Ouch. I have no doubt this kind of stuff goes on everywhere but this isn't exactly good pub for the ags. Never want to draw the attention of the NCAA.

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http://youtube.com/watch?v=yUvtaBhWbO4

They don't call them the Aggies for nothing

Former Texas A&M basketball star Antoine Wright, now a reserve with the New Jersey Nets, told Bob Costas on HBO's "Costas Now" that he received a better education in high school than in college.

"Once I got to college, I kind of let my hair down a little bit," he said. "I don't have to write term papers anymore. I just have to get a grade now and play basketball."

Costas: "Tell me what it was like in these agriculture classes."

Wright: "In certain classes you see, you know, a quarterback, me, a running back and then a farmer. So it definitely was a little bizarre. But we're all in poultry science for a reason. We're in this class because we need to get this grade. We're not really trying to learn about chickens."

Costas: "You took one course in floral design. What was that like?"

Wright: "It's not as easy as it sounds, to be honest with you. But they put me in there with a couple of athletes. If you're going to ask me a question about floral design, I can't answer it because I needed a grade."

Saw that last night. The whole show was good. Even the Coach K interview. Can't say i'm surprised at all.

so hes like many other students who dont learn shit in school, they just memorize enough to pass the class and get a decent grade. hes no different then anyone else.

Great point, i did the same shit in college. I learned more in high school.

yeah like i said i have no doubt it happens at every D1 program - just seems like the kid is kind of a dipshit for throwing his school under the bus like that.

hey, Frank Gore made it through UM somehow.

Chauncy Davis can barely talk, somehow he managed to pass classes at Clemson......

I don't really see the problem, they have to do it to make money and compete, the NCAA cares in name only. These guys are simply as physically gifted athletically as the top students at the various schools are mentally, either way people go to college to cash in on more money, so the stupid collegiate athlete has never bothered me, they get all the advantages schools can give to them to pass classes and most of the larger offenders won't earn a degree.

How naive am I to think these types of things don't go on at UNC, Dook, TexTech, etc? I tend to think the better programs (and coaches) don't want to take any chances of being embarrassed like this.

I'd say it helps to be a bigtime program or bigtime coach so you can be selective. For example, Carolina is the number one choice of the #2 overall player in '08, Tyreke Evans. Evans has made it clear he wants to be a Heel, and while the likes of UConn, Louisville, and Texas have already offered him a scholarship, Carolina has not. Now, I've heard this kid is a bit of a problem, and it makes me wonder if Carolina has not offered because they are worried about what type of kid he is, and they don't want any stains on the program. So, while most programs don't have that choice, the better ones (and coaches) do, I suppose. Makes it a bit easier to stay clear of idiots like Wright and the lot.

Frank Gore had a learning disability. You can take it for what that's worth, but I do believe sometimes there's a little more under the surface.

Certain athletes take trash classes and receive preferential treatment?


Shocking.

that's true, Gore is a poor example sorry

VERY naive. It happens everywhere. Even non athletes are able to pull this off in certain classes.

So why would Carolina pass up a kid like Tyreke Evans. The kid is going to be a star. He's the best point guard in the country for '08 and everyone and their brother wants a piece of him. Carolina would be idiots to pass him up if they're "dirty", so-to-speak.

Why don't you ask Roy the next time you do his laundry?

Anyway, you're talking about a separate issue. Schools may be able to pick and choose players based on character issues or whatever - but once they're admitted, there's a lot of these guys who aren't doing much scholastically. They do the minimum to stay eligible - and they get a lot of help doing it.

A&M is a pretty highly-regarded institution, in terms of academics anyway. (Cue 'UT is so much better, blah blah' comments about now...). Hmmm, I wonder why the kid left after 2 years... perhaps because he probably never studied, which would inevitably catch up with him, eventually making him academically ineligible? I think that's why. Also I don't think a player like him could have had the same strings pulled that someone like Jarrius Jackson or Jarrett Hicks had done for them at Tech.

With all of the information available to coaches these days, they KNOW if the kid gives a shit about school or not. Some coaches are willing to take that chance, while others dig deeper and make sure what kind of character a kid has, imo. Tyreke Evans makes this case for me like no other. If he was a "good" kid his letter of intent to Carolina would have already been signed. Problem is, he's a bit of a thug, and Carolina isn't going to take a chance with him at this point.

Heard of JamesOn Curry? All-time leading scorer in the state of North Carolina. Busted for pot one too many times and Carolina said, "seeya!" while Okie State jumped all over him. Good move for them, and I'm glad he's gotten to succeed, but I'd say it was a better move by Carolina.

Well, yeah. But there's a difference between not admitting a kid that's going to cause you serious trouble off the court and not admitting a kid just because he doesn't give a flying fuck about Descartes and just wants to play ball.

what does being a "bit of a thug" and getting busted for drugs have to do with slacking off in class (which is what Wright was talking about)?


fantasyland must be a nice place to live. There's no way to tell what's truly in someone's heart. Just because some kid was able to get good grades at the local high school in whatever one-horse town he comes from, doesn't mean he's passionate about learning.

If the kid has good grades and is a good player - do you really think a coach from a big time school is going to say, "well that's good and all - but let me talk to some of his teachers. I want to know how often he raised his hand in class".

Being a thug and getting busted multiple times smoking/selling pot says something about someone's character whether you think so or not, especially someone who gets the world on a platter like these kids.

Kids have a "record". These coaches meet with them at their home, meet their coaches, teammates, etc. To act like ALL programs don't know much about their character is ridiculous. Sure, they don't ask "how often he raised his hand in class", but you act like that's the only measuring stick out there.

Sorry, but recruiting a kid goes a bit deeper than "can the boy shoot a ball and run real fast?"

A kid who wants to take floral design and agriculture for no other reason than to stay eligible says a lot more about a kid than him just not wanting to learn about Descartes. If a kid has no desire to go to school, then he's probably going to end up in trouble, or at least representing your institution in a poor manner. And coaches know enough about these kids to understand if the kid is interested in anything other than ball.

are you for real?