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- 06/08/2012, 01:34PM ET
Alfo knows Football! Alfo knows Baseball!
Argos. said 06/08, 01:36 PM
Background: The Blue Jays drafted a first round talent in the 3rd round of the draft named Anthony Alford. He slipped because he is also the top recruit for the Southern Miss' football team, and he prefers football to baseball.
However, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (exact figures not in, but it is well over $500,000) but will also attend Southern Miss and play football.
September to May he will be in school and with the Southern Miss football team. April to August he will be playing Pro Baseball.
He can do this, because he only losses his eligibility in the NCAA in baseball, but keeps it in football and all other sports.
Topic of the TD: Should the NCAA change their rules to not allow this to happen? Should they change their rules regarding what an amateur is?
Answer: No.
He is still a full amateur in football, and has no pro-training and has never played at a pro-level, so he is still an amateur football player.
He is essentially a really amateur college football player, who has a really awesome and well paying summer job. It is not like he got his summer job because he is a top college football player.
Dyhard is a certified stoner said 06/08, 03:17 PM
Yes, they should change the rules. First of all, I'm a big supporter of two-sport athletes, but when you reach it this far, you should have to pick one or the other. He doesn't have his focus in either sport, but his focus is split. When you're playing college football, you should have your focus be on college football. It's a year-round thing in college. Same with the MLB. If you want to be playing in the minors, and getting paid, you should be focusing on that year round.
He's going to run into problems come September & August when football practices & games are starting up and he is still playing games trying to make it to the top. He already has his foot in the doorway for the majors and is already on the right track, why possibly mess it up & risk not making it to the NFL or MLB by playing college as well?
This player is a professional athlete in one sport, and an amateur in another. He needs to pick a focus and stick with it. It isn't fair to the Blue Jays and it isn't fair to Southern Miss. Plus, it is going to be SO easy for him to get fined with illegal benefits, or his teammates with illegal benefits from him giving them some stuff...
Argos. said 06/08, 09:07 PM
Why should they have to pick one or another? He has excelled to be one of the best High School players in both sports, so now he is just attempting at the next level. This is not unheard of, as many athletes have played two sports, guys like Bo and Deion.
Besides the NCAA should have no say in being a two-sport athlete or not. It is between the athlete, and the teams.
He is not going to be in the Bigs, within 3-years, so he does not have to worry about problems in August or September. Minor leagues end the last week of August, and the lowest levels (rookie short-season) end even before. He may miss a few games at the end of the minor league season, or some college camps, but if both teams are okay with it, the NCAA should not be involved.
"why possibly mess it up & risk not making it to the NFL or MLB by playing college as well?"
It is a personal decision. The NCAA should not be involved. If he wants to make that gamble, let him.
"It isn't fair to the Blue Jays and it isn't fair to Southern Miss."
Both teams are fine with it. No rule changes need to be made. If one of the teams think it is unfair, this would not be happening.
Dyhard is a certified stoner said 06/10, 10:21 PM
Why should he? Because he's not going to get anywhere in either if he doesn't choose a sport right now. Plus, he's not being fair to either sport & organization and putting his full time & effort into it. He can't put his full time & effort in baseball when he has football practices as well as training in the off-season and he can't put his full time & effort into football when he has baseball all during the summer and spring and fall. It just doesn't work. Plus, it isn't any different than most life situations in which you have to make one decision or the other and can't make both.
If they want to be a two-sport athlete in college, sure... that's up to the college. But when he is getting PAID in one sport while the other he is still considered an amateur should not be allowed.
The NCAA should be involved because it has to deal with the NCAA (plays for a team in the NCAA). That's what they do. It isn't fair to the rest of his teammates -- in either sport -- that he is playing two-sports and getting paid in 1 while being an amateur in another. The NCAA needs to make a rule to not let this happen again.
Argos. said 06/11, 10:45 AM
You do not know that he is going no where. It is not unheard of to be a two sport athlete, and for all we know he can be the next Bo Jackson. However, so what if he is going nowhere? It is his life, his decision. If he wants to play both, and risk going nowhere because he likes playing both, so be it. The NCAA should not force rules upon people because they think it is best for kid. Let the kid make his own decision with help from his family.
Both organizations have no problem, and the player wants to go ahead and continue to play both. I don't see why the NCAA should step in.
How is this unfair to his teammates? In baseball, they are all just trying to advance to the next level. If someone isn't fully committed, then that makes one less player fighting for a spot on the next level. His baseball teammates benefit. In football, I'm sure his teammates wont mind, especially when he is the one picking up the bar tab every weekend.
If the NCAA were to put in a rule, they may lose out on some of the best athletes. For example, Weeden may never have been allowed to play college football, nor Elway.
Leave it as it is.
Dyhard is a certified stoner said 06/13, 11:53 PM
Sorry, but he won't be the next Bo Jackson, so nobody has to worry about that. Secondly, if he isn't focusing his talents on one sport, he isn't going to make it. That's a true statement, especially since it's much harder to make it in either sport in these days unlike how it was in the late 80s/early 90s.
Why should the NCAA not make rules that DEAL with their own sports? That seems silly to me. The NCAA should have rules regarding this, just like their needs to be rules in life for a lot of decisions people have to make. It's just facts. This is opening up the door for so much illegal activity/benefits/etc it's not funny. Add to the fact that he technically isn't an amateur anymore, he doesn't belong as part of the NCAA.
If he picks up the bar tab every weekend, that's a penalty & the players get busted with illegal benefits. And then the school gets screwed over, so it really isn't helping his teammates at all. And the players in football are going to be screwed because he's the QB. It's his team, his controls. They need him around the entire time! Baseball players care about winning & advancing. If they are at 1 level, they still want to win!
NCAA need rules.
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Comments (24) Add A Comment
I think this will be cool.
We need more two sport athletes. I want another Bo or Deion.
Argos.
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Ricky Williams did this when he was at Texas. Pretty sure he was playing for the Phils.
Golden Grillz
Las Vegas, NV
Total Comments (8404)
Interesting topic.
On the one hand he is no longer an amateur athlete, being paid as an athlete. On the other if he was a businessman and made money he would still be eligible...money is not neccesarily the issue.
Stricly speaking he is no longer an amateur athlete, but I don't care, they are just eligibility rules, they can play with them however they want, it isn't like everyone obeys these rules anyway.
AllStarz Ruinating…
Total Comments (19284)
he played minor league ball every summer and used the money to pay his two sister's tuition so they could attend Texas also. That was also the reason he came back that last year to Texas because he wanted another year with his sisters. course the availability of quality smoke in the Austin area and the improbability that he would get busted didn't hurt matters either
displacedtexan
Total Comments (5734)
This is not at all unusual, multiple players in various sports have done this. I don't know why anyone would possibly oppose. Obviously the NCAA has no problem with it and they have a problem with EVERYTHING.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
Lot's of guys have done it including John Elway who played a year of minor league baseball while still in College.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
but when you reach it this far, you should have to pick one or the other
Why? Athletes juggle sports all through High School and College, why should they have to stop just because they sign a pro contract? Deion and Bo both played football and baseball professionally at the same time without "losing focus". Deion even went so far as to play offense and defense in football, as well.
He's going to run into problems come September & August when football practices & games are starting up and he is still playing games trying to make it to the top.
Minor league seasons end in August/first week of Sept. College football games start in early September. No, he won't be there for camp but if the College team is ok with that, what's the problem? It won't interfere with games. Obviously the sport he's getting paid to play takes precedence, but once the season is over it's over. Baseball isn't a year round endeavor. The players leave after the season to do whatever they please and show back up for spring training which is well after College football season ends.
My only question is how can one be considered a "student" if you are playing baseball full time? But that's another TD entirely.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
He is essentially a really amateur college football player, who has a really awesome and well paying summer job.
This could be an issue if he's a scholarship football player, though. Don't NCAA rules limit how much time a student athlete can spend at a "job" and how much they can earn?
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
I'd loved to of gotten my hands on this TD... I'd rocked this ****, would of killed the arguments, but likely lost since no one really reads arguments but goes based on their own opinion.
NCAA really needs to get their **** together and have a flat standard across all sports/programs.
Tyler Durden says:
Fallon, NV
Total Comments (292)
"Why should they have to pick one or another?"
-- Because you do that with every situation in life...?
DetroitFan*: It Is?!
Total Comments (30950)
That's not possible because different sports have their own rules on eligibility at the professional level. The NCAA has to adopt their rules to fit what the individual professional sports do.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
No it's not.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
I chose what cereal I would eat this morning!
DetroitFan*: It Is?!
Total Comments (30950)
So? If you wanted to mix your frosted flakes with raisin bran, you were free to do so.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
The point is, we are not forced to make decisions on everything in life on an either-or basis as you stated. Choosing to do something doesn't preclude you from -also- doing another if you want to.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
Why should he? Because he's not going to get anywhere in either if he doesn't choose a sport right now.
Do you just not know who Bo Jackson is? Deion Sanders? That statement is completely absurd on it's face if you do know who they are.
C-C-C
Total Comments (4335)
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