Bud Dupree’s very good weekend: graduation, then Steelers camp
Generally, bosses frown on you missing the first two days of work. You’d better have a reeeeal good excuse, fella. But college graduation probably qualifies, and good thing, too, because that’s why new Steelers draft pick Bud Dupree bailed on the first two days of minicamp.
The University of Kentucky product, a linebacker expected to contibute immediately to the legendary but suddenly vulnerable Steeler D, walked in his class’s graduation ceremony on Saturday. He fulfilled a promise he’d made to his mother by doing so, which meant he didn’t even need to get her a Mother’s Day present (but probably did anyway).
Dupree, picked 22nd overall, walked with a Steelers logo adorning his graduation cap, and heard the cheers of the Kentucky faithful as he walked. (Quite a few Kentucky athletes don’t even make it to their sophomore year, much less their senior one.)
“It was a touching feeling and I am glad I got to experience it,” Dupree said of the cheers. “It comes with a lot of pride. A lot of people don’t get to graduate and I’m very happy I am one of the few that got to.”
After the ceremony, Dupree hopped a plane and was in Steelers camp on Sunday morning. “It was a whirlwind,” he said of his graduation, “but I got it done. I am happy to have it over with and now working hard on my football career.”
So, yeah, Dupree had to go right to work after graduation. No beach week followed by weeks of crashing in his old childhood bedroom for him. Somehow, we think he’ll survive.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter.
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