I've been reading a lot about how awful it is for basketball (or football) players to leave school early or skip college altogether to go to the pros. Kwame Brown, the high schooler expected to go in the top 5 in the NBA draft, suggested that it waas because most of the players skipping are black. I wouldn't drop the race card. That seems a bit of a stretch, but I did think about it and realized it does seem pretty stupid. [*]The goal of most people getting their education is to graduate so they can earn a decent living. I would call seven figures "decent". [*]It has become fairly routine for computer corporations to raid colleges and even high schools for skilled young talent. How is this different from an athlete? [*]As someone who has spent many years practicing music, I can tell you that I would have dropped my education at a moment's notice in favor of a career in music. If someone offered me millions to do the thing I loved to do more than anything else, I'd be stupid to not to and many athletes would be as well. [*]Unlike going to school, an athletic career is limited by age. You only have a small window of opportunity to perform at a high level in athletics, but you have your entire life to get an education. [*]The worst regret is not taking a shot at something you really want. Spending the rest of your life wondering if you might have been successful at something sucks. When you are 18 (or 19 or 20) and you have an opportunity to do something special, you take the chance. ------------------ Things do not change; we change. - Henry David Thoreau
Jeff, I agree. Those young kids can go back and attend college at their leisure. I just hope they all invest wisely. ------------------ DREAMer's Rocket Page
There's a shallow notion floating about that a college eduation is some kind of safety net. Ha! I'd rather have a few million in the bank before I'm 25, thank you. Now THAT'S a safety net! You are right on, Jeff. You'd have to be crazy not to professionally pursue the thing you love for the kind of money they toss around. On a side note, have there been any Caucasians opt for the draft right out of high school? We had an article in Sunday's paper about Shavlik Randolph-- a 6' 10" SF out of Raleigh, NC who is said to be contemplating it. In fact, I think that NBADraft.net has him pegged as the Number Two pick in the 2003 draft. The poor kid is in a quandry. He is a high school star and an honor roll student. His maternal grandfather (Ronnie Shavlik) was an All-American basketball player at NC State. His mother went to UNC. He is also considering Duke (where two of his best camp buddies are committed) as well as the NBA. Sometimes life throws you curves.... ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these." [This message has been edited by RichRocket (edited June 27, 2001).] [This message has been edited by RichRocket (edited June 27, 2001).]
I agree with what you all say. If you can make millions, hell that's why you go to college. Oh yes, and to "experience the culture of campus life"... whatever. I dropped out of college because I thought I could make more money and faster than by completing college. For me this worked out. This is one reason I try not to complain about a kid leaving college early or never going to college in favor of say joining the NBA. However, the downside to all this is that of the half-dozen to dozen high schoolers that make it into the NBA, there are several that hooped their way through jr. high and high school thinking they could be the next Jordan. They get a reality check when they are nowhere near ready for the NBA. Then comes the realization that you'll have to do something else for a living. DOH! But I don't have anything else to fall back on. And despite the fact that having a degree does not guarantee you success or guarantee you of even acquiring a job, your chances are better. There are little kids right now looking to be the next Kobe who will fail miserably because they have their eyes and mind focused on the big round ball. They're wrecks waiting to happen. Regarding Kwame saying that people frown on people going straight to the NBA because they're black - he may be correct at least in some cases. Here you've worked your butt off for years to make it with your degree and support your wife and kids and you see this inner city (generalization) kid come in with hardly any education and can barely form grammatically correct statements without having an aneurism and what are you supposed to think? He's getting paid millions to play a game for crying out loud! Bill Gates never finished college before going "pro" and neither did several geeks. They make salaries that would miniscule some of these entertainer salaries, yet you rarely see people blasting them. Why is that? I personally have no problems against what he's doing. I always say if you perform an action, accept the consequences and don't blame anyone else for your decisions. ------------------ "I had mine chewed off by a boss one time." -- Behad leaves us wondering if he gets hazard pay...
Hey, me too! Of course, I'm not clearing the big bucks yet, but at one point I was trying to go to school while holding down a full time job and playing in 4 bands at one time. School was the least of my worries. My guidance counselor mother was THRILLED! I agree that setting an example for kids can create some issues. The problem isn't really that the athletes are setting a bad example, however. The problem is that the athletes have enough influence to make kids do things that aren't beneficial for them. There has to be a delicate balance between parental supervision and your own choices. If athletes even enter the picture as a major player, the parents have dropped the ball (all puns intended). Kids need guidance and a lack of that almost always leads to them pursuing things with very little idea of the potential consequences. What's there to be upset about? That's capitalism. My guess is that most people who are upset of athletes making a lot of money either would prefer us all to make the same amount and spread the wealth or are jealous of the fact they aren't making that kind of money. Either way, that person is dealing from a position of fantasy, not reality. Personally, I've always heard people complain but never understood. I've heard conservatives who would argue to their grave that we should have lower taxes and fewer regulations on business say that athletes make too much money. I've heard liberals who will gladly accept million-dollar donations from Barbara Streisand to their favorite charity complain that athletes are too rich. I don't get it. If you want socialism, ok, I guess you have a beef. But, if you want to be free to make as much money as you can, you cannot begruge someone else the same opportunity even if that means they make much MUCH more. Excellent question. ------------------ Things do not change; we change. - Henry David Thoreau
I think the primary concern is intent. It's one thing to fo straight from high school -- I think teams are silly for picking those players so high, but that's their choice. The difference is the college kids. The purpose of college athletics is presumably to provide kids a chance to get an education, exchanging sports for a scholarship. The problem appears when kids don't even intend to stay for an education. The players who come out after one year never had any intent to focus on the education side -- those players are sort of abusing the purpose of college athletics. I also think it sucks from a college standpoint. Basically, teams could be sometimes better off picking up 2nd tier players in basketball because they can develop them over 4 years instead of getting a top player who'll leave after one. It's hard to develop a college program when kids last one year at a time. Those are the problems I have with it. I think the new graduation-rate proposal is interesting. It won't convince kids to stay, but it might make teams start recruiting actual students, instead of people just using the colleges as a stepping stone. ------------------ http://www.swirve.com ... more fun than a barrel full of monkeys and midgets.
The problem with kids skipping college or leaving school early isn't the Kobe Bryants or the Kevin Garnetts or even the Kwame Browns. The problem is that other young players think they, too, have a shot at the NBA millions, when in fact they don't. Guys like Korleone Young or Leon Smith are the well-known stories of failure. But what about the guys who declare for the draft out of high school and never even get drafted? Do the names Ellis Richardson or Taj McDavid ring a bell? Of course not, and that's the point. There's a guy named Tony Key who for some reason declared for today's draft out of high school and stands little chance of being drafted. Does anyone think Alton Ford wouldn't have benefitted from more than one season of college ball? I'm not saying that these players should be forced to go to, or stay in, college. I'm not even saying that a degree is some sort of magical document that everyone should strive for. What I'm saying is that alot of guys see the Bryants and Garnetts, because they are high profile, but don't see (or ignore) the McDavids. And in some instances, declaring for the draft instead of getting a few years experience and maturity in college is the wrong decision. ------------------ I'm so amazingly cool you could keep a side of meat in me for a month. I am so hip that I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.
QUESTION: Why does not one have a problem with Anna Kournicova being a pro at 17 [and she still can't win a tourney .. .talk about NOT READY ] I don't see her as having ANY intention of going to college! [hell the tour was pissed when Venus and Serena indicated they were thinking of quitting to goto college. . . they said they were not DEDICATED TO THE GAME . .. WHAT THE F*CK IS THAT ABOUT? WHY IS THIS DIFFERENT!!] What about Gymnist? They what average age is like 12~14? Basketball and football is about MONEY HONEY!! [and maybe a bit of race . . . but i won't go there] Rocket River ------------------
I don't see her as having ANY intention of going to college! Exactly -- she didn't go to college. It's the people that go to one year of college simply to "showcase" themselves and have no intention of getting an education that bother me. I just feel those people are abusing the purpose behind college sports. ------------------ http://www.swirve.com ... more fun than a barrel full of monkeys and midgets.
Why is the NCAA policy so punative toward high school kids? The declare for the draft and the can't, period, can't play Division I basketball. However, a currently participating Division I player can delcare for the draft (and even participate in pre-draft camps etc) yet carefully remain eligible and re-enter Division I competition. That's just plain stupid. Someone should challenge that position. Isn't the NCAA just shooting itself in the foot? ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."
I really resent the race card being used in context with why players declaring for the NBA draft are getting blasted. I'll use MLB as my example. Hundreds and hundreds of high school kids get drafted every year in the MLB draft. Many opt to go to college, ie Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and other sign deals to play right away. The huge difference here is that high school baseball players have the option of signing if the money is right, they have a source of income if no colleges have interest in offering a scholarship, and most players still have the option of taking a scholarship if they don't like the money offered by the team that drafted them. The NBA draft this year has like 50 something early entries while there are only 50 something picks in the WHOLE draft. For every Kobe Bryant there are 3 Scottie Thurmans. High schoolers and 1 year college players who declare when they obviously have no shot at being a top pick SHOULD take a ton of heat. In baseball everyone will get a contract and a signing bonus, not the case in basketball. ------------------ The death penalty SUCKS.
When Highschool kids enter the draft, they'll either be drafted or they won't. If they are drafted (in round 1), they make several million dollars. Even Leon Smith, who has never played an NBA game will make a couple of million. If they are not drafted or if they are drafted in the second round and then never make it anywhere because they are not good enough for the NBA -- well at least they find out sooner rather than later. If they know they can't make it in the NBA, they still have an opportunity to go to college and actually pay attention in class instead of daydreaming about the millions they'll make later. They can actually fall back on their fallback. The complication is that as long as they have 'potential' they can get an athletic scholarship. If they hire an agent or get picked and then cut, their NCAA eligibility and scholarship are gone. Then they may have no opportunity for the NBA or college. The Solution: highschool kids declare for the draft but don't hire an agent. The teams will have to cooperate by only picking if they intend to sign some kind of contract (for second-rounders). If the kids don't get picked, they move on to a fine college career with a lesson from the School of Hard Knocks and an NCAA scholarship. If they do get picked and then cut, they use that money (between a couple hundred thousand to a couple of million) to pay their way through college. If they get picked and are successful, they don't need an education -- but could easily get one if they wanted one. As for race, I think it does have a lot to do with the current criticism. I think education (specifically college education) is seen as the vehicle to achieve racial social parity between blacks and whites. So when blacks are encouraged to forego that, it is seen in a poor light. I don't think that is fair: college is a tool but it is not the only tool. You don't need to have a college education to be worthy. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
Theres a program right now on Nightline. Going Pro too soon...10:30 pm Houston time! Should be interesting. ------------------ mr0ily's Shot in the Dark:Mock Draft 2001
Juan: I don't think that is right. Those stipulations about not hiring an agent and travellig with your own money only apply to current NCAA players. High school kids who declare are OUT period. It doesn't matter what they do or don't do. Can anyone confirm this? ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."
I don't have a problem with high school kids declaring for the draft. I have a problem with GM's drafting a high school kid because he has "potential", or he is "athletic", or may have a "NBA body", and may help the team down the road, when there are guys who seem to be penalized for staying in school, even though they may be able to step in a play immediately. I'm not talking about Kobe of Garnett, they made solid contributions right out of the box. Surely, in hindsight, Dallas could have come up with a better selection than Leon Smith. It would really be nice if all these high school centers can step in and compete this year, the league is almost devoid of big men who can play. I'm just afraid most will add to the problem, not becoame the solution. j ------------------ Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!
I thought that you GPA was your way of SHOW CASING YOUR SKILLs What about Co-Oping? Rocket River ------------------
It's the people that go to one year of college simply to "showcase" themselves and have no intention of getting an education that bother me. Agreed.