Schools are sending out all sorts of press releases on their APR stats. I am sure a BC one will arrive soon. Usually BC is among the highest scorers in the rating that captures academic progress and graduation. The APR can also punish poor performing schools. Yet miraculously it is the little guys who always get penalized and the Power 5 programs all somehow skate along boasting of their success in supporting student athletes. Critics say the rating and system is fixed and borderline fraudulent. Considering Kentucky Basketball is now touting their perfect APR score, I think it is time to downplay our APR success.
I am not trying to pick on Kentucky. In fact, I admire Calipari's transparency. He's not bothering with the sham "student athletes." He's recruiting a bunch of "one and done"s and trying to win as many basketball games as he can. I doubt he is spending much time worrying about his APR. I assume there is a whole army of staffers and administrators in Lexington holding these players' hands for their one year, and the same support team is filing every exemption needed with regards to transfers and guys who leave for the Draft to not hurt Kentucky Basketball's APR.
I do think BC has genuine concern for our student's progress. As long as we are part of Big Time sports, I think we should keep that focus. It is a nice differentiator. However, let's use our own stats about graduating players and helping them succeed off the field. Because bragging about our APR is pointless.
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Kentucky and APR are a dichotomy. There is no way that you mention both in the same breath. Since most players leave after one year, this is a joke unless they are taking their top 12 players and adding up their scores.
Kentucky having a perfect APR score is nearly as remarkable as the football team not winning a conference game despite having a top defense in the country
I'm pretty sure APR measures academic eligibility in the sense that if a player leaves early but they leave while still in good academic standing, they don't count against APR.
For how many one-and-dones they get, to keep them all academically eligible through the entire year when most of them know they're out of there... well, that's something at least a bit admirable, anyway.
Kentucky athletics (particularly basketball)and academics are probably a joke upon closer examination. It is what it is in major college sports these days. Its nice to see BC's high APR ranking (just behind ND and Stanford) and it is something in which to be proud. However, I think we are all a little numb to this stuff being rolled out every year by the Athletic Department. I think when you see such lousy won lost records in so many of our programs you tend to overlook the accomplishment or take it for granted. On the other hand, ND and Stanford manage to do so while at the same time being considerably more competitive athletically across the board than BC. Perhaps its unfair to make such comparisons at the present time - but its not unfair to hope the powers that be at BC look at the accomplishments of those schools, understand what they may be doing differently that could work at BC and try to emulate them where it makes sense to do so.
We are not in the same league as ND, or Stamford, nor ever will be. Only losers care about APR. Play by the NCAA rules and win games. If we can't stomach that, then we never should have gone in the ACC.
I applaud and second Napoleon's comments. Hoib, your win at all costs philosophy belongs in the SEC and Florida State, not BC. How can the people of Kentucky be so damn proud of a hoop team filled with hired mercs? It's disgraceful.
GE
They are because the object of the game is to win, note lose nobly.
I realize this is a repeat of a former discussion. We should strive to be a Stanford, a Northwestern, and, to a lesser extent, ND, not a SEC football factory ( minus Vandy) or a Kentucky and NC Bball factory.
Oh, and Duke would be an excellent model in basketball. BC, with proper coaching, leadership and support, can be successful athletically without compromising academic integrity.
GE
Duke is bringIng in 3 one and dons next year just like Kentucky. They are the odds on favorites to win the title. I don't think Coach K has anywhere near the worries w/ admissions that JC & Daz Do. There really is no difference between the ACC and SEC. They're better in football we're better in hoops. Both leagues are part of multi billion dollar industries that serve as training grounds for the NFL & NBA. I don't think Leahy understands this and the results of the last half dozen years show it.
I have to agree with you there. I retract my use of Duke as a role model. Sad, because the Blue Devils use to be one of the cleanest programs in the country.
GE
You can be happy about Northwestern though. We are well on our way to becoming them. The only FBS school that's never made the NCAA tournament.
Hoib, you know I was referring to Northwestern football. Don't be such a butt-head.
GE
Sometimes the truth hurts. U cherry pick programs to make your argument. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but so many BC fans avoid reality. In an ideal world I would love to see us play our hoops in the NBE and our football in the ACC, but we can't. We made the Faustian bargain to join the ACC so it's well past the timeto live up to that commitment in all facets IMO. We need to stop deluding ourselves that we can play w/ the big boys and still self impose hurdles that make it even harder to compete w/ these powerhouses. The alternative is to shut up collect ACC welfare, and accept the losing like NW, Vandy, Wake do now, and Rice did in the past.
mod - Brad is a lifetime Grass Roots fan club member. Next time you see him - just sing out:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today
(Hey, hey, hey)
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today
And don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today
Live for today
On the APR stuff - I think we already sacrifice a fair amount of academic integrity. My guess is that the vast majority of the hoops, hockey and football teams would never get into BC on their academics alone. It just depends on how much of a slob we are willing to be. I'm not sure myself without talking to someone more familiar with it on the staffs of our football and basketball teams. My educated guess is that our admission requirements have been a very minor component of our problems and that our standards are not significantly tougher than a lot of other schools who routinely field competitive programs. I realize its also true that if we dropped to the average standards in the ACC - we would be more successful. However, for that to be meaningful we would also need a different core curriculum for the jocks. Remember, these other places offer Phys Ed degrees and other degrees designed for idiots. We do not. BC is probably more of a challenge for the athletes to stay in than it is to get in.
Napoleon nails it again. The boy can write. I think he's Mike Lupica incognito.
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