I wonder what college grade point average this student-thug athlete earned? What classes and major?
I wonder about his entrance exam scores? How much money did it cost the state's taxpayers, to fund his preparation for professional sports, with potential to earn tens of million$ ?
No doubt some team will pick him up, because they are corrupted by the insanity of pro sports today.
Normally I would agree with you about many of these "student athletes" but Rice doesn't really fit the mold.
(In no way do I condone what he did in that elevator, just to be clear.)
Based on all that I've read & heard about this guy over the years, it may be that the elevator incident was more of the exception than the rule for him. I think that it was pretty clear that they were both drunk out of their gourds at that casino and things got terribly out of hand. He may have been acting more on drunken impulse when his wife (girlfriend at the time) spat in his face and he dropped her with the one punch. I don't know, but I've listened to numerous interviews with people that know him wel,l and they all swear that it was completely out of character for the both of them.
Prior to this incident Rice was very involved with the Baltimore city government & numerous area charities. He was often called on to appear and speak at sometimes 2-3 events per week, he rarely begged out of any of them from what I have heard. Some have used the term "model citizen" with regard to Rice and his charity support and volunteerism.
As far as his academic record, I have been able to find a few tidbits:
- As a junior, Rice totaled 1,332 yards and 21 scores on the ground. In the season opener vs. White Plains High, he gained 105 yards on just four carries. He also excelled on the basketball team, starting at point guard. He led the team to the state finals in 2003-2004. He graduated with a 3.7 GPA.
Rice enrolled at Rutgers in 2005, turning down scholarship offers from Arizona State, Penn State and Syracuse. Rice earned Freshman All-American honors as he totaled 1,120 yards and five touchdowns on 195 carries (5.7-yard average) and 1,185 all-purpose yards, despite starting just five of 12 games that year. His 1,120 yards set a school freshman record and he was the team's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1994.
- Excerpt from draft report:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profiles/ray-rice?id=941-
Ray Rice: I'm Going Back to School, Gotta Get My College Degree!Ray Rice is no dummy ... telling TMZ Sports he's GOING BACK TO COLLEGE so he can finally get his degree.
The Baltimore Ravens running back was out in NYC last night when he revealed that he recently enrolled in online classes at Rutgers University in an effort to lock up his diploma.
The 27-year-old admits he's still a long way from donning the cap and gown ... but says he's determined to finish what he started back in 2005.
We've learned ... Rice is currently taking 4 courses:
-- Intro to Logic
-- Public Speaking
-- Employment Law
-- Diversity at work
- Excerpt from:
http://www.tmz.com/2014/01/31/ray-rice-college-rutgers-online-classes/#ixzz3CpticPzOSo there you have it, an incomplete picture, but one that does hint at him not being the typical sports thugs that many will immediately assume that he his. In my view, time will tell with this guy, if he continues on the straight and narrow, then I think we can chalk up that incident to a very serious drunken mistake by a young man. We shall see...
Edit to add: Apparently former Rutgers AD Tim Pernetti was one that prompted Rice in 2013 to finish his degree:
“Let me tell you about my last conversation with Tim Pernetti,” Rice told the Newark Star-Ledger's Steve Politi. “It was at Rutgers' pro day. You know what it was about? It was about Ray Rice getting his degree.
“That was what he wanted. He was telling me that to be a true pillar at Rutgers, I needed to graduate. He wanted me to register for some online courses so I can get that done. I mean, I just won a Super Bowl and that's what he wanted!”
- Excerpt from:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/22014253/Seahawks%27%20Sherman%20says%20he%20hid%20concussion%20as%20rookie