"The System"
Hasn't Been Fair To
Blacks
Vanderbilt Dominates SEC's All-Academic Teams
Much has been made of the Georgia trial brought about by former University of Georgia professor Jan Kemp in her suit against her former employer.
Kemp, once in charge of academic studies for the school's athletes, is suing to regain her job, because she says she was fired after she refused to change the grade of an athlete.
Her lawyer read a statement which included the sentence: "If we can teach these (men) to read and write, then maybe they can get a job working for the post office instead of driving a garbage truck."
Wow.
That's some indictment. It is an indictment on the present college sports system, the schools which "hire" academically unprepared men to play sports in the colleges' names, and an indictment of the men who "hire" them.
Jim Griesch
Cats' Pause Columnist
But. it is true that black educators argue that it is. for the most part, the black athlete who will be out in the cold, once the stronger requirements are in place.
Of course, white educators have quietly admitted for the past several years that it is the system that operates against these black youngsters, while using their athletic talents to make lots of money for the schools through sports.
True, again.
That is partly so because most black families have not been from what sociologists could call "middle class America!'
The System Has Held Blacks Back
There seems to be some evidence of change here, however. With more blacks getting education, more blacks have been stepping into employment opportunities geared to put them, and their families, into middle class housing and social opportunities.
As these opportunities come open, more and more black families will have openings for them that simply were not there some 25 to 50 years ago.
In turn, the typical black family of the future will probably develop stronger "middle class values" and continue the trend.
This won't apply to every black family, nor every white family, but it will happen.
As tomorrow's black youth moves into a better world, with more opportunities, his value system will change, his ambitions will differ.
But, it doesn't erase past abuses. Not entirely.
If the Southeastern Conference's basketball fact book for 1985-86 is correct, then only one black basketball player has made the SEC's all-academic team since 1977.
That's right. Since Florida's Al Bonner make it in 1977, only Kentucky's Winston Bennett (1985) has made it.
Winston Bennett is from a home where both parents still live together.
Winston Bennett, Jr., and Mrs. Bennett always made Winston Bennett III respect his books, make his grades, and then play ball.
Father Bennett is self-employed, running a contract cleaning service. He's a businessman. He's had to learn how to survive in a competitive business world.
He's also a "middle class values" man who has passed some of those same traits to his son.
This is just an opinion, but it seems that Winston Bennett III is one young man, who happens to be black, who should go to college.
The fact that he is 6-7, built like a young bull, and very good at basketball, hasn't hurt his chances of going to school.
What Does This Say About The System?
But. if Bennett is the only black youngster at 10 schools over the last eight years who has succeeded well enough academically to stand above his peers academically, then what does this say about the system?
Since then, beginning with the 1978 all-academic SEC team three schools have dominated the lists. Vanderbilt, which has always enjoyed a superior reputation in academics, has placed 12 players on the academics honors lists. Kentucky and Florida have had six named. LSU has had three, while Auburn, Georgia and Ole Miss have had two, Mississippi State and Tennessee one each.
Alabama is the only basketball school in the SEC that has not had an all-academic performer in the last eight years.
But, some of these stats could be misleading. Vandy actually had seven players named 12 times. Incidentally, the school's all time leading scorer, Phil Cox, made all-academic three years in a row, or all that he was eligible for. Starting guard Al McKinney made it twice, as did forward Tom Schultz. Subs Pat Berwanger and Doug Weikert made it once. Olympian Jeff Turner make it once, and present part-time starter Steve Reece made it last year.
Of UK's six entrants on the team, present dental student Chuck Verderber made it three times in a row-- 1980, 1981, and 1982. In fact, Verderber was the only player in the whole league who made the honors list in 1981. The others at UK include Kyle Macy in 1979 (and he was "SEC Athlete Of The Year" then), plus Bennett and Bret Bearup last year.
Of Florida's six, three  Rollie Castineyra, Joe Lawrence, and Danny Sheldon  made it last year. Before that, you have to roll back to 1979, Ric Clarson, to find another Gator. Clarson also made it in 1978, as did teammate Larry Brewster.
Of the other schools, all three LSU entrants on the honors squad were guard John Tudor, who made it in 1982. 1983, and 1984. His field is listed as construction (which seems to be some sort of engineering orientation).
Ole Miss' contributions include former starting guard Sean Tuohy and sub guard Ken Coughlan, who played very little.
Georgians who made the squad are David Dunn and Chad Kessler, who share the pivot this year, and who both made it last year.
Auburn's two spots both were filled by forward Tom Cahill, a former walkon who seldom played.
Mississippi State's contribution was guard Tom Sehuberth. who seemed to have a personality that ingratiated opposing fans, and who also transferred to MSU from - get this  Nevada-Las Vegas.
Tennessee's lone contrubution to the team was Myron Carter, 1984, who was originally a walk-on in Knoxville who eventually earned a basketball scholarship.
All-Academic Doesn't Always Mean All-Athlete
So, of the players who actually made the all-academic list, you find that only Kyle Macy of Kentucky and Phil Cox of Vandy. among more recent honorees, were of star quality as players too.
Of the others, several who were all-academic were not even recruited by their respective colleges, coming out of of high school. What does all this say?
It's the system. Only the athletically-gifted need apply.
The SEC media guide says that to be eligible for the all-academic team, the player "must average 'B' or better for his entire college career. He must be in residence for a full academic-year and must be a starter or a first line sub with his own team."
The media guide also says the standards for admission to the team were changed in 1979.
The first year the SEC had such a team was 1962. Fans will recognize many past stars as also being good students. Included on the list are such notables as Joe Dan Gold. Mississippi State; Tony Miller, Florida (one of 21 first-team selections for Florida); Larry Conley, Louie Dampier, Dan Issel, Mike Pratt, and Jimmy Dan Conner of Kentucky; Bill Justus, Mike Edwards and Larry Robinson of Tennessee; Johnny Neumann. Mississippi; Collis Temple, LSU; Terry Compton and Jeff Fosnes, Vanderbilt; Gary Redding, Auburn; Jim Youngblood, Georgia; and Tommy Suitts, Alabama.
Tennessee's Robinson First SEC's Black All-Academic
Incidentally, the first black player to be named to the all-academic first team was Larry Robinson of Tennessee in 1972, with Collis Temple of LSU second the next year, and Gary Redding of Auburn third in 1975.
A glance at some of the media guides for the current year also provide some clues as to how the system works.
In the Vandy guide, always complete and well-done by sports information director Lew Harris, the black players at Vandy this year don't fit the "from-the-ghetto-to-the-pros" mold so often found today.
Barry Booker is one of 12 children in his family. He has a sister, Karen, who also plays basketball for Vandy. Every one of the 12 Booker children either has a degree, or is in school, earning one. You EARN your degree at Vandy.
Booker's listed reasons for entering Vandy? "Academic reputation, SEC school, and closeness to home." Booker is from Franklin, Tenn., practically a suberb of Nashville.
Senior Darrell Dulaney list his reasons for choosing Vandy four years ago as "to get a top eduction and to play at a very competitive level in college basketball."
Nashvillian Sydney Grider says he chose Vandy because of the "coaches, hometown area."
Redshirted junior Bobby Westbrooks, from Memphis, noted his reasons for choosing Vandy, and they included such things as a quality education.
Only One Vandy Player Has Pro Career As Goal
In fact, of all the players in the present Vandy program, only 6-7 Bud Adams (a white from Atlanta) listed a pro ball career a major hope. He is also a baseball prospect. So, what does it all mean? It's just the system.
And, if this system is rugged, just check out the sutuation outside the rarifield air of major college athletics.
At Centre College in Danville, Ky., the average America College Test score for the basketball team is a 26, according to coach Tom Bryant.
There must be more than 100 jokes floating around that enitre teams don't have a combined 26 ACT score.
Unfortunately, those jokes are too close to the truth to be that funny.
For one thing, a college should not have to teach anyone how to read or write.
One day, and not that long ago, the ability for an entering student to read and write was a given.
The entrance officer KNEW the prospective student could at least do that.
The college knew its job was to refine already learned abilities, to teach the student HOW to use already gained knowledge, and to build with additional knowledge.
Why are students walking around, some attending class, who do not know how to read and write?
When a skeptical public sees where an athlete is pointed to as the one who cannot read and write, then the outcry is obvious.
To Score Touchdowns And Shoot Basketballs
The dumb bloke is there only to score touchdowns, shoot a basketball, or run faster than any other human before him.
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