Don't know if anyone's seen this yet.
http://nhl.com/intheslot/read/echlwrap/echl121203.html
"Though McRae did not win the award, getting as far as he did in the process was a major accomplishment."
Wow...that is impressive to be one of 12 finalists...
"McRae, a Toronto native, earned a nomination from Cornell University because of his time devoted to religious studies and medical ethics, and his desire to become a doctor. That's an odd career path for a hockey player, but McRae is determined to make it work on both ends. Through his first 18 games, the 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman has five goals and 11 points, and leads the 9-10-1 Pride with a plus-5 rating."
Best paragraph ever.
Can you defer a Rhodes scholarship? If he'd won and the Thrashers had signed him could he have used the scholarship after a ten year pro-hockey career? Big hypotheticals, of course, but I'm just wondering.
Don't know for certain, but, IIRC, Bill Bradley did his thing at Oxford and then came back to play for the Knicks.
I'm pretty sure it's not something you defer. The gf was in the running for the Rhodes last year and when she chose a high paying job in Chicago, she pulled out. CMU told her that turning down or defering the Rhodes was "not something you did." I know that doesn't exactly answer your question but maybe it gives you some insight. I can't imagine he would have stayed in the ECHL over Rhodes, if the decision came to that.
It was interesting to read what had happened to Pete...his and Sacred Hearts win over Cornell is one of those dark moments in my brief Cornell memory.