The Academic Progress Rate, the new bully on the NCAA block, has once again flexed its muscle around the black college circuit.
This is no ordinary killer.
It watches its opponents constantly making sure they hold true to the minimum average of 900 to stay on the block.
As its victims began to slowly fall below that required average it attacks them like a plague stifling them with a strangle hold like no other.
The SWAC house, which seems to be this bully’s favorite playground, has had multiple run-ins with APR. According to recent reports fifteen victims of the SWAC house have been attacked for not living up to APR’s standards. These attacks lead one to ask where the SWAC’s line of defense is.
Ok, back to the real world.
The SWAC has to have true accountability for the lack of academic progress within its member institutions.
“The Southwestern Athletic Conference remains committed to assisting our member institutions in meeting academic progress and the metric for a successful Academic Progress Rate,” said SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp.
Well, that is great, but it goes deeper than the conference office. The ten institutional members of the conference have to hold student athletes, compliance officers and entire athletic departments to higher levels of excellence.
APR is not going anywhere. It will continue to lurk in the distance for many years to come, but the largest concern should be the student athlete.
Will a degree be at the end of the road for these athletes or just the memory of the blood, sweat, tears and the occasional championships of athletics?
Mr. Stamps,
You are right. APR is here to stay until a better system is put into place, and since we do not have athletes going to the pros at the same rates as the larger conferences, it will dog us.