(Texas A&M A.D.) Byrne counters controversial talk from former Aggie Wright


E

EB

Well-Known Member
I know that Panthro will have a lot to say about this.
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Here is the HBO message board link.

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March 14, 2007, 7:57PM
Byrne counters controversial talk from former Aggie Wright

By TERRANCE HARRIS
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

LEXINGTON, KY. _ Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne defended the athletic department's reputation today after former basketball player Antoine Wright accused the school of not caring enough about athletes' academics.

Wright, a three-year star and first-round pick of the New Jersey Nets in the NBA draft two years ago, made controversial comments about how he was treated as an athlete at A&M in an interview for HBO's Costas NOW with Bob Costas that aired Tuesday night. Byrne responded to the claims on the eve of the Aggies' NCAA opening round game against Penn, calling A&M one of the best academic institutions in the world.

Wright was recruited and played his first two years under former coach Melvin Watkins and then played his junior season under Billy Gillispie.

"That's really unfortunate it came across like that," Byrne said of Wright's comments. "There may have been things that happened prior to my arrival, but things are going well right now."

Wright was asked several questions about his academic experience at A&M during the segment with Costas. At one point, Costas asked Wright about how much of an education he got while at A&M.

Wright, who left for the NBA after his junior season, responded: "I had more of an education in high school. Once I got to college, I kind of let my hair down a little bit. I don't have to write term papers any more ---I just have to get a grade now and play basketball."

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This is from the Dallas Morning News.

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A&M responds to HBO interviewhttp://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/031507dnspoamreact.126d54b6.html

08:37 PM CDT on Wednesday, March 14, 2007
By RACHEL COHEN / The Dallas Morning News

LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne acknowledged Wednesday that a lack of access to appealing majors affects many Aggies athletes, but said a new university studies major that will be added in the fall will help address the problem.

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?In certain classes, you see a quarterback, me, a running back and then a farmer,? Wright said in an interview with sportscaster Bob Costas. ?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.?

The limited choice of majors for students with low GPAs is a university-wide problem, Byrne said. Many popular majors have high minimum GPA requirements. The university studies major will allow students to study subjects they?re interested in without needing to gain acceptance to that department, Byrne said.

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?You can?t really say that they?re doing what?s in the kid?s best interest when they?re just trying to get the kid a grade,? Wright said on the show, which examined issues involving college athletics and academics. ?They?re not trying to get the kid to graduate. They?re trying to get him a grade to get back on the court.?
 



Shaking My Head!!

Unfortunate!!

And so many people will suggests that student athletes are given a "free education" and should be happy with that.
 
... Byrne did acknowledge that many students at A&M struggle to find majors because of the high academic requirements made not only to get in but to remain on course towards graduation. The school is implementing a University Studies major in the fall to offset the issue. ...
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Shaking My Head!!
 
The school is implementing a University Studies major in the fall to offset the issue.
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Where's JR w/ that rhetoric about majors and such? :confused:

:lmao: :emlaugh: :lol: This is comical! :emlaugh: :lol:
 
If/when I graduate...what in the hell can I do with that major?

Don't have to wrote term papers in college? Man....is that the life for a Big 12 athlete? I missing the fun
 
the band fan said:
If/when I graduate...what in the hell can I do with that major?

Don't have to wrote term papers in college? Man....is that the life for a Big 12 athlete? I missing the fun
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Big 12. Big 10. Ohio State. They're all the same. :emlaugh: :lol: :bawling: :lol:

Where's JR? He defended this foolishness. :emlaugh: I know he wants the Basket Weaving major back in OSU's curriculum so they can keep the dummi, I mean, student-athletes elgible there. :emlaugh:

Pure comedy. :emlaugh:
 
That's what alot of folks don't want to hear....these big-time athletes can't get into these schools legitimatelly unless they lower their academic standards and when they do they are limited to a certain, non-rigorous major..you just hope the kid plays 4 years, befriends an alum and receives a hook-up when its job time. Also...stay free of off-the couurt issues

their parents are fooled now, the high school coaches are fooled, AAU coaches have been bought..the system is so crazy now it's not even worth the time...

With the 8/5 rule gone...A&M has benefited tremendously with open tryouts...they'll sign a top talent...see if he can cut the mustard for a season...once they see he can't, he's released from his scholarship and forced to go elsewhere so they repeat the cycle once again.
 
the band fan said:
these big-time athletes can't get into these schools legitimatelly unless they lower their academic standards
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I call this DUMBING down the university. :emlaugh: I'm most CERTAIN that <b>REAL</b> academic grads of those respective schools cannot STAND that idea! A victory on the field of play doesn't mean THAT much!

That's been my RECENT gripe w/ the SWAC as of late. :swink: Certain "schools" (if you want to call them that) have these bullsh*t basket weaving majors and we (PV) do NOT! The playing field isn't LEVEL during frosh ENTRANCE yet alone on the gridiron/basketball court/track field, etc. Those dumb ass "super-athletes" @ certain "schools" lol are going head to head w/ our "students" who just happen to be athletic. :D

It's bullsh*t.

University Studies/<b>General Studies</b> send.........some gott dayam help!
 
Panthro said:
Big 12. Big 10. Ohio State. They're all the same. :emlaugh: :lol: :bawling: :lol:

Where's JR? He defended this foolishness. :emlaugh: I know he wants the Basket Weaving major back in OSU's curriculum so they can keep the dummi, I mean, student-athletes elgible there. :emlaugh:

Pure comedy. :emlaugh:
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Uh P, I aint defending the majors. I am questioning the parents and the kid himself for allowing this to happen to them. They can't make you major or take classes that you don't want to. Did someone make you major in what you did at PV? Stop making excuses for these kids and their parents who have placed playing ball over everything else. If the kid was really getting advised in HS and his parents were paying attention.......then they would be telling the coaches what their kid will be majoring in right from the jump and if they even try to steer the kid into some junk, then he will transfer.

Now my second comment is this.........those kids who allow this to happen obviously had no clue about college or what they wanted to do in life outside of playing ball. So what do you do with a kid like that. Who is only there to play a few years and say goodbye for the NBA or NFL? Again I aint mad at Ohio State for having those off the wall majors. More than just athletes major in them. But you do not have to be forced into something you do not want to do. So both the kid and the schools are using each other. Most of these kids who let that happen to them obviously have not paid attention to what is written every year in the newspapers, tv shows like Bob Costas or even what their HS guidance counselor is telling them. It is all about sports. Then they get those schools and get mad because they have not taken the initative to not be a statistic. The only solution I can see is to make all these big time programs stop admitting this dumb arse athletes who have no clue. Only the brainiac athletes like Tiki Barber, Robert Smith, Charlie Ward, Chris Leak and others get to play at that level. Ones who really give a damn about academics as well as playing ball. Then we'll have an outcry that the average to below average academic kid has no chance to even go play in college. I guess I am like my late father. When does the responsibility start going back on the student and his people to be treated fairly. Stop selling your souls to the devil then get pissed when the devil don't deliver on his promise. :lecture:
 
Panthro said:
I call this DUMBING down the university. :emlaugh: I'm most CERTAIN that <b>REAL</b> academic grads of those respective schools cannot STAND that idea! A victory on the field of play doesn't mean THAT much!

That's been my RECENT gripe w/ the SWAC as of late. :swink: Certain "schools" (if you want to call them that) have these bullsh*t basket weaving majors and we (PV) do NOT! The playing field isn't LEVEL during frosh ENTRANCE yet alone on the gridiron/basketball court/track field, etc. Those dumb ass "super-athletes" @ certain "schools" lol are going head to head w/ our "students" who just happen to be athletic. :D

It's bullsh*t.

University Studies/<b>General Studies</b> send.........some gott dayam help!
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P, let me ask you a question........what do you think was going on in the SWAC back in the day? Do you think the academics were lower or higher than it is now? Actually more is being addressed now across the board than it ever has. You think it is bad now.........what do you think Barry Switzer, Darrell Royal, Bill Yeoman, Guy Lewis, Dr. Tom Osborne, and other big name coaches were doing with the kids back in the day at these schools. Now at least there are some consequences for not graduating players.
 
:emlaugh:

This "game" is too much. Amazing what has changed over the last 35-40 years for "us." :emlaugh: :read: :nod:

~snicker~
 
JR said:
P, let me ask you a question........what do you think was going on in the SWAC back in the day? Do you think the academics were lower or higher than it is now? Actually more is being addressed now across the board than it ever has. You think it is bad now.........what do you think Barry Switzer, Darrell Royal, Bill Yeoman, Guy Lewis, Dr. Tom Osborne, and other big name coaches were doing with the kids back in the day at these schools. Now at least there are some consequences for not graduating players.
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Oh! It was something to behold back in the day.

Dexter Manley can't read but attended college for 4 years send help! :emlaugh: It's piss poor pitiful. :tdown:
 



Panthro said:
:emlaugh:

This "game" is too much. Amazing what has changed over the last 35-40 years for "us." :emlaugh: :read: :nod:

~snicker~
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I can agree to that. Money has always been the root of the cause for this type of behavior at the big schools. Aint nothing changed, but how they do it. Back then they just straight bought you and your family and getting in school was no issue. Now they have to adjust the academics to keep folks eligible. Back then players played anyway even with bad grades at ALL schools. Even at some of our HBCUs that isht happened back in the day. More so then than now.
 
JR said:
I can agree to that. Money has always been the root of the cause for this type of behavior at the big schools. Aint nothing changed, but how they do it. Back then they just straight bought you and your family and getting in school was no issue. Now they have to adjust the academics to keep folks eligible. Back then players played anyway even with bad grades at ALL schools. Even at some of our HBCUs that isht happened back in the day. More so then than now.
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It really needs to cease JR. People over there-> are getting rich off the labor of these young naive kids and their dumb parents. Safeguards to help the non-knowing need to be in place. Too bad those people think the way they do. :shame:
 
They need to just stop the rhetoric and create a curriculum (i.e. a class for running routes, catching passes, reading defenses, and etc.) major for football, (i.e. basketball, baseball, & etc.) more over than the couple of classes they have for each now. Then let those that are willing to go this route compete in the marketing for a particular coaching position at given level.
 
Jafus (Thinker) said:
They need to just stop the rhetoric and create a curriculum (i.e. a class for running routes, catching passes, reading defenses, and etc.) major for football, (i.e. basketball, baseball, & etc.) more over than the couple of classes they have for each now. Then let those that are willing to go this route compete in the marketing for a particular coaching position at given level.
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:tup: Not a bad idea.
 
William Rhoden wrote in his book Forty Million Slaves about the Conveyor Belt and the recruitment of athletes. In my opinion it is related to this subject.

Anyway, I am not the best expert on this issue at TAMU because I was buried in the books, classes (teaching and taking) and labs in the Engineering Physics, Zachary, and Wisenbaker buildings. :read: :eek: :read: Those buildings were on the far other end of the campus from the stadium and basketball (old and new) arenas.
 
EB said:
Anyway, I am not the best expert on this issue at TAMU because I was buried in the books, classes (teaching and taking) and labs in the Engineering Physics, Zachary, and Wisenbaker buildings. :read: :eek: :read: Those buildings were on the far other end of the campus from the stadium and basketball (old and new) arenas.
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There's a reason why the academic buildings are so far removed from the athletic facilities EB. :swink: lol

I swear this is almost heeeee-larious!
 
Panthro said:
There's a reason why the academic buildings are so far removed from the athletic facilities EB. :swink: lol

I swear this is almost heeeee-larious!
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You are so correct! While I think SLT mentioned she had athletes in her classes at Georgia when she was a teaching assistant, I had very few of them in mine. (I really can only remember one.) I did not have any problems.

Consider these. The closest academic department to Kyle Field is the Health & Kinesiology. As a matter of fact it is located under the east stands and next to the old basketball arena.

The closest building for academics or research to the new arena is the Horticulture/Forest Science Building. It is a quite a walk from the basketball arena-especially for someone who is not in shape.

BTW I knew a few people who received doctorates out of the Health and Kinesiology Department. They are very legit!

Again you are so correct!!!
 
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