Player Transfers Out of TXST, Letter to Staff Goes Public

[TexasTerror]

Here's one for you...

I'm surprised that even if the newspaper had this information (not really information - but a letter), that they would make it available. It's accusations and it'll just open up a can of worms, possibly damaging some reputations.

Situations like this, you got to read between the lines. Everyone on all sides has a different story.

In a way, you wonder why the student-athlete (and/or his parents) would decide to send this to the media. You wonder what the student-athlete had to gain by doing this, what he had to lose by not doing this. What the coaching staff gains/loses by this student-athlete doing this, since you know people will read into it different ways.

However, since this is a rare care of something like this happening and there are lessons to be learned - thought I'd share.


Here is the letter (cleaned up for grammatical accuracy) sent from the Dews family to Texas State head coach Brad Wright, wide receivers coach Kevin Brown and athletic director Dr. Larry Teis as well as the Daily Record.

Wright had no comment about the situation when asked. Sources within the program denied these accusations.

To read the letter, visit the Cat's Cradle Blog (http://smdrcatscradle.blogspot.com/2010/07/college-football-reason-behind-dews.html)

Worth noting that in the comments, the SMDR beat writer for the Bobcats acknowledges why it was published --


We felt, as a staff, many fans of Texas State had questions as to why Dews transferred. We asked the Dews family if they would like it published and they said 'Yes.' Hopefully this clears up more questions than it raises.

[JSUBison]

(cleaned up for grammatical accuracy)

No surprise there. Dews sounds like Dexter Manley.

[lionsrking2]

Here's one for you...

I'm surprised that even if the newspaper had this information (not really information - but a letter), that they would make it available. It's accusations and it'll just open up a can of worms, possibly damaging some reputations.

Situations like this, you got to read between the lines. Everyone on all sides has a different story.

In a way, you wonder why the student-athlete (and/or his parents) would decide to send this to the media. You wonder what the student-athlete had to gain by doing this, what he had to lose by not doing this. What the coaching staff gains/loses by this student-athlete doing this, since you know people will read into it different ways.

However, since this is a rare care of something like this happening and there are lessons to be learned - thought I'd share.



To read the letter, visit the Cat's Cradle Blog (http://smdrcatscradle.blogspot.com/2010/07/college-football-reason-behind-dews.html)

Worth noting that in the comments, the SMDR beat writer for the Bobcats acknowledges why it was published --

The way I read it, it sheds good light on the Texas State coaching staff, and appears they're an above-board group...bottom line, is the kid failed and it's not up to the coaching staff to see to it that he gets a passing grade. Granted, I know favors go on at most universities, and can somewhat see Dews' point, but I don't view this as damaging to Brad Wright, and I don't blame him for letting the letter stand on it's own merit, without comment.

[lionsrking2]

Here's one for you...

I'm surprised that even if the newspaper had this information (not really information - but a letter), that they would make it available. It's accusations and it'll just open up a can of worms, possibly damaging some reputations.

Situations like this, you got to read between the lines. Everyone on all sides has a different story.

In a way, you wonder why the student-athlete (and/or his parents) would decide to send this to the media. You wonder what the student-athlete had to gain by doing this, what he had to lose by not doing this. What the coaching staff gains/loses by this student-athlete doing this, since you know people will read into it different ways.

However, since this is a rare care of something like this happening and there are lessons to be learned - thought I'd share.



To read the letter, visit the Cat's Cradle Blog (http://smdrcatscradle.blogspot.com/2010/07/college-football-reason-behind-dews.html)

Worth noting that in the comments, the SMDR beat writer for the Bobcats acknowledges why it was published --

The way I read it, it sheds good light on the Texas State coaching staff, and appears they're an above-board group...bottom line, is the kid failed and it's not up to the coaching staff to see to it that he gets a passing grade. Granted, I know favors go on at most universities, and can somewhat see Dews' point, but I don't view this as damaging to Brad Wright, and I don't blame him for letting the letter stand on it's own merit, without comment.

[TexasTerror]

I'm confused by one of the 'highlights' of the letter...

If a student has a learning disability, one would think that the student (based on my experience on the ADA committee in college, amongst other experiences) would meet with what he's calling an 'ODS' on campus prior to each semester and then with the professor at the onset of the semester. This would give a 'flag' to the professor to assist the student in having a level playing field as other students. For some, it may require extra time to take tests, assistance with taking notes, bigger text on tests, etc. Why would the coaches be involved, let alone really need to know about the learning disability? Seems a bit confusing...


The way I read it, it sheds good light on the Texas State coaching staff, and appears they're an above-board group...bottom line, is the kid failed and it's not up to the coaching staff to see to it that he gets a passing grade. Granted, I know favors go on at most universities, and can somewhat see Dews' point, but I don't view this as damaging to Brad Wright, and I don't blame him for letting the letter stand on it's own merit, without comment.

I am sure a few people will have different opinions on the coaching staff from their vantage point. I saw on the TXST board that a few side with Coach Wright and a single poster backs the player here. To each their own, but will be interesting to see what others on this board and in particular, the TXST board walk away thinking...

[lionsrking2]

I'm confused by one of the 'highlights' of the letter...

If a student has a learning disability, one would think that the student (based on my experience on the ADA committee in college, amongst other experiences) would meet with what he's calling an 'ODS' on campus prior to each semester and then with the professor at the onset of the semester. This would give a 'flag' to the professor to assist the student in having a level playing field as other students. For some, it may require extra time to take tests, assistance with taking notes, bigger text on tests, etc. Why would the coaches be involved, let alone really need to know about the learning disability? Seems a bit confusing...



I am sure a few people will have different opinions on the coaching staff from their vantage point. I saw on the TXST board that a few side with Coach Wright and a single poster backs the player here. To each their own, but will be interesting to see what others on this board and in particular, the TXST board walk away thinking...

Of course a lot depends on the understanding the Texas State coaching staff had with Dews when they recruited him...if they led him to believe they would intervene if he had trouble, I could see his point, but we don't know that to be the case...from what we do know, I have to side with Brad Wright on this one.

[McNeese75]

It sounds to me like this was going to be an ongoing issue. Even if he was cleared to play this year who is going to hold his hand in the future? I'm sure he is a good player but there are limits to what can be done.

[NSUDemon98]

I bit off topic...BUT. I also find it interesting that a lot of the posters on the Texas State board would occasionally insinuate that the reason why NSU(obviously not within the past couple years) and McNeese always had better football teams was because the entrance requirements are so low at NSU and McNeese and so high at Texas State that we are able to get athletes that wouldn't always be admitted to Texas State...clearly that theory is incorrect. I know that there are instances like this in college football...but let's not confuse Texas State with Stanford or Notre Dame.

[ThompsonThe]

College should be for an education. Not a football factory. Many players around the country should never be in college but rather a trade school or other program.

[Green Cookie Monster]

Reading his letter, he is not the sharpest tack in the box. Academics comes first, football a close second. I would be embarrassed to have my letter printed if I used such grammar and sentence structure.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I'd be interested to know what exactly the student was promised. There's a real problem if the school said it had the expertise to accommodate a specific learning disability and he later found out the promise really was just a ruse to get him to play football. Once a student is admitted, the college has a responsibility to take to steps necessary to help him to graduate.

If Texas State informed him that he'd have to drop football and concentrate solely on his studies, that's another story. In that case, the college did the right thing for him. No college in the nation justifiably promises any student an NFL career. But it can promise him an education - unless he's not interested in that sort of thing.

[CatMom07]

I bit off topic...BUT. I also find it interesting that a lot of the posters on the Texas State board would occasionally insinuate that the reason why NSU(obviously not within the past couple years) and McNeese always had better football teams was because the entrance requirements are so low at NSU and McNeese and so high at Texas State that we are able to get athletes that wouldn't always be admitted to Texas State...clearly that theory is incorrect. I know that there are instances like this in college football...but let's not confuse Texas State with Stanford or Notre Dame.
Ok, I admit I don't come here much anymore and I haven't posted in ages but this was pointed out and it got my Irish up. Please check the entrance requirements for the schools you name before you make such a statement.
If you read the letter correctly, you would see the kid has a learning disability, of some sort. This would get him an academic waver.
That he, apparently, did not put everything he had into his studies and asked for help, too late, is not indicative of the U's entry or retention requirements.
In your statement you say "that wouldn't always" inferring that some would, while others wouldn't.

Back on point:
He said the only person that had his back was his dad. So, where was dad when we were failing this class? Shouldn't he have said....get some help, get a tutor, do something.....now! Not blaming the elder Mr. Dews, but to make that statement is just not right. I am sure the coaches didn't want to see any of their players fail like this. I just feel (opinion) they did their jobs, whatever that entails. You have to take responsibility for your academics and not expect that to fall on everyone else but you, yourself.
Agreed, he's a kid but there were things he could/should have done.....sooner.
Hell, McVaney (same class) is playing sports year round and just made the SLC All-Academic team. Houston played FB and was a COSIDA All American. We had tons of FB guys on the fall All Academic team. I was at the 2009 banquet and they ran out of room to showcase the guys that got that award that year.
Also, Teis stated in his radio interview, the other day, that every athletic team for the 2009/10 season was above the 925 APR.

From BCF

This problem is not exclusive to Texas State or our coaching staff. It is a problem that many athletic programs face. This is the same issue Mishak (Rivas) had and I'm sure there are others. I have been told some students wished Wright had more" pull" in the classroom. But I agree the coaches should not aid any more than is allowed by the NCAA.
I don't even hold the Dews family or Ralston accountable eiher. These kids and their families are told their kids have the ablilty to go pro because they are the local studs. They are given a pass their whole lives and without proper guidance or experience are sometimes doomed to fail when held accountable for themselves. Sure there are universities that will allow an athlete to stay eligible for the purpose of winning but those schools have many athletes that are churned and burned.

http://bobcatfans.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=19505

[tw_fatcat]

I am not really sure that this is a case of a true learning disability, but rather a case of the lazy ***. I had a class with Dews last summer and I saw him once. One time out of a summer semester course. Clearly this kid does not take school seriously.

[SU DOG]

College should be for an education. Not a football factory. Many players around the country should never be in college but rather a trade school or other program.

DITTO!! Refreshing to see such a comment - especially from an ASU Fan. By that I mean that a fan of such a successful football program would share that view.

[Bogus Megapardus]

If you read the letter correctly, you would see the kid has a learning disability, of some sort. This would get him an academic waver. . . [he] . . . apparently, did not put everything he had into his studies and asked for help.




CatMom07 -

The difficulty lies in whether or not Texas State did all that it could do, given the resources available to it, to help him succeed academically. Transfer to another, non-sports, academic college in Texas might have been perfectly appropriate. Such a transfer would have been well within the discretion and means of Texas State.

My concern arises when I consider whether Texas State looked at him as a student, or simply as a football player. I have to believe that he was viewed as a student first and foremost and that Texas State did all it could do to help him. He probably was given the option to stay in school with his full scholarship and complete his degree. If he chose not to go along with Texas State's recommendations, he doesn't belong in college in the first place.

[CatMom07]

Bogus, I think my biggest problem in all this is that he (in his letter) blamed everyone but himself. He had a free ride to a good college education and blew it off.

My daughter never had a problem approaching a prof for extra help or just to talk over something she didn't understand and as a GA, then an adjunct prof, her door was always open to anyone who wanted the same. And she did have football players in her classes, none of whom were coddled but none were neglected either. They were there as students first.

[TexasTerror]

I'd be interested to know what exactly the student was promised. There's a real problem if the school said it had the expertise to accommodate a specific learning disability and he later found out the promise really was just a ruse to get him to play football. Once a student is admitted, the college has a responsibility to take to steps necessary to help him to graduate.

In the state of Texas, to get learning accommodations, you need to have had a certified test. They just do not get accommodations or assistance (outside of the typical study skills help) to any random 'Joe Student'. If he had a legitimate learning issue, that falls on him to talk to the professor(s) to work out how to accommodate him within the class. As it was told to me, this stuff is there to create a "level playing field".


I am not really sure that this is a case of a true learning disability, but rather a case of the lazy ***. I had a class with Dews last summer and I saw him once. One time out of a summer semester course. Clearly this kid does not take school seriously.

If he claims he was a student with a learning disability, as I say above - it would have to be approved. He wouldn't be billed as a student with one unless it was legitimate. And you as a regular student would not necessarily (in 99.8% of the cases) know that another student had it.

[tw_fatcat]

I had a friend that got in as a student with a learning disability and it was bull. He was lazy and got diagnosed as ADHD. This is an all too often diagnosed easy out for kids and students. Approval for this type of thing is not hard to get.

Also, this does not explain his absence from class 99% of the time. Students with disabilities still go to class lectures.

[aggie6thman]

You have to really try to get a 58 in a class. This doesn't reflect poorly on the coaches, it looks bad for the player. Pretty funny the paper had to clean it up before they published it.

[tw_fatcat]

Exactly. He was lazy, which would also explain the fact that the kid got up to around 400 lbs while he was here.

[Sader87]

Me strong. Me like football. Me no like coaches at Texas St. Me go to Tyler Junior College now.

[txstatebobcat]

Dews was almost certainly going to be the starting nose tackle for the bobcats this upcoming semester. I believe that most universities offer athletes access to tutors and special concessions for those who have learning disabilities and I know that TxSt certainly has. I seriously doubt that any coach will promise potential recruits that the coach would talk to professors so that their grades could be raised.

[TokyoGriz]

Welcome to the real world kid. After you get out of TJC who is going to hold you hand then? No one. Get used to it.

[CatMom07]

Thing is, he is going to TJC and then try to get re-recruited to an FBS school? Hey, get a clue, you already flunked out of a DI school. Going back, after a semester at a JUCO, won't make the academics any easier.

[TTUEagles]

"Cleaned up for grammatical accuracy" and "I got an F" - pretty much sums it up there, Einstein...