Mike Machnik writes:
>Ron Correia (pronounced like Kariya? :-)) writes:
>>I believe when the player signs a letter of intent and the college agrees to
>>provide a scholarship, that agreement should be legally binding on both (the
>>player and the school) for 4 years.  The school should be required to provide
>>that scholarship for 4 years and the player should be required to play for that
>>school for 4 years.  I don't believe a player should be LEGALLY allowed to
>>jump to the NHL until the terms of that contract have expired.
>
>I can't agree.  When the player leaves, the school gets its
>scholarship back to offer to someone else.  And the player gives up
>his free or semi-free education.  If that's his choice, then he should
>have the right to do that.  A scholarship isn't indentured servitude.
 
You're right Mike, IMHO. I look at an athletic scholarship like any other
scholarship. When I started University, I was given a $1250 scholarship that
was renewable for four years. That did not in any way bind me to staying here
for the whole four years. If I were to transfer or drop out, I would of course
stop getting the scholarship, but it is not as if the scholarship is a binding
contract of some sort. I don't see why it should be any different with ath-
letes. To think otherwise is to regard a college scholarship like a pro cont-
ract.
 
The way I look at Kariya is this. Why are most students at a University in the
first place? I would say that it is to improve one's job prospects. Most
people expect that a B.A. will help them to get a higher paying job than they
would have had without that degree. That being said, if someone were to offer
me a $10-million/three year contract to be a staffer on Parliament Hill this
morning, I would not hesitate. I would take the job and finish my degree later.
I could always go back and finish my degree in a couple of years, and take a
course or two per year, but the opportunity for this kind of contract only
comes along once.
 
Why should Kariya be any different? He was at Maine to improve his prospects
of a higher-paying job in his chosen profession, i.e. hockey. The fact that
he could get that high-paying job in his profession after his sophomore year
is great. He should take it and finish his degree later.
 
Just my $0.02 (wishing I could get paid big bucks for it :) )
 
John
 
--
John C.K. Edwards       ONLY _13_ DAYS UNTIL I GO HOME!!!! :-) :-) (Dec.19)
Poli Sci/Law III      GO CATS GO!!! (9-20)     TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!!!! (5-7)
CUSA Arts/SS Rep    [log in to unmask]    [log in to unmask]
Ottawa, ON        Unfortunately, my opinions aren't those of CUSA or Carleton