USNA football player dismissed!

"Sources close to the situation told The Capital that Curry intends to voluntary resign from the Naval Academy and transfer to another school in the wake of his dismissal from the football team."

Sounds like he was at the academy just to play football. Add that to all his demerits and one honor offense and I think it is good thing he is leaving.
 
Unfortunate situation, but it sounds like it was the best decision (if the news report is accurate...).
 
"Sources close to the situation told The Capital that Curry intends to voluntary resign from the Naval Academy and transfer to another school in the wake of his dismissal from the football team."

Sounds like he was at the academy just to play football. Add that to all his demerits and one honor offense and I think it is good thing he is leaving.

Interesting how they left that for last. I don't think he's leaving, sounds like he's allowed to walk away and leave the taxpayers to hold the bag, and save face for an ADM.
 
Interesting how they left that for last. I don't think he's leaving, sounds like he's allowed to walk away and leave the taxpayers to hold the bag, and save face for an ADM.

Maybe I misunderstood, I thought he was just finishing his 3rd class year. If he leaves before 2nd class year begins he can walk away just like anyone else that decides the academy isn't for him/her, without incurring time in service or paying back any money.

IMO, If he really wanted to be a Naval officer he would not have an honor offense and all those demerits plus he would stay at the academy even though he can't play football. It is obvious to me he is not cut out for academy/military life. I find it hard to believe the ADM can't see that. :rolleyes:

I do agree that it allows the ADM to save face if he walks away now instead of being kicked out.
 
Maybe I misunderstood, I thought he was just finishing his 3rd class year. If he leaves before 2nd class year begins he can walk away just like anyone else that decides the academy isn't for him/her, without incurring time in service or paying back any money.

IMO, If he really wanted to be a Naval officer he would not have an honor offense and all those demerits plus he would stay at the academy even though he can't play football. It is obvious to me he is not cut out for academy/military life. I find it hard to believe the ADM can't see that. :rolleyes:

I do agree that it allows the ADM to save face if he walks away now instead of being kicked out.

IIRC, the original article called for his separation and payback of education. Normally you don't have to pay for your R&B or tuition if [you] under normal circumstances, quit before your third year.
 
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I know I can't assume too much but it seems to me that the whole process of recruiting new cadets for sports sort of defeats the purpose of a genuine admissions process and is unfair for the other cadets who go through a lot more to grab an appointment. Not to mention invite people of potentially lesser character. Thats probably why it appears that its usually the cadets who have been recruited and bypassed standard screening processes cause more trouble for themselves and the academy.
 
Ehh, I don't really think that is fair Chock. 1) Not all of the recruited corps squad athletes were admitted due to just sports. Many of them are exceptional candidates that would get in recruited or not. 2) If the academies didn't recruit at all it would be difficult to compete in D1 sports. D1 sports provide great exposure and publicity for the academies. 3) Just because one guy at Navy was a jerk doesn't say anything about other athletes. I'm sure there are plenty of cadets/mids not on sports teams that have made mistakes or not had the right motives. You can argue that its not fair in the admissions process if a kid 1 is more qualified than kid 2 but kid 2 is a recruited football player and gets in while kid 1 is rejected, but I think its unfair to say that recruited athletes have lesser morals or don't want to become leaders and officers in the military. No offense but be careful about making generalizations off of one case and as someone who hasn't been at an academy/in the military.
 
True. Whether or not you are recruited, every applicant has to jump through the same nominations, DODMERB, CFA, ect. hoops.
 
Ehh, I don't really think that is fair Chock. 1) Not all of the recruited corps squad athletes were admitted due to just sports. Many of them are exceptional candidates that would get in recruited or not. 2) If the academies didn't recruit at all it would be difficult to compete in D1 sports. D1 sports provide great exposure and publicity for the academies. 3) Just because one guy at Navy was a jerk doesn't say anything about other athletes. I'm sure there are plenty of cadets/mids not on sports teams that have made mistakes or not had the right motives. You can argue that its not fair in the admissions process if a kid 1 is more qualified than kid 2 but kid 2 is a recruited football player and gets in while kid 1 is rejected, but I think its unfair to say that recruited athletes have lesser morals or don't want to become leaders and officers in the military. No offense but be careful about making generalizations off of one case and as someone who hasn't been at an academy/in the military.

Haha ohhhhh my. That came out wrong:rolleyes:. But I wasn't generalizing based off of that Navy football fiasco several months back and I didn't intend to make it sound so. Thanks for pointing it out BN.

However, I still contend that the practice of recruiting cadets on their athleticism goes against what the Army is all about. Regardless of whether their other credentials make them worthy of appointment, these guys are being invited to play football and thats the biggest reason why they're brought in, not because WP thinks they'll become great officers. I know that its important to fundraising and maintaining a good reputation but its inherently unfair in the admissions process. Its an advantage that they would have otherwise not wielded had WP not contacted them. I'm going to bet that most of them will be putting football before Army first by accepting an offer of appointment. Sure, some might go on to become great officers and a real asset to their country. But there will also be some who don't. Like you mentioned, its a bit unfair to the other candidates who apply with an honest wish to serve their country but simply don't have an outstanding skill that suddenly makes them less desirable than someone who does and who may or may not be as enthusiastic about serving. True, it would be impossible for West Point to perfectly pick a class that's free of bad apples, but at least the playing field would be a lot more level if everyone followed a standard.


True. Whether or not you are recruited, every applicant has to jump through the same nominations, DODMERB, CFA, ect. hoops.

Really? I was under the impression that in extreme cases, recruited athletes could even bypass the standard nomination process. And I don't think passing health/fitness standards are hardly a challenge to star athletes who are probably already in great physical shape.
 
Haha ohhhhh my. That came out wrong:rolleyes:. But I wasn't generalizing based off of that Navy football fiasco several months back and I didn't intend to make it sound so. Thanks for pointing it out BN.

However, I still contend that the practice of recruiting cadets on their athleticism goes against what the Army is all about. Regardless of whether their other credentials make them worthy of appointment, these guys are being invited to play football and thats the biggest reason why they're brought in, not because WP thinks they'll become great officers. I know that its important to fundraising and maintaining a good reputation but its inherently unfair in the admissions process. Its an advantage that they would have otherwise not wielded had WP not contacted them. I'm going to bet that most of them will be putting football before Army first by accepting an offer of appointment. Sure, some might go on to become great officers and a real asset to their country. But there will also be some who don't. Like you mentioned, its a bit unfair to the other candidates who apply with an honest wish to serve their country but simply don't have an outstanding skill that suddenly makes them less desirable than someone who does and who may or may not be as enthusiastic about serving. True, it would be impossible for West Point to perfectly pick a class that's free of bad apples, but at least the playing field would be a lot more level if everyone followed a standard.




Really? I was under the impression that in extreme cases, recruited athletes could even bypass the standard nomination process. And I don't think passing health/fitness standards are hardly a challenge to star athletes who are probably already in great physical shape.

Ever watch a heavyweight wrestler try to run the mile at school? It is quite a show:shake:.
 
Army recruits for football? I guess the better players go off to Air Force and Navy. :wink:
 
However, I still contend that the practice of recruiting cadets on their athleticism goes against what the Army is all about. Regardless of whether their other credentials make them worthy of appointment, these guys are being invited to play football and thats the biggest reason why they're brought in, not because WP thinks they'll become great officers.

In defense of recruited athletes: Getting to the point that you stand out enough in athletics to be a D1 recruit in any sport does not happen by accident: it takes hard work; passion; you must push yourself beyond what you thought you could achieve even when the reward may not be there; confidence; persistence; time management; teamwork. Guess what? None of that is reflected in one's GPA or ACT score. In fact, the many hours per week required to achieve this level athletically may well damage GPA (I know that top teenage swimmers spend 20 hours training per week year round). This sounds to me like exactly what the Army is about and what they want from their officers.
 
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Ex-football player Curry resigns from academy

Navy Times
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 20, 2010 10:15:54 EDT

A controversial former Naval Academy football player, who was kept on the team and in school despite having tested positive for smoking marijuana, resigned and left the Yard on Monday, Navy Times has learned.

Midshipman 3rd Class Marcus Curry, the star slotback who was finally dismissed from the football team in early May when he allegedly ran afoul of one rule too many, had told commanders he’d planned to quit after it was clear he couldn’t play anymore, Naval Academy sources said.

Academy spokeswoman Deb Goode confirmed Curry was no longer a midshipman, but she said that privacy regulations meant she “could not discuss the details of any administrative cases.” Goode said Curry was fully, formally out of the Navy.

Asked for comment, Curry sent this response to Navy Times in an online message: “All I have to say is, I left on my own will and was not kicked out nor forced out.”

Curry said he plans to play football this fall for Texas State University, in San Marcos, Texas, home of the Bobcats. The Bobcats play in the Southland Conference of the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA. NCAA rules state that players transferring from Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) schools to FCS schools are eligible to play immediately.

:cool:
 
"had told commanders he’d planned to quit after it was clear he couldn’t play anymore"

I guess the Navy wasn't the paramount priority? :thumbdown:
 
^^^
Obviously not. Priorities appear to be playing Div I football and a free education.
 
it takes hard work; passion; you must push yourself beyond what you thought you could achieve even when the reward may not be there; confidence; persistence; time management; teamwork. Guess what? None of that is reflected in one's GPA or ACT score.

So you're saying that having these attributes on the field but not in the classroom is what the military is looking for? I strongly beg to differ. Considering the weight that this place puts on Academics, I'd say its the other way around. And if someone is incapable of dedicating themselves to learning as much as they are to succeeding on the field, I'd say the military is better off without them.

It's my personal feeling that, from what I've seen, the Navy has strayed too far from its stated goal of producing quality officers in favor of winning a few more football games. And yes, I'm calling out the football team specifically. With the amount of publicity they get, USNA should come down HARDEST on them when they stray from the standard, instead of using their committment to the team as an excuse.

That said, I know plenty of great guys on the team who I would gladly follow down range, but as we've all seen it only takes one to make us all look bad.
 
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