The NCAA has denied Jerrell Powe eligibility to play football at Ole Miss for the upcoming 2007 season. He can’t play football, but he can get financial aid to attend classes and receive an education from Ole Miss, a school known for their academics not just their athletics.

My question is, do you think the ruling handed down should be considered a victory or a defeat for Powe?

I guess it would depend on who you ask. If you ask the professor, he may say it’s a victory because Powe will get to continue his education. If you ask the Ole Miss football fan, they may say it’s a defeat because he can't contribute to a Rebel defense that needs him, the one thing we know he’d be good at.

There’s no denying that Powe needs a lot of coaching in the classroom, but he also needs his team on the field. Football is what he’s good at, it what he knows.

If he does in fact have a learning disability such as dyslexia, than he should get the academic support that he needs to succeed. However, I would venture to say even if Powe becomes a stellar student in the classroom his success will be defined as an athlete on the field.

Christi