The Dagger - NCAAB

Ken Mink's is by now a familiar tale. The Roane State College walk-on who was according to his account falsely accused of delinquency as a college hoopster in 1956, revived his career this year at the ripe age of 73. It's a goofy little feel-good story about a man fighting back against the march of time. Or something. It's really just an old dude that gets to sit on a basketball bench for a season, but it's fun, so I blog about it.

Anyway, there's some slightly shocking news regarding Mink, news that you might want to be sitting down for. (Are you sitting? Of course you are. You're at a computer.) It seems Mink has lost his eligibility after failing a Spanish class, and his team is being asked to forfeit a game. College kids these days. Does the "student" in "student-athlete" mean nothing to them?

The NCJAA reportedly ruled that Mink had not maintained the minimum required number of credits an athlete must pass in a semester in order to remain eligible to participate in sports. "I told coach (Randy Nesbit) early on that I was having trouble in Spanish," Mink told the News Sentinel.

Fearing he might fail the Spanish class, Mink said he enrolled in a Sociology class on another campus, hoping that a passing grade there would give him the credits he needed to retain his eligibility. But that class was apparently completed too late to apply to the semester in question.

Mink is contending that it's the administration's fault for not sorting out his transfer to the Sociology class, and that he shouldn't be blamed for the eligibility issues. First of all, as Rush the Court notes, that sounds conspicously familiar to Mink's explanation for his original dismissal in 1956.

Second of all, sorry, Ken. That's not how it works. Believe it or not, I went to college, and in college if you're failing a class you have to drop it before the drop deadline. What's more, you don't just get to pick up another class on another campus. You take a "W" on your record and you deal with it. (If you play your cards right, you sneak out of Indiana University with a way better GPA than if you had stayed in Finite Math for a whole semester.) In any case, Mink was the one failing Spanish in the first place. He has to take the rap on this.

And here we were, still innocently thinking some college athletes cared about their educations. For shame, Ken Mink. For shame.

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1063 Comments

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  1. Dave
    1. Posted by Dave Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

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    At 73 years old you would think he has enough sense to know better.....lol
  2. Laurence
    2. Posted by Laurence Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    I blame the coaches! They need to be checking up on this sort of thing....
  3. curg
    3. Posted by curg Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    73 and still trying to get a degree...give it up old man. Travel and enjoy yourself while you still can...instead of failing spanish?
  4. Steven A
    4. Posted by Steven A Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    I feel bad for every kid that didn't make the team over him
  5. Kevin
    5. Posted by Kevin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    Now that he failed spanish what will he do for a career? Athletes need to have back-up plans in case they get hurt or lose eligibility. I blame his coach for not preparing him properly.
  6. almighty zeke
    6. Posted by almighty zeke Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:00 pm EDT

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    When I was in college I did not take Spanish. I did take Sociology and did very well. I say, if he has the money,ive him his college diploma. Collge cost more now tan back then. So te college makes more money now. Maybe he can have is own tutor.
  7. Mike
    7. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:18 pm EDT

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    Does he actually play? I would pay good money to see someone that old play against collegiate athletes!
  8. NSS
    8. Posted by NSS Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    Can Myron Rolle moonlight as this guy's tutor?
  9. Pratik
    9. Posted by Pratik Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:23 pm EDT

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    He's just trying to relive his old days, even though it is pretty pathetic at this point.
  10. MooSe
    10. Posted by MooSe Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:09 pm EDT

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    Ken Mink. Just one of the thousands of athletes going pro in something other than sports.
  11. ely
    11. Posted by ely Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

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    Oops! 16th
  12. Johnson
    12. Posted by Johnson Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:14 pm EDT

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    I agree Mikey. If he fails English, then we have a problem.
  13. Pasquino
    13. Posted by Pasquino Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

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    goode one MooSe
  14. D
    14. Posted by D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

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    kids these days, never willing to take responsibility for their actions.
  15. SOUND MAN
    15. Posted by SOUND MAN Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:31 pm EDT

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    Who really cares
  16. raulatnoahs
    16. Posted by raulatnoahs Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:29 pm EDT

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    Instead of GATORADE, does he drink OVALTINE ???
  17. Sathi P
    17. Posted by Sathi P Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:34 pm EDT

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    Idiot hasn't learned anything after all of those years.
  18. Ollie
    18. Posted by Ollie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    Too bad. I really think he had a shot at the pros.
  19. Jason H
    19. Posted by Jason H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Drug test him!
  20. bendover
    20. Posted by bendover Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    Where are the parents?
  21. oute
    21. Posted by oute Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Dont travel to mexico or spain and give it up.
  22. gravitygirl96
    22. Posted by gravitygirl96 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

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    ah, what the heck! just let him play on the team!! it seems he's got nothing better to do!
  23. First L
    23. Posted by First L Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:50 pm EDT

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    Should have signed up for Gerontology
  24. Rob P
    24. Posted by Rob P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:45 pm EDT

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    zzzzzzzzzzz

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