The NCAA does have a heart.
Although I won’t get into how large it is, the NCAA proved that it is designed for the student-athlete more than any other factor on Monday when it granted Clemson permission to provide financial help to a football player and his younger brother.
Clemson cornerback Ray Ray McElrathbey, 19, will be allowed to receive benefits from the university to aid in the custody of his
11-year-old brother, notably providing transportation and child care.
McElrathbey was granted temporary custody of his younger brother over their mother – a drug addict – and father – a gambling addict. The two have been living in an apartment solely off the older McElrathbey’s scholarship, although Clemson is planning to establish a trust fund to help the brothers.
The NCAA prohibits extra benefits of any kind to any student-athlete, but a waiver can be sought for special circumstances.
McElrathbey’s situation is unique and it is good that he is being rewarded for standing up for what he believes in, especially at such a young age. The NCAA receives a bad wrap for concerning itself only with the rules and how to make money.
There have been past cases where the NCAA has been wrong, not allowing an injustice to be corrected because of the clout it holds, but it may start to finally even out.
For as many negative situations of student-athletes breaking rules for their own benefit, there are numerous circumstances that need to be treated as individual cases rather than to be lumped into a category. There are too many situations in life where people are judged on their age more than other factors.
I guarantee that Oregon students have been denied a rental agreement because they answered the question “Are you a college student” with a “yes.” I have walked into countless “upper echelon” stores where employees won’t give me the time of day because they think I can’t afford their product. I bet
that hundreds, if not thousands, of students can compare with a situation of trying to explain to a professor a valid reason of why they were late to class, late on an assignment or any other circumstance that might come up only to be cut off before the first sentence is complete because students are immature and irresponsible.
That attitude is similar to the one I have witnessed the NCAA harbor, but now I have a situation where I can justify the NCAA
and its process. Instead of telling McElrathbey “tough luck,” the NCAA stepped up.
Instead of only punishing the negative situations, the NCAA decided to reward a player for his positive actions. It is an example that every corporation, professor and parent should follow.
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