Tough Rhodes to Rolle

Today's post is essentially a standing ovation for Florida State University junior safety Myron Rolle.  If you haven't been following college football closely you might have missed this impressive story completely.  Myron Rolle is being interviewed for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.  I am in complete awe of this young man and have found that his story is just incredible.

First, you must understand just how selective the process for the Rhodes Scholarship is.  Only a few students are given opportunity to accept this award each year.  It is an amazing  accomplishment to even be considered much less to be a finalist like Myron Rolle.  The winners of this award get a scholarship to study at Oxford University of England.  Thousands of college students are interviewed for the opportunity each year.  Now the specifics of this scholarship are complicated and I, being a complete moron, do not understand them but the requirements are grueling for any student much less the student athlete that has to perform well in two aspects of college.

Myron Rolle is a finalist for the award as well as being a standout in the secondary of the Seminoles.  He is also a remarkable brand of student-athlete.  In his senior year of high school he was the number one overall recruit in the nation, but told his coach that he would quit football if he were not permitted to take a science class that would make him late for practice.  The academic has always come before the athletic for this young man.  He has already graduated from FSU with a Pre-Med degree in only five semesters and plans on becoming a brain surgeon.  While handling this unbelievable workload off the field; he has 192 tackles, 1 interception, and 2 forced fumbles on the field.  He is an unbelievable talent and has a chance to play in the NFL, which might be a tough decision for him.  NFL or brain surgery, sounds like rocket science to me!

The other aspects of this story that deserves some accolade are the NCAA and FSU's athletic department.  The NCAA is providing an airplane to and from the interview in Alabama so that Myron Rolle can go to the interview and try to make it back to the game in Maryland.  The NCAA also moved the game to a later time so that there is an actual chance for him to have an impact at least in the second-half of Saturday night's game.  Also the FSU's athletic department is being very supportive of Rolle despite the implications of this game and the fact that Rolle's back-up, Mclure is injured.

It is amazing to have a story like this in college football especially at Florida State, who in the last few years had tons of problems with their student athletes.  Myron Rolle is an inspiration and whether or not he wins the award is a moot point.  I am rooting for him.  I will leave you with this; when asked if he would rather win the Rhodes Scholar or the heisman trophy he chose the Rhodes Scholar without question.  Continue to live like no one is watching and hit the books harder than the playbook!