Like father, like son. Clemson's Tommy Bowden decided not to renew the scholarship of Ray Ray McElrathbey, and now we learn that his father, legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, has been practicing the same policy.Larry Williams, the Clemson beat writer for the Charleston Post and Courier who broke the story about Tommy yanking McElrathbey's scholarship, received an email from Melanie Lott, the girlfriend of Florida State offensive lineman Geoff Berniard. Make that former Florida State offensive lineman Geoff Berniard.
Lott tells the story of how offensive line coach Rick Trickett tried to get Berniard to quit last December, but Berniard made it clear he was returning for his senior season. Berniard then showed up for the first day of mat drills and was called to Bobby's office. Writes Lott:
"Coach Bowden explained that he was 'surprised to see Geoff' at the 5 a.m. mat drill because he was 'under the impression that he was not to returning for his fifth year', information he received from Trickett. After beating around the bush and looking like a fool who has know (sic) idea about decisions that are made for his own football team, he finally told Geoff that due to a 'number crunch' he would not be receiving his fifth year of scholarship eligibility.
"This was a very unexpected and indescribable disappointment to Geoff. He had every intention to fulfill the commitment that he made on signing day in February 2004."
Lott then points out that her boyfriend has a 3.02 grade-point average, was awarded all-Atlantic Coast Conference academic honors, made the Dean's list for the 2006-07 school year and "was not involved in the cheating scandal that recently rocked our athletic program."
Thanks to Get The Picture.
5 comments:
Glad Clemson football (and the Bowden clan in particular) is finally getting exposed for what it is. Hopefully recruits will finally see TB for what he is - someone who does not care about them as people, and who will not lead them to a championship of any sort.
The latter has been obvious from the play on the field in recent years. At least now the former is being disclosed with equal aplomb.
Wiz - Seriously? A guy gets a scholarship for four full years and you give us a post targeting FSU for being in the wrong?
Not bringing a kid back for a fifth year is not the same as pulling a scholarship.
I hate F$U, but the guy got four years.
If you get signed to a 10 year contract and you dont perform you get fired a lot sooner than one year before your contract expires. You will also not come back for an eleventh year. Welcome to the real world.
If you would read the letter you would see that it is not about pulling a scholarship from a 5th year senior you forced to redshirt. It is about the manner is which it was handled. How does a player get all the way to first day of mat drills and not know that he is not on the team. Tell him the season before that they will not renew his scholarship and give him the respect and pride of having closure to football. I don't think it is sour grapes about the scholarship at all!
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