re: If Players Aren't Going to Make It In the NBA, Why Not Stay?

Jonathon, I'm assuming that you are young and still depending on your parents for support if you believe that plumbers don't make good money. Have a pipe burst in the middle of the winter and get back to me.

The rich parent comment that several people have made doesn't fly either. Not all of these guys are dirt poor, ghetto starving, barely surviving kids. Quite a few are from solid middle class backgrounds.

Just imagine that you are a late teen/early 20 something who is pretty good at doing something you love and you have the option of getting paid way more than you are getting now to do it. What would you do?

A lot of us are bigger fans of LSU than the players themselves. We are die hard, P&G bleeding, life long devotees. For a lot of the players, LSU is merely a means to an end. That's not a knock on them, just an unpleasant fact.

Maybe they know they can't improve anymore under Johnny.

Gray, I am actually not young nor dependent upon my parents. And I know that plumbers make a decent living. But let me ask you this: if your son was on a full ride scholarship that had his room, books, housing, meals paid for and was half way through to getting his degree and he said, you know I think I want to stop now and go be a plumber, would you not try to talk him out of it.

I would. He can start being a plumber in two years. Enjoy college, finish your education particularly since you are not paying for it. While he may not use the courses in his day to day fixing of pipes, certainly knowledge about accounting and economics and marketing can help him be more successful in his business. And, if he turns out to not being a very good plumber, he will have more options outside of plumbing with a college degree.

Remember we are talking about kids who are more likely than not not going to make it in the NBA. They are leaving LSU to play for pedestrian salaries overseas, hoping to catch the eye of a scout and get a shot. It's not like NBA scouts will not see them playing in the SEC. Their "chance" is just as great playing in college as it is playing in Europe. So this is a question about whether it is worth getting a paid for education or getting an ok salary for a few years and then having no college degree.

I am of the view that getting a degree is far more valuable in the event of not making the NBA then two or three years of an okay salary and no degree.

Perhaps I overvalue education but I have been very successful in part because I became educated and had a degree that opened up career opportunities for me. And I can't even dunk.

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You don't understand how much some people hate going to school

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That's basically the reason why our immigrant population deserves everything they earn. They get it...work hard in school, get an academic scholarship, go to medical school/engineering/etc. and earn a very good living for the rest of your life. Take a look at the Valedictorians in the paper next month and that should tell you why this country is fricked. My 11 yr old thinks that he will buy his mom a "Lambo" one day when he gets to the NBA/NFL/MLB. I'll make sure that he has a back-up plan when it doesn't happen. Kids that "hate" learning are the result of a parent/parents that failed to do their part.

The sad part is that most of these marginal athlete's think that professional sports is the only way to financial freedom. The statistics on how many successful athletes are broke within 5 years of retirement should be plenty enough motivation to stay in school.

You're an idiot

I agree. Get a free education. Bang every chic on campus, better your game, then go to Europe. They have to do what's best "for their fanily".....

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Jonathon, I'm assuming that you are young and still depending on your parents for support if you believe that plumbers don't make good money. Have a pipe burst in the middle of the winter and get back to me. The rich parent comment that several people have made doesn't fly either. Not all of these guys are dirt poor, ghetto starving, barely surviving kids. Quite a few are from solid middle class backgrounds. Just imagine that you are a late teen/early 20 something who is pretty good at doing something you love and you have the option of getting paid way more than you are getting now to do it. What would you do? A lot of us are bigger fans of LSU than the players themselves. We are die hard, P&G bleeding, life long devotees. For a lot of the players, LSU is merely a means to an end. That's not a knock on them, just an unpleasant fact.

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Pigs must be flying...I actually agree with you on all of this?

What percent of basketball and football players would be enrolled at LSU or wherever if there were no sports ? If there are "many" middle class kids on scholarships, that number wouldn't be high , right ? I would take one of those IMHO's ,& guess it would be about 80 or 90 %. And that's just a conservative guess. Of course, that doesn't take in the Eddie Lee Hurts', or Hot Plate Williams who were there for another reason all together. After watching interviews from pros, and seeing the decisions they make , they probably never saw the inside of a classroom during their "college education" , and on our dime at that It's all about money, and the quickest way to get it, ala the M&M situation. They should just go ahead and pay college athletes, and then the pros wouldn't be quite as attractive.

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Yes, a person giving up a fully paid for undergraduate education to be a plumber is making a poor decision. Absolutely.

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Let's be careful about that. I went all the way on the education train, including law school, but I acknowledge that plumbers, electricians, etc. can do quite well.

Get good at it, then start your own plumbing company. Grow it, hire some guys - you can do very well. I have guys in my neighborhood - one owns an HVAC company and one owns a painting company.

Certainly, education opens many doors, but a college degree isn't the only way to make a very good living, nor is it a guarantee.

Don't get me wrong though - I'm stressing the importance of college to my kids - I'm just saying that a skilled trade is quite valuable and there's good money to be made there.

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but don't blow years 27-99 by giving up your education.

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how is not going to college blowing your future, especially if you are not a very good student in a good major such as engineering? He may not have the high school back ground for such a rigorous program. Still plenty of good jobs at plants and offshore that don't have anything to do with college degrees. Waste of time to go to college to get a Business management or general studies or some other crap degree that he may or may not even be able to get. Better to full pursue your dream and then if you fall short go to work at a good job, maybe learn some trade.