Another thing that is wrong with the Clarett rule...

[Michael82]

IF everything goes thru and the NFL loses the appeal, you have so many things that are going to happen.

1. Screws up the NFL, because the quality of talent will fade.

2. Screws up College Football, because the students will bolt early and hardly anyone would stay for their Junior and Senior years.

*3. This is the thing I have been thinking about....The kids. I know that the NFL is NOT going to draft a high school kid yet or even a College Freshman, but what happens to the College students/HS students that think they are ready for the NFL and don't get drafted? They get nothing! They automatically lose their NCAA status after they file for the draft. So, the kid has a free education and instead of getting a degree, they think they are ready for the NFL. The NFL says no and doesn't draft them. Guess what? That kid is screwed! He doesn't get to go back to College and play football, because of NCAA rules, and he doesn't get to take advantage of the scholarship that he received, because he forfeited it.

[LtBillsFan66]

I don't think the rule will make one bit of difference to either league.

[HenryRules]

They're 18 or 19 years old when leaving high school. At some point in time, you have to grow up and be able to make a mature decision.

I really disagree with you on #3. If they declare and miss out ... oh well, too bad. What about the kid that gives up a scholarship at a state school, flunks out of Harvard and is left with nothing because he flunked out? No one worries about him? Life is tough.

I don't think it will affect the level of talent in the NFL. In basketball, McGrady, Kobe, and Garnett are 3 of the best players in the league - leaving school early didn't bother them.

I also think college football could use some screwing up. It's pointless. The best athletes in div. 1 seldom care about the academics - their job is going to be football. The schools have the most arcane rules in the world about their ability to make money off of their sport - even though it's the entire purpose they're in school. Can you imagine science students not being able to be paid to publish a paper about their experience in school? Nope ... then why is it reasonable for athletes to not be able to do so?

Maybe this rule will force the NCAA to wake up and treat athletes on a more reasonable level. We have programs for acting, programs for music, programs for a whole bunch of other things ... maybe if this rule forces the NCAA to make programs purely about sport and allow students to make some form of a living on the side, then some good can come out of it.

As it is, I see no downside at all.

[helmetguy]

Originally posted by HenryRules





We have programs for acting, programs for music, programs for a whole bunch of other things ... maybe if this rule forces the NCAA to make programs purely about sport and allow students to make some form of a living on the side, then some good can come out of it.

They do have programs for sport...Health and Physical Education.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Originally posted by billsfanone
I don't think the rule will make one bit of difference to either league.

Me either. There will only be a few cases were atheletes come out after their sophmore year. I think most kids will realize they aren't ready to make the jump. Of course there will be a few who try every year but not enough to affect either league.

[LtBillsFan66]

Originally posted by THATHURMANATOR
Me either. There will only be a few cases were atheletes come out after their sophmore year. I think most kids will realize they aren't ready to make the jump. Of course there will be a few who try every year but not enough to affect either league.

Yup.

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by helmetguy


They do have programs for sport...Health and Physical Education.

They're related, but not quite what a professional athlete would need. They're more often geared towards high-level amateur athletes or careers assisting athletes (i.e. personal trainers, nutrionists, that sort of thing). They don't give you an education about the sport itself. I'm not only referring to courses that are based on the physical aspect of professional sports, but the off-field aspect as well.

No football player can get a major in "Blitzing D's" with an emphasis on the 46 defense. You may laugh at the thought, but it's just as relevant to his career as a Computer Science student majoring in Enterprise Systems with an emphasis on peer-to-peer solutions. Whether or not the athlete wanted to go on in playing, coaching, or managing, that sort of course could definitely help him out.

Look at some of the bigger knocks at some players coming out of smaller schools - "Yeah, he's good, but he's never played in anything resembling a pro offense" ... now if they could take a course on the West Coast Offense and It's Related Systems, that would definitely help out a lot.

Also, courses about developing a supporting cast (how to choose an agent, accountant, lawyer, etc.), developing/projecting a marketable image, things about becoming a scout/coach/GM, overviews of the various CBA's and how the affect the young athlete would also be valuable courses. Some schools may have these, but I don't know of any.

[Dozerdog]

Mike-

Only 230- odd players get drafted annually anyway. Very few are underclassmen. After the second round, hardly any get drafted.

They have allowed juniors in the draft since 1989. If your "Chicken Little- the sky is falling" theory were to take place- then most juniors now would be declaring for the draft. That doesn't happen. Maybe what, 30/40 -odd players declare early every year and about half get drafted.


Another thing to consider-


1st rounders average what- $1.5 to $2 million a year with bonuses?

2nd rounders around $500 K?

After that, it drops off dramatically with the second day draftees getting just above minimum to minimum ($250 k maybe?) Look at Clumps cap page and see the difference in income between Mike Williams, Josh Reed- and then guys like Aiken or Sape.

So, if you are a talented sophomore or Junior, it's in your financial interest to stay in school and climb a round or two each season you stay in.

The only time it's best to come out is if you are that special talent that can't gain too many spots by staying in (Fitzgerald, Roethlesberger)

Sophomores like Fitzgerald come along once every 3-4 years. (Top 10 pick)- Freshmen like that come along once every 15-20 years (Randy Moss,Clarrett) and even then you are talking only a select few positions.

The only High school kid worthy of the jump might have been Herschel Walker.

Face it- what GM is going to spend any pick on these guys????

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by Mike32282
*3. This is the thing I have been thinking about....The kids. I know that the NFL is NOT going to draft a high school kid yet or even a College Freshman, but what happens to the College students/HS students that think they are ready for the NFL and don't get drafted? They get nothing! They automatically lose their NCAA status after they file for the draft. So, the kid has a free education and instead of getting a degree, they think they are ready for the NFL. The NFL says no and doesn't draft them. Guess what? That kid is screwed! He doesn't get to go back to College and play football, because of NCAA rules, and he doesn't get to take advantage of the scholarship that he received, because he forfeited it.

This part is a bunch of crap.


1- If he wants a college education- do what the rest of us do- PAY FOR IT! They don't ban these guys from college- they just don't give them a free ride.

2- If these kids are stupid enough to think they will get drafted, they are too stupid for college anyway. Keeping stupid people out of college isn't a bad thing. If they don't want the scholarship hand out- then tough bananas.

3- Most of these kids won't ge their degrees anyway. Look at the graduation rates of drafted football players- it's horrid. Some programs don't graduate half their players. No one cries boo-hoo for all those undrafted players who go 4 years yet fail to graduate

[Historian]

Originally posted by Dozerdog

The only High school kid worthy of the jump might have been Herschel Walker.

I believe Cookie Gilchrist was one. Taken right out of high school by Paul Brown in '56 or 57.

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by Billsology
I believe Cookie Gilchrist was one. Taken right out of high school by Paul Brown in '56 or 57.

Yes he was- go to his website and Cookie rants about it.

I Think it was because Cookie wasn't smart enough to go to any college. He never saw the field , though. Eventually spent his college years in the CFL.

I brought up Walker as a modern example. The only guy who could do it in the era of 180 pound receivers and 300 pound OL/DL.

I'll bet that back in the 1940's & 1950's NFL- with much smaller players- a guy like Jim Brown could easilly make the NFL out of High school.

[Stewie]

Re: Another thing that is wrong with the Clarett rule...

Originally posted by Mike32282
IF everything goes thru and the NFL loses the appeal, you have so many things that are going to happen.

1. Screws up the NFL, because the quality of talent will fade.

2. Screws up College Football, because the students will bolt early and hardly anyone would stay for their Junior and Senior years.

*3. This is the thing I have been thinking about....The kids. I know that the NFL is NOT going to draft a high school kid yet or even a College Freshman, but what happens to the College students/HS students that think they are ready for the NFL and don't get drafted? They get nothing! They automatically lose their NCAA status after they file for the draft. So, the kid has a free education and instead of getting a degree, they think they are ready for the NFL. The NFL says no and doesn't draft them. Guess what? That kid is screwed! He doesn't get to go back to College and play football, because of NCAA rules, and he doesn't get to take advantage of the scholarship that he received, because he forfeited it.

Tough. That's life. We all have experienced shoulda, coulda, woulda situations. That doesn't mean we should legislate everything to prevent them.