Education Secretary Getting Arne-ry...

((HT: Huffington Post/Gorski))

Education Secretary Arne Duncan is deciding to take on college basketball just in time for the post-season tournaments... as always, it's about opportunity and timing. And never let it be said politicians don't know or recognize either.

Duncan is proposing that any school that has less than a 40-percent graduation rate not be allowed into the NCAA post-season extravanganza.

The Education Secretary isn't focusing on inner-city or rural participation in the education process ((like, oh, the HQ thinks actually showing up and graduating high school might be important FIRST)), but on the television event that is the tourney.

If Duncan, who played at Harvard, had his way Maryland (8 percent), California (20 percent), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29 percent), Washington (29 percent), Tennessee (30 percent), Kentucky (31 percent), Baylor (36 percent), Missouri (36 percent), New Mexico State (36 percent), Clemson (37 percent), Georgia Tech (38 percent) and Louisville (38 percent) wouldn't be around.

"Over time, we should set a higher bar," Duncan said. "But it's a minimum, a bright line, which every program should meet to vie for postseason honors."

As a reminder of what Mister Secretary thinks he's chasing, here's a "before" picture... from the movie "Blue Chips..."
((HT: Paramount Pictures))


The "after" would include the Western Dolphins roster of Neon Boudeaux, Butch McRae, and Ricky Roe... but Coach Pete Bell would never confess...

The HQ would still recommend Secretary Duncan, while his idea is a noble goal, work on other stuff first...