The University of Pittsburgh has been taking some heat recently over it’s graduation rates for student athletes. In fact, according to the latest study, Pitt is LAST among the 117 Division 1-A football schools with 16 percent of it’s football players graduating. A big article in the Post-Gazette today detailed how those statistics are compiled, and how they aren’t really telling the whole story about our alma mater.

The best part of the article contained numerous quotes from one of PSB’s favorite Pitt Alumni, R.J. English.

“We had some trouble with drugs, guys smoking weed,” said R.J. English,
a receiver who arrived at Pitt in 1997. “Coach Harris wasn’t taking that stuff, and he
shouldn’t.”

English, a self-described slacker, said Harris came within a whisker of booting him off
the team because he underachieved in the classroom, was arrested for
misdemeanor disorderly conduct and showed up late for an off-season workout.

We all suspected it, but this all but confirms it. The photo of RJ that was flashed on the jumbo-tron whenever he made a catch certainly made him look like a total stoner. The knit hat down to his eyebrows, the half-closed eyelids, the devil-may-care grin – oh, yeah, this guy liked to toke up. At least that’s what we believed. Sure he doesn’t come right out and say it, but we can read between the lines, RJ.

Well, there is a happy ending – RJ straightened up and got his degree. The only sad thing is now that he’s out of football (he was cut from the Falcons), he wants to become a cop.

Oh, I forgot. Those statistics are mainly from players recruited by Johnny Majors. Pitt’s players defend Harris for keeping on them constantly about their school work.