Britney Wagner

[greenbean.sixpack]

Star of Last Chance U was on The Roundtable (WJOX in B'ham) today. She is an MSU Alumn and carries herself very well on radio and is currently a paid speaker. Have we tried to get her more associated with the university? Her website lists her paid speaking engagements and MSU is not listed (UM is). She said she would take a job back in Athletic Administration, but none have been offered. We may be missing out on someone who can represent the university well in a Sports Media or PR position.

 

[MaroonCrusader]

Isn’t this the lady who screwed up with Chauncey rivers not being eligible the year before?

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Isn’t this the lady who screwed up with Chauncey rivers not being eligible the year before?

IDK, but she would be good in a media/PR position.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

Isn’t this the lady who screwed up with Chauncey rivers not being eligible the year before?

That would be her. She left around when Rivers came to MSU. That place is a madhouse though. I'm not sure how much control she had of that situation.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

She worked for us before during the Croom era.

 

[57stratdawg]

My understanding is MSU just wasn’t looking for it.

 

[HamSammich]

She was also responsible for Brian Cole being ineligible if I’m not mistaken

 

[lanceharbor7]

She definitely knows where the bodies are buried at EMCC. However, I wouldn't claim her being great at a very challenging job.

Star of Last Chance U was on The Roundtable (WJOX in B'ham) today. She is an MSU Alumn and carries herself very well on radio and is currently a paid speaker. Have we tried to get her more associated with the university? Her website lists her paid speaking engagements and MSU is not listed (UM is). She said she would take a job back in Athletic Administration, but none have been offered. We may be missing out on someone who can represent the university well in a Sports Media or PR position.

 

[Dawg1976]

She lived just down the street from me when she worked at EMCC. Seemed bright and intelligent. You would think she would be good in some PR position. When she left EMCC she went to work at Newks in B'ham in a marketing position but apparently it didn't work out.

 

[HumpDawgy]

If we hired her, I'm hoping she doesn't have a fat baseball coach fetish.

 

[was21]

gone

 

[maroonmania]

She was also responsible for Brian Cole being ineligible if I’m not mistaken

Pretty obvious from that final Last Chance U season at EMCC that her relationship with Stephens was very strained. I would venture to say that in her last year there she was probably a lot more focused on finding other employment for herself than making sure guys were taking the correct classes to be eligible at an SEC school.

 

[DirtyDog]

I don't know all the details, but this statement is part of what is wrong with society. It's always someone else's fault... As a student, it was always MY responsibility to know what I had to do to graduate, and it was MY responsibility to attend classes and perform in the classroom. Granted, some bad advice may have been shard with the students, but if you watched the series at all then you would find it hard to fault someone who begged the players to go to class, supplied them with pencils and paper, and even read their literature to them....

 

[patdog]

I would venture to say that in her last year there she was probably a lot more focused on finding other employment for herself than making sure guys were taking the correct classes to be eligible at an SEC school.

So, she just took a year of paid in-office sabbatical while she was looking for another job because she didn't like the coach? We definitely don't need someone like that working for us.

 

[maroonmania]

So, she just took a year of paid in-office sabbatical while she was looking for another job because she didn't like the coach? We definitely don't need someone like that working for us.

Just pure speculation on my part from watching the show. And I never said anything about needing her to work for us. No doubt EMCC staff dropped the ball totally on Cole and Rivers but where were the MSU folks in all of this? We were recruiting these guys and had commitments. Was our staff not aware that what these guys were enrolled in wasn't adequate to meet eligibility requirements for the SEC? Seems there is plenty of blame to go around.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

"Sounds like a nice way to spend November." - Dan Mullen

paid in-office sabbatical while she was looking for another job

 

[BiscuitEater]

She was also responsible for Brian Cole being ineligible if I’m not mistaken

You ARE mistaken. Agree with DirtyDog's post above .. Brian Cole is responsible for Brian Cole being ineligible.

 

[dudehead]

Just pure speculation on my part from watching the show. And I never said anything about needing her to work for us. No doubt EMCC staff dropped the ball totally on Cole and Rivers but where were the MSU folks in all of this? We were recruiting these guys and had commitments. Was our staff not aware that what these guys were enrolled in wasn't adequate to meet eligibility requirements for the SEC? Seems there is plenty of blame to go around.

At the end of the day, it's the player's responsibility to go to and pass the class. Faulting coaches and staff is ********.

 

[mount lefroy]

That would be her. She left around when Rivers came to MSU. That place is a madhouse though. I'm not sure how much control she had of that situation.

It hasnt been a madhouse in a couple of years. My nephew played for the team the last two years. Buddy is still Buddy but since they dont have near the amount of problems, it's been pretty calm.

 

[maroonmania]

At the end of the day, it's the player's responsibility to go to and pass the class. Faulting coaches and staff is ********.

Believe you are way off. My understanding is that they (Cole and Rivers) didn't have the required classes to be eligible at an SEC school, not that they didn't pass the classes they were in. Heck, they both graduated from EMCC midterm, were admitted to MSU and participated in our Spring practice. You don't do that by failing classes at JR college.

 

[maroonmania]

You ARE mistaken. Agree with DirtyDog's post above .. Brian Cole is responsible for Brian Cole being ineligible.

Brian Cole likely had no clue what classes he needed to take and pass to get eligible to play at an SEC school. That is what academic counselors are for and what they get paid to do. I think the SEC had some rule changes and EMCC didn't keep up for whatever reason but someone closer to the situation would have to confirm.

 

[Swede39]

It's tough because I see both sides in terms of who is at fault for ineligibility. Most academic counselors I experienced loved all the players and wanted to see them succeed. The problem at State when I was there (and I'm pretty confident it's like this everywhere including EMCC) is you have the head coach down their throat about making sure the players pass. Not only down their throat but threatening their job if the players don't pass. You think I'm kidding.

So you could just imagine the rock and a hard place it puts the academic counselor. Here they are trying to get the player to graduate or be eligible for the next step but the notorious "easy" class is available in the fall that doesn't count toward anything. With their job on the line, I can easily see the counselor opting to put them in the easy class just so they don't get fired. I'm betting there's more to the story with Brian Cole and Chauncey. My example is just one of many that could happen.

The head coach has a short sighted view of it. Mullen did not care if the player graduated. I'd venture to guess Buddy is the same way. All they care about is the player being eligible to play on Saturday.

Coming into my fall sophomore season (on the field) I remember getting my list of classes that I'd be taking. There were 2 classes on there that seemed off. I double checked my major requirements (I was set to get my undergrad at the end of the fall. My plan was to start on my masters the following January going into my junior season) and these 2 classes didn't count towards any of that. I asked our counselor about it. She said, "Well it's the fall semester and those are 2 easy courses where you'll get an easy A". I said, "Yeah but they don't count towards my undergrad degree do they?". She said, "Well no but they'll bring up the team GPA and it's easy.". I said, "Ok well I'm taking these 2 classes off because they don't count towards my degree. There's no point in taking these classes from a career standpoint".

All that to say, because I was adamant about only taking relevant courses, I got my undergrad in 3.5 years and a masters in the other 1.5. It wasn't because I was extra smart or anything. Had I not been on top of it, I would've barely gotten my undergrad in 5 years.

 

[Chris Mannix]

If we hired her, I'm hoping she doesn't have a fat baseball coach fetish.

Almost shot milk out of my nose, most hilarious thing I have heard in a long time. Well played sir.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

She definitely knows where the bodies are buried at EMCC. However, I wouldn't claim her being great at a very challenging job.

I have no idea of her counseling skills, but she's likely a better PR person than anyone we currently have on staff (my God, we hired Amy Tuck and her truck). Britney is comfortable on radio/TV and in front of large audiences, thinks fast on her feet too.

How did this turn into a "tearing her down" session? No one has any idea what she did or didn't do at EMCC or if she quit performing her job duties. Buddy, and that whole situation, is questionable at best.

Why must we tear down all things related to MSU? I'm surprised no one threw digs at Little Dooey or the Veranda.

 

[o_Dawg007]

It's tough because I see both sides in terms of who is at fault for ineligibility. Most academic counselors I experienced loved all the players and wanted to see them succeed. The problem at State when I was there (and I'm pretty confident it's like this everywhere including EMCC) is you have the head coach down their throat about making sure the players pass. Not only down their throat but threatening their job if the players don't pass. You think I'm kidding.

So you could just imagine the rock and a hard place it puts the academic counselor. Here they are trying to get the player to graduate or be eligible for the next step but the notorious "easy" class is available in the fall that doesn't count toward anything. With their job on the line, I can easily see the counselor opting to put them in the easy class just so they don't get fired. I'm betting there's more to the story with Brian Cole and Chauncey. My example is just one of many that could happen.

The head coach has a short sighted view of it. Mullen did not care if the player graduated. I'd venture to guess Buddy is the same way. All they care about is the player being eligible to play on Saturday.

Coming into my fall sophomore season (on the field) I remember getting my list of classes that I'd be taking. There were 2 classes on there that seemed off. I double checked my major requirements (I was set to get my undergrad at the end of the fall. My plan was to start on my masters the following January going into my junior season) and these 2 classes didn't count towards any of that. I asked our counselor about it. She said, "Well it's the fall semester and those are 2 easy courses where you'll get an easy A". I said, "Yeah but they don't count towards my undergrad degree do they?". She said, "Well no but they'll bring up the team GPA and it's easy.". I said, "Ok well I'm taking these 2 classes off because they don't count towards my degree. There's no point in taking these classes from a career standpoint".

All that to say, because I was adamant about only taking relevant courses, I got my undergrad in 3.5 years and a masters in the other 1.5. It wasn't because I was extra smart or anything. Had I not been on top of it, I would've barely gotten my undergrad in 5 years.

Excellent point(s). It amazes me every time someone takes the d sucking attitude of the players side and blaming responsibility on someone else. They are responsible. Bottom line. Academic counselor is there to help however possible. Athletes are afforded so many luxuries that normal students don’t have. They also have some of the d sucking fan base that make excuses for them too. Rant over. Take responsibility for your own path.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Preach. Obviously staff and educators should do their part but the individual needs to take responsibility also.