I’m all for getting a college education. I come from a family where everyone has a college degree. I’m even for going post grad if need be. But I always had the sneaky suspicion that everyone wasn’t in school to get a degree. Some college athletes are in school to keep the classroom seat warm. They know they want to play in the pros but rules keep them from doing so. It seems these days college is the rest stop for kids on their way to the pro level. Finally someone decided to be honest and say what many folks have been thinking. Jeremy Tyler is dropping out of high school and going overseas to play basketball. I know you are probably saying “dropping out of high school”!!! What about getting his high school degree?
A high school degree? Ha ha ha.....this guy doesn’t want a degree. He wants to get paid!!! Maybe he wasn’t the best student anyway. He probably does enough so he can be eligible to play. As Citizen Daddy use to say about kids that weren’t academically inclined……….”their books got too heavy for them”. I think he might have said that about me to Citizen Momma when I wasn't around (If you are laughing at that you shouldn’t be!!!). The difference between me and dude is a 15 foot jump shot. I couldn’t make any money playing sports and I’m too scared to sell drugs (I know I know……………my options as an African American Male are so limited). A guy like me needed to go to college. Tyler realized that he would only be kidding himself if he went to college. He knew he didn’t want to keep up the façade of a “student athlete”. Why go to classes, accept money from boosters, have sex with groupies and play in March Madness if you don’t have too?
After playing overseas he will bypass the eligibility rules for entering the NBA. After about a year or two, he can get picked up by an NBA team. He can always go back and get his GED if he wants to. My only advice to him is to make sure he never ever ever ever gets hurt. In this changing economy a high school degree holds the equivalency of a perfect attendance certificate. Sure it’s nice to put on your wall but other than that it doesn’t do much for you. Without any skills (electrician, plumbing, brick making) he doesn’t have anything to fall back on. And without a college degree his job pool gets very small. So I wish him happiness, health and wealth. This could possibly be good news for someone else. With him not attending college, it leaves a spot open with the groupies. The guy that sits at the end of the bench.
4 comments:
I sent that story to AB cuz I know that's a wheelhouse rant for him.
I'm against it COMPLETELY for all the reasons you outlined, because God forbid he get's hurt, cuz it's a wrap after that. I mean, there stands a good chance that in 5 years, his story'll resurface about him working at McDonalds and trying to get into some community college.
I'm reminded of the kid in the documentary "Hoop Dreams" who blew out his knee during the season and that was it. What ever happened to him?
My father worked in the fields and still managed to get a college degree. I chose to be a musician and now that I'm not doing that anymore I realize how important that piece of paper really is. Although these days it's hard to get a job even when you do have a degree.
Sounds like "Citizen Daddy" and "Californian Daddy" are cut from the same cloth. Luckily my brother and sister got degrees to take some of the heat off me!
Always a good read C.O. Take care.
b
Uppity - McDonalds?? I was thinking more Jack in the Box.
Ben - Yeah I guess we have old school parents. It has its advantages and disadvantages...Thanks for stopping in.
Dropping out of high school??? I don't even know how to respond to that....
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