Witt's Rhodes Scholar interview

[bulldog10jw]

The same day as the Yale-Harvard game

http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/nov/01/witt-12-faces-choice/

On Saturday, Patrick Witt ’12 led the Yale football team to a hard-fought victory over Columbia.

Forty-eight hours later, the senior quarterback received a phone call from Daniel Promislow, secretary of District 6 for the Rhodes Scholarship, who informed him that he had just been selected as a finalist for the award — which funds two or three years of study at the University of Oxford for about 80 scholars selected worldwide. The honor raises a great dilemma: Witt’s interview is scheduled for Nov. 19, the same day as The Game.

[Uncle Rico's Clan]

If I remember correctly, a similar scenario occurred a few years ago with a player at Florida State. I can't remember his name right now, but what I recall from the story was that they were able to accommodate both the interview and the game. I think he even went on to become a Rhode Scholar and chose that over the NFL. Anyone else remember this, or am I mixing up a few different stories?

[bjtheflamesfan]

Myron Rolle...nailed his Rhodes Scholar interview, took a chartered flight to the Maryland game (with the NCAA's blessing), was named a Rhodes Scholar three hours before the game (which they won btw), spent a year in England working on his Masters and then went into the NFL draft

[Franks Tanks]

Myron Rolle...nailed his Rhodes Scholar interview, took a chartered flight to the Maryland game (with the NCAA's blessing), was named a Rhodes Scholar three hours before the game (which they won btw), spent a year in England working on his Masters and then went into the NFL draft

That's him. He is currently not on an NFL roster,and desires to be a doctor. It may be prudent to enter medical school and give up his NFL career.

[Ivytalk]

I'm happy for Patrick, and I hope he gets the Rhodes, but I say Harvard wins The Game whether he plays or not!xnodx

Sorry, bulldog!:p

BTW, gotta love what Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard '05) has done with those Bills!:D

[bulldog10jw]

I'm happy for Patrick, and I hope he gets the Rhodes, but I say Harvard wins The Game whether he plays or not!xnodx

Sorry, bulldog!:p

BTW, gotta love what Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard '05) has done with those Bills!:D

You may be right IT, but Yale still has a better chance with Witt, then without him.

Glad to see Fitzpatrick doing so well, especially since he is a local from Arizona.

[ngineer]

Yes, I remember the Rolle scenario. That was cool. Not exactly the same as a Rhodes interview, but in 1971 our captain at Lehigh, a DT, was pre-med and received word that U of Penn Medical School scheduled his interview for a certain Saturday in October. At that time, most med schools were pretty strict with a 'take it or leave it' attitude. Tom told them he had a game and wasn't letting his team down, requesting a different day or he would forego the interview. U of P rescheduled for him. If I recall correctly, he was offered admission, but went elsewhere, but showed his loyalty to his teammates. He's still in practice at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philly.

[Ivytalk]

You may be right IT, but Yale still has a better chance with Witt, then without him.

Glad to see Fitzpatrick doing so well, especially since he is a local from Arizona.

Agreed as to Witt. And if Yale enters The Game with just one Ivy loss, they might just get that first home win against H since '99! Should be a good one.

[danefan]

Good pub on Sportscenter tonight about this.

[Ivytalk]

Harvard's Pat McInally lost the Rhodes (California) to Pat Haden in '75 and was mighty ticked about it.

[Franks Tanks]

The Rhodes scholarship is a tremendous honor, but the real value in becoming one is simply the prestige of being selected. After all the prize or the the actual schoalrship is just one year at Oxford. Anyone getting to this stage is an academic superstar and will be highly successful in life. Witt has already been offered a job at a big NYC investment bank and will make a pile of money either way. The education at Oxford is somewhat irrelevant for him, and as I said the real honor is telling everyone you were a Rhodes scholar for the rest of you life. Neither is guaranteed, but 50 years from now does he want to tell his grandkids about the time he beat Harvard in the Game, or his time as a Rhodes Scholar. It is a decision only he can make.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/yale_quarterback_patrick_witt.html


Yale quarterback Patrick Witt has decided to give up the opportunity to compete for a Rhodes Scholarship in order to play against archrival Harvard.

The school announced Sunday that Witt has withdrawn his application, despite being a finalist for the prestigious scholarship. The scholarship interview had been scheduled for Saturday, the same day as what is simply called "The Game."

[Grizalltheway]

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/yale_quarterback_patrick_witt.html

Pretty dumb move for a soon-to-be Yale graduate. xsmhx

[Uncle Rico's Clan]

It's his decision, I think you have to give credit to someone for making the decision they truly feel is the most important. When it's all said and done a degree from Yale will do him well, and I'm sure he doesn't want look back and regret not finishing out his football career with all his teammates.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

It's his decision, I think you have to give credit to someone for making the decision they truly feel is the most important. When it's all said and done a degree from Yale will do him well, and I'm sure he doesn't want look back and regret not finishing out his football career with all his teammates.

I agree. His Yale degree and leadership skills will take him anywhere he needs to go. Quite frankly, he doesn't a need a Rhodes Scholarship imo.

[Pard4Life]

I agree. His Yale degree and leadership skills will take him anywhere he needs to go. Quite frankly, he doesn't a need a Rhodes Scholarship imo.

Were you at the YSU-NDSU game?

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Were you at the YSU-NDSU game?

Indeed I was...

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/313515_287317017967403_100000673205985_918145_2067 217075_n.jpg

[DFW HOYA]

Pretty dumb move for a soon-to-be Yale graduate. xsmhx

Perhaps, but he's cemented a place in the Yale football pantheon.

As coach T.A.D. Jones put it a century ago, "Gentlemen, you are now going to play football against Harvard. Never again in your whole life will you do anything so important."

However, the Denver Post's Woody Paige stepped in it today on Around The Horn, complaining that the NCAA should have moved the time of the game to accomodate the interview. "Play the game at night!" he argued.

I guess Paige (a former NY sportswriter) forgot about the Yale Bowl...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Perhaps, but he's cemented a place in the Yale football pantheon.

As coach T.A.D. Jones put it a century ago, "Gentlemen, you are now going to play football against Harvard. Never again in your whole life will you do anything so important."

However, the Denver Post's Woody Paige stepped in it today on Around The Horn, complaining that the NCAA should have moved the time of the game to accomodate the interview. "Play the game at night!" he argued.

I guess Paige (a former NY sportswriter) forgot about the Yale Bowl...

Am I the only one who suspects that the Rhodes Scholar people are trying to send some sort of message here? Choose: the brutish sport we hate, or a chance at becoming a Rhodes Scholar?

[UNH Fanboi]

Am I the only one who suspects that the Rhodes Scholar people are trying to send some sort of message here? Choose: the brutish sport we hate, or a chance at becoming a Rhodes Scholar?

The Rhodes Scholarship is very pro sports. Rhodes' original criteria:
Literary and scholastic attainments;
Energy to use one's talents to the fullest, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports;
Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship;
Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one's fellow beings.

[Wildcat80]

I don't know alot about this but IMO if the Rhodes scholarship is what it says it is they WOULD have rescheduled. No?

[bjtheflamesfan]

Bear in mind that the Yale Bowl does not have lights...(dont know if the Harvard Stadium does either...or for that matter its availability)

[Mr. C]

Am I the only one who suspects that the Rhodes Scholar people are trying to send some sort of message here? Choose: the brutish sport we hate, or a chance at becoming a Rhodes Scholar?

The Rhodes Scholar in our family, my cousin and former Speaker of the House Carl Albert, had to take up wrestling at the University of Oklahoma to help him win his scholarship to Oxford University. Carl Albert was all of about 5-foot-4 and barely weighed a bit over 100 pounds, but he did well enough to get it done.

[Mr. C]

Bear in mind that the Yale Bowl does not have lights...(dont know if the Harvard Stadium does either...or for that matter its availability)

Harvard plays one night game every year, usually on a Friday evening. It is a fun atmosphere to take part in. This year's night game was the Ivy League opener against Brown.