I was reading in my local newspaper that one of the guys from my alma mater (GOOO GATORS!!) is leaving to go to the pros (NBA). I was kind of baffled, because I personally didn't think he played all that great when he played for us. Apparently he and whoever else is advising him thinks he's good enough to play in the NBA. His freshman year, he was basically a non-factor because we had Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer. And this year he had spurts of good games, but for the most part he just proved that he couldn't lead a team, because he was so inconsistent.
My question is, at what point do these athletes take advantage of the high quality education that is basically handed to them on a silver platter? I was once told by one of my friends who played football "I wouldn't be in college if I didn't play football" and sure enough, he left without completing his degree. I worked my butt off for my degree and I have thousands of dollars in student loans to show for it.
I understand that some of these athletes come from low-income areas and the thought of millions of dollars is oh-so-tantalizing, but they have got to see the big picture. First off, the chance to play in the pros is offered to a select few and even if you make it, your chance of incurring a season-ending injury increases with each game that you play. A career in the pros can be taken at any moment, but your degree is something that is yours forever.
Our young black men are gonna continue to be raped for their talents as long as they let it be known that they don't give a damn about their education. Alas, it's like talking to brick walls sometimes :/.
yea, it's a sad double edged sword. Rape is the best term for it. These young men who are financially & mentally lacking get taken advantage of when that "million" dollar carrot is dangling before them.
ReplyDeleteI have MUCH respect for that basketball player who kept his promise to his mom by finishing his degree - even though he was already in the pro's. I think he was even late to or missed a game because he was at his graduation (i know his face - but am not really big into sports, so...u prolly know who i'm talkin' 'bout;-).
Hey stopping by your blog to see whats going on, I like what I see.
ReplyDeleteHere is the way I look at it.
If you go to college because you want to be a doctor, Lawyer, teacher or what ever you take the classes you need to take to fufill your dream. If for what ever reason that dream changes you can either change majors or drop out to pursue something else.
A lot of these dudes go to college because sports are their dream, to go pro in what ever, and if that doesnt work out they have no interest in anything else.
Why blame them?
College is not for everybody, and asking a kid who only wants to play football that he should concentrate on the books when he knows and the coaches know and the parents know that he is only here to try to go pro is unfair.