Should High Schoolers Be Able To Go Pro?

[ChickenHawk]

Guys like Kobe, LeBron, and countless others in the NBA, and even in baseball, today I saw a "Matt Bush" get drafted to the Padres. I think it's a bad idea. I think it sets a bad example, and it's hypocritical due to the contradictory message sent out by such leagues. The NBA has their "reading is fundamental" promotions and they try to get the message out to kids that you should STAY IN SCHOOL and GET YOUR EDUCATION. But then they freely hand out million dollar contracts to kids with 8th grade reading levels. Not only do I think it's two-faced on the part of the leagues, but I think it's an exploitation of the youth involved. They're kids. 18-19 years old. They see a huge check waved in front of them, they're gonna take it. But WHAT IF they don't become the next Kobe? What if they get injured? What if they just SUCK? What are they gonna fall back on? They have no other job skills.

And on a personal level, I just don't find it entertaining watching high school kids play pro sports. BY AND LARGE, they play sloppily, they clearly need fine-tuning, they show clear signs of immaturity to the press, and hearing them in an interview or press conference makes my head hurt. And don't give me that "Oh, but the earlier they start, the better they play cuz they're more athletic." Many of the greatest players of ALL TIME, including THE GREATEST, went to college. For God sakes, just at least TRY a COUPLE years of college before going pro.

So, what's your call?

<IMG SRC="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=ChickenHawk">
HORDE KING FOREVER!!! ORACLE NEVER!!!
<strike>Shock</strike>
<marquee behavior=alternate><font size=2><b>EMFA</b></font></marquee>[color=white]

[furie]

sure. let them get in there while in their prime.


<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/furie1335/.Pictures/rfsigs/blazingfurie.jpg">

[schmega]

kids in the majors in nothing new. no problem there.

the nba's got problems. i couldnt care less if these guys turn out to suck and have nothing but a couple of million to fall back on. what i do care about is their lack of refined skills. kobe, lebron, and kg are big exceptions. but who cares? the knicks suck, so fuck em all, i aint watchin.

its not as likely to happen in the nfl because gm's have great disdain for someone who cant even handle the responsiblities of college, let alone the league. plus, those kids wont last long being hit by men on horse steroids.

http://gilseed.home.acedsl.com/sig.jpg

[Jack_Doff]

Everything that you say about the pros is true of college as well. Going to college doesn't mean that you are learning anything. Some schools lure kids who aren't that smart but can play sports saying it doesn't matter whether you pass or fail, just stay eligible and you'll get drafted early.

[furie]

if MLS can use a 14 year old, then i don't see a problem. i agree the maturity level may be an issue, but that's on a case by case.


<img src="http://homepage.mac.com/furie1335/.Pictures/rfsigs/blazingfurie.jpg">

[FUNKMAN]

it's tough to deny someone the opportunity to become financialy independant...

<img src="http://thereisnogod.faithweb.com/images/funkman.gif">

[Bama]

That Bush kid is gonna make at least 5 million dollars if he never plays a game. As far as LeBron, you know how much he made.

I would trade my college diploma for 5 million dollars and a failed professional sports career ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

http://www.ronfez.net/imagestorage/bamanation.jpg
YANKEES SUCK

[WindowSill]

Why do you need an education if youre so good that youre getting drafted right out of High School? I dont think its a bad thing, if a player is good enough why take 4 years of potential playing time away from them?


<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=metalsat666"><br>

[phixion]

i think its bad simply because it makes college sports suck. not that im a college sport fan, but i do care about prospects. and its very hard to find a talented big man in ncaa hoops. they just skip college and enter the draft. guards however, usually do need to pollish their game in college before entering the pro's.

baseball is a different matter, i could see a high schooler entering the pro's just cause their is a minor league system. i think thats what the nba could use, a solid minor league system. a place where mcgrady and kobe and garnett, can pollish their skills and get paid while their doing it. because before amare and lebron high school rookies usually suck their first few years.

<IMG SRC="http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/phx_sig.gif">
"Everybody wanna be like Mike but Mike wanna be like L"
Monsterone, many much thanks.

[shamus mcfitzy]

it's tough to deny someone the opportunity to become financialy independant


that's the biggest problem. I don't like it, but if you lived in a crap neighbourhood and therefore went to a crap high school and therefore got a crap education, then you can't be blamed for making a decision to turn pro. I don't think its going out on a limb to say that high school-to-NBA players come out of "urban areas" (except for "Silver Spoons" Bryant) that don't leave them much of a choice. And going to college doesn't help them learn anything academic or otherwise if they aren't smart and either don't have to go to class or they get kicked out of school.

I think it can be a safety issue with the NFL too because if you don't know what you are doing you're fucked. Baseball players and basketball players aren't in danger of being ran over if they screw up, but if a high school WR were to ever get to play in the NFL he's prey for the veteran LB (maybe my own Ray Lewis) who would want to show him what a bad mistake he's made. Hockey could be the same way but honestly I don't know a lot about hockey players and if they're more hostile to young guys. The MLS is a pretty light league compared to other countries that Adu could've tried to play in, so he and other youngs guys should be relatively ok too.

[DeltaPin]

I'd rather have them go directly from high school than play 1 or 2 years of college ball then bolt.

It's been done in baseball for years, but the kids are able to develop in the minors. I don't think anyone drafted ever made the big team in the first year.

Remember Brian Taylor? Yankees gave him millions, never made it.

<img src=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ktk7439/files/potch.JPG>

[badorties]

the NCAA needs to be abolished ... it's a multi-billion dollar industry with no kick-back to the athletes generating the revenue (tuition/board are not equal compensation) ... create a viable series of minor leagues to develop the fundamental skills and let the kids earn a little ... our society encourages an open, free market, and these kids have a very desirable skill set that pays insanely well ...

when i worked for IBM back in the mid-90s, there was a strategy to lure teen tech geniuses right out of (or while still in) high school to maintain an edge on the market ...




+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+|+

[reeshy]

"Stay in school and be cool!!!"

[center]<IMG SRC=http://www.rap.ucar.edu/staff/tardif/perso/tom_waits.jpg>
[center]

[DJEvelEd]

I knew some sluts in high school who became hookers. Why play for nothing I say! Get what $$$ ya can if your gonna go ballin.


I could have turned pro too but I had too many cockscabs and a fart problem. I also wouldn't like fucking 70 year old womenfolk because they want me to ignore the colostomy bag while I give them spongebaths. If I'm gonna give a spongebath to an old lady, I'll give one to my grandma who doesn't even know if I'm fucking her or not. Grandma's cuntstank stays with me for days though. She's an old pro herself!

Thanks Katylina, Monsterone, you make the shittiest sigs.
<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=djeveled">
SPONSORED BY: "THE F’CESTOF C’SAR" BY ’SOP c464 B.C.
HAS ANYONE SEEN MY GAPING ANUS?

[reeshy]

Goddam it, DJEvelEd...you're stalking me, aren't you...leave me alone....you scare the living shit right out of me.....STOPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

[center]<IMG SRC=http://www.rap.ucar.edu/staff/tardif/perso/tom_waits.jpg>
[center]

[DJEvelEd]

you scare the living shit right out of me

You're leaving a trail for me to follow.

Thanks Katylina, Monsterone, you make the shittiest sigs.
<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=djeveled">
SPONSORED BY: "THE F’CESTOF C’SAR" BY ’SOP c464 B.C.
HAS ANYONE SEEN MY GAPING ANUS?

[schmega]

before amare and lebron high school rookies usually suck their first few years.

if only there was some place to polish your memory and stat comprehension. kg and kobe had decent rookie years and became stars by their second season. mcgrady didnt play the entire year his second year, but became a star by his 3rd. none of them sucked thier first few years, and we would've all been deprived of entertainment if they couldnt make the leap from hs to the pros. but these guys are clearly the exception. most of need at least 2-3 years in college just to learn how to shoot. a lot of them cant even dribble without carrying.

http://gilseed.home.acedsl.com/sig.jpg

This message was edited by schmega on 6-8-04 @ 9:11 PM

[phixion]

schmega i understand you are trying to pick an argument with me, that fine, i pick an argument with you everytime u bad mouth square. but do me one favor: pay attention to what i write before you say im wrong.

the operative word in the sentence you quoted is 'USUALLY'. its the norm for high schoolers to suck their first first few years in the nba. their are anomalies, their are abnormalities to the rule. im not saying every single one sucked, im saying most sucked.


none of them sucked thier first few years


five words: kwame brown and ricky davis

<IMG SRC="http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/phx_sig.gif">
"Everybody wanna be like Mike but Mike wanna be like L"
Monsterone, many much thanks.

This message was edited by phixion on 6-8-04 @ 9:53 PM

[FUNKMAN]

"Stay in school and be cool!!!"


give a hoot and don't pollute

<img src="http://thereisnogod.faithweb.com/images/funkman.gif">

[schmega]

the operative word in the sentence you quoted is 'USUALLY'. its the norm for high schoolers to suck their first first few years in the nba. their are anomalies, their are abnormalities to the rule. im not saying every single one sucked, im saying most sucked.


none of them sucked thier first few years


five words: kwame brown and ricky davis


there is no argument between you and me. you were wrong. thats it.

in your post, you said kobe, kg, and mcgrady would've benefited from a minor league system. thats wrong. you also made it clear that amare and lebron are the first to not suck their first few years. thats what your sentence says. you clearly point out those 2 as the standard by which we measured early success. to say that in a sentence immediately following a mention of kg, kobe, mcgrady shows you either dont know what you're talking about, or you have less short-term memory than guy pearce.

before amare and lebron, the biggest names to come out of high school WERE kg, kobe, and mcgrady. it use to be a really big deal when someone drafted out of high school. and it USUALLY paid off, because a team's not gonna take a huge risk on a bad prospect unless they were damn sure he was good.

heres a much needed lesson in reading comprehension. you took my sentence completely out of context. if you couldnt see that by 'none of them', i meant the 3 guys in the previous sentence, you need to go back to grade school.

http://gilseed.home.acedsl.com/sig.jpg

[phixion]

in your post, you said kobe, kg, and mcgrady


i never mentioned any individuals name in my original post. i was speaking in general terms. and for the record you cant be wrong about an opinion. i felt/feel that if their is a minor league system then kobe kg and tmac all would not have even a rookie season of mediocrity. and since this is a hypothetical discussion neither one of us can be proved wrong or rite.

<IMG SRC="http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/phx_sig.gif">
"Everybody wanna be like Mike but Mike wanna be like L"
Monsterone, many much thanks.

This message was edited by phixion on 6-8-04 @ 10:52 PM

[schmega]

i never mentioned any individuals name in my original post.

a place where mcgrady and kobe and garnett

this is so easy its not even fair.

http://gilseed.home.acedsl.com/sig.jpg

[JohnnyCash]

I think they should have to finish High School before they go pro.

<img src=http://img18.photobucket.com/albums/v53/monster6sixty6/guests/cash_sig.jpg>
Big thanks to Monsterone.