Brown Gets OSU Offer

[hdhntr1]

Then these kids matriculate to a school that does not graduate players with this background and emphasizes the excitement of leaving school early for the NFL. The opportunity that OSU sells is not the diploma.

I think that any blue chipper is crazy for disregarding an OSU offer because of the opportunity to train and play among the best talented players and the most highly regarded coaches, with the ultimate goal of being drafted into the NFL. My NU brethren slammed this thought and accused me of being sympathetic to OSU. As you can see, I'm not sympathetic to OSU; I'm sympathetic to the kid who wants to "major in football" and be an NFL player, the kid who came from a challenging background and was a minimal qualifier with any interest in going to college were it not for the NFL's draft eligibility rules.

If the NFL allowed 18 year olds to enter its draft, many would declare for the draft and these kids are the ones who often wind up at OSU and Alabama, with no interest in college diplomas. Newly minted "adults" can join the Army and die overseas at war but they can't enter the NFL draft. That's another argument for another day, I suppose, but why must we as NU fans be so paternalistic and believe we know where these kids should go to school and which schools are undeserving? Let the kids decide and if they want to be NFL players they ought to go where most NFL players go and I see nothing wrong with that philosophy considering what a broken system it is.

The reason they do not is because at 18, very few are physically mature enough to play in the NFL without needing a body bag. It is generally good that they cannot go directly into the NFL. That and it is a free minor league system for the NFL.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

The reason they do not is because at 18, very few are physically mature enough to play in the NFL without needing a body bag. It is generally good that they cannot go directly into the NFL. That and it is a free minor league system for the NFL.

If 18-year-old players were eligible, there would be entrants and teams that would draft them. They might not play right away, but they would be drafted. It's pure conjecture, even if it's logical and reasonable, to say that they're not physically mature enough. It would depend on the player and the position.

The fact that college football is a de facto minor league for the NFL does NOT benefit the players whatsoever. They do not earn anything in college (at least they're not supposed to!) for their performance and they risk injury without compensation.

 

[DaCat]

One would think that the kind of kid that NU tries to recruit - high achievers in the classroom and on the field - would see that the road to the NFL is not any easier by playing for dOSU or any more difficult playing for NU. You may have a better chance of playing in front of large national audiences, but the scouts will find you no matter what.

 

[klemman]

Except how many of those specific players are earning their degrees?

Again it doesn't matter as they're still better off than if they didn't go to OSU. We're not talking about a kid who had a 3.5 GPA in a college prep program at a suburban school. On his application he can write down "some college". Once again, if the only option for such a student was to qualify for NU, he would have to put down "no college" on that same application.

 

[Gladeskat]

Again it doesn't matter as they're still better off than if they didn't go to OSU. We're not talking about a kid who had a 3.5 GPA in a college prep program at a suburban school. On his application he can write down "some college". Once again, if the only option for such a student was to qualify for NU, he would have to put down "no college" on that same application.

Taking a critical view, that doesn't absolve the possibility and perception of OSU neglecting these kids academic needs and exploiting them for their football skills. College athletic programs have lost huge lawsuits for floating those sorts of excuses and defenses in court cases (see: Georgia).

 

[Johnnybigcat]

Brown is gone. The coaches don't know yet. Confidence

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Brown is gone. The coaches don't know yet. Confidence

Huh?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Brown is gone. The coaches don't know yet. Confidence

Talk about throwing a scud. Not sure if you are trying to be the first one right here or if you somehow has inside info the coaches don't even have, but going out on this limb doesn't prove either.

 

[Deeringfish]

Talk about throwing a scud. Not sure if you are trying to be the first one right here or if you somehow has inside info the coaches don't even have, but going out on this limb doesn't prove either.

Maybe he is just a little drunk and depressed. 10:35. Friday night and all he has to do is send a negative critic thought.

 

[klemman]

Taking a critical view, that doesn't absolve the possibility and perception of OSU neglecting these kids academic needs and exploiting them for their football skills. College athletic programs have lost huge lawsuits for floating those sorts of excuses and defenses in court cases (see: Georgia).

Big difference about what happened at Georgia and what is going on at OSU.

 

[Gladeskat]

Big difference about what happened at Georgia and what is going on at OSU.

Not the way you're describing it. I'm referring to the lawsuit in the early '80's brought against Georgia by a dismissed instructor where UGA's opening argument was essentially "they can't graduate, but are we doing anything wrong by taking garbagemen and turning them into postal workers?"

 

[nick614]

Don't think OSU has the space for Brown. Could be a courtesy offer to go after another player from his school down the road.

 

[NorthNJCatsfan]

Question : This sort of situation is not uncommon with the factory programs, but how often does this sort of situation occur at Stanford? I.e. a player that Stanford really wants subsequently gets an offer from, say, Alabama or OSU and then , in effect, re-opens his recruiting? ( I would not, BTW, put Kain Colter in this category. Colter wanted to play a position that the Cardinal did not recruit him for )

In other words, is this sort of situation something we simply need to get used to as NU improves its recruiting and will not be mitigated even if the program matures to the point where Fitz produces consistent , sustainable excellent results on the field year in and year out ( eg, starts to win the West every so often ...)?

PS Some weeks ago, someone on the Board referenced the Netflix original " Last Chance U." Has anyone watched this documentary? Poignant and worth watching IMO.