If you were watching NCAA football the other day you might have seen Oklahoma's all pro QB get injured while dropping back for a pass. The injury isn’t too severe, but it brings up the question once again. When a player has a chance to go pro, should he take the money or proceed to finish off getting a degree? The problem with the NFL is that the money isn't guaranteed, so these players want a backup plan such as a degree to make sure their future doesn’t rely just on football. So Bradford wanted to do the right thing and will now pay for it. History has proved in the past that Bradford will most likely fall in the draft and receive less money than he would have if he went to the draft last year. There is even a chance that the injury is more severe and might not even get to play in the NFL. Is this a case of a player listening to his family and media and refusing to be known as money hungry or is this just a player who made his own decision and got very unlucky?
Every year there are college athletes that have to decide if they want to go pro or stay in college. Usually, the players want to come back to make another run at the national championship and become a college legend, but as seen in most cases, it’s always a big risk staying that extra year. This topic doesn’t only affect football players, but it also affects basketball athletes as well. For example, the face of the NBA Lebron James didn’t even attend college. He decided to go pro right after high school. Some might think that an education is the most important tool one can obtain, but as we all can see Mr. James is doing just fine. If you had a chance to obtain a degree or go pro and make millions which would you do?
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This is such a hot button issue right now in America. The one thing I never understood is the "I have to get a degree now" mentality. Although, most of the players are getting free rides to college, it's not like they can't come back to college if their pro careers don't pan out. I believe you touched on the two main reasons athletes decide to go pro. One, being their standing in the draft class, which directly coincides with how much money the player will make. Secondly, the player wants to stay in college to possibly win a national championship and obviously be the man on campus. For some players, their careers don't pan out, however for most athletes going pro, they at least stick around long enough to make millions of dollars, which will obviously fund an education. It is hard to make this decision. I really feel that every player has a special scenario. For example, should Lebron have gone to the NBA? Of course, for him to go to college would have been a complete waste of four years. However, for Bradford, the whole reason he returned was due to the fact that he wasn't going to be the number 1 pick in last year's draft. However this year, with Stafford out of the way, he now has a chance to be the number 1 quarter back in the draft, not to mention a chance at the national championship. Although, things didn't really go to plan for Oklahoma's first game, none the less, that was most likely his mindset heading into this year's season.
ReplyDeleteI think athletes that are good enough to go pro should finish off their education first without question. Yes, if they have an amazing season and end up in a pro draft, that's great and of course they would be intrigued. However, I think education is very important as a backup plan for the future. Lebron James went pro after high school, he never even set foot in college, and now he is earning more money than any of us will earn in our lives. But have you ever heard him in an interview? Oh my god, I can't even begin to explain how dumb he sounds. I don't know if college could've helped this man's vocabulary, but it definitely could not hurt.
ReplyDeleteEvan I understand where you are coming from with saying that athletes can always go back to college to get a degree if their sports careers don't work out, but let's face it, who actually would? Say you spent a few years playing a professional sport you absolutely love, you earned a few dollars, but then you get an injury that ends your career. You have all that money that you earned, along with that injury, do you think you would really accept the fact you have to give up your dream, and go back to college to get your degree? I don't know about you, but a lot of people wouldn't be able to do that.
I think if you are good enough to go pro you should do it when you can. Say you're a junior and you're offered a contract on a NFL team and the question arises should I finish my degree or get the money and go pro? In my point of view I would go pro over my degree. You can always go back to school there are many adults including my father who went back thrity years after high school and received a degee. If you were that unsure about going to go pro you could always work on your degree on the offseason. I would go pro because if I were to get injured my senior year of playing at college I wouldn't receive a good amount as if I would have just become pro.
ReplyDeleteGive me the millions, my man, no doubt about it. If the money's not guaranteed that's hard but it's only like that until a contract is signed, right? And that's usually not longer than a year after they're drafted anyway. But either way, lets face it, if you are a first round draft pick and you get injured chances are you're still going to be guaranteed some kind of high salaried job on somebody's team, even if it is just as a bench-warmer. College degrees, if need be, could still be pursued online or after your early retirement. I feel bad for Bradford, he wanted to keep playing for his college, he must obviously must be enjoying college life & being young and didn't think this would have happened to him. Unfortunately, it did, but that doesn't mean he's going to be a nobody in the NFL, worst case scenario he's the water boy for the Lions, while still managing a six figure salary.
ReplyDeleteok i understand the point of this but the seperation between your two paragraphs didnt flow very well. It went from being about star athletes and money hungry or not? To college athletes and deciding on staying in college or not. But you have some good points and a strong opinion, keep it up!
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