smbpreformance (Offline)
#1
2/20/08 5:38 PM
Newman's dad reveals grudge vs. Purdue:
If Greg Newman has anything to say about it, none of the $1.5 million his son earned for winning Sunday's Daytona 500 will be going to Purdue University. #12-Ryan Newman graduated from Purdue in 2001 with a degree in vehicle structural engineering. But his father, who made a college degree a prerequisite for supporting Ryan's racing aspirations, said Purdue doesn't deserve to share in Ryan's good fortune. Ryan was racing on weekends and won the 1999 U.S. Auto Club Silver Crown title while attending Purdue. But he wasn't recognized by the school as being a student-athlete, his father said, and thus wasn't allowed any scheduling flexibility with his assignments. "They should have helped him, but they didn't cut him any slack," Greg said. "They didn't recognize him as being a racer. Now they do." Purdue assistant athletic director Tom Schott said he wasn't sure how to respond to the elder Newman's complaints. "We have 18 varsity sports here, but we don't have varsity auto racing," Schott said.(Indianapolis Star)(2-20-2008)
Found on jayski.com
sprinter25 (Offline)
#3
2/20/08 9:52 PM
Uh, Ryan's over 21 - he can do whatever he wants to with his winnings. And the guy at Purdue is correct - there's a whole bunch of other kids who pursue degrees while chasing other interests. And they don't usually ask for special considerations from the school, either.
So his dad, while entitled to his opinion, really doesn't have a say here. The very fact that this is reported on is just a tempest in a teapot. It's obviously a very slow news day.......