Finally, NCAA and Common Sense

[osugrad21]

Not sure if anyone has been keeping up with this story, but its about damn time the NCAA showed some common sense..

Link

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Clemson player gets waiver

September 12, 2006
FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES


CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson received permission Monday from the NCAA to provide assistance to a freshman player who is taking care of his younger brother.
Ray Ray McElrathbey, 19, has temporary custody of his 11-year-old brother, Fahmarr, because of his mother's continuing drug problems and his father's gambling addiction. The brothers have moved from foster homes and now share an apartment near the Clemson campus.
The school had asked the NCAA for a waiver of its rule prohibiting athletes from obtaining gifts, cash or other benefits not provided to the general student population.
"Once the NCAA became aware of the circumstances, we immediately began working with the Atlantic Coast Conference and Clemson University to address this unique situation," said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of membership services.
The two had been living off McElrathbey's scholarship.


Here is a longer story...

Clemson's McElrathbey raises young brother

POSTED: 9:24 p.m. EDT, September 5, 2006


CLEMSON, South Carolina (AP) -- The alarm sounds at 6:15 a.m. and Clemson freshman Ray Ray McElrathbey starts a routine like few others in college football.
Along with classes, film work, defensive back meetings and football practice, McElrathbey sees that his 11-year-old brother, Fahmarr, is dressed and fed, finishes his homework and makes it to middle school on time.
McElrathbey, 19, has temporary custody of his brother because of his mother's continuing drug problems and his father's gambling addiction. The two brothers have shared experiences in foster homes and now share an apartment by the campus.
They live solely off McElrathbey's scholarship while Clemson's athletic department tries to get a waiver from the NCAA that might let them accept donations without jeopardizing McElrathbey's football eligibility.
McElrathbey sought custody because he was tired of worrying what might happen to Fahmarr living with their mother in Atlanta, Georgia.
"I wasn't going to let him go back to a foster home, back to the system," McElrathbey says.
The transition from football player to caregiver is one McElrathbey has cherished since Fahmarr's arrival in June.
"As a brother, it was still me first. As a parent, it's him first," McElrathbey says. "Before I do anything for me, got to do stuff for him."
The elder McElrathbey sounds like a father discussing the struggles of managing a sixth-grader. It often takes two or three shouts before Fahmarr rises and puts on his clothes. McElrathbey signs off on his brother's homework, meets with guidance counselors and tries to keep more fruit around the house.
McElrathbey has no car, so a teammate or friend gives Fahmarr a ride to R.C. Edwards Middle School.
Fahmarr returns to Clemson in the afternoons, often starting his homework at Vickery Hall, Clemson's athletic academic center, or a football coach's office while his older brother works out with the team.
After Tuesday's practice, Fahmarr was in his brother's orange No. 9 jersey throwing the ball to McElrathbey while teammates walked by saying hello or joking with him.
"It's fun living with my brother because we like the same things," Fahmarr said.
After practice, the pair return home. There's dinner, school work and some brotherly time before Fahmarr is asleep and McElrathbey catches up on his assignments, school and football. A big night of fun might be a movie with a teammate or friend.
McElrathbey doesn't mind sacrificing the kind of college life he hears about from teammates.
"My pastor told me it's the Lord wanting to slow me down. I'll take it as that," he said.
McElrathbey has seven brothers and sisters. Because of his mother's addiction, her children have been separated, some ending in foster care as she went to rehab, McElrathbey said.
McElrathbey's mother copes well without the stress of her large family, her son says. Other times she has vowed to get clean and go through rehab, but once she was again raising her children, her problems would resurface, McElrathbey said.
McElrathbey used sports to keep himself out of trouble, often living with coaches or other mentors who kept him in school and focused on the future.
When McElrathbey came to Clemson, he couldn't help but fret over Fahmarr. "You didn't see him at Christmas dinner in Orlando crying in my arms because of his brother," Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said.
While many in the athletic department have asked to help the McElrathbeys, Clemson must be careful the help is not seen as extra benefits in violation of NCAA rules. Clemson and the ACC have worked on a waiver request to the NCAA, athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said.
Koenning doesn't understand why his wife or other members of Clemson's coaching family can't assist with a trip to the grocery store or school. "I can take two boxes of toys out of my basement and give them to Goodwill, but I can't give them to Ray Ray?"
McElrathbey has no time left for a job, but makes extra spending money washing cars or mowing lawns. He says there is nothing they need he can't afford. "I just had to get rid of the 'great' things, what I call the material things," McElrathbey said.
The NCAA says it's working with Clemson and the ACC on the best solution to assist the McElrathbeys. While the rules prohibit most benefits beyond what comes with the scholarship, "individual circumstances can and are taken into consideration in unusual situations," the NCAA said in a statement.
Clemson safety Michael Hamlin often drives McElrathbey and Fahmarr, and takes Fahmarr for a bite when his older brother's tied up. "He's like a little clown. Everybody likes being around him," Hamlin said.
McElrathbey is glad for the help he gets. He's more happy knowing Fahmarr is safe and sound. The younger McElrathbey told his older brother he is a celebrity on campus now.
Fahmarr was supposed to be in Clemson temporarily. But now McElrathbey expects to maintain custody of his younger brother throughout his teen years. He stays as upbeat as possible and won't dwell on his mother's problems because it doesn't help him or, more importantly, Fahmarr. McElrathbey dreams his mother might one day stay drug free to guide her children, but isn't counting on it.
"You can't get mad at people for being who they are," he said. "You can accept it or you don't, but either way you can't get mad about it because it doesn't help."

[Bucky Katt]

Helluva story. It's impossible to root against a kid like this. It's a great story even before the NCAA got involved, but its made even better to finally see the NCAA remove its head from its rear long enough to get one decision right.

[crazybuckfan40]

I heard about this last nite.

It is a great story, and glad to see the NCAA have some common sense.

[osugrad21]

Rivals (Free)

]

A New Beginning

Cris Ard
TigerIllustrated.com Publisher



CLEMSON, (S.C.) ? A fresh start. A new beginning. Those are emotions running through the mind of Clemson red-shirt freshman cornerback Ray Ray McElrathbey following the NCAA's ruling on a special waiver granted on Monday.
Tigerillustrated.comClemson red-shirt freshman cornerback Ray Ray McElrathbey fields questions from reporters inside of the Jervey practice facility late Monday evening following his team's workout.

The waiver allows Clemson athletics department personnel to assist McElrathbey and his younger brother Fahmarr. The ruling also calls for clearance on a trust fund for the 11-year old, who McElratbhey has sole custody of, raising his younger brother while balancing academics and athletics as a division I-A student-athlete.
"I'm pleased. I'm greatly appreciative," McElrathbey told reporters inside of the Jervey practice facility late Monday evening. "I got a couple of calls today when it happened. People said they had heard the news. I also met with (Clemson) compliance where I got the okay."
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound defensive back said things have begun to look up as of late, naturally, having received an off-campus check, along with a grant.
"I'm just able to focus on more things now. I feel good spending a lot of time with him, but now I can have more time for myself. I know he will be taken care of," McElrathbey said. "We probably won't set everything up until next week. Most of the coaches live close by."
McElrathbey said it's a relief to know that coaches and other athletics department personnel can step in and provide assistance, particularly on transportation, without consequences.
"My brother can stay with coaches' wives or families when I'm on the road. I don't have to pay them now. Had he done that before, I would have had to pay them. Now they can keep him without it being an NCAA violation," he said. "I still have to go through compliance with everyone that keeps him."
The former Atlanta, Ga. - Mays High standout did not give an indication Monday that life as a father-figure and a student-athlete rolled into one has been difficult. "It's great because I have to be a responsible adult taking care of my brother. But what happened today is great. It takes a lot off of me, so I will be able to focus more on athletics."
Clemson defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Vic Koenning told reporters Monday he's got a couple of boxes of toys waiting on young Fahmarr.
"I'm happy for the young man. I don't know all the parameters of this just yet, but I can help him if he needs help," Koenning said. "I've got a stockpile of clothes at the house I can pass on. We've got some things Fahmarr would like. I'm just glad we can be human beings."
Koenning told members of the media a week ago McElrathbey was crying in his arms in Orlando, Fla. last Christmas because of stress, worrying over the welfare of his younger brother.
"I think that young man (Fahmarr) is more stable and emotionally sound," Koenning added. "He's way better off now than he was before he got here when they were out there in Las Vegas or Atlanta or wherever they were."
McElrathbey said Christmas morning in 2006 should be a brighter day. "I don't want him to experience the things I had to go through. I know how it was when you didn't get anything Christmas morning. My older siblings have gone through it, and I wouldn't won't him to go through something like that. It leaves you hopeless if you don't have a strong mind and a strong conscience."
Tigerillustrated.comMcElrathbey is shown here last December on Thunder Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl complex in Orlando, Fla., as Clemson prepared to face Colorado in the Champs Sports Bowl.

The former three-star rated selection said despite adversity and the not-knowing he went through in anticipation of the NCAA's ruling, he was always hopeful a decision would be reached in his favor.
"I always thought I was going to get it. I had people sending me messages asking me if I wanted them to send letters to the NCAA about it," he said. "Thank God it worked out."
McElrathbey gave the NCAA the benefit of the doubt on Monday, telling reporters he felt the ruling would have come in his favor even without local, regional and ultimately national exposure.
"I would hope they would have still done this. But I'm glad we didn't have to cross that bridge. I don't think they would have done something like that (decided against the waiver)."
McElrathbey said he has had upwards of 5,000 messages from well-wishers and supporters since his story was first-reported by the Charleston Post & Courier last month.
"I'd like to thank all those people. I'd like to thank my Clemson family, my teammates, every church organization and regular Joe for everything they have done for me. I'd like to thank everyone for all the calls and e-mails," he said.
The Peach State native said he'll soon find out the specifics of his brother's trust fund after further briefings from Clemson's compliance office.
As for Fahmarr and whether or not the 11-year old fully understands the magnitude of what the NCAA's ruling entails, Ray Ray said in some aspects he does.
"His favorite thing is, 'Ray Ray, I made you famous.' So I think he understands the publicity," McElrathbey said with a smile.