We live in close proximity to a Bowl Championship Series football program (Ole Miss). Even though we love it, we have to admit that athletic priorities sometimes get out of whack and leave you shaking your head.

Alas, the world isn’t crazy all the time. I grinned ear-to-ear yesterday afternoon when I read Stewart Mandel’s CNNSI.com column. Myron Rolle, (The Hun School graduate, 2006) Florida State’s great safety and scholar, missed Saturday’s game against Maryland because he had to be in Birmingham, AL to interview with the Rhodes scholarship selection committee. We wrote about Rolle’s academic achievements and looming tough choices a few months back.

The academic football conflict is rare. But the beauty lies in Rolle’s commitment to his studies and his coach’s support and belief that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes first. Even for coach Bobby Bowden, athletics don’t always come first.

Coach Bowden told SI: “We couldn’t be more proud of this happening for one of our players. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance and you wouldn’t dare deny him that. I just hope he wins it.”