Newspapers / Grimsley High School Student … / Feb. 28, 2011, edition 1 / Page 4
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4 opinion February 28,2010 Point/Counterpoint: Should athletes have to play four years if awarded college scholarships? College athletes make up for leaving by building fan base, increasing funds BY QUITO CARRIG Reporter While Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Kevin Durant, Monta Ellis, and Derrick Rose are only a few of many, these premiere NBA players spent no more than two years playing at the college level. True superstars dominate at any level, so there is no reason to hold them back by mandating they remain in school for a substantial time. Simply stated, players like Rose and Durant did not attend Memphis and Texas because they wanted educations; they just needed a little more time to develop their skills and maturate as adults before becoming professional ath letes. Fortune and fame were their goals. College sports confines such players because they involve a totally different perspective. It is a team game and a defensive game. Individuals rarely score 40 points a night. Fundamental basketball is the objective, and fans watch games expecting no more and no less. . Therefore, let the super- stars move on. They do not want to be there, and they do not carry emotional-ties to the team. All these play ers desire is a high draft pick leading to a major sign ing bonus. Former Cava liers player, Miami Heat's Lebron James certainly proves such claims. He is so wrapped up in his regal status that he actually be lieves he is legendary. Con sidering his financial sta tus, he is so wealthy that he could play without a salary for the next five years and still buy a house on the Cayman Islands. I repeat again: fortune and fame. Universities should not be concerned that their teams remain in transi tional phases. After all, big names draw big bucks. When a marquee, high school player signs with a college or university, his appearance brings in major revenue because fans flock to the courts to watch him play and to enjoy witness ing a successful season. If the team survives the final stages of March Madness, then the program gains additional status; conse quently, more high-profile players choose to sign with the school. An "out with the old and in with the new" ap proach keeps college bas ketball fresh and exciting. It is the essence of NCAA hoops, all because of the yearning for fame and for tune. Unfortunately, ac quiring a solid education is not even a factor. Americans are calling for more celebrities, so edu cation should not impede the process; however, one stipulation that should be included in a signing bonus is a "No Second Chance" clause stating that a player cannot return to college once he walks away to the pros because he did not take full advantage of the opportunity when it was literally handed to him free of charge. College athletes disregard post-career lifestyle, fail to consider injury BY MAC BALL Reporter College athletes receive scholarships for one reason: to represent a school in sports while they are enrolled in classes. Nowadays it is extremely unlikely for an athlete to remain long enough to graduate, especially in major sports like basketball and football. Highly known players, such as Cam Newton, John Wall, Sam Bradford, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony, are key examples of athletes leaving college early to join the professional circuit. Cam Newton had one year left as Auburn's quarterback, but he delegated to go pro instead of trying to defend his national championship. Sam Bradford decided to enter the draft, even with the healing of his shoulder injury uncertain, willing to endure the stress of performing as an NFL starting QB. He had missed ten of the 12 games Oklahoma played the season before yet still entered the draft. Kevin Durant left Texas after his freshman year and, like Newton, did not allow himself to defend his NCAA basketball national championship. Carmelo followed the same path by leaving Syracuse after his freshman year to play for the NBA, just after the Orangemen won the 'national championship. John Wall had even less of a reason to leave Kentucky af ter his freshman year, as his team lost in the quarterfinals after earning a #1 seed in the NCAA basketball tourna ment. Wall's assist-turnover ratio was also much too low. Players from big-ticket teams often leave college early because they see dollar signs instead of degrees. Athletes frequently overlook that after retirement, even with money from exorbitant contracts, it is difficult to maintain the lifestyle they lived previously. Also, they do not consider the possibility of serious injuries, resulting in their playing at an inferior level or not at all. If they suffer from career-ending injuries, they have very little chance of getting good jobs unless they have already achieved great success. Conferences like the ACC, SEC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, and PAC-10 have always been known for their high-cali ber sports programs year in and year out. Players like Newton, Bradford, and Anthony all hail from these big- time conferences (SEC, Big 12, and Big East, respectively). Some schools in particular have very solid histories in sports. In the ACC, Duke and the University of North Carolina have consistently been among college basketball elite for de cades. In their long rivalry, at least one team has been ranked in the top 25 teams for 126 straight games. Due to the success and history of both teams, they have a great chance at snagging the nation's top high school recruits. Players like UNC freshmen Harrison Barnes, Kendell Marshall, and Reggie Bullock, as well as Duke freshman Kyrie Irving and transfer Seth Curry, are among the more effective new players in the nation. Barnes and Irving were both ex pected to be "one and done" after the season; however, Barnes may be in for another year, but Irving, if he plays well after recovering from his injury, could go pro rather than complete his last three college years. Derrick Cousins, John Wall's teammate at Kentucky, also left af ter his freshman year with the Wildcats even though his work ethic was in question to most NBA scouts. UNC's Ed Davis left after his sophomore year despite missing a large portion of the season with an injury. He was sent to the Toronto Raptor's D-league team for a few months until he was finally called to play in December. NCAA football has the same major conferences like the ACC. Players leave almost as often as in basketball. Cam Newton's teammate Nick Fairley decided to enter the draft after helping Auburn stop Oregon's fast offense in the national championship game. Players must start realizing that without the college degree, which is basically handed to them with all the tutoring they have available, they do not exactly have a best-case scenario when their career ends. They should take advantage of their scholarships that usually pay for their entire college education as well as other expenses. Such gifts are extremely generous and can contribute to fulfilling these athletes' lives for so much longer than a five or six-year career in the pros. After that length of times, teams recognize their age and limitations from prior injuries, so they look toward the next batch of college players seeking the same fortune. Athletes need to be more realistic and earn the degrees awaiting them, even if it means waiting a few more years to reach professional status. Four-year players like Tyler Hansbrough, JJ Redick, Tim Tebow, or Colt McCoy show that even great athletes can show patience and wisdom on their athletic journeys. “ High Life Staff welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor from students, faculty, and the public. Letters may be turned in to the office. All letters must be signed. The staff reserves the right to reject any letter containing libelous statements, the right to edit for length and grammatical errors, and the right to ascertain the truthfulness of its content. The High Life is published nine times a year and is produced by the students of Grimsley High School, 801 Westover Terrace, Greensboro, NC 27408. The High Life functions as a medium for creative journalistic pursuits as well as a training instrument for aspiring journalists and artists. The High Life functions as a public forum for student expression. Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Wieselquist, News Editor: Anna Kanode Opinion Editor: Akirah Justice, Sports Editor: Lindsey Stadler Advertising/ Business Manager. Kat EUiott Photographer/Reporter Kat Elliott, Reporters: Mac BaU, DeMarkus Brewington, Quito Carrig, Alina Gabitov, Vinnie Irrig, Malika Martin, Justine Revelle, Jacob Sechter, Niki Shumaker, Mary Claire Hurley, Adviser Lynn Rozelman.
Grimsley High School Student Newspaper
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Feb. 28, 2011, edition 1
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