Anyone that has read my articles over the past few years should know how I feel about the football program at LSU. For those of you who are unfamiliar, I think it is a joke that they are called “student” athletes at LSU. Morris Claiborne is a startling example of my stigma as he scored a 4 out of 50 on the NFL’s Wonderlic test.
The Wonderlic test, though not the toughest test, is meant to stump even the smartest of men with an increasing scale of difficulty to the question. Physicist average a score of 48, chemist score 31, and historians score a 36. Claiborne got 46 questions out of 50 wrong. Security guards average a score 3 times higher than Claiborne’s. Vince Young, a man who hasn’t stunned anyone with his brightness, scored a 6.
Now, I have no intention of rambling on about Claiborne and his score because I don’t know the kid and I don’t want to drag him through the mud, but I do want to ask one question. How did he get accepted into a major university? Derrick Rose had to have someone take his SAT’s for him just to get into Memphis, a school I never paid attention too before Rose took them to the Final Four. This kid answered 4 questions correctly on a test that isn’t as hard as the SAT. How did he qualify for a scholarship? How did he graduate high school?
I personally feel that, though situations like this happen all around college sports, LSU produces more intellectually challenged individuals than any other program in the country. Jamarcus Russel is a former alum and possibly one of the dumbest men on the planet. I know that there are some fine students and student athletes on the LSU campus, but why is it that the special athletes can’t be special in the classroom as well?
I played football at the division 2 level. For 3 years I practiced 5 days a week while going to classes. I was never a model student, but I graduated with a 3.0 in my major. Division 2 athletes are the same as division 1 athletes when it comes to their dreams of playing professional football. I know for a fact that not one member of the teams I was a part of would have scored as badly as Claiborne did on the Wonderlic. Why couldn’t one of us have had the opportunity to go to a better college to play ball?
It is upsetting to me that opportunities are given to those that haven’t earned them. You don’t earn a free education on the football field unless you can back up your athleticism with decent academic gains. I’m willing to say that Claiborne never set foot in a classroom during his 3 or more years in college. It isn’t possible for an educated individual to score a 4 on the Wonderlic test and I hope that all that score that low are revealed and institutions investigated for their “student” athletes poor performances on the test.
About Chris Canavan
Chris, good article. It always amazed me how some folks can play for 4 or 5 or 6 years on the college level and then not graduate. Winning is everything to some. I understand Marino got a 16 on the Wonderlic test. Maybe this is why he forgot what his handicap was when he ‘won’ the ATT ProAm at Peeble Beach. He can no longer play in the tournament. Ability can be measured in many ways but I do agree those of limited ability shouldn’t be getting a full ride scholarship that should be reserved for Scholars and not Jocks. The NCAA could institute a program that would cover all their Zillion Dollar Bases. They could have a contest to come up with a name for the program…winnner gets a full ride scholarship to USC. : )
Sorry about the gaff in facts about Marino. There were rumors of low handicap for him (he stated his was 15) but was not barred from playing in the Pro Am.
“Dan Marino was an eight-time NFL All Pro quarterback with the Miami Dolphins, and in 1984 was the league’s MVP. Marino got to the Super Bowl just once and lost to the 49ers Dan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Marino plays to a two handicap. He has had a round of 65, scored a hole-in-one, and made a double eagle.”
It would seem like maybe Dan just had a good round when he and Pohl Won the ProAm.
I don’t have a problem with these kids getting the scholarships. I have a problem with schools not enforcing the guidelines of the scholarships. It should be embarrassing to the player, but more importantly, it should be disgraceful to the university when news like this gets out. They are supposed to get a free education because of their particular talents so make them get the education. In the long run both the universities and the athletes would benefit.
Howdy! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
The only comment plugin I use is STC-Comments. I’m not really sure what you’re looking for. In any case, I would appreciate that any other questions that you have about the site be directed to me through email instead of comments on articles. Thank you.