returned!

I caught a huge break when the professor made the exam optional (if it helped your grade he counted it, otherwise he didn't count it).

Second Semester History class. Was so bored I stopped going, forgot about test, went to see professor. Professor told me the only way to take it was right there, on the spot, before he handing them back the next class. Took me 10 minutes, got a 100%, blew the curve out of the water (next highest score was 85%).

Show off.

[dbackjon]

Second Semester History class. Was so bored I stopped going, forgot about test, went to see professor. Professor told me the only way to take it was right there, on the spot, before he handing them back the next class. Took me 10 minutes, got a 100%, blew the curve out of the water (next highest score was 85%).

Show off.

Love History. I knew more about the subject than my first semester history TA...bastard gave me a B because of it...

[D1B]

They aint kids. They are adults.

[AZGrizFan]

They aint kids. They are adults.

Agreed. Pissed away a free education. Inexcusable.
He'll be on "Cops" before long.

[Cap'n Cat]

Second Semester History class. Was so bored I stopped going, forgot about test, went to see professor. Professor told me the only way to take it was right there, on the spot, before he handing them back the next class. Took me 10 minutes, got a 100%, blew the curve out of the water (next highest score was 85%).

Show off.

Prof was gay. Jon showed him some butt cleavage.


"Here, Proffy! I found your leather stilletto pumps!"

[Cap'n Cat]

They aint kids. They are adults.

Agreed. Pissed away a free education. Inexcusable.
He'll be on "Cops" before long.

Ahem......

It's not free. They work for it.

[andy7171]

Agreed. Pissed away a free education. Inexcusable.
He'll be on "Cops" before long.

Ahem......

It's not free. They work for it.

Doesn't bother me as much as saying "You got lucky"

Luck was not involved, busting my a$$, however, was.

[AZGrizFan]

Agreed. Pissed away a free education. Inexcusable.
He'll be on "Cops" before long.

Ahem......

It's not free. They work for it.

It's free to their PARENTS!!!!