If you guys are itching for some football, highly recommend the Netflix series "Last Chance U", based on the 3-time JUCO nat'l champion East MS CC's 2015 football team.

STR because now-Tiger Caleb Grant is on the team, speaks at least once, maybe in episode 2. Won't spoil how their season ends. Series is six 1-hour episodes.

If cursing bothers you, don't watch, as coach Buddy Stephens and the players drop an F-bomb in almost every sentence they speak. 2 brawls, head coach fighting a sideline ref during a game, players suspended. Unbelievably entertaining. Netflix is filming Season Two now in Scooba.

Surprise star is Brittany Wagner, the team academic counselor who begs, threatens and cajoles players to attend class & pay attention - "Got a pencil?". Ronald Ollie, DJ Law and back-up QB John Franklin (now with Auburn) are the players followed the most. Spoiler alert - Franklin has transferred from Florida State, but is the backup QB. He gets to play when the starting QB gets injured early in a game late in the season that Auburn is scouting, and runs for 6 TDs in the first half.

Ronald Ollie is the lovable defensive lineman, has an offer from SEMU, we see him being recruited, but blows it off for a better offer. UM is mentioned in the last episode, but apparently never offers Ollie.

One of the problems is...too many faculty member at a place like East think they are helping those kids by allowing them to do nothing in class, even create an intimidating environment for fellow students in the same classes, and then essentially giving them As.

Excusing the over the top language as just something college kids do, as though the actual language they are spewing is the same thing as an occasional line.

There is often zero accountability...and while some of the players are good enough to make it to the NFL, most are not, and they learn nothing. When faculty feel intimidated to maintain class control, as though they are in high school where sometimes it is a game among students to be disrespectful, it makes it very painful. Have heard this story related many times by transfers from JUCOs, both faculty and student. Note, not all are like East. Of the four northern Mississippi JUCOs, which place a lot of kids at Memphis after their two years, ICC and NE are much much better, while Coahoma and NW, much less so.

(08-26-2016 04:07 PM)Mimi Wrote:  One of the problems is...too many faculty member at a place like East think they are helping those kids by allowing them to do nothing in class, even create an intimidating environment for fellow students in the same classes, and then essentially giving them As.

Excusing the over the top language as just something college kids do, as though the actual language they are spewing is the same thing as an occasional line.

There is often zero accountability...and while some of the players are good enough to make it to the NFL, most are not, and they learn nothing. When faculty feel intimidated to maintain class control, as though they are in high school where sometimes it is a game among students to be disrespectful, it makes it very painful. Have heard this story related many times by transfers from JUCOs, both faculty and student. Note, not all are like East. Of the four northern Mississippi JUCOs, which place a lot of kids at Memphis after their two years, ICC and NE are much much better, while Coahoma and NW, much less so.

That's interesting, Mimi.

Re the language, I was just amazed at how many f-bombs the players threw at the coaches. No surprise how much the coaches cussed.

Re the teachers, I got a different impression. Teachers were bending over backwards to help the kids. And seemed pretty strict - 4 absences from any class and they don't pass. In one scene, the counselor, Brittany, was literally reading the coursework in her office to a couple of the guys. Had to make Ollie take off his headphones. He was a trip, said he could concentrate better listening to his music.

The running back, DJ Law, did not graduate because he missed too many classes. But, I think he is enrolled at UAB now. Maybe he made it up during the spring and summer.

You'd be suprised how much cussing goes on in a football team, from players and coaches alike.

Even the coaches that appear to have clean images.

(08-26-2016 04:20 PM)Tigx Wrote:  

(08-26-2016 04:07 PM)Mimi Wrote:  One of the problems is...too many faculty member at a place like East think they are helping those kids by allowing them to do nothing in class, even create an intimidating environment for fellow students in the same classes, and then essentially giving them As.

Excusing the over the top language as just something college kids do, as though the actual language they are spewing is the same thing as an occasional line.

There is often zero accountability...and while some of the players are good enough to make it to the NFL, most are not, and they learn nothing. When faculty feel intimidated to maintain class control, as though they are in high school where sometimes it is a game among students to be disrespectful, it makes it very painful. Have heard this story related many times by transfers from JUCOs, both faculty and student. Note, not all are like East. Of the four northern Mississippi JUCOs, which place a lot of kids at Memphis after their two years, ICC and NE are much much better, while Coahoma and NW, much less so.

That's interesting, Mimi.

Re the language, I was just amazed at how many f-bombs the players threw at the coaches. No surprise how much the coaches cussed.

Re the teachers, I got a different impression. Teachers were bending over backwards to help the kids. And seemed pretty strict - 4 absences from any class and they don't pass. In one scene, the counselor, Brittany, was literally reading the coursework in her office to a couple of the guys. Had to make Ollie take off his headphones. He was a trip, said he could concentrate better listening to his music.

The running back, DJ Law, did not graduate because he missed too many classes. But, I think he is enrolled at UAB now. Maybe he made it up during the spring and summer.

When I first started college I concentrated better with headphones on too.

For those following Last Chance U, one of the players the series focused on has qualified at UAB:

"Brittany Wagner
‏@Brittany_MSgirl
Thrilled to report that DJ Law has graduated from EMCC and is headed to UAB now!"

The Academic Counselor was arguably the worst culprit.

If the sole goal is to be sure these kids can play D1 ball again, and apparently that is the sole goal, then great. But she does absolutely nothing for them academically, which is her job. Bringing a pencil to class does it for her. She also appears to enjoy the flirtatious and often inappropriate behavior from the players, as well as from her. She is supposed to be in a position as an authority figure, yet she comes across as a ninny who likes that these kids give her attention.

They are playing her. And hundreds suffer because of this- even if that kid ended up at UAB, with zero life lesson from East except play football, make a occasional class while showing zero respect to your faculty and fellow classmates.

Disgrace. And her Mississippi Girl aren't I cute presentation even more disgraceful. Of course the kids like her. She flirts, shows some curves, touches them, lets them touch her. That is not being a player's administrator. That is being a sap with no real adult responsibility level.

(08-30-2016 05:36 PM)Mimi Wrote:  The Academic Counselor was arguably the worst culprit.

If the sole goal is to be sure these kids can play D1 ball again, and apparently that is the sole goal, then great. But she does absolutely nothing for them academically, which is her job. Bringing a pencil to class does it for her. She also appears to enjoy the flirtatious and often inappropriate behavior from the players, as well as from her. She is supposed to be in a position as an authority figure, yet she comes across as a ninny who likes that these kids give her attention.

They are playing her. And hundreds suffer because of this- even if that kid ended up at UAB, with zero life lesson from East except play football, make a occasional class while showing zero respect to your faculty and fellow classmates.

Disgrace. And her Mississippi Girl aren't I cute presentation even more disgraceful. Of course the kids like her. She flirts, shows some curves, touches them, lets them touch her. That is not being a player's administrator. That is being a sap with no real adult responsibility level.

I think you are the only one that saw it that way.

Not among my fellow faculty and actual academic counselors, who recognize that even while some schools have a student population that is more needy, the one thing those kids must show, 10 on their ACT considered, USA modicum of respect for academics. And any faculty or counselor that does not instill that, is failing them. Athlete or not. What a golden opportunity for some of these kids....for a counselor to cutesy poo them instead of actually academically, even in the limited environment of EMCC academics, checking them, is failing.

It is not one big awwww fest as she promoted. She sought pure popularity over respect. One semi stern but still joking suggestion to turn down some head phones does not change that. A systematic and even handed but solid no nonsense this is not how you act, turn it off, pay attention or leave, would work better. Maybe a kid or two leave. But more respect that, learn something, and still play great football.

Worked at Memphis, although admittedly, all our freshmen are qualifiers.but when group think gets them to act like this is high school, we deal with it, and they respect and learn something beyond football gets them cute attention.

Again, that was widespread sentiment by our faculty and professional staff.

I see Mimi's point and agree with most of it. It seems the program is simply trying to get the kids eligible by any means necessary instead of instilling them useful tools for their lives. Its great for those kids who may have a NFL future, but it is a failure for those who don't.

Anybody notice that when the Advisor was talking to Ollie's friend about him pissing off SEMO she asks him what's up with Ollie and he says something to the effect of "he hasn't gotten the offers he wanted. Like at this point he thought he'd at least get a Memphis offer." This is also the same dude who was talking to SE LA coach and told him he couldn't tell him what he really wanted because the cameras were there. haha. Bet that SE LA dude almost crapped his pants before saying 10 times they would follow NCAA rules whether cameras were there or not.

(08-31-2016 09:00 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I see Mimi's point and agree with most of it. It seems the program is simply trying to get the kids eligible by any means necessary instead of instilling them useful tools for their lives. Its great for those kids who may have a NFL future, but it is a failure for those who don't.

Agreed, but I do think these kids are so far behind the 8 ball when they come to EMCC the act of getting them to a 2.5 and into the more stable environment of a D-1 program is a huge step in their lives.

(08-31-2016 09:08 AM)true_blue_thru_and_thru Wrote:  Anybody notice that when the Advisor was talking to Ollie's friend about him pissing off SEMO she asks him what's up with Ollie and he says something to the effect of "he hasn't gotten the offers he wanted. Like at this point he thought he'd at least get a Memphis offer." This is also the same dude who was talking to SE LA coach and told him he couldn't tell him what he really wanted because the cameras were there. haha. Bet that SE LA dude almost crapped his pants before saying 10 times they would follow NCAA rules whether cameras were there or not.

Wasn't Ollie who said that to the SE LA recruiter about turning off the cameras. Was a different player.

I dont think that EMCC treats their players any different than any other school, D1 or not. All the schools want, is a football player, they do what they can to keep the football player eligible during the 4 years and then dump him at the end of it. If the football player wants to take advantage of getting a good degree with good grades, that is their priority, but school doesn't see it as theirs.

(08-30-2016 05:36 PM)Mimi Wrote:  The Academic Counselor was arguably the worst culprit.

If the sole goal is to be sure these kids can play D1 ball again, and apparently that is the sole goal, then great. But she does absolutely nothing for them academically, which is her job. Bringing a pencil to class does it for her. She also appears to enjoy the flirtatious and often inappropriate behavior from the players, as well as from her. She is supposed to be in a position as an authority figure, yet she comes across as a ninny who likes that these kids give her attention.

They are playing her. And hundreds suffer because of this- even if that kid ended up at UAB, with zero life lesson from East except play football, make a occasional class while showing zero respect to your faculty and fellow classmates.

Disgrace. And her Mississippi Girl aren't I cute presentation even more disgraceful. Of course the kids like her. She flirts, shows some curves, touches them, lets them touch her. That is not being a player's administrator. That is being a sap with no real adult responsibility level.

Get over yourself.

(08-30-2016 05:36 PM)Mimi Wrote:  The Academic Counselor was arguably the worst culprit.

If the sole goal is to be sure these kids can play D1 ball again, and apparently that is the sole goal, then great. But she does absolutely nothing for them academically, which is her job. Bringing a pencil to class does it for her. She also appears to enjoy the flirtatious and often inappropriate behavior from the players, as well as from her. She is supposed to be in a position as an authority figure, yet she comes across as a ninny who likes that these kids give her attention.

They are playing her. And hundreds suffer because of this- even if that kid ended up at UAB, with zero life lesson from East except play football, make a occasional class while showing zero respect to your faculty and fellow classmates.

Disgrace. And her Mississippi Girl aren't I cute presentation even more disgraceful. Of course the kids like her. She flirts, shows some curves, touches them, lets them touch her. That is not being a player's administrator. That is being a sap with no real adult responsibility level.

Are you in the foreign languages department?

I tried watching the first 30 min., I had to turn it off because it looked like a baby sitting camp.

(08-31-2016 09:10 AM)true_blue_thru_and_thru Wrote:  

(08-31-2016 09:00 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I see Mimi's point and agree with most of it. It seems the program is simply trying to get the kids eligible by any means necessary instead of instilling them useful tools for their lives. Its great for those kids who may have a NFL future, but it is a failure for those who don't.

Agreed, but I do think these kids are so far behind the 8 ball when they come to EMCC the act of getting them to a 2.5 and into the more stable environment of a D-1 program is a huge step in their lives.

The way a lot of them get to 2.5 is...they get actual football theory credit for playing football, and they get several hours of A. They take classes like learning to be a college student, and get an A regardless. They take some classes by some teachers who think they are helping these kids by giving them an A regardless. Typically not mainstream academic courses but physical education or health style courses. The kids do literally no work and have many hours of A every semester, so eking out Ds can get them to the 2.5.

Yes it is a huge step but for many of them they are not really getting a real 2.5, but the D1 schools do not care nor do the Easts of the world. With that, there are certainly plenty of football players at the JUCOs who are working to get real grades. Very few of the stars of the documentary are included in that group.

(08-31-2016 12:11 PM)TigerSeth Wrote:  

(08-30-2016 05:36 PM)Mimi Wrote:  The Academic Counselor was arguably the worst culprit.

If the sole goal is to be sure these kids can play D1 ball again, and apparently that is the sole goal, then great. But she does absolutely nothing for them academically, which is her job. Bringing a pencil to class does it for her. She also appears to enjoy the flirtatious and often inappropriate behavior from the players, as well as from her. She is supposed to be in a position as an authority figure, yet she comes across as a ninny who likes that these kids give her attention.

They are playing her. And hundreds suffer because of this- even if that kid ended up at UAB, with zero life lesson from East except play football, make a occasional class while showing zero respect to your faculty and fellow classmates.

Disgrace. And her Mississippi Girl aren't I cute presentation even more disgraceful. Of course the kids like her. She flirts, shows some curves, touches them, lets them touch her. That is not being a player's administrator. That is being a sap with no real adult responsibility level.

Get over yourself.

What does that mean? Get over myself by not offering a sober, but backed by over a decades worth of experience opinion, on an opinion board?

Get over YOURself.