College or Career?

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Speaking with a friend the other day, we were on the topic of LeBron James and we got onto the topic of whether athletes should jump right into a professional career or take their talents to college. This, of course, has been a topic in athletics for years now, and is a part of the debate for paying college athletes which I'll discuss at a later date.


Check Yourself...

Let's start with going to college. What are the advantages to going to college? There are quite a few. The first is what most seem to forget when discussing college athletics, education. Most people go to college to get an education that will help them be better prepared for the rest of their lives. And I'm not just talking about those boring elective classes that teach you how to grind through long, boring meetings that seem to drag on forever. What I'm more concerned with are the lessons learned that have an impact on the everyday.

In college, you understand that you are part of a bigger picture of things. Whether that is because your university is literally bigger than you or because you realize the importance of teamwork and working with others. You meet a number of characters in college and each presents you with the opportunity to learn how to handle different people. YOU GROW UP!

Now, I don't want this to be simply a Lebron bashing, because that's a band wagon that's easily ridden, but also because I don't have a huge problem with the man himself. He's made some bad "decisions" this year and beyond, but he is still a nice guy with a ton of talent.

Some call Bryce Harper "The Chosen One." Chosen to do what?

Basketball is not the only sport with this problem, Baseball might be even worse about the number of kids that sign with teams right out of high school, or at least at a young age. The Washington Nationals Bryce Harper is an example of this point.

In my mind, both he and James are still kids that still thinks that the world revolves around them and they can get away with what they want. Harper has already been ejected from a number of games in his brief minor league career, and how it happens just demonstrates how much of grown up he has become. His antics don't always get him ejected but they are bad just the same. Whether it's drawing lines in the dirt, spiking his helmet, rushing the approaching dugout, or blowing the apposing pitcher a kiss, Harper still thinks that just because he signed the big contract that he is a big deal.






Harper hasn't even proven that he can play in the big leagues yet, and James chokes under playoff pressure. I don't think there is any doubt that both of these guys are tremendous athletes, but there comes a point where you need to bear down and just do your job.

It's certainly painful, but do they always recover?

But let's pretend that an athlete is not full of themselves and won't get the billion dollar contract. Why should they go to college? The same reasons still apply, because no one graduates high school fully mature. In addition, let's look at the assurance of athletics: none. An athlete can brake their leg or tear a tendon or any number of injuries. If nothing else, injuries can diminish an athletes skills if not completely end their career, and this can happen in an instant at any time. This is the danger of sports, and what do the athletes have after that? Some get into broadcasting, which is hit or miss, but otherwise they can fall off the face of the earth.
A sports career can last, typically, 10-20 years at best, and then they live off their name. But if you don't end up making a name for yourself then you are back to square one. A college education is something that lasts a lifetime and will always leave options in the future. It's just a safe bet and makes sense.
The biggest potential wrench for an athlete becomes affording for college. Some institutions provide full-rides for athletes, but not all do and not all athletes get them. Money is a big player in athletics, and college athletics is no exception. But that's for another time.
Like I said, I know these aren't the only two guys, and I also know that college isn't a complete fix. Some have attended college but still have issues. And there are those who haven't gone to college, have a ton of talent, and still have respect for the the game and their opponents. Atlanta Brave's Jason Heyward is the first to come to mind. He's playing for a contending team and has been a pretty good addition for them.
However, when it comes down to it college is a valuable asset to anyone, and athletes need an education as well. They need to learn how to handle relationships. They need to learn how to handle being on their own. They need to learn how handle life "in the real world," where the world is bigger than them.