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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jun 17, 2005 14:39:44 GMT -5
The only difference in my mind with the system in the 1980's is that there was no other option to the system at hand and there was far less money to be made in the NBA - while there were a few high school players who did go to the NBA they were by far the exception to the rule and there was no great clamoring for these players - hence, they played in college not to kill time but because they thought they were doing it to get an education and to get noticed - I don't really see that mentality returning now that players know that college is by-passable.
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MCIGuy
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Anyone here? What am I supposed to update?
Posts: 9,426
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Post by MCIGuy on Jun 17, 2005 18:29:26 GMT -5
The college game does not need "student athletes" who need a place to reside until their next birthday. IMO the age limit really hurts the college game with no upside I can see. Hate to break it to you but this precious college game for decades now has served as a stage for the talented to get noticed. And very often those talented individuals cared just as little about school as the wannabe high school-to-pro jumpers do now. If you don't think that's the case you're fooling yourself. If you want "purity" go watch Feinstein's precious Patriot League or go check out the Ivys. All the rest though tend to attract players who think, hope they will eventually be in the NBA. Of the top 300 players each year out of high school the vast majority would go staright to the pros if they were assured they would get drafted in the SECOND round. A much smaller number initially place education above their dream of being a professional players. Only a fraction actually use their ability to play ball as a means to getting a free education at a top flight university. Now with that said the good thing about going to college is that many of those who initially may have had unrealistic dreams or an indifference towards the thought of getting a degree grow up and realize how important that degree can be. They either grow to love the college experience, find greater value in education after being on campus a couple of years or they may come to the understanding they aren't good enough to be a pro and therefore have to use school to become a productive citizen and get a job. But this happens only when they get a chance to go to a university and learn this little lesson. JT a few times before has even mentioned how he has seen this type of development occur amongst young men whom played for him which is one reason why he thinks setting an age limit and making sure kids go to college is so important.
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