Why your Degree is Important, even if you are Tim Tebow
This past week, an Oklahoma police department reported that Jamelle Holieway was arrested and spent a few hours in jail. The charges? Unpaid traffic tickets.
For those of your with a short-term memory (of for those of you who don’t give a rat’s ass about Oklahoma), Holieway was the freshman quarterback who replaced the injured Troy Aikmen in 1985. He led the Sooners to a National Championship that year and, to date, is the only true freshman to accomplish this victory.
This would just be a funny story, but there’s more to the story. The unpaid tickets were for speeding and driving on a suspended license, both offenses from September of 2006. Holieway has also been charged with marijuana possession in the past.
I’m not saying that this happens to every big star in college, but think about it. The kid had a bright future. He was injured during later years and saw little to no action on the gridiron. He did go on to the NFL for two seasons as a Raider in 1989 and 1990, and also played for the Canadian football league for two seasons, but his career was effectively over half-way through college.
This isn’t excusing the poor choices he’s made to use (well, possess anyway) drugs and avoid paying tickets, but it just goes to show that you could set records one season and be in a ditch on your back the next. Kids, get your degrees. I mean you, Tim Tebow.
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POSTED IN: Oklahoma, Trouble with the Law
3 opinions for Why your Degree is Important, even if you are Tim Tebow
mike
Jun 30, 2008 at 8:26 am
Too bad Tebow most likely won’t wind up graduating. I wish they would change that rule.
http://www.meetusatkinnick.com
Scott
Jul 1, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I have to disagree with you here. I used to be a big proponent of kids always graduating, but now I have learned to accept that there are many big exceptions. Tim Tebow, for example, barring any injury this year will get drafted in 10 months and make a few mil guaranteed. It is possible, of course, that he gets injured and his career is cut short, but he will be a few mil richer and can afford to go back and finish his degree. Or he can stay at Florida and risk injury, losing the opportunity to play in the NFL and do some valuable networking just to get a degree. I think it is very unfair for us to tell kids from poorer families whose mothers are working two jobs to make rent that they should stay in school for another year when they have a chance to make more in one year than there family has seen in generations-enough money to pursue more education or some investment opportunities. Holieway’s problem is not that he didn’t get a degree, but that he is a punk who didn’t make the most of his opportunities.
Allison
Jul 1, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I can’t say I agree. While I see your side of the argument, I think that a lot of people who’ve found instant wealth will tell you that the money goes quickly. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, I worry about a player getting injured in the NFL quickly or doing poorly and getting released after just a season or two, then going bankrupt. It’s the same for one hit wonders in Hollywood. When you’re trying to keep up a millionaire’s lifestyle the money goes quickly, and most of the kids getting drafted have no practical experience managing their finances. If they finish their degrees, they have something to fall back on if the NFL doesn’t work. (But to be clear, I def see your side of the argument as well, especially in respect to injuries in college and missing your NFL chance.)
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