Student-Athlete Still Means Something To Me

Most of us know at least the rudiments of John Urschel's tenure at Penn State.  But it's worth dwelling on it a little more than most feel good stories. We may not see this story repeated ever again.

When I first matriculated at PSU, I kind of had an idea of what I wanted to do after college. But I really wanted to improve my running too.  It was something that I only started to excel at (notice I didn't say excel!) in my Senior Year of High School.  That's why I was never on any Division I radar screens, let alone Coach Groves' thought processes.  He already had signed up the PA and Ohio State champions in the Mile.  He also was getting the PA mile runner-up and one of the better 880 yard specialists from PA in just one year.  (That's Larry Mangan, Tom Rapp, Mark Dunmire and George Severine for those keeping track!)* So when I asked (begged?) to be allowed to walk on, I was super delighted to get the chance.  I was always going to PSU, even though I did visit several Division III schools as a courtesy. Every one in my extended family and my wife's family have PSU degrees.  I wasn't going to buck the trend.

But I found that running at a top level (which I almost accomplished my Freshman year) AND getting good grades was harder than it looked.  My first term (yeah youngsters, there were 3 of them every year!) with Calculus, English and Speech humbled me beyond belief. Thank Goodness for Science, is all I can say.  Being a Student-Athlete isn't a jog through the Park.

Another somewhat unheralded athlete came to PSU being called a 2-Star (out of 5) Recruit in recent years.  The fact that he has a bachelor degree, one Masters degree and another Masters degree almost completed while being one of the best offensive lineman in the nation is rather impressive.  When you add that the degrees are in Mathematics, it kind of blows your mind. And he never even got a single "B".  Student-Athlete at its best by definition. Next stop the Wunderlic!  (He'll do better than Vinny Testeverde did, I'm pretty sure.)

I know what Mathematics is all about; my brother has a Masters degree in Computer Science and is near completion of another in Mathematics, in addition to his PSU bachelor degree in Accounting and his PSU MBA degree. I only managed a "C" in college calculus.  John has my utmost respect for what he has accomplished in his 5 years at PSU.  The world is a better place because of it.

So when I hear about college athletes being "paid", I turn off the sound and shake my head.  I'm not saying I'm for it or against it.  I'm just saying that  I will miss "amateur athletics" once it is gone.  And it will be, if it isn't already.  (I'm an idiot, but not blind!)

John Urschel Article on ESPN for the Campbell Trophy

* Please correct any of that for me if I'm wrong.