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Welcome, Convicts Winston-Salem Journal Thursday, August 5, 2004 North Carolina fans of the now-expanded Atlantic Coast Conference got a bitter taste of just what they are in for last week with two bits of football news. The first came from the pre-season poll of ACC football writers, who are predicting that the entry of Miami and Virginia Tech into the league will send all four North Carolina schools to the second division in the standings. While disappointing, that news is made less painful by the fact that the games must still be played, and that there is always a chance for a breakthrough season from at least one of the four teams. Much more disturbing was news that the University of Miami has admitted - and granted a football scholarship to - a star linebacker with several felony convictions, a few convictions on lesser charges from as recently as this summer, and a total of 10 arrests. With the admission of Miami, the ACC has a member with a good academic program but an athletic reputation for recruiting thugs and convicts. Some ACC fans may have thought that Miami would clean up its act once it aligned with schools that have reputations for strong academics and high standards of student-athlete conduct. No doubt, leaders of long-time ACC schools hoped the days of Miami's brutish behavior ended when football coaches Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson left the school in the 1990s. There are some who are saying that the star, Willie Williams, deserves a second chance. Maybe he does. But with his admission to Miami, he's being given an 11th chance. At some point, around the granting of chance six or seven, the gifted youngster - who has a fairly strong academic record - probably figured out that star ballplayers get all the chances they need. Miami's decision contrasts starkly with decisions at two other ACC schools. In the spring, after star basketball recruit JamesOn Curry was convicted on drug charges, UNC Chapel Hill wished him well elsewhere. On Tuesday, Virginia Tech suspended its star quarterback, Marcus Vick, for his legal problems. Williams' admission to Miami, a private school, comes at a time when all UNC system schools are being asked to be more diligent in checking the criminal pasts of their prospective students. That effort is following on the murder, this spring, of two students, in separate incidents, at UNC Wilmington. Neither case involved student athletes. The parents of prospective students must wonder how diligent Miami will be in this regard if, just to gain the tackling talents of one ballplayer, the school has set the standard for admission at no more than 10 arrests. ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
