Myron Rolle, meet Pat Haden

Myron Rolle, the All-America safety out of Florida State got a chance for the first time to talk to Pat Haden, the former star quarterback out of USC, about something they have in common -- being a Rhodes Scholar -- during a fantastic moment together today on KSPN-AM (710)'s Steve Mason and John Ireland show.

"You're doing the right thing," Haden told Rolle about announcing his decision this week to accept the Rhodes Scholarship and fly to England to further his studies rather than take a probably gig in the NFL as a first-round pick (link to this story). "You have only one shot at this. I grew up in California and I didn't travel much. I went to Oxford and made all kinds of friends from Europe ... you read things and have conversations that you'd never get to have otherwise, and you learn an awful lot. You'd be a much higher pick than I was, but football never consumed my life, or Myron's, and when you look back on this 20 years ago, you'll see you did the right thing."

Haden, an NBC analyst on Notre Dame football who went on to play for the L.A. Rams but currently does investment banking (note this link, that connects him with IndyMac bank), also told Rolle that he's "never defined making money as a living. It's how you lead and live your life. There's no reason why Myron can't do training camps and compete and come back and play. It's not necessarily an either/or situation. Everyone who watches football thinks it's about making money. That's not the point."

Rolle said that he plans to pursue his studies in medical anthropology for one year at Exeter and be available likely for the 2010 NFL draft.

"Don't let 'em talk you into rugby," Haden also warned about going to England. "You'll get knock on the door from someone from the rugby team. Shut the door and say absolutely not."

One other aspect for Rolle to consider: Since he needed only 2-plus years to get his degree, he's only a junior. He could return to football at Florida State and play one more season after his Rhodes Scholars trip to Oxford is done. Which makes no sense, but is an option.