Shannon's Release show winning more inportant than Academics

People show their true colors via the simplest of ways. Take for example the educational system, or rather downfall of the educational system in America. A new study was just released looking at math, science and reading competency among 15 year olds around the world. The study was based on two-hour tests of 500,000 15-year-old schoolchildren by the OECD in 65 countries. Results showed that the Fifteen-year-olds in the U.S. ranked 25th among peers from 34 countries on a math test and scored in the middle in science and reading, while China’s Shanghai topped the charts, raising concern that the U.S. isn’t prepared to succeed in the global economy.

We all have a major concern about this in voice but in fact our actions show otherwise, and with the case of the recent firing of University of Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon, graduating students is not as important as winning.

The disparity between black and white NCAA Division I football players has historically been a problem. It is also evident that this situation is not improving, but getting worse. The annual report by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports indicated that the graduation success rate is increasing at a higher rate for white players than black players.

According to the primary author of the study, Richard Lapchick, the gap is like “the economy, if income for Latinos and African Americans grows at 2 percent but increases 3 percent for whites. Yes, it's getting better. But it's still not great for everybody."

The data was collected by the NCAA from each member institution. The Institute reviewed the six-year graduation rates for each school's freshman class that enrolled in 2003-04 in an effort to produce a four-class average. The findings also suggested that 57 schools had graduation success rates of 66 percent or higher for white football players. This was approximately three times the number schools with equivalent graduation success rates for black football players. Notre Dame and Northwestern were the only schools that graduated 95 percent of their players and at least 95 percent of their black players.

Although it has been suggested that getting more minorities in administrative positions such as head coaches and athletic directors may serve to improve these numbers, this has yet to manifest in a culture where winning is more important than graduating African American athletes. Using the example of former University of Miami head coach Randy Shannon, calls for his resignation have been occurring since the start of the season although he had inked a four-year contract. They grew even louder after his loss to Florida State and having a 5 and 3 record.
The fact is that graduation rates are not as important as winning in the NCAA. I'll bet if Shannon had finished 11 and 1, and had as many players in trouble with the law as Florida’s Urban Meyer or Georgia’s Mark Richt, he would still be coach, regardless of his players' graduation rates. Unfortunately, having the third highest graduation rate in the nation is not as important as winning a game or knowing how to read.

powell driver

Ok, Jones, main, your folk been putting in some work, albeit I feel I aint got to tell you that. I mean it’s just what I do. But it has been good. I was working with an interior designer, but she was talking crazy for a store for dogs, like it was some retro chic Lenox Mall boutique. I had someone else before her, but it aint pan out. But that being said, the ruminations have still been going on. I admit, I have been trying to stay away from the primaries, but it’s hard so I am going to drop this on you – thanks to a conversation with Kelso, UCLA, rooting against Memphis monkey ass. Otherwise, like I said, it has been good, not because around this time at age 13, Shakespeare penned his first play, which turned out to be Romeo and Juliet, but cause I have ratcheted the fortitude to write about politics once more and because Memphis throttled UCLA.

I have wondered to myself who would, will or would make the best running mate for Barack Obama. This is especially true since the mantra of the Clinton team is experience, experience and experience. It seems they talk and hammer the experience card more than her plans to deal with the recession or the conflicts abroad in Asia (Afghanistan and Iraq).

Unfortunately as the reader may expect, I will not take the “most electable ticket” route. Instead, I have dug deep in the shallow capacity of my brain to figure out what would make the most appealing and winnable ticket. I know the pundits have mentioned a few names, and some of them make sense to me.


The names that I have heard thus far include Senator Bill Bradley, Senator Russ Feingold, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator Jack Reed, General Wesley Clark and last but not least, former Presidential hopeful Senator John Edwards. Sure there have been others including Governor Brian Schweitzer, Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Congressman John Murtha, but the last three don’t really cut the cake, especially Murtha with his history or shady political dealings.

However, I must admit there are some strong benefits to some in the first group. Bradley once ran for the presidency, and has strong name recognition, not to mention the championship ring he won when playing with the New York Knicks back in the day. Add to that, he could help him carry New York, thus he has a serious upside. Fiengold, well she is known for her work with the Republican winner, John McCain. For me, she has done enough damage to McCain from the way many in the GOP see it and thus, cannot add anymore by being on the Obama ticket. Bill Richardson has more up than down as well. Not only can he assist with the Hispanic vote, he also is a good man to provide some experience on Defense, AIDS and the economy. Then there is Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. She would help carry white women and would likely bolster Obama’s policy positions on energy, education and the environment.

I could talk about them all but like the above, I’d be talking about shit folk already know. This is why I don’t see any of the above being able to give Obama a winning ticket, electable yes, winning no. So I suggest that as a running mate, Obama select Colin Powell. Yes former Secretary of State and Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. Obama is the ma to do it and it would definitely show up John “McCain/Feingold” McCain what reaching across the isle really is. America would love it and bam. White house folk.

Now you may laugh and suggest such is far fetched, but I want to recount the serious amount of thought, wandering thought I have put into this since December. In fact in my book, it’s a essay called remember this name, about Obama, written in 2004 that predicted he would run successfully for the democratic nomination – even against my libertarian sensibilities.

The Harlem born Powell is a Vietnam veteran. On his this second tour he was injured in a helicopter crash yet still was able to rescue his peers from the burning helicopter. For this he was given the Soldier's Medal. He has a MBA from George Washington University and even served as Secretary of Defense and National Security Advisor, under President Ronald Reagan.

So laugh all you want, but this is the winning ticket and don’t play the lottery. Show your hand folk, give me one better. In wrestling this would be called a pile driver, but I refer Powell Driver. Cause if he doesn't, MCain will lkely have Condie Rice as his.