Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

[Happy]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

that is true yup. but my only point was that you will never see a kid play hockey well from the ghetto, just because of the cost involved in obtaining a high skill level of play. for example, Minneapolis North does not produce hockey players, despite that it is a 4 year government-funded highschool in the largest city in a state that literally claims it is Thee State of Hockey. And the one and only reason why? It is in the straight up ghetto. A kid in Harlem with a wicked jump shot could go to Duke. A kid in North Minneapolis with a wicked wrist shot will not go to UND. We end up seeing mostly privaleged white kids in high levels of hockey, because generally privaleged black kids with the same resources available generally do not move in the direction of hockey, they explore their talents elsewhere. Where as in basketball, if you have zero resources, your jump shot can take you places regardless of your race background. But when you add money in there, usually the black kids won't gravitate toward hockey. (which doesn't mean anything really, its just the reality of the world at this point.) I love Kevin Weekes, he is the exception to the generalization. A privaleged white kid in Minnesota will play hockey every single time. A privaleged black kid in Minnesota will probably go a different route and try something else. BUT, a ghetto white or black kid will go basketball every single time, simply because hockey requires the cash. Remember the Mighty Ducks? Ducksworth had to cut a fat check just to get them into the play off contention. Nevermind the sequels when **** went international and price tags went 6 figures. Boo ya

I used to live a couple of blocks from North High. and other than the constant shootings, robberies, vandalism, and drug dealing, it was a nice neighborhood with cheap rent. I am willing to bet that the park near me had a nice ice rink on it 75 years ago, and kids spent all winter playing hockey there. Now, I wouldn't live there if you paid me. Complete hell hole, but it was very enlightening to live one year in the ghetto as a young man.

 

[Almington]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

What about seniors who sign ECHL or AHL contracts as soon as their season is over. Can't imagine they went to class second semester senior year knowing they had cash waiting.

I'm sure that their are some that do that, but I think that by that point, most of those students have put in 3.5 years towards a degree and wouldn't really want to mess that up and have to go back to finish up one semester to graduate. By the time that the season is over the semester is about 2/3 over and the student should be able to work with the professor to finish up all the work needed to pass the class and graduate even if they are off with the team for end of that season.

 

[DaveStPaul]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

"If you're good enough to be a pro why stay in school?"
A better question is: "If you want to play pro hockey rather than earn an academic degree why go to college in the first place?"

Well if you haven't made a team / won an audition you have to do something during the day.

I would guess that a "career-ending injury," necessitating a back-up career option, is much more likely for hockey than music.

You'd be surprised!

No, you're right, they're not exact comparisons. The comparisons are interesting, though. I was at a decent music school (BU), with lots of kids on scholarship, and people regularly taking auditions for real gigs. If you won something, you left school and took the work. And there was no complaining about whether that was bad for music. But you heard the grumblings about the hockey players doing the same thing. It ended up looking to me like the only reason people were mad about the athletes is because you invest a lot -- personally -- into your team, and somebody who is exciting to watch makes you glad they're on your team, and you can look forward to three more years of them playing. And then -poof!- they're gone, and it feels personal. Nobody takes the school orchestra that seriously (almost nobody) and so the exact same thing doesn't cause people to feel like the whole industry is rotten.

 

[CLS]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

Also, the BU orchestra doesn't sound that much different if the first chair bassoon leaves before graduating, and the BU orchestra doesn't perform by competing against other orchestras.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

And golf, tennis, track and field, skiing, bowling, swimming, the list goes on...

Actually, if you look at top NCAA tennis programs you will find some kids who did a couple years at a tennis academy that might look a lot like a junior team or USNTDP for tennis.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

Given that the other option is for college hockey to be less entertaining to watch than the ECHL team across town due to lack of talent, I'll go ahead and deal with a score of guys nationwide leaving early every year.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

So far, having read through this thread, it sounds like the answer is 'no, no one else is sick of seeing underclassmen leave college early; you are apparently the only one bothered by it."

Why do people go to college in the first place?

For many, it is to get a better job once they graduate.

If that is a primary purpose, and you get the job offer before graduation, then as many voices have said, it makes good sense to accept it!


PS I don't mind typos or spelling mistakes in posts, that is to be expected....somehow though if I were going to start a thread, I'd want to be extra-careful....your thread title suggests only one person [underclassman] left "schoo" early....

perhaps this person graduated from Ylae*?

 

[Almington]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

So far, having read through this thread, it sounds like the answer is 'no, no one else is sick of seeing underclassmen leave college early; you are apparently the only one bothered by it."

I think that everyone is bothered by it, but they find the alternative of losing nearly all the top players to MJ to be even worse.

 

[chickod]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

are you serious? its a pretty safe bet that none of them came from the ghetto. lol this isn't a kid from the projects who had to learn to rap or develop a jump shot in order to avoid selling crack. in fact, the majority of them come from money of some sort. hockey isn't cheap to begin playing, and its even more expensive to maintain playing especially if you are seeking to be the best of the best. all of them are white, generally come from cities that aren't dumps, and have parents that don't work at Subway.

Why are you bringing race into this? It's about MONEY. So if my parents were wealthy I should turn down $1 million because I what...have enough? Why do we go to college to get a degree anyway? Most likely because it is necessary for us to obtain a well-paying job. Well...they're getting a well-paying job! Are they supposed to turn it down? The degree means NOTHING unless it enables you to make a living. Unless, of course, you think that getting a degree will allow you to get OTHER $1 million jobs...

 

[chickod]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

This is what you should expect if you recruit guys who're in it as a place to play between junior and the pros rather than guys who actually want to get an education.

C'mon...most coaches at good progams ENCOURAGE this...that's how they get the player, by telling them they have a better chance to make the pros if they sign at that school. And what do you mean by "get an education?" How many people would even GO to college if it wasn't the only way for them to obtain a job in the field they want? Trust me, if I could have made what I make now without going to college, I would have said "Where do I sign?" And by the way, about 70% of what I "learned" during my "education" is irrelevant and not even used in the profession I am in.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

about 70% of what I "learned" during my "education" is irrelevant and not even used in the profession I am in.

Regarding content, could not agree more!

College degree is more of a 'gate-keeper' function than anything else for most people.....lack of it eliminates people from consideration, that's all.....

Unless you are a history major or a math major [okay maybe a few other fields...], content keeps changing over time anyway.

Regarding skill sets, however, I did learn how to research and write which has been quite valuable; and I did learn some useful math which served as a platform for post-college (on the job) learning.

However, to augment chickod's point even more, many employers would prefer to provide you with the education you need to do well (either through training or tuition reimbursement) than have you come in thinking you already know it all....

 

[UMDbulldogs#1]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

I think that everyone is bothered by it, but they find the alternative of losing nearly all the top players to MJ to be even worse.

I completely agree. At least we get a year, maybe two out of some of these guys. See what you can do in the year or two they are with your program and then move on. If you look at the big picture though, it certainly hurts the team when they leave early. However, at least you have them for that year or two. That's better than not having these guys at all, IMO. No way UMD wins the NC this year without Faulk (as an example). UMD doesn't win it without Connolly either, but everyone knew from day one that Faulk wasn't going to stay more than two seasons.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Anyone else sick of seeing underclassman leave schoo early?

I completely agree. At least we get a year, maybe two out of some of these guys. See what you can do in the year or two they are with your program and then move on. ..., at least you have them for that year or two. That's better than not having these guys at all, IMO.

Yes RPI certainly appreciated the three years of Allen York as well!