Ordinarily when I proclaim that a particular story or video is “my favorite of the year,” it’s of some athlete stinking up the joint at karaoke, or Pacman Jones getting busted at a local Hooters. This time when I say that Myron Rolle’s story is my favorite of the college football season, it’s for a genuinely good reason — not some stupid slapstick comedy thing.
Myron Rolle is a safety at Florida State, sporting a 3.75 GPA as a pre-med. He finished his undergraduate study in two and a half years I’m told. Rolle also got the good news that he would be a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship, one that would allow him the opportunity to study at Oxford in England. Last week SI shared the news that Myron Rolle would choose to interview for the scholarship over playing in the game if the times coincided on November 22nd. Coach Bobby Bowden agreed with the decision saying it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But ESPN has since elected to broadcast the game in prime time, making the situation a whole lot more interesting.
Rolle will be in Birmingham, Ala., that day to interview for a Rhodes Scholarship. He should be done in Alabama by 5 p.m., CST, which should give him a shot at hopping a charter flight to make the game by halftime.
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Florida State athletics director Randy Spetman said the wheels are in motion to get Rolle from Birmingham to Maryland. The university has contacted several charter companies for prices is working through the ACC to make sure it submits everything necessary to the NCAA. Spetman said Monday he expects everything to be in place in two or three days.
Talk about bringing new meaning to the term “student-athlete.” I couldn’t be more impressed by Myron Rolle and am now rooting for the Noles in both games and for Myron to do well in his interview. This is what collegiate athletics should be about.
