It genuinely surprises me how often I encounter college athletes who subscribe to the D1SCOURSE-approved method of graduating:

Go to all your classes. Earn your degree. Don't bother with the ceremony.

It's a good bet most of the folks who went through the final giant graduation ceremony at Cole Field House can't remember who spoke that day. But I remember quite well watching the Phillies (and more to the point, Joe Table) lose 1-0 to the Mets that afternoon at Veterans Stadium.

Guess who else sees things in a similar vein? Ever-candid and occasionally acerbic guard Andrew Crummey, who brushed aside the possibility of the next couple days being hectic.

"I'm not doing the whole graduation thing. I've been here for five years," Crummey said. "It's like, whatever. Just get out as soon as I can."

Crummey's one of those blessed few guys who were essentially done their academic work before the season even started. He double-majored in government and politics and geography, and still came into the semester needing only one class to graduate.

It's one of the hidden pleasures a particularly sharp fifth-senior can enjoy; after four years of juggling practice, class and games, a guy can spend his final four months on campus pretty much dialed in to football.

So what would it take to get Crummey to any graduation ceremonies?

"If I was going to get out of practice, I'd think about it," Crummey said. "I'm not going to pay $100 for a cap and gown to sit there for three hours."

Who can argue with that logic?

--- Patrick Stevens