Free Republic

Madison Holleran, 19, was stressed about her 3.5 GPA in the weeks before she jumped from a parking garage in Philadelphia on Friday, the friend said. The freshman’s tragic death stunned friends and family in her hometown of Allendale, N.J.A beautiful and brainy University of Pennsylvania track star jumped to her death from a parking garage Friday after stressing out over grades, a family friend revealed Monday. Madison Holleran — a freshman at the Ivy League school who hails from Bergen County, N.J.— made dinner plans and sent messages to friends without a hint she was feeling suicidal, said family...

Despite numerous challenges, USC running back jukes his past - and other obstacles - to earn his degree By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com GERRY MELENDEZ/GMELENDEZ@THESTATE.COM Cory Boyd shares a lighter moment Monday with other graduating teammates, including Blake Mitchell, back left. Boyd is the second member of his family to earn a college degree. During the best of times, Cory Boyd figured he would play a couple of seasons at South Carolina and follow his childhood dream to the NFL. During the worst of times, Boyd thought about packing his stuff, leaving school and returning to the crime-ridden projects in...

Soccer players say president shouldn't exploit their success Updated: 10:15 p.m. ET Aug. 21, 2004ATHENS, Greece - Iraqi soccer players reacted angrily Friday after being told that their nation's Olympic participation was mentioned in TV commercial by the re-election campaign for President Bush. The players called on Bush to stop using them to win votes in the United States. “Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign,” midfielder Salih Sadir was quoted as saying. “He can find another way to advertise himself.” However, the Iraqi Olympic delegation accused journalists of deliberately provoking...