Well, the 2008 NBA draft has come and gone. But along with my concerns that Mayo may be overrated or Rose isn’t tough enough, there is something else about the NBA that has been sticking in my craw. (what, y'all thought i only talked about everyday life?)
It seems that no one in the world truly cares about the plight of teenage, inner-city black males. UNLESS… you are a high school basketball phenom with dreams of entering the NBA. Suddenly, the masses care about your well-being, your ability to adjust to the adult world, your education, how you will handle the pressures of success, fame and big money. In 2005 NBA age limits were enacted supposedly to allow these men to mature as men, as players and reinforce the value of a college education. Currently, you have to be 19 which now usually results in players attending at least one year of college. I think this is the biggest crock of shit I have ever seen.
So let me get this straight, if you are a black male you can graduate from high school at 17 or 18 and do NOTHING with your life and there is no outcry, but to graduate high school and sign a multi-million dollar basketball contract (because of a skill you’ve likely spent most of your life developing) is out of the question? Now maybe, just maybe I could go along with this flawed and paternalistic approach to these young people IF it were applied equally across society.
No one requires Miley Cyrus to be 18 and go to college before she makes millions, no one requires Beyonce to attend a year of college before making millions, no one said Brad Pitt should go to his local university for a year so he could learn how to socialize and mature more before making the big bucks because an education is so important. Nowadays young people are developing blogs and software and making millions with computers without the aid of a year of college. Folks like John D. Rockefeller, Quentin Tarantino, John Travolta and Tom Petty never even finished high school. I thought this society was based on the concept of a free market? Why is it Ok for everyone else to graduate from high school and receive what the market will pay them, except for these young men?
The answer: the future of college basketball programs. For the NCAA to act like this decision was made in consideration of what was in these players’ best interest is laughable. As with most things in America, just follow the money. NCAA programs are scared shitless at the prospect of their revenue falling drastically as players bypass the whole college process. They need stars to keep their arenas packed. For anyone to pretend this is about anything other than college athletics (READ: money) is insulting.
In light of the fact that these young men’s careers are often short-lived, with the average pro-career being five years, why risk another year playing for free and potentially being hurt, when you could play now and make enough to be set for life? Why risk your financial security just to make a university millions of dollars? These men will have the rest of their life to go to college, just like anyone else in this country.
Are these men any more prone to piss up their money, engage in bad behavior, get into legal trouble or live irresponsibly, than musicians, actors, or software designers ? Of course not. But when it comes to these ballers, nooooooo, they’re just not ready for the big time. Chris Brown and Rihanna can tour for the big bucks and Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgins can be entrusted with seven figure deals, but not these guys, they need to mature.
It is not our place to impose our judgments about whether this is a good decision for these men personally, that is a decision only he can make. And why is society imposing their judgments on THESE particular men when everyone else gets a pass and are lauded for their success. We’re either in a capitalistic society or we’re not. If the market is willing to allow these young men to make a living, who are we to stop them?
"I understand the commercial considerations if a kid can become an instant multimillionaire, but I'm not sure in the long run it's good for society or college sports if kids leave early to chase a buck," says Robert C. Khayat, chancellor of the University of Mississippi, a former college-football player and former president of the Southeastern Conference. "This may sound terribly naïve, but one of our values in this country is valuing commitments and being loyal — and not just shifting your allegiances on the strength of money." Why would a young man put the interest of college sports above his own? Are you kidding me? How interested would that same college program be in that man if he got hurt and couldn’t make them anymore money?
Its such a sham. Like most things, it all comes down to the dollars. This is about colleges and universities being afraid they won’t make the money they used to if top players bypass them and go straight to the pros. It’s also why football players have to spend three years in college. Lets call a spade a spade. No pun intended.
In a 2007 SportsBusiness Journal article, Mr. Len Elmore, former University of Md basketball star and member of the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics argued that one year of college is better than none because it helps players improve their basketball skills and become more mature. Am I in the twilight zone? If an NBA franchise (who has some experience in these matters) has made an assessment of my skills and wants to pay me to play for them, who in the hell are you to decide that I need more time to mature and improve my skills?
It’s a bizarre type of thinking isn’t applied to any other profession. (phone rings) “Oh, hello Bill Gates, what’s that? You want me to come work for Micorsoft because you are so impressed with my programming ability?...hmmm… I don’t think so, I’m only 18 and if you think I’m good now, just wait another year, I’ll make my school a lot of money and I’ll be even better, so call me back then! Hello? Mr. Gates ? Hello? …..”
The decision to draft a player is a market decision whereby teams evaluate the player and assume the risk associated with their success or failure. As with any player they recruit, they can win big or lose big. This is big business, not the YMCA. Scouting and recruiting players is a business decision. Similarly, what a man wants to do with his career is a business decision and he should be allowed to make it. If he wants to go to college, great, if he doesn’t then he must live with the consequences. If he wants to play pro ball and go to college later, that’s his business.
A player coming out of high school could end up a LeBron James or they could end up a Jonathan Bender. But on the other hand, there are plenty of college players who played all four years and ended up disappointments in the NBA. Can you say Bobby Hurley?
Now don’t get me wrong, of course I think everyone should go to college. I think a college education benefits everyone. But that’s not my decision. I don’t think stripping is a good career decision but who am I to stop a woman from selling ass?
Are these kids as good as they would be after playing four years in college, of course not. But he could also go to college and be injured. It’s a choice that should be left up to students and their families, not college athletic bigshots who are only looking out for their own interests. They don’t care what becomes of these kids, as long as they fill the stands and make their university millions. When these same guys who believe college is sooooo important go after Dakota Fanning, Raven Simone, and the Jonas Brothers, then maybe I’ll be convinced.
62 comments:
I completely agree. More so, these restrictions don't apply to baseball players, they can still be drafted out of high school. And considering most of those kids are middle class whites, they are the ones who can probably afford to put their pro career on hold and go to college. But of course, college baseball isn't nearly as big an industry as college basketball so no one cares.
And I attend the University of Mississippi, and I can attest to Khayat's money-hungry mentality.
I promised myself I wouldn't ever comment until I could agree with you, so I have been in hiding for awhile. This time I have to say that you have hit the nail right on the head. This is all about wanting to exploit these young men. Let's be real and admit that education is not treated as a priority and even less for black men. I don't see colleges bending over to get black students that don't make them a profit because they want to fight racism. No they only want blacks when they can get something from them.
Renee I appreciate that, but feel free to comment on anything i say agree or disagree. Its all about the marketplace of ideas and being challenged is the only way i learn and grow.
You know, I really wish that people would focus their attention on raising our kids in the mindset that success does not have to come at the handling of a ball...or a microphone. I just hate it so much. So many of the guys I went to school with excelled at 3 point shots and guarding....and it amounted to nothing more then flippin' ribs at the local barbecue joint. I am just so sick of seeing a million and one parents willing to yell themselves horse in the stands for their son's championship game...but you can't drag your butt to the school for a play, or a recital, or a reasonable conference. Ug...the whole athletic world in general frustrates me. The day Labron James has a bigger influence on someone's life then a well educated and effective teacher ....then maybe I'll consider his paycheck valid ((yes, he's talented...I acknowledge this)) ....until then, they can all kick rocks in my book. Sorry if I'm off topic, it's like... 130 in the morning and I'm pretty damn cranky. :o/ I blame it on Yung Berg...
I normally agree with anyone who believes in the free market system and making as much money as you are worth but I have to disagree with you on this subject. These young men need the NBA much more than the league needs them. While the NBA is throwing college basketball a bone by forcing them to be one year removed from high school before they can be drafted these young do not have to go to college. They can play basketball in Europe or they can hire an agent and train for a year. They do have options it is just logical for them to attend college for a year as a pseudo student/athlete and then declare for the draft. I truly believe that the league is attempting to weed out inferior high school players who every year were securing guranteed contracts and never actually becoming the super stars advertised. By forcing them to go to college they are getting another year to evaluate them against better talent, a stronger partnership with the NCAA, their free talent pool, and free advertisement as the next NBA superstar during that marketing blitz that is march madness.
I guess whatever the motivation is, i know its not concern for these boy's education and future, like they try to spin it. Its about money whichever way u look at it. It all comes down to a business decision.
Thank you, Angel & anonymous... that's the real issue. The NBA is nothing but a glorified slave trade. & just as Angel stated, you have all these young boys believing that they're the next LeBron, Tracy, AI, Kobe, & whomever else. But, they're not. Those type of players come once every couple yrs. Look how long it's taken the league to recover from Jordan's departure. LeBron & Kobe were all they had for a while, & even they couldn't keep the money rolling in by themselves. Now, we have Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, & Deron Williams (Utah PG). Even the Seattle kid, I forget his name has not gotten the attention the league anticipated. So, it does take yrs. for these players to develop. I'm not condoning the yr. rule (I think they should all get a degree), but I don't think it benefits the NBA or NCAA any more than it benefits the players.
What they should do is require these kids to take business & marketing courses so they will know how to deal w/ agents, contracts, & advertising. So they will be empowered to market & negotiate for themselves. These kids get into the league & buy million dollar homes, multiple cars, & other random overpriced crap, not realizing all the damn taxes that are associated with these things. I totally disagree, not only w/ you Jam, but w/ all this crap; the NBA, music industry, b/c all you have is a bunch of million dollar idiots.
Nista206,
Loved your comment about requiring the kids to take some type of business course. And here's an even better idea: how about all of these inner city schools add financial literacy to their curriculum so that our young Black boys and girls can know the differences between having money, being rich and being wealthy.
Comparing the NBA to the slave trade, as nista206 has done, seriously minimizes the inhumanity of slavery and its effect on the people ensnared in it.
The most essential thing to understand about slavery is that enslaved people do not have choices other than the choice to risk their life by being defiant or running away. They did not -- could not -- chose whether to put their physical abilities on the marketplace.
Yes, the NBA is ruthless in putting a value on the abilities of large young men, but that is what all employers do. That's what explains why the rest of us make whatever it is we are paid. We can negotiate for higher pay, just as the young men who seek to play in the NBA can do. NBA players get more $$ than teachers like me because there are fewer people who can play at their level.
The key is that these large young men have choices just like you and I. They could choose to be teachers, doctors, lawyers or bloggers instead of NBA players, but it should be their free choice without restriction other than ability.
I don't think slave-trade was the best wording but I agreed with the whole mind-set they followed. I've always felt that sports in general tended to exploit black men in the fact that they use them for their abilities and then spit them out when they're done. Look at all these predominantly white schools who have all minority athletic programs. Come on, do you really think that's a coincidence ? Further more, when you get deeper in and start looking at how many of these "star athletes" actually graduate and go on to be successful, the numbers get even smaller. It's definitely exploitation on some level. I guess it falls back on the responsibilities of the parent to instill a greater sense of value and priority in the child...so they can learn that college/school is for education and athletics is an EXTRA activity...stop regarding your learning as an inconvenient way to spend time between games. Yes in theory, everyone has a choice as to what path they follow but when you grow up in an environment that minimizes your options and elevates the role of athletes and Hollywood stars... then it's a bit unbalanced. Each person should be given equal exposure and opportunity to pursue a variety of interest. Social and economic status shouldn't be a dividing line between what is and isn't emphasized as a life path for children.
when i was in college it would really irritate that the "student" atheletes could choose classes first. not to stereotype, but i saw lots of palyers skipping classes or having girls do their work for them. what is the purpose of them being forced to take classes, when they just show up for the tests? it just makes less space available for the people who actually need the education.
these kids really do not understand how to handle their finances. like someone said, they should have to take some kinda money management class, or maybe they should WANT to take a money management class. as soon as these kids go pro, they got all kinds of family and friends helping them spend their money and making it rain. they are kids and they don't know any better. they see shiny things and want to buy them all.
i understand that these colleges are making ridiculous amounts of money off of these kids. i just wish that these kids would take advantage of the gift that they have. but that will only be as important as the values that their parents and teachers put in them early on.
*Waves hand to Ms. Mac*
Our young people need business acumen! ASAP. Cause we are all Capitalists by default; we've all gotta find a way to make money.
I'm not against playing for a year or two in the NCAA; cause quite frankly basketball is a team sport; not an individual game; you need the experience and you need maturity. What Quentin Tarintino does cannot compare to what Kevin Garnett does. They are apples and oranges. And there honestly isn't a one size fits all answer to how this should be handled.
There are phenom exceptions like Kobe and Lebron. They've never seen a college classroom in they're lives and won't have to; but they are the exception. Players like that are NOT a dime a dozen; but broke ass kids in the hood bouncing balls are.
And yes! These players are being exploited and used; but that is how the money game is played and these players know it. Black, White and in between; they ALL know the rules
Sheesh. I wish I could be used in that way; cause if you're blessed with talent, drive, and determination the pay off is tremendous. No hate today. You've got to get in where you fit in. I can criticize all I want; but can I give these players that are "so called" being "used" an opportunity to earn the kind of money that will get their mommas, play cousins, and re-appearing deadbeat dads out the hood?
No. No Sir.
Ooooh you did not go there with the play cousins lol. But not all of them take the "help a family out" route. I've seen them abandon all elements of their history... just as quickly as the others help bring them up. So it's not always about progress w/ promise... some people just chase the all mighty dollar any way they can.
Excellent post, Jam. I didn't realize the average NBA career is 5 years, and yet no wonder they are all bankrupt and broke by year six or seven. And they note how they all claim ignorance and being naive as the reason why they lose it all.
I know someone who played for the Bulls in the late 70s. Due to an injury, he only played for 2 seasons. He's been broke for years, and I'm not sure how long it took him to lose all of it, but after reading this, I'm sure it wasn't long after he left. He is practically homeless and makes some money here and there - he earns by picking up jobs coaching or being an assistant coach to whatever junior leagues or small schools he can find work with.
I'll tell you he still has his fur coat he bought with one of his first NBA checks (which he can wear all year long, and let me tell you summers here are pretty damn hot and muggy). No steady job or home, but he has that coat.
He's a good soul, though. Not bright - but not a bad guy. Sad.
I don't think the NBA can be compared to a slave trade. These players are well compensated. If they choose to spend their money on a diamond encrusted marajuana leaf necklace, gambling and dog fighting, blame on it on them and their family. If given the choice, they would not go to school. So the NBA should force them to go? Would it really sink in? I doubt it.
College sports is a hypocrisy. At least pro sports make no bones about the monetary aspect. The NCAA are exploiters, and the NBA is an enabler. Athletes need to wake up and take control of their own destinies.
The slave trade comparison wasn't meant to be taken literal.... of course they have far more privileges & freedoms than our ancestors. However, analyze the system of the NBA; players treated like product or objects are traded for a profit or for a better product. & though they have contracts & can asked to be traded & all that jazz, these men are still a part of a system in which the owners & management care about them as much as the tickets that are sold for the games..... so, essentially, in some regards, they are de-humanized just as slaves were.
Now, the larger point that I wanted to make is that, yes, the players do have a choice. They can choose to educate themselves & go farther than the NBA, or fully take advantage of the NBA as the NBA takes advantage of them. So, that's essentially why I don't agree w/ Jam, b/c these players have a choice, yet they choose the easy route. Once again, a million dollars won't last long in the hands of an idiot.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3326971.stm
and this week there has been fresh controversy over remarks Sepp Blatter made saying that in football (soccer) there is too much "modern day slavery"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/hugh_mcilvanney/article4322627.ece
I enjoy reading your blogs because it always gives me a completely new perspective (both for things that influence my world and for things that I'm not necessarily familiar - like black men being recruited to the NBA too early).
You're absolutely right. These men should be encouraged to finish school and get their degree. That's especially important when you consider that so few black men even get motivated enough to attend secondary school, much less graduate (or get an NBA draft).
I guess it really depends on what their personal goals were for entering college. Was it to get some life experience and receive a degree? Or was it to play basketball until they were drafted? If their goal was only to be drafted, that's okay.
It's actually no different than the common practice of many young Southern girls (probably all over the country, actually) who only attend college with hopes to get married. Yes. They go to school to try to find their future husband and he's normally about to graduate, meaning he's about to leave, have a pretty good job, and she can quit school and become a housewife.
I'm most sad that parents are most times encouraging their kids to leave school when these other life events happen (whether it's the potential NBA lifestyle or it's having the life of one of the Real Housewives).
my basic point is why turn down millions to go to college? you can go to college anytime. Everyone else in this society can make millions without going to college, why cant they?
As far as the slavery parallels, I'm not sure why basketbal is any different than any other career based on some aspect of physicality. If your main tool is your body, then it makes sense that the industry will treat you as such. Sure the dynamic is uncomfortable, especially because of the history of slavery but why is b-ball different from modeling ? You never hear anyone screaming, "those girls are like modern-day slaves, they should go to school and get an education!" I say make that money while you can, college will be there...
I see your point of view. But, the flaws & lifestyles of models aren't as publicized as athletes. You only hear about a select few. & even when you do, it's more glamourizing than criticizing. Athletes are scrutinized @ every turn, so it's that much more important for them to always be their best.
Jam, I totally agree and really all anyone needs to do is look at the disparity in sports such as baseball, Nascar or soccer where college isn't necessary to enter the sport. People should have said something in 2005 when it was enacted though.
By the way, what college do all those foreign NBA players hail from?
I look at it different because it just seems that the young black athletes are always the ones in trouble....and they're so quick to be tossed out once it happens. You don't see Dale Jr, Jeff Gordon, A-Rod, or any other athletes get more then a litte bad press when they get caught. Pacman Jones, Randy Moss, Michael Vick.... all get hung out to dry once they get into some trouble. Do you really believe that no white NFL players ever get caught fighting in strip clubs ? Is Kobe the only baller smashing white chicks in hotels at resorts ? No...but if it's a choice between him and the next great white hope...guess who's getting thrown to the wolves. Plus, my frustration lies in the 100's and 1000's of young children who idolize and immitate these athletes because of the pedestal they're put on....and they would rather spends hours bouncin a ball in hopes of a contract....then put their heads in a book and get their mind right. Sure, 1 in a million get to live the dream like LaBron...but what about those who don't ? What does 13yrs (yea I count preschool) of school basketball playing get you in the end ? Maybe a scholorship... where athletes aren't exactly pushed to persuit the highest level of education they can get. (Don't want that pre med to take up too much practice time) It's just too great a divide between the persuit and the achievement....I just don't think it should be the primary focus like it is. Yea, I feel the same way about modesl and actors...and anyone else who glamorizes a lifestyle void of education and rewarded with excessive pay. This is why you have people like Jamie Lynn Spears dropping out of H/S in favor of a GED and a baby. If she was black, she would've been sacraficed as another statistic...but other then a little bad publicity, what did she get besides a baby daddy, a few million for baby pics and a house ?? We can't sit around expecting society to catch up and balance the fairness of work to earnings....or start normalizing the lifestyles that celebrities and athletes glamorize. It's just not going to happen.
Great points!! I don’t even think everyone should go to college, it’s not for everyone. However I do think you make an excellent point here. This decision was totally made because the NCAA needs to make money too, and I’m not saying these players are fully exploited they do get free educations.
However my dad told me the whole point of college to him was to get a degree so he could make money, so if you can already make money you were going to go to college to try to make (or 100 times more) why not skip, college is like Jell-o there is always room for it. You can always get your degree later.
Great post!
-OG
To add to the points made, I went to a community college. No one is too old for college. I had people in my classes old enough to be my parents. I agree an education is a terrible thing to waste but if you can make the money and do not want to go to college, had absolutely no intentions of going even before you knew you could make it in the NBA, there's no reason to force it on people. Like OG's comment, college is not for everyone. Some people make just as much money maybe more going to trade school then the people who've had 4 years of college. It's all about what you want to do with your life. That's the whole reason people like America anyway. That's why we have immigrants, legal or not, because we have the right to choose.
Immigrants aren't goin to like us once they start shippin' them back home...at least not the illegals lol.
Angel, all of your points are exactly why athletes & entertainers in general should be more conscious of their behavior; b/c these kids look @ them as role models. I believe it was Snoop Dogg; maybe not, but whomever it was said that he wasn't concerned about his behavior or lyrics b/c he wasn't a role model & was all about making his money... but, now that he has kids, he cares. So, it's like they believe it's ok to poison & negatively influence our children, but they know right from wrong when they have children. So, in that respect, you want me to be concerned about someone's rights/choices that don't even care about me..... NOT! That was totally not the point I wanted to make.... but, now that I think about it.... I'm not going to worry or feel bad for someone that doesn't care about themselves. These athletes wanna go out & act a fool; they know the consequences of their actions; they know that people are waiting for them to fail. The system is messed up & unfair, but I don't see them trying to change it, so it must not bother them too much. B/c the bottom line is that the NCAA & NBA would be nothing w/o the players. For example, if those college athletes got together & boycotted until the NCAA offered them stipends or something; which I believe they should since they're making billions off of them, then they would do it. I don't think we know our own power sometimes.... we're too scared to challenge the status quo.
There is an underlying resentment of the wealth, youth and brashness of the young Black athelete which I think provides an undercurrent to the "stay in school" mantra.
I think Stern is desperately trying to break the image of the young Black man that most Whites are afraid of being the standard bearers of the NBA.
Sometimes the hypocrisy of the NCAA is beyond words in relation to this issue. They don't allow atheletes to work and they give them almost nothing to live on while they generate millions of dollars of revenue off of them each year. If they were so concerned about a higher standard they would setup a system of financial support for atheletes commensorate with the revenue they bring in.
Respectfully, any notion of the slave-trade resembling the NBA or modern team sports in general is ridiculous.
Slavery was predicated on eradicating the humanity of those captured and exploiting them to the brink of death. Conversly, modern sports in relation to the Black athelete is about the glorifying of their abilities and creating a brand. The Black sports star is Superman in this country, their image is carefully crafted to sell everything under the sun to all comers.
Outside of the profit motive which dictates any working relationship in a capitalist society, Slavery bears no resemblance to modern sports.
To the role model issue, I think its bigger than atheletes or celebrities but has more to do with a culture obsessed with fame.
Its the wealth, popularity and notoriety that kids envy about atheletes and entertainers; but in this reality TV age almost anyone can achieve some modicum of the aforementioned wealth and fame.
Beyond the usual obsession with status and the symbols that go with it during adolescence; their has to be something larger lacking in the lives of children to supposedly follow in the footsteps of atheletes and entertainers to the point of their death or incarceration.
Jefferson, I'll be honest... I do resent it. Not about them being black but I resent the whole notion that bouncing a ball outweighs and outpays jobs like teachers, doctors, and other neccesary jobs that provide stability to our community. Maybe if teachers were better compensated, their would be more qualified people in the profession, a better education system would be built....and people wouldn't have to be dependent on athletics, entertainment, or other forms of celebrity to make a nice check come tax time. :o/ I hate it when my parenting is questioned by other people because my son is involved in a handful of afterschool activities and no athletics...and then I get the general "well he might make it to the NBA and then what..." like that's the "high point" in his life he should aim for. Ug... maybe I'm just moody... or maybe I'm missing the point completely but that's ALWAYS pissed me off... even more so now that I'm raising the next generation of young black men. As much as he loves sports, I drill it into him that it's not the holy grail of achievement. :o/ I think they have talent... I think they have a real skill. I just not convinced they should be making hundreds of millions of dollars for it. The ones who say they don't get there to be role models need to be smacked, when you're in a position of being that recognizable...you don't have a choice. You want to be popular but not accountable. You want the benefits of being loved, admired, adored....but you don't want to answer for it. If you want a private life, be a mail man....don't get into a high profile business then cry that you're a normal citizen.
as long as you also resent Brad Pitt for making 30 million a movie or Beyonce for grossing over 100 million last year (most than most prof athletes will ever make)....than I can feel you.
Entertainers ( including athletes because they're entertainers) provide an invaluable service and earn what the market allows. I'm sick of so many people whining that they shouldn't get paid so much to "bounce a ball" or sing and dance. They make so much because of the millions of people watching them perform on television everyday, buying their albums, and attending their games. If they bring in that type of revenue, you can't deny them their fair share. Not to mention that it is only a small percentage of entertainers making these massive amounts of money. It seems like more because the ones that stick out in your mind are the most famous ones who tend to make the most money, no one knows the ones who are making moderate amounts.
And what's this obsession with a college education. Going to college is great and can open a plethora of job opportunities but the primary reason for going is to get a degree that will allow you to make more money. If you can make a significant amount of money without college, go for it. You probably shouldn't bank on getting rich and famous without college because for everyone that does, there are countless more that fall on their face, but I know that if one could make a career out of writing poetry I wouldn't be in college.
i appreciate the way you equated the 'job opportunity' of being an nba player with other job opportunities, i never really thought about it that way.
however, it seems like the over riding assumption is that 'they' (meaning white people?) are behind this 'paternalistic' faux protection. I don't agree with that. I used to be firmly on the side of protecting these young boys and their families from being exploited. i think that they should have a fall back plan. i think that there is a big difference between marketing your brain skills and marketing what your body can do.
but, maybe you're right. maybe it IS up to the families...and if they get exploited then I shouldn't care.
"as long as you also resent Brad Pitt for making 30 million a movie or Beyonce for grossing over 100 million last year (most than most prof athletes will ever make)....than I can feel you."
I resent all those rich bitches. lol.
I get your point Jam and I also think it's a matter of principal. If there was a greater number of successful, non-athletic Black men out there making this same type of money or enjoying similar trappings then I would say make all the dollars you want without the benefit of higher education. However, there's a serious imbalance. And since the numbers of Black men in prison, living below the poverty level or worse otweigh the number of Black men in colleges, independently (or dependently wealthy) or considered middle, I percieve a serious deficit.
Also, Black men have not mastered the ability to generate income from multiple streams yet. It's a one pony show that's generally funneled by way of the entertainment industry. Saying that these boys/men shouldn't go to college is almost like giving them a free pass to live out their pipe dreams. Every baller won't make long money and those who make the long money are often so uneducated about basic finance that they blow it before they know it.
I can't count on one hand the number of young Black boys that aspire to become a scientist or an astronaut or an economist. And the reason is because those dreams require a great deal of time and work ethic, which is what college is supposed to instill.
Being a Lebron type baller or Jay-Z type rapper requires work but it's more about artist development and cultivation of talent (if it started with talent). And this is also not to say that ballers/rappers don't have a work ethic. But I don't see Jay-Z or Kobe running back to college to get that Masters now that they've "made it". There is no real desire for the average entertainer to elevate themselves on an intellectual level because people who have money think they know everything! lol. I mean if the answer is that college will always be there, then the question has to be what would motivate the average Black man to go back when he either a) tried and failed at b-ball or b) got so filthy rich that college wouldn't even make them richer. What would be the motivation??
I'm not saying these NBA/NCAA people are doing it for the right reason. But we shouldn't bite our nose to spite their face. If the kids have to go to college for a few years isn't the end result having the benefit of a college education? How is that a bad thing for someone who might not have gone otherwise, regardless of whether or not they thought college was "for them"? Being rich ain't "for" everybody either. But that doesn't stop most people from trying it.
FYI, possibly not pertinent at all but still interesting: According to Harvard Professor Louis Henry Gates, Jr., in the year 2000, there were 100 more black cardiologists (484) than black players in the NBA.
Ms_Mac,
I don't think anyone is arguing against young men going to college to become better educated. The point of contention arises out of the blatant hypocrisy of the NBA propping up the multi-million dollar NCAA basketball industry; under the guise of being concerned about the welfare of these young Black atheletes.
David Stern could easily require these atheletes to take classes in the off season while still playing in the NBA. He won't apply this option because it doesn't equate to March Madness and atheletic merchandising being sold.
something else about these kids...no one ever told them that their drawers stank. basically these kids could do no wrong from middle up, and they start believing it. teams were always recruiting them. parents doing everything they could to get them exposure. girls always pushing up on them. then once they get out into the real world, they actually have rules to follow.
this is why these atheletes keep getting in trouble. someone should have popped them upside the head a couple of times when they were coming up. that, or the parents needed to instill some values. i dunno, just a side rant.
I hear you jefferson sergeant, which is why my last point supports exactly what you're saying. I know the NCAA is in it only for the money. But does that mean that we can't try to fight fire with fire?
Does refusing to going to college and possibly not getting drafted trump going to college while making the NCAA money? It doesn't because it's a gamble for the Black player and the chances are that he will lose.
I do think they need to change how they do business but putting off college seems counterproductive to me. Again, it's like biting your nose to spite your face. These boys should be using their time in school to learn how to beat these fools at their own game, even if they have to make them some money in the process. But I totally agree with you (and Jam). The NCAA does not care about Black people!
I am torn on this issue. I agree that kids should have the opportunity to cash in given their superior athletic skills, but I also believe they need some understanding of how to plan for the future. Plenty of people make millions of dollars and lose it in a heartbeat thanks to greedy relatives, shady managers/agents, and just plain profligate spending. I hope the NBA provides with some guidance on how to manage their new wealth and how to transition once their career is over. Every player doesn't have the talent or the charisma to land a sportscasting at ESPN at the end of the day.
The Wall Street Journal recently had a great profile on former Pittsburgh Steeler, Franco Harris, (a black man) who upon leaving football started his own food distribution business and is now the successful CEO of his own company. Granted, he completed Penn State with a degree in food service and hotel admin before starting football, and he wasn't making the millions kids make today, but still when he left football he knew he needed to do something else. So, he planned ahead, SAVED HIS MONEY, and started his business.
I think it's great that these kids can make millions, but if they don't know how to make sound economic decisions, they are screwed.
I think the aspect of a gamble on entering the league should allow each player to weigh their options carefully. That notwithstanding, the blue-chip players who can clearly jump from high-school to the NBA shouldn't be restrained for the benefit of the NCAA.
What I would like to see as some have suggested is that Black atheletes start playing for HBCU's en masse. I would love the balance of power and wealth to shift to institutions that accepted Black atheletes long before it became profitable.
Jam...yea, I resent them all. I don't see what they do as being that great. I know crappy athletes, crappy actors, crappy actresses, and crappy entertainers. I think that while their talent is valid, their are a 100 other people just as good who didn't get all their planets lined up to be discovered, so they're not this rare phenomenon to me. Anyway, would this qualify as one of "those" conversations....like the previously mentioned chicken bones ? :o/ Am I going to be a hypocrite on the off chance that one of my kids makes it big and I let them buy me a house...?? Hmmmmmm
Jefferson, that's a good idea. It kind of relates to what I said.... if these athletes got together & boycotted the NCAA, they wouldn't know what to do. In the same respect, if they started playing for HBCU's, funds would be shifted from Duke, Kansas, etc... & go to Howard, Morehouse, etc.
Also, I don't resent the fact these entertainers make so much money, but I def. think that someone should be required to share the wealth w/ teachers.... it is the most needed profession, but is one of the most underpaid.... If you don't have good teachers, then all these entertainers that we love to glorify wouldn't be able to read or write.... then again, R. Kelly is doing well w/o those skills....
Related article....
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/8345744/I'm-even-more-convinced-Jennings-made-right-move
Sweet And Low
(1)
Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea, ，
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
(2)
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast,
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon;
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
-----by age of conan
This is so true...it doesn't seem like the age restrictions are applied to all sports but moreso just basketball and its not fair. This is just another way for society to unjustly act on our cost (blacks) and still try to benefit from our hard work. I dont know but that's not right. You made some very interesting points. Love your blogs/
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