Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

When President Obama expounded Thursday about personal responsibility, throwing off limitations and fostering "a new mindset," he might as well have unfurled a banner of ex-Florida State star Myron Rolle. Already the model of the young, self-actualized overachiever, Rolle was busy himself adding the biggest line yet to his staggering résumé:

Former FSU safety Myron Rolle and his family today announced plans to build the Myron L. Rolle Medical Clinic and Sports Complex, in Steventon, Exuma in the Bahamas, where his parents are from.

The complex will provide free health services to residents of Exuma, as well as a state-of-the-art wellness and training facilities for athletes and visitors to Exuma, Bahamas. It will be the third clinic on the island, and greatly increase the resources and equipment.

Rolle seems to recognize no limitations whatsoever: Between his Ivy League grades at an elite prep school, his intense recruiting hype, his abbreviated but stellar career at Florida State, his burgeoning NFL prospects, his Rhodes Scholarship to study medicine across the Atlantic, his endless outreach efforts and speaking engagements, his own nonprofit foundation, his underrated acting prowess and his all-around "benevolent brainiac who can throw you through a wall" vibe, Rolle puts you and almost everyone you know -- along with pretty much every 22-year-old ever -- to shame. At well past 22, the greatest sign of my maturity is that I'm finally starting to develop a taste for salads.

So for most people, especially any other recently graduated college football player with a possible pro future, even the notion of opening a free medical clinic on a mostly impoverished island in the Bahamas would be inconceivable, a project of such outlandish scope that it would only cross their mind as a distant hypothetical, something somebody else ought to do, maybe, someday. But when that somebody is Myron Rolle, at this point, it's not that surprising at all -- in fact, only now, with the Exuma clinic, are Rolle's dreams starting to be realized.

For the time being, they're funded through donations to the Rolle Foundation, with strong support from the locals, who have already guaranteed five acres of land and a minimum of red tape, and a commitment from Florida State to operate an exchange program with FSU med students when the clinic opens in two or three years. Presumably, Rolle will add some of his NFL paycheck to the project after he enters the draft next April, just a minor diversion between his year studying medical anthropology in Oxford and his eventual career as a surgeon -- of which there are currently two in Exuma, whose residents have to be airlifted to Nassau for serious cases.

In summary, why aren't you more like Myron Rolle? I'm so humbled by his generosity, drive and grace, I can barely bring myself to daub the powdered sugar off my keyboard.

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  1. Andrew
    1. Posted by Andrew Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:27 pm EDT

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    Damn you, state of Florida, and your righteous poster-children of righteousness! And I'm not just bitter, as a Michigan alumnus, that Michigan whiffed on both when they were being recruited out of high school!!
  2. Aaron
    2. Posted by Aaron Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

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    Look I the bright side @Andrew, you have Rich Rod, and are probably going to lose to the Buckeyes again. Oh wait, that's my bright side, sorry. Go Buckeyes.
  3. Passanger57
    3. Posted by Passanger57 Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

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    You're upset that Matt Hinton mentioned the name Obama? Seriously? That's all you took away from this article?
  4. DAT DUDE
    4. Posted by DAT DUDE Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:25 pm EDT

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    good on your Myron Rolle...great role model for any person
    HOOK'EM HORNS!!!
  5. Scotty
    5. Posted by Scotty Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

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    I find it interesting that i was just reading a post about pacman making it rain and everyone was wondering why there were no stories of people doing good and then i read about this remarkable individual and there are only 7 comments...wtf. great story!
  6. Jon
    6. Posted by Jon Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:38 pm EDT

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    More Rolles and Tebows in this world, please.
  7. Jason
    7. Posted by Jason Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:55 pm EDT

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    8) Yahoo will probably put this up on their front page over the weekend and it'll end up with 2,000 comments. This is the kind of thing they promote on slow news weekends.
  8. z
    8. Posted by z Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    as they should
  9. mcur11
    9. Posted by mcur11 Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    It's the same reason why you never see uplifting stories on the news, it doesn't sell. Unfortuantely, sex and violence is what drives the media in today's society. I find it reassuring that there are good people out there, especially ones who have such a bright future, because a lot of times, the young "superstars" are the ones who think they can walk on water. Nice post Matt, keep 'em coming.
  10. Jay
    10. Posted by Jay Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    That is a great story - we need more of these on a regular basis.
  11. Chad
    11. Posted by Chad Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:33 pm EDT

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    Myron Rolle, the kind of guy Tim Tebow looks up too ---
    Tim Tebow, the kind of guy we all look up too.
    A great and refreshing story!!!
  12. Jordan
    12. Posted by Jordan Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Myron Rolle ... better than all of us,
    i wish i could be 1/100 the person he is
  13. Charles H
    13. Posted by Charles H Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    Good article on a TRUE scholar -athlete...
    I had the privilige of meeting him when he won an award in LA as a high school student athlete - his film clips showed him as a great 2-way player (tailback/d-back). Slow news day or not, I look forward to more articles like this to offset the articles about players arrested on weapons charges, domestic violence, battery, bar fights, illicit affairs and all the rest that we tolerate because they are superstars. Please report on others who are using their sport to do great things beyond the realm of sports!
  14. joey
    14. Posted by joey Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    great story
  15. Chief L
    15. Posted by Chief L Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

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    Rolle over Tobow!
    Go Noles!!
    Posted by Jon R Fri Jul 17, 2009 2:38 pm EDT
    "More Rolles and Tebows in this world, please."
  16. Dan P
    16. Posted by Dan P Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:58 pm EDT

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    Should have gone to Rutgers
  17. David
    17. Posted by David Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:02 pm EDT

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    Thanks Matt for the great story......after all the bashing on BoBBY ...see we do have great students and athletes at FSU.. GO NOLES~~~~~~~~~ !!!!!!
  18. DaveS
    18. Posted by DaveS Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:07 pm EDT

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    I hope he never plays a down in the NFL. It would get in the way of his medical career and other more important things he can be doing for the world. And he's already got the foundation so it's not like he needs the bank. Good on you, Myron.
  19. Cubs win
    19. Posted by Cubs win Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:11 pm EDT

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    wow, good to hear some good news about good people. More like this please.
  20. AndrewS
    20. Posted by AndrewS Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:21 pm EDT

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    In response to comment number three, can you please mention President Obama in EVERY blog/article you write? Even if it is totally random like... "blah blah blah Tim Tebow is obviously the world's greatest person ever. Obama. I can't wait for college football to start again!"
  21. Jeff
    21. Posted by Jeff Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:21 pm EDT

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    He wanted to be a Rhodes Scholar yet he goes to F$U. Give me a break.
  22. SkinsNoles21
    22. Posted by SkinsNoles21 Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:19 pm EDT

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    The program that Myron Rolle entered at FSU was top notch ... one of the reasons he went there. Just so happens they have a great football program. Just because they get bad apples (AS ALL SCHOOLS DO) doesn't mean the school is a bad one.
    Its not IVY League, UVA or Duke ... but its legit.
    You also have to remember that he had dual goals ... NFL is one of them as well as becoming a surgeon ... so he went to a school that gave him a great opportunity to choose both.
    Seems like he made a great decision egizio2004.
  23. bobby
    23. Posted by bobby Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:02 pm EDT

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    "He wanted to be a Rhodes Scholar yet he goes to F$U. Give me a break. "
    Not sure I get what you're trying to say here. He wanted the Rhodes, he went to FSU, and he still got the Rhodes. FSU has had three Rhodes scholars in the past three years... I'm guessing thats better than any other public university minus maybe Cal.
  24. marcus w
    24. Posted by marcus w Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:04 pm EDT

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    If only Myron went to Tha U and played quarterback!

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