No No for Clarett, Williams

[qb8stunner]

In case you haven't heard, a Federal Judge placed a stay on Maurice Clarett's eligibility for the 2004 NFL Draft. This in effect also keeps WR Mike Williams out of the draft. There exists a small chance of a Supplemental Draft after the College Draft but the chances are slim.

Looks like the kid was way too eager and ruined it for him and what would have been a star in Mike Williams. I personally think it was stupid for Clarett to try and change the rules. He is not more special than any other individual who has properly gone through the draft process. I just feel bad now for Mike Williams, who was erroneously led into the whole situation. Now neither player, nor the seven others who declared themselves eligible, will be allowed to even play in the upcoming NCAA season due to the fact they hired agents.

See where greed gets you.

Here's the official NFL article for validation: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7267101

[ItalianStallion]

Wow, better change my Mock Draft huh?

I say let him enter the draft, speaking of Clarrett, I was looking foward to Ray Lewis just pounding him LOL, feel bad for mike Williams though....

[SlickRick1382]

i would of liked to see them both play. Kinda sucks. Especially Mike who was going in the first round (late first round, but still the 1st round)

[cashpath]

Unconstitutional... this country is so messed up sometimes... Funny how when I was seventeen I was being shot at... willing to die for my country but a 19 year old can't play football...

Politics suck

[qb8stunner]

You bring up a very good point Cash, but I also think one of the key issues for the NFL is to avoid the downfall of their players AFTER their NFL Careers.

The average NFL Career if about 4 (FOUR) years... not very long. If they allow people to enter the draft straight out of High School or with one year of college, then that automatically places that person in a predicament as far as education. Everyone should realize that once you get kids into a competitive sport such as football, baseball, basketball, or hockey, where there are big bucks involved (even for a Seventh Round rookie... $100,000 is better than a $30000 a year job) it is hard to pry them away from that. Not many athletes return to school and those who do not enter the ranks of the media or the like are usually bankrupt after a few years.

I love the NFL because it is the only National Sports that prevents young men from ruining their futures. EDUCATION, even three years worth of it, is essential.

And for those who would argue that a person can stay out of college for the allotted three years and then enter the draft.... their chances are greatly reduced since their skills have not been showcased. So in turn, this is a win-win situation for the person... go to college and showcase your skills like an interview and make the big bucks AND be close to a 4-year degree.

As far as comparing young men joining the military and going into combat with young men playing professional football, the more I think about it the more the comparison to me is quite frankly incompatible. Fighting for a cause on a battlefield is far different than risking your personal self on a field that essentially peaceful.

[SlickRick1382]

I don't think its that much different at all qb8stunner. Cash makes a very valid point. I mean they are willing to let me go to war, carry a gun, and shot at people (being in the military is more rigorous than the NFL or any other sport), but yet at the same age or a few years older (20), I'm considered not mature enough, and not prepared mentally and physically to play in the NFL. Well why was i prepared mentally and physically to go overseas and kill people but not play football?

You also said you love football because it prevents "young men from ruining their futures. EDUCATION, even three years worth of it".

Well how many of these athletes who stay an extra year or two really learn anything. I mean most of them barely get by and the only reason they barely get by is so they can enter the draft and make money by going pro. Alot of them don't learn a damn thing, ride out their athletic scholarship, and leave with a 2.0 average after three years to go pro. The athletes who want to learn and who are smart will stay the 3 years regardless without having it be made mandatory, the rest of them who want to leave to play pro ball are wasting time and scholarship money.

[qb8stunner]

I personally just strongly dislike the comparison to soldiers going off to war. You have to remember, in order to be a soldier you go through training to become one, you are not automatically given a rifle and bayonet and sent out to kill. Above all, the job of a soldier is one of discipline and structured command.

True, student athletes can go to school for three years and barely get by, but those of us who have been to college know and understand that just to barely get by isn't an easy thing to do. In order to obtain that passing GPA you have to still learn and pass in class. In the long run they do learn and when their football career is over, they'll at least have those three year's of credits to fall back on. Finishing up a degree and then finding a job post-football is still far better than working with a GED or just a High School diploma.

At least in the military they forward your education. The field you are in, in itself, is a knowledge base that can even obtain you a decent job in the civilian life. Once you are in the NFL your life is football, and it is football until you end your career or screw it all up.

It is so ill to think of a comparison between the young men serving the country and young men wanting to play football. For one, the money is no where the same. For a large majorit of those joining the military do so for higher reasons rather than just to be there. People aim to be a professional football athlete to earn the money and fame. For those who go pro for the love of the game normally do so with a 4-year college degree. Granted, that is an opinion but I know NO ONE who joins the military for the money or fame.

On a last note... do you people really want to see a scrawny 18 year old kid get flattened by a 250 lb linebacker running at full speed? It is all about the growth process also and football, my friends, is the most violent sport, non-stop. Hockey is violent too but the majority of the time the players are skating more than hitting or fighting. On the football field a player is always in contact with another. It is highly unlikely that a young adult male will have the same build and structure as a 24 year old NFL football player. There are the occasional cases but it is very rare.

But overall, the comparison between the military and the NFL for 18 year olds is by far the most far-fetched idea I have ever heard. I would rather die for a cause on a battlefield at 18 than being paralyzed from the neck down on a football field.

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In addition, I have seen Joe Theisman's leg snap like a twig. That hit by Lawrence Taylor ended his career right then and there. I remember seeing Bryant Young of the San Francisco 49ers break his leg below the knee on Monday Night Football. He sat there, the cameras panned on him and his leg bent to the side. I watched as Ed McCaffery jumped awkwardly and his leg bent from side to side as he was in the air; suspended only by muscle and skin. I recall an Atlanta Falcon defensive player some years ago return an interception and as he dove for the endzone the quarterback happened to push him slightly. As I watched Sportcenter I could not help but feel sick watching the player's leg hang in midair as his body was parallel to the ground.

And these are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES. They spend all their time building themselves to be better athletes, stronger athletes. Their bodies are reflective of the process. Their muscles are toned and have more support.

I have seen a Junior in High School snap his leg. A Senior tailback be carted off the field to an ambulance. And these are just kids, attempting to build their bodies up.

And people want to see them play against the likes of those who do have strong bodies yet suffer horrible injuries. No thank you.

[cashpath]

The point is.. that you have a RIGHT to make that decision. It's your decision to make. If our country is going to allow an 18 year old make the decision to join the military then they should also allow them to make the decision to join the NFL.

You are argueing points for or against the persons doing it.. Thats fine and all, but they should have the choice.. As long as they are qualified for the job. And the NFL has in place something that evaluates qualification. The combine, the draft, training camp.

I totally agree that for some it would be dumb for them to go to the NFL. But I still say it's thier choice.

Mike Williams is no scrawny kid... What if he goes back to college and plays because he HAS to in order to maintain a high draft status, and gets injured in college? Permanent injury.. he gets nothing. And what do the colleges get? Millions...

It's all about the right for that MAN to make the decision. Even if its a bad decision. You're right we cannot compaire the NFL to the military, I am not doing that what I am compairing is the right for someone to make a decision at the age of 18 (or 17 with parents signiture) to risk thier lives for chicken feed, to the courts saying a football player doesn't have the right to play pro football at the same age.

Say the football player made the wrong decision.. he gets hurt, or he sucks in the NFL.. oh well bad decision he can quit whenever he wants..

Now say joe Smith signs up for the Corps when he is 18 and gets sent to combat.. Now he changes his mind, it was a bad decision, to late he is there.. so he is sitting huddled behind a bunker crying and shaking back and forth while his platoon mates are fighting, and he not only gets himself killed he gets others killed also. It happens.. I've seen it.

The point is HE as a man had the RIGHT to make that decision... even though it was a bad one.

So do Maurice Clarrett and Mike Williams to play football

The point is clarret dosent have that much expreince its like sending sombody to go to war and they never even seen a gun in there life. I think this is a good descision because if lower classman could enter the draft they would just be taking the upper classman money think about it Roy williams is a Senoir Mike williams is better than roy(in my opinion) Say mike was able to enter the draft he would be picked higher and will have a better contract than roy. but if he was still in collge roy williams would of got picked and everybody would be happy.

[cashpath]

The point is clarret dosent have that much expreince its like sending sombody to go to war and they never even seen a gun in there life

It's been a llong day of listening to my 1 year old scream and cry.. and I decided to quit smoking yesterday, so with those two things together I'm kinda in a bad mood.. So I'm just going to assume that you have been to war or at least something similar to war (being shot at multiple times??) in order to make this comparison...

And then after I make that assumtion I'm going to leave this alone..

[ItalianStallion]

Originally Posted by hba

I think this is a good descision because if lower classman could enter the draft they would just be taking the upper classman money think about it Roy williams is a Senoir Mike williams is better than roy(in my opinion) Say mike was able to enter the draft he would be picked higher and will have a better contract than roy. but if he was still in collge roy williams would of got picked and everybody would be happy.

Forget comparing it to war, but you pointed out this one situation that this applies to. But, if we allow players to leave that early then we'll have some good players, but most will either end up on the practice squad for life or on the DL. Look at the high school players that go to the NBA. Sure, you've got the LeBron's, the O'Neals, the Garnett's, but for everyone of those you've got at least two Kwame Browns. Plus, football is a lot tougher physically than basketball.

what are u trying to say here