CFB freshman wants to turn pro. How can they stop him?

Clarkmeister · #1 10-17-2002, 04:41 PM

Ohio State phenom Maurice Claret is talking about turning pro after his freshman year.

The NFL prevents any true freshman, sophomore or junior from entering the NFL draft. But I see no way that the NFL can stop him from entering the draft if he so chooses. Christ, we let little 15 year old girls play pro tennis. 18 year old boys play NBA hoops. Why is the NFL any different?

I hope he goes. Screw these colleges who make millions off these kids without them seeing any of it.

http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol5no22clarett.html

HDPM · #2 10-17-2002, 04:55 PM

Yeah, good for him. The NFL should lose any legal challenge to that rule. We'll see if they do. Assuming someone can make any money at all in pro ball, college ball is a bad choice. An Ohio State scholarship has a value of maybe 20K per year including room, board, and recruiting hostesses. If he can make an NFL team he's a moron to stay.

brad · #3 10-17-2002, 05:04 PM

its to disguise the fact that college football is nothing more than state subsidized NFL minor league.

Clarkmeister · #4 10-17-2002, 05:21 PM

Very true. And that state subsidized NFL minor league itself, along with the state subsidized NBA minor league, subsidizes all womens spots, as mandated by federal law.

So in a way.....no NBA and NFL = No collegiate womens sports?

HDPM · #5 10-17-2002, 06:06 PM

No, the schools that have big programs won't go to zero revenue even if the pros open the doors all the way. Most athletes need the time to develop, etc... And the schools that want athletic programs will still have them. It is immoral to spend taxpayer money on them, but that isn't going to change soon. Although one committee around here broached the subject in our current budget crunch.

B-Man · #6 10-17-2002, 07:19 PM

As a sports fan, I'm surprised you are in favor of this. The flood of high schoolers, freshman and sophmores going to the NBA has hurt both the NBA and college basketball. I grew up watching the NBA in the golden age of the 1980s, when the players actually had some skills other than dunking. As a sports fan I hate when high school kids and freshmen go pro. It also sucks for the kids who think they are better than they are, give up their college eligibility, don't get drafted (or flop right away) and then have no college AND no pro career.

Legally, the NFL probably can not stop the kid from leaving college and trying out for the NFL. But I think its bad for most athletes (except the true stars who can make the leap), bad for college sports, and bad for the NFL.

Clarkmeister · #7 10-17-2002, 07:33 PM

If its bad for the NBA and NFL, then they should invest in the infrastructure that MLB has. The NBA has started to do this, and so has the NFL. But neither has done enough yet. Besides, I'm not concerned about whats good for those leagues, I'm concerned about whats fair for the kids.

And I don't buy the "they leave too young, fail, and don't even have a degree to fall back on". Most colleges aren't even pretending to graduate their kids. So they become indentured servants with no real benefit. Its not like plenty of kids don't try and fail after 4 years of college, sans the degree.

The NBA players in the 80s may have had skills other than dunking, but none of them were defensive. The level of D played today is light years beyond what Bird, Magic, J, and the 120-115 era players ever had to face. Your point has some validity, as evidenced by the premium placed on European players in this years NBA draft. In the end, its a free market and the young players will do what is needed to do to make themselves viable to the NBA, or they will fall by the wayside.

And if the kids who don't want to go to school leave for the NFL, etc., I think that is actually good for college ball. College ball should stop being a mini-pro league and get back to being college kids who happen to play sports. I honestly don't mind if the overall level of play drops, if it makes the sport a bit more "pure".

I think the fact that (for example) the University of Miami (FL) can make thousands of dollars off of Ken Dorsey replica jerseys without him seeing any of it is a sham.

Sorry for rambling....

scalf · #8 10-18-2002, 09:19 AM

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] religion...take a look at woody, kicking them yard markers, old arch running for a first down dragging half the other team with him...i think this osu back will bring the bucks back to a real #1....he'll get blocked on this one(disgracfully failing to contribute to TEAM<TEAM<TEAM<...lol..gl [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

bernie · #9 10-18-2002, 01:58 PM

they can exclude him from the draft, but not free agency.

i think it would be a huge mistake for him to turn pro for the simple fact. he's not ready yet. if he gets on a team that doesnt have an offensive line worth a [censored], then we'll see how real good he is. and he may get swallowed whole by the veteran defensive lineman and end up in the fetal position sucking his thumb asking for his momma.

the kids see some of the millions....in scholarships, and post college play, if they make it. the college is inadvertently advertising the player also. it's not like theyre not getting anything out of it. especially if they make it to the NFL and make a shitload.

where else do they pay their dues? high school? yeah right
btw...remember, they volunteer to play for the school. they could get someone else to take their place in a second.

b

bernie · #10 10-18-2002, 02:13 PM

"So they become indentured servants with no real benefit. Its not like plenty of kids don't try and fail after 4 years of college, sans the degree"

this is assuming every college player is going to enter the draft and try and make it in the pros. if they gain no benefit from college, thinking that being 2nd string the whole time that theyll make a pro team, and also not using the scholarship, that's their problem. not the colleges'.

indentured servitude my ass. id be happy to carry a clipboard for 4 years and get a nice free ride.

sorry i just dont buy in to the poor college player that doesnt know any better argument. they get out of college what they put in. with all the opportunities available to them at this stage, the college owes them nothing.

b