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 HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.