Tuesday March 11, 2008

Ray Ray

Ray Ray
Like many controversies in our world today, this Ray Ray McElrathbey deal is filled with two sides and a lot of half truths. Here is my take:

1-I don’t know Ray Ray McElrathbey personally and have only met him a few times but admire him for taking on a huge responsibility. He is a likeable young man who is bright and has a magnetic personality. Like many of you, I donated to the trust fund and would do it again and would encourage anyone to do it again.

2-I have been around Fahmarr McElrathbey a few times and he is a great young man. I think he may have been the biggest winner in all of this. Fahmarr has made a big impression on a bunch of people in our community.

3-I feel bad for what has happened to Ray Ray when it comes to football. He is obviously a talent but like many student-athletes, he had to endure a lot in terms on the field issues. He was red-shirted as a freshman and that can be difficult to accept. He had a hard time adjusting to the secondary which happens to a lot of former high school quarterbacks. He was moved to running back where he looked better but then tore his knee.

4-Adversity seems to be the norm for Ray Ray and all of the responsibilities of guardian, brother, student, athlete and knee rehab made for a difficult time and balancing act. I know I was not prepared to be a provider at the age of 21.

5-Rob Spence and Susan Spence have downplayed their role in helping Fahmarr. They have been incredible in their giving and in a world where so many seek so much credit, this family has selflessly given more than anyone would know without credit.

I want to be fair to Ray Ray and I feel bad that he would have had to compete for playing time at a position as deep as running back is at Clemson. James Davis, C.J. Spiller, Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington are perhaps as good as any four backs on one team in America. Plus Ray Ray was having to learn to do it coming off of knee rehab.

The difficulty could have been seen when he was beaten out by Sadat Chambers last season. If you can’t beat out Chambers then you can’t beat out Davis, Spiller, Harper or Ellington.

I also understand James Davis’ original frustration and James will say what he is thinking at all times but it is clear Clemson is meeting its obligation.

In fact, I want to be clear here. Clemson has met its end of the obligation more so than Ray Ray has met his. Clemson should be held more accountable because they are adults and know how to deal with things and Ray Ray is still a young person. I don’t want to get too much into that and please don’t e-mail me with specific questions but this has not been the fairy tale situation it could have been.

In the end, Clemson offered Ray Ray a chance to graduate and he will do that. They offered him a graduate assistant scholarship if he wants to stay. I hope that is what he will do because Fahmarr would be better here. I doubt Ray Ray will stay and think he still wants to play and may transfer to a smaller school.

Let’s also be perfectly clear here on another subject. Clemson does not run off players because they are third or fourth stringers. In fact Paul Macko was an original walk-on but has been on scholarship too and they never pulled his deal despite a lack of playing time. If you do what the coaches ask then you will never get your scholarship revoked. Go to class, work out, be a good citizen, obey team rules, get to meetings on time, pay attention and do what is asked and everything will work out.

Clemson may be close being over the 85 scholarship limit but this more about other things. In fact Clemson has not been at 85 in any year Bowden has been there until he adds the walk-ons to the list.

Again, things are different for Ray Ray but the staff has been accommodating to his needs. Clemson has been good to Ray Ray and for Ray Ray. The staff and community should be very proud what they have done for him and his family.

In the end I think Ray Ray will be fine. He is a bright young man who has charisma and certainly has resolve.

My point of this blog is to point out that Bowden and the staff have been unfairly criticized. I understand both sides of the story but they have been more than fair here. You can criticize Bowden and Terry Don Phillips all you want but these are not irrational, unintelligent people. They both had all of the facts in this case. Both have not talked about some of the issues off of the field in this case. But I can tell you that both have a long line of credibility when it comes to how they have treated student-athletes in their careers and to criticize them in this case without all of the facts is not fair.

Bowden has to be fair to Ray Ray but he also has to be fair to the other 84 scholarship players too.

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