I weap for the youth of America. This is a situation of "Not getting what I want", that I hear from my 3 year old quite often. Without a doubt there are High School Athletes that are capable of competing at the Professional levels of all Sports. However, this is the exception rather than the rule (ie., Michael Jordan trying to hit a curveball). Baseball does draft out of High School, but those players are subsequently shipped off to minor league club across the country to compete with other "High School Studs" where the cream of the crop can come to the surface. I have seen with my own eyes tremendous high school athletes, 400+ hitters that were sent home before camp ended because they couldn't bat their body weight. I know you have all heard, "when I was a child, I thought like a child...etc." He may be the best basketball player on earth, but if he had spent half as much time in the Library and working on his grades, College Basketball would not be viewed as a punishment to him. No one is holding him back but himself. I for one do not feel sorry for him, I wish the league would go ahead and pass the minimum age rule and send him a flier for a local community college where he can work on hig grades, transfer to a 4 year college of his choice and then enter the pros with a degree.
posted by krwise2001 at 12:36 PM on April 15, 2005
Jermaine O'Neal plays the race card.
I weap for the youth of America. This is a situation of "Not getting what I want", that I hear from my 3 year old quite often. Without a doubt there are High School Athletes that are capable of competing at the Professional levels of all Sports. However, this is the exception rather than the rule (ie., Michael Jordan trying to hit a curveball). Baseball does draft out of High School, but those players are subsequently shipped off to minor league club across the country to compete with other "High School Studs" where the cream of the crop can come to the surface. I have seen with my own eyes tremendous high school athletes, 400+ hitters that were sent home before camp ended because they couldn't bat their body weight. I know you have all heard, "when I was a child, I thought like a child...etc." He may be the best basketball player on earth, but if he had spent half as much time in the Library and working on his grades, College Basketball would not be viewed as a punishment to him. No one is holding him back but himself. I for one do not feel sorry for him, I wish the league would go ahead and pass the minimum age rule and send him a flier for a local community college where he can work on hig grades, transfer to a 4 year college of his choice and then enter the pros with a degree.