FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[wally_wabash]

13 Huskies are in the Association.  This year those players are making an average of $5,886,817.  The average career salary to date of those 13 is $53,929,597.  Is UConn really failing those players? 

[badgerwarhawk]

Not if the university's mission is to prepare athletes for the professional leagues.

[wally_wabash]

Not if the university's mission is to prepare athletes for the professional leagues.

We're talking about something like 15 athletes on a basketball team each academic year vs. 18,000 undergrads at the university.  Is it fair to judge whether or not the university is achieving its mission based on an examination of less than one-tenth of one percent of the student body? 

[jknezek]

13 Huskies are in the Association.  This year those players are making an average of $5,886,817.  The average career salary to date of those 13 is $53,929,597.  Is UConn really failing those players?

Yes, there are 13 Huskies in the NBA beginning with Ray Allen who started at UConn in 1993. Assuming 4 recruits per year, that is 21 years of recruiting and 84 kids. 13 are in the NBA, about 15%. What about the other 85% of basketball players at a school that had one, count them one, basketball recruit from 2003 to 2006 graduate?

Not all of those 85% failed to graduate, but a significant number did. UConn is failing a significant number and a very small number is going on to fabulous riches. I wish I had the percentage of recruits from 1993 to 2013 graduating classes who failed to get a degree. That is the most important number. Just my guess, but I bet it isn't pretty.

[emma17]

13 Huskies are in the Association.  This year those players are making an average of $5,886,817.  The average career salary to date of those 13 is $53,929,597.  Is UConn really failing those players?

Yes, there are 13 Huskies in the NBA beginning with Ray Allen who started at UConn in 1993. Assuming 4 recruits per year, that is 21 years of recruiting and 84 kids. 13 are in the NBA, about 15%. What about the other 85% of basketball players at a school that had one, count them one, basketball recruit from 2003 to 2006 graduate?

Not all of those 85% failed to graduate, but a significant number did. UConn is failing a significant number and a very small number is going on to fabulous riches. I wish I had the percentage of recruits from 1993 to 2013 graduating classes who failed to get a degree. That is the most important number. Just my guess, but I bet it isn't pretty.

Plus k for keeping the focus on education/degree as the purpose of college.

The more our culture applauds big athletic contracts over college degrees the harder it becomes to right the course this country is on.

[wally_wabash]

13 Huskies are in the Association.  This year those players are making an average of $5,886,817.  The average career salary to date of those 13 is $53,929,597.  Is UConn really failing those players?

Yes, there are 13 Huskies in the NBA beginning with Ray Allen who started at UConn in 1993. Assuming 4 recruits per year, that is 21 years of recruiting and 84 kids. 13 are in the NBA, about 15%. What about the other 85% of basketball players at a school that had one, count them one, basketball recruit from 2003 to 2006 graduate?

Not all of those 85% failed to graduate, but a significant number did. UConn is failing a significant number and a very small number is going on to fabulous riches. I wish I had the percentage of recruits from 1993 to 2013 graduating classes who failed to get a degree. That is the most important number. Just my guess, but I bet it isn't pretty.

Plus k for keeping the focus on education/degree as the purpose of college.

The more our culture applauds big athletic contracts over college degrees the harder it becomes to right the course this country is on.

Whoa whoa whoa.  I'm not sure when we decided to make the plight of the Division I student-athlete (who are a teeny tiny percentage of the collective student bodies at those institutions...the other 99% are in class and studying their tails off just like we want them to) and make it a microcosm of the ills of society at large.  That seems extreme. 

[formerd3db]

13 Huskies are in the Association.  This year those players are making an average of $5,886,817.  The average career salary to date of those 13 is $53,929,597.  Is UConn really failing those players?

Yes, there are 13 Huskies in the NBA beginning with Ray Allen who started at UConn in 1993. Assuming 4 recruits per year, that is 21 years of recruiting and 84 kids. 13 are in the NBA, about 15%. What about the other 85% of basketball players at a school that had one, count them one, basketball recruit from 2003 to 2006 graduate?

Not all of those 85% failed to graduate, but a significant number did. UConn is failing a significant number and a very small number is going on to fabulous riches. I wish I had the percentage of recruits from 1993 to 2013 graduating classes who failed to get a degree. That is the most important number. Just my guess, but I bet it isn't pretty.

Plus k for keeping the focus on education/degree as the purpose of college.

The more our culture applauds big athletic contracts over college degrees the harder it becomes to right the course this country is on.

Whoa whoa whoa.  I'm not sure when we decided to make the plight of the Division I student-athlete (who are a teeny tiny percentage of the collective student bodies at those institutions...the other 99% are in class and studying their tails off just like we want them to) and make it a microcosm of the ills of society at large.  That seems extreme.

Actually, Wally, there are many people who would disagree with you on that one.  Some would say (and they have a legitimate point) that indeed is the very basis of what is the driving problem in society today.  Despite the small % of athletes in the group we are discussing, the misguided "end all, be all" goal of making tons and tons of $ that they have made as being the main aspect of success from the very beginning and one's only goal (of making to the NBA, NFL, etc.,etc.) is the problem because the young kids of today follow that, idiolize those players and it becomes, in their minds, as what is the "norm in society".  I guess it probably is in some respects and that, IMO, is simply sad.  The whole thing is totally out-of-control at all levels on both sides.

Oh, and I don't watch the NBA anymore either.  It is ridiculous.    

[D306]

Just to be clear on my point.
While I applaud the current UConn players I do not in any way condone the Universities complete lack of compliance to Academic Progress.
Nor do I like their players running his mouth about being dis-respected after they won the game. Your school broke the rules, sucks for you that you could not play last year oh well comes with the school does it not?

KY and UConn are perfect examples of what we are all raging about on this thread.

Education went out the window a long time ago.

The system is corrupt and it is all about monies to be gained.

I do not have the solutions but a true minor league, mandatory academic monitoring, no question about punishment for the university and the Coach no more nomad coach's taking their lies and corrupt selves on the road to the next gig.

Great event coming NHL playoffs every team that makes it in has a shot and these guys literally put them selves on the line to fight through to the next round. Hopefully the Red Wings get a little healthy if so they will make a run more young depth and legs than they have had in years

[wally_wabash]

Just to be clear on my point.
While I applaud the current UConn players I do not in any way condone the Universities complete lack of compliance to Academic Progress.
Nor do I like their players running his mouth about being dis-respected after they won the game. Your school broke the rules, sucks for you that you could not play last year oh well comes with the school does it not?

I'm probably tapping out on this conversation because I kind of feel like the kid who needs to get off everybody's lawn, but there are a couple of points to be made about APR and the UConn kids.  First, the AA snapped their fingers and changed the floor for the APR requirement pretty arbitrarily (the APR is kind of an arbitrary and meaningless thing anyway) and UConn all of a sudden got caught under the line.  Now should UConn have been flirting with the baseline to begin with?  Probably not, but they were in compliance until one day the NCAA just kind of decided that they weren't.  I think the program probably didn't deserve the probation they got in 2012-2013.  Second, if those kids want to use their platform to lash out against the NCAA, so be it.  Why did those players have to suffer because a bunch of players five and six years ago didn't go to class?  And every team- EVERY team- at every level plays the disrespect, nobody believed in us, us against the world card all of the time.  Should we be surprised that this group of players, who got sort of unfairly dumped on last year, played that card?  They're one of the very few cases where that kind of rhetoric actually isn't totally make believe. 

It's a good debate, fellas.  It's one where I think people are pretty firmly dug in on one side or the other.  It's going to be interesting to see in the months and next few years to come how the NCAA reforms itself with respect to the treatment of student athletes.  I hope everybody can find a solution where S-A's get what's fair and the schools can continue to operate wide-ranging athletics programs (funded primarily by two sports) that provide higher education opportunities for so many young people.  But it can't continue to exist the way that it is.  I think that much is beyond debate. 

[formerd3db]

D306 and Wally:

Good comments, both of you.  D306 you are very astute and truthful as usual.

Also, Wally, I agree with you about the unfairness in those types of situations.  However, there is one aspect that those kids just don't understand (and, I guess I am just "old-school" about this and won't change) and that is something called humbleness.  While that kid was right about the disrespect in one sense and has every right to express his opinion, at the same time, there is a better and more appropriate way (and time) to do that and not like he did on national television.  That is one thing that these kids of today just simply don't understand, but that is just the way it is in society today because someone in their family or close to them failed to teach them that "stuff", like many of us had the very good fortune of parents who did.  And that is the parents fault (or whoever was responsible for their upbringing).  Sad in many respects, but, again, like D306 has articulated, that is just the way it is today. 

A good discussion everyone, and Wally you are very right; all of us are going to come down on this one side or the other and stick to it!   Talk to you guys later. 

[badgerwarhawk]

I can see the unfairness of punishing today's athletes over something that happened six years ago but the fact remains that every NCAA school had to live with what happened six years ago just as UConn did. 

Wally, though I disagree with it, I respect and understand your position. 

[badgerwarhawk]

UW-Milwaukee's appeal has been denied and they will be ineligible for the NCAA post season next year.  Odds are they wouldn't have made the post season next year anyway. 

[Raider 68]

Wishing all the MIAA posters a Happy and Safe Easter!

[D306]

Raider I hope your Holiday was good.
I was in West MI over the long weekend, had a chance to see Hope upgraded field for the first time after Easter Mass and also I noticed some new construction on Campus.
Looking good a lot of foot traffic in area.

Another interesting off season with Keyshawn getting in trouble again, Pryor getting sent packing to Seattle for a 7th round pick after another lost season at QB. Wonder if Seahawks try some direct snaps or wildcat. I have no idea why you would pick him up except that a 7th round pick is almost a throw away for some teams. I would take a shot on a undersized / not highly promoted player from a small college at a position of need. More heart more effort no baggage.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Another interesting off season with Keyshawn getting in trouble again, Pryor getting sent packing to Seattle for a 7th round pick after another lost season at QB. Wonder if Seahawks try some direct snaps or wildcat. I have no idea why you would pick him up except that a 7th round pick is almost a throw away for some teams. I would take a shot on a undersized / not highly promoted player from a small college at a position of need. More heart more effort no baggage.

I was also surprised to see Seattle bother trading the seventh-round pick for Pryor when they already have a stud young starter in Wilson and an athletic veteran backup in Tarvaris Jackson (who is really the ideal backup for Wilson; he's a veteran, has starting experience, and knows his place in the hierarchy behind Wilson).  I'd be worried that Pryor won't want to accept his place or will start making noises that he should be starting somewhere, kinda like Vince Young did after his time in Tennessee ended.

Then again, this is what smart organizations do; they look for undervalued assets and pick them up on the cheap.  Pryor is a superb athlete.  The Seahawks know he's on his last shot in the league and they just won the Super Bowl; they can pretty easily say "Look, young man, you're going to work hard and fall in line or we will just cut you.  We just won the Super Bowl.  You need us a lot more than we need you."  They can spend some time messing around with him at TE, or WR, or as a wildcat QB, and if he shows up late or becomes a problem, see ya later.