CONWAY'S FUTURE AT SEAHOLM, PREP CAREER ON THE GRIDIRON, UP IN THE AIR

Some mighty big questions regarding the future of University of Michigan football-recruit and county superstar athlete, Shawn Conway, will be answered in the next few days and I for one am sincerely hoping things work out for the best for him. This is a story that should have a Hollywood-ending much like the recent blockbuster movie, "The Blind Side," about NFL offensive lineman, Michael Ohr and starring Oscar-winner, Sandra Bullock. However, with the way things might be shaping up, Conway – arguably the state's best two-sport competitor going into the 2011 prep sports campaign – could end up being BLIND SIDED by a combination of bureaucratic nonsense and your everyday, run-of-the-mill HATERS.

Okay, so here's a short breakdown of what's going on:

Conway is finishing up his junior year at Birmingham Seaholm, where he has played both football and basketball to heavy acclaim over the past two years, garnering all-league honors in each.  On the hoop hardwood, he has helped lead the Maples to back-to-back OAA conference titles, averaging over 20 points and 12 rebounds per contest. On the football field, Conway (a dynamic wide receiver/defensive back combo) earned himself a scholarship offer from Wolverines head coach, Rich Rodriguez, in March after only playing one full-season of varsity pigskin.

Up until last month, Conway, who does not hail from a traditional family, had been living with his cousin, all-state Maples hoopster, Richaud Pack (a graduating senior heading for Florida International) since transferring to Seaholm from Detroit Cass Tech as a freshman. Conway was forced to leave Cass Tech and Detroit proper in general in 2008 when his mother could no longer care for him due to personal problems of her own. For the past two years, Pack's legal guardian has been Richaud's mother, Shawn's "aunt." That was until in late-May when a family court judge awarded legal custody of Shawn to Seaholm head coach, Chris Fahr, who does not reside in the Birmingham school district. This is where the problem lies, in terms of district zoning requirements and future eligibility.

Under the letter of the MHSAA law, even though Fahr is the Maples coach, since he lives in the Clarkston school district, Conway would be forced to enroll at Clarkston High School in the fall, making him a transfer and requiring him to sit out the fall sports season. That would mean missing his senior football campaign and entering college in 2011 having not suited up in an official game in two years (the equivalent of a lifetime in organized sports…..see former Detroit Lions WR Mike Williams). Plus, there's no guarantee that the coaching staff that recruited Conway will still be in tact in the fall of 2011. This would without a doubt put in jeopardy his scholarship status with a new coaching staff - since they would have to decide whether or not to bring on board a kid that hasn't played a down since 2009 and someone they have no particular personal ties to alas Rich Rod and the current Maze and Blue staff.

Now, the Birmingham School Board and the district superintendent can sign a waiver that bypasses the rule and that would allow Conway to remain in coach Fahr's legal custody, live in Clarkston with the Fahr family and still attend Seaholm. This would seem like a no-brainer, however, there appears to be a group of naysayers that exist and desire Conway out of the district all together, no matter what effect it might have on his future. I'm told these people point to some character issues and recent allegations of certain minor improprieties as reasons why Conway shouldn't be allowed to return. I say nonsense! These are infractions that should be dealt with internally, within the Maples athletic department, specifically the football team itself. They certainly should not be grounds for convincing the powers that be into not letting Shawn play out his final season of high school football.

The final decision related to this issue will be announced by the superintendent next week. The only issue at discussion here in my opinion is what's in the best interest for the kid…..in this case Shawn Conway. And there's really no question in my opinion what that decision should end up being: Conway should be allowed to return or at the very least the MHSAA should step in and allow him to become automatically eligible at Clarkston, if that's where he winds up at when it's all said and done. I hope the school board and superintendent do the right thing next week and don't "BLIND SIDE" a great kid, who might have a few issues due to the socio-economic conditions he was brought up in, but all in all is a super guy, with a big heart and even bigger future!