College Football Puts Limit on Text Messaging Aug. 1

Friday's Frat Boy News Daily Sports Page (compiled by Mike Farrell, The Sporting News)

That silence you hear could be the result of a cell phone not chirping or vibrating when a text message is received.

On August 1, college coaches across the nation will have to change how they recruit top high school football prospects. A ban on text messaging goes into effect that day; however, the ban might not last long.

If you don't know what text messaging is by now, you're likely one of a handful of people left in the world without a cell phone.

The text message is one of the communication breakthroughs of the century, and it has become a huge part in recruiting potential college athletes. However, the NCAA passed legislation earlier this spring that banned all text and instant messages to recruits effective August 1, 2007. This ban is like buying a new car because you have a flat tire -- it's nonsensical.

The ban on text messaging was suggested by the Ivy Group, citing the invasive nature of sending messages to recruits on an unlimited basis. How could kids study if their phones were constantly buzzing or chirping with text messages?

Listening to the Ivy League schools on a matter like this is like turning the NFL into a two-hand touch league because little Jimmy got hurt playing Nerf football in the front yard.

Text messaging certainly needed to be curtailed, with some players complaining that they received more than 100 per day. However, going from 100 messages a day to zero is a bit extreme.

With a lot of hard work and plenty of pleading phone calls, Notre Dame assistant coach Rob Ianello got 34 schools together asking for an override of the ban. Ianello, the chairman of the Division I assistant coaches committee for the American Football Coaches Association, helped convince the NCAA to reconsider the ban.

An NCAA Board of Directors meeting will be held August 9 to consider other proposals. However, this is the same group that voted 13-3 in favor of the outright ban. Because of that fact, many who disagree with the complete ban aren't getting their hopes up at this point.

Sick Ex-Boyfriend Threatens "V Tech Style" Massacre in Text Messages

The Frat Boy News daily campus police report for Wednesday:

Lafayette College (compiled by PennLive.com)
A Lafayette College student's ex-boyfriend last weekend sent 47 threatening text messages, including several that mentioned Virginia Tech, authorities say.

Brandi Firman received the first message from Justin Alan Lagrenade on Saturday evening and the last on Sunday morning. Firman told police she ended a long-term relationship with Lagrenade two months ago.

"I hope that you are taking me seriously because I am sure no one took V Tech seriously," one message read, police said.

Several of the messages that Lagrenade sent said he should come right now and "cut her pretty face up" and that she was going to pay for ruining his life, police said.

"V Tech style for real you will see how crazy you have made me," another message read, according to police. Lafayette College spokesman Roger Clow said the college would have been prepared had the sender acted on the threats.

"We have an emergency response plan in place for dealing with incidents of all kinds," Clow said.

Lagrenade was charged with terroristic threats and harassment. Elwell also granted Firman an emergency protection-from-abuse order.

Driving Under the Influence of Text Messaging

The Dangers of Driving While Text Messaging

Millions of Americans have found a new activity to occupy their minds while driving - text messaging.

"I text more than I talk," Western Kentucky University student Kimberly May said. As text messaging continues to grow in popularity, more and more people are trying to send messages to their friends while driving, causing them to pay less attention to the road while driving.

Its gotten so bad that some states are considering banning texting while driving altogether.

"Some people I know can do it with out looking, but still it keeps your mind off of driving," another WKU student, Jesse Perkins said. Almost 21 percent of accidents in the state of Kentucky alone each year are cause by drivers who are distracted with another activity.

"Sometimes you do have to slam on your breaks if somebody stops and you're looking down," WKU student Laura Huffman said.