OT - One and Done is for Losers

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Altor

Even the low level pro ball championship games don't offer the same prestige and draft raising possibilities of a good Sweet Sixteen game.

True enough, the point was not what would be in the best interest of a few players. My point was the NBA does not require a year of college, as the article states it does. Most of the complaining about the NBA rule has been of this caliber; either poor research or poor wording. David Stern has made his point clear, and I agree with it. The onus is not on the NBA to fix any issues the NCAA is having. They were having issues with academic infants playing college basketball long before the NBA rule was put into place.

If the NCAA wanted the problem solved, they could do it with academic standards. The fact is, they don't, because this rule gives them two things:
1. A chance to let their fans watch the John Walls and Carmello Anthony's of the world for one year.
2. The ability to blame the NBA for their own failure to address what many consider a problem.

Personally, I don't really consider it a problem. College coaches will shy away from these guys for the same reason they are careful with Juco players. Their short tenure makes them a quick fix to what in many cases is a long term problem.

Players were doing "one and done" before the rule, too. Carmello Anthony and Ricky Davis (Iowa) are just two examples. Neither of those players ever intended to stay past their freshman season, the way I recall.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

College coaches will shy away from these guys for the same reason they are careful with Juco players.

Does the name "John Calipari" sound familiar?

Hell, Calipari buys a coupla of these guys every year. He always makes sure that he's at a school that can afford to make them the top offer too. SAT's included. They go to classes for 4 weeks or so in the fall to get eligible, and then bag 'em until they leave in March. And the classes that they go to are all in the same general mode as Music Appreciation. That's where they listen to rap music for an hour a day and then say "Hey, I appreciated that". I have no idea why they don't just pay these kids instead of perpetuating the sham.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I have no idea why they don't just pay these kids instead of perpetuating the sham.

That's my position as well. Hire them as university employees, and give them benefits accordingly, including (lifetime) tuition waivers if they choose to educate themselves and health insurance. Career-ending-injury insurance would be a plus, especially in football.

The notion of a "scholarship athlete" in the big-revenue sports has become a farce.