MYRON ROLLE: STAR ATHLETE AND RHODES SCHOLAR TO BE?

If you don't know who Myron Rolle is you probably should. In today's world of sports we far too often hear the negative stories of athlete excess, behavior, and ignorance reported in the media. When I came across this story by Stewart Mandel in SI I was pleasantly surprised. Meet Myron Rhodes. Myron was rated the #1 high school football player by ESPN his senior year of high school, started as a Freshman at Florida State and has a promising NFL career in front of him. However, that is not all that defines him. Myron also is a pre-med major with a 3.75 gpa, graduated in 2.5 years, and is a finalist for a prestigious Rhodes scholarship.

For those who don't know what The Rhodes Scholarship is, it's the most prestigious honor that an American undergraduate can receive. Only 32 students from across the United States are chosen for an opportunity to study at Oxford University in England each year. The interview process is rigorous and notable past American Rhodes scholars include, President Bill Clinton, General Wesley Clark, and current Louisiana Governor Piyush Jindal. Rolle has made it to the final round of interviews and must forego a critical football game against Maryland to attend the interview. I applaud Florida State for allowing him to miss the game to pursue this once in a lifetime oportunity. As Bobby Bowden said "It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance and you wouldn't dare deny him that. I just hope he wins it."

Rolle's is an incredible talent to be able to go through the rigorous schedule of a an NCAA football player, and the mental strain of completing a pre-med curriculum. To do it in 2.5 years is an impossibility.If he receives the scholarship he wants to "study medical anthropology with some of the greatest minds in the world." The knowledge he'd gain from that field, which examines the social and cultural aspects of medicine, would go a long way toward his ultimate goal of building clinics in the Bahamas and around the world.

Rolle is also more than just an outstanding athlete and student, he also understands the value in sharing his extraordinary talents with others. He wants to serve as a role model to his younger teammates. "I try to be a real student-athlete. Hopefully I can be a role model in that way to some of the younger guys." He also wants to play an active role in the community and does.This past summer, he conducted a health-education program for fifth graders at a charter school run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Students took part in a competition, and the winning team was honored on the field during the 'Noles' Oct. 25 game against Virginia Tech.

Rolle has broken down many stereotypes of today's college athlete and he is a true "LEGAL HUSTLER." We applaud his hustle and desire to be great and hope that we can track him down to feature him on this site.

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