I couldn't help but think after reading some posts stating
that a gifted athlete should grab any chance at a lucrative
(or even semi-lucrative) contract in the the minors or Majors,
that perhaps this opinion would have been less popular a short
time ago?  It seems that if one proposes to put the completion
of a degree on a lower level of priority than earning decent or
great $ in another league, then he/she is really stating that:
 
either,
a. The college sport was a prep for the professional league (period).
 
or
 
b. The potential of earning significant capital NOW is much more
important than preparing NOW for the athlete's post athletic career.
 
Now, I am not trying to demean either of these reasons.  Frankly, I suspect
that a lot of us on this list are college educated and probably white
collar type workers.  A college education, I think many of us agree,
does not necessarily provide anyone with an advantage in the job market
anymore, nor is it a guarantee that the person will get a job that pays
enough for even the luxuries of the American Dream (like a house...).
Now to the point... I just wonder if this (alleged) change in attitude
is a reflection of harder times.  I wonder if people on the list just feel
as if the decision ought to come down to dollars and cents either
 
Someone like J. Pandolfo can get:
a. 40-50K per year in the AHL with the potential for 1 million + in the
NHL OR
b. 25 K per year in business with the possibility of twice that in a decade
or two...
 
I'll go on the line to say option a is more intelligent provided that
he (or anyone) finishes the degree off season and INVESTS a sizable portion
of his inflated sports salary for the days after professional sports
decides it doesn't need him anymore...
 
Comments welcome!
 
Dan
 
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