14 November 2011

Should this young man pass up a Rhodes scholarship interview?

Excerpts from a story at the Wall Street Journal:
[Yale quarterback Patrick] Witt, a 22-year-old senior from Wylie, Texas, has a scheduling conflict next Saturday. At about the same time he's expected to lead Yale in his career finale against visiting Harvard in the 128th edition of "The Game," Witt is also supposed to be at Emory University in Atlanta as one of 212 finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship. His interview in front of a selection committee is Saturday morning. Kickoff is at noon. The interview can't be rescheduled...

Witt said some people have been telling him that he should play in the game: It is, after all, one of college football's grandest rivalries, and Witt has made a commitment to his teammates. Others have told him that he'd regret passing up a shot at the most prestigious post-graduate scholarship in the country. Thirty-two winners—two from each of 16 districts around the country—have the opportunity each year to study at Oxford University.

What's been most surprising, Witt said, are the varied sources of these opinions. "I've got people in academics telling me, 'Definitely play in the game,'" he said. "Then I've got guys on the team saying, 'Oh, do the interview.'"..

Witt, who transferred from Nebraska after his freshman season, is Yale's career leader in completions and ranks second in passing yards heading into Saturday's game at Princeton. At 6 feet 4 and 230 pounds, he's drawn the attention of the NFL...

Elliot Gerson, the American secretary of the Rhodes Trust, said conflicts are "sadly inevitable." But making exceptions for a candidate isn't feasible... Patrick Witt is careful to point out that he was aware of the interview date—and the potential conflict—before he applied for the scholarship. But there was no telling what would happen during the season...

Several well-heeled alumni have offered the use of their private planes. An NCAA spokeswoman said that's permitted... Transportation isn't the problem. The real issue is the potential for afternoon "callbacks." The committee sometimes will want a second round of interviews with candidates...

Witt replied that he was worried about letting his teammates down... But tension remains. For a young man who said he would like to pursue public office someday, the experience of studying international relations at Oxford would be invaluable. Indeed, if he were to win the scholarship, Witt said he would defer his NFL hopes.

"I just need to make a decision," he said, "and then live with it."

5 comments:

  1. I hope he goes for the interview. If he would defer his NFL hopes for the opportunity that this scholarship offers, then the long term benefit from the scholarship path is a better fit for his long term goals. What a tough position to be in -- but even NFL isn't forever, even assuming best case scenario that he actually makes it in the NFL. The knowledge he can gain from the Rhodes scholarship will really take him places, for a lot longer than an NFL career.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tough situation (if he accepts it will probably come back to haunt him) should he run for office one day by seeming to put personal ambition above duty and honor by abandoning his team. Still, a no contest - go for it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. He's made his decision.

    http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/2011-12/releases/20111113zqz10a

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haven't read the link from Miss Cellania yet, but I just want to say that playing in this game would have no bearing on whether or not he ends up in the NFL. He may very well skip the game, interview inadequately, and end up in the NFL anyway.

    It comes down to himself or his team and though team should come first, there are exceptions. This is like a pro QB trying to be with his wife for the birth of a child... the team would understand.

    Now to go read that article... :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. As per Miss C's link, he opted to play in The Game this weekend.

    http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7231824/yale-bulldogs-qb-patrick-witt-gives-chance-rhodes-scholarship-play-vs-harvard-crimson

    He will still be eligible to reapply after graduation, and in fact many past recipients of the scholarship have done just that.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...