LoVett Future

[Class of 72]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

 

[Red.Fans]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Sad. Even sadder when you consider how extremely bad the statistics for those that DO actually make the big time.

 

[SJU14]

Is the rule still in effect where players can test the waters and decide to come back to school?

 

[Section3]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

 

[Class of 72]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Would have had all three, along with Whitehead has Lavin given Tiny a little shitty assistant job.
Lavin had no intention of keeping his job in his final year at SJ with his marital woes. He stopped recruiting hard and his assistant was busy screwing around. In the end it was the "scent of a woman" that brought the Lavinwood era down.

 

[OLV72]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Would have had all three, along with Whitehead has Lavin given Tiny a little shitty assistant job.
Lavin had no intention of keeping his job in his final year at SJ with his marital woes. He stopped recruiting hard and his assistant was busy screwing around. In the end it was the "scent of a woman" that brought the Lavinwood era down.

72, at the risk of kicking off a stream of Lavin posts if his marital issues led him to a decision to pack it in why was it reported by the local hoops press that he was negotiating an extension?

 

[bamafan]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Would have had all three, along with Whitehead has Lavin given Tiny a little shitty assistant job.
Lavin had no intention of keeping his job in his final year at SJ with his marital woes. He stopped recruiting hard and his assistant was busy screwing around. In the end it was the "scent of a woman" that brought the Lavinwood era down.

72, at the risk of kicking off a stream of Lavin posts if his marital issues led him to a decision to pack it in why was it reported by the local hoops press that he was negotiating an extension?

Because maybe we would have been dumb enough to guarantee him many more millions of dollars. Lavin-"My contract is up, how about an extension of 15 mill for 5 years?". Not to mention his agent's interest in an extension.

 

[westchesterjoe]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Shame that Lavin could not get 1 of the 3 to play here.. Instead, we had Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obepka, and who knows where this duo are now? Who Cares. Both, thumbed their noses at the School.

 

[boo haarvey]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Would have had all three, along with Whitehead has Lavin given Tiny a little shitty assistant job.
Lavin had no intention of keeping his job in his final year at SJ with his marital woes. He stopped recruiting hard and his assistant was busy screwing around. In the end it was the "scent of a woman" that brought the Lavinwood era down.

72, at the risk of kicking off a stream of Lavin posts if his marital issues led him to a decision to pack it in why was it reported by the local hoops press that he was negotiating an extension?

Because maybe we would have been dumb enough to guarantee him many more millions of dollars. Lavin-"My contract is up, how about an extension of 15 mill for 5 years?". Not to mention his agent's interest in an extension.[/quote

I'm struggling to understand your logic. Lavin gave up on the program and had one foot out the door because of his wife, but yet he chose to negotiate an extension for the money and/or at the behest of his agent? In addition to being specious, those two assertions appear internally inconsistent.

Other than chatroom innuendo, do you have any factual basis for your assertion that Lavin mailed it in because his wife wasn't happy in NY?

 

[SJU85]

So even a thread about Lovett leaving turns into a thread bashing Lavin. Typical.

Seriously guys, sometimes you just got to let it go.

 

[rawdognyc]

[/quote]Instead, we had Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obepka, and who knows where this duo are now?[/quote]

Not sure about Chris' whereabouts, but Rysheed is in the pen somewhere in PA.

 

[Class of 72]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

THAT Paul is what a responsible parent would say. Unfortunately many of these basketball players are surrounded by family and friends who were never college oriented and see do$$ar signs where in reality there are pennies in the long run. Many of these dreamers end up on the margins of the basketball world working in community centers, non-profits, and other low end basketball operations but never really get to the big show. By the time they are 40 with 3 kids they wish they could go back and reap the benefits of a college education but many never do.
In the future I would like to see our coaches focus on the Kadeen Carringtons of the world than the Lovetts who do little for our program in the long term.

Love that trio - Carrington, Rodriguez and Delgado. All with heart of lion

Would have had all three, along with Whitehead has Lavin given Tiny a little shitty assistant job.
Lavin had no intention of keeping his job in his final year at SJ with his marital woes. He stopped recruiting hard and his assistant was busy screwing around. In the end it was the "scent of a woman" that brought the Lavinwood era down.

72, at the risk of kicking off a stream of Lavin posts if his marital issues led him to a decision to pack it in why was it reported by the local hoops press that he was negotiating an extension?

Because maybe we would have been dumb enough to guarantee him many more millions of dollars. Lavin-"My contract is up, how about an extension of 15 mill for 5 years?". Not to mention his agent's interest in an extension.

You are not too far off. Supposedly he requested an outlandish amount but was surprised that St. John's counter was less than what he was earning. There was an amicable parting but had Lavin signed his targets, including Briscoe, Sampson, Lovett and others, I seriously doubt he would have not been retained. Had he gotten his players, along with Obekpa staying, he may have had two more NCAA appearances instead of the current rebuilding project.
As we know now, there were marital issues with the coaches that may have influenced their devotion to their jobs.

As for Lovett, just his response that he is consulting with family and brokers regarding returning is a red flag. But if Simon is as good as advertised the emphasis shifts to the front court where we SUCK, I am more concerned with signing ANY decent big than retaining a kid who is looking to leave early who is not going to play team ball next year.
With Mussini and Ellison as the 3rd and 4th guards, I think we need to beef up quickly and Marcus Lovett doesn't provide any more than he did this year without significant change to the front line next year.

 

[austour]

Instead, we had Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obepka, and who knows where this duo are now?[/quote]

Not sure about Chris' whereabouts, but Rysheed is in the pen somewhere in PA.[/quote]

Obekpa's playing in the D League for, and this makes perfect sense, Santa Cruz. Can't make this stuff up.

 

[Red.Fans]

Instead, we had Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obepka, and who knows where this duo are now?

Not sure about Chris' whereabouts, but Rysheed is in the pen somewhere in PA.[/quote]

Obekpa's playing in the D League for, and this makes perfect sense, Santa Cruz. Can't make this stuff up.[/quote]

 

[Class of 72]

Instead, we had Rysheed Jordan and Chris Obepka, and who knows where this duo are now?

Not sure about Chris' whereabouts, but Rysheed is in the pen somewhere in PA.[/quote]

Obekpa's playing in the D League for, and this makes perfect sense, Santa Cruz. Can't make this stuff up.[/quote]

Does this mean you can now share tokes with him after the games?

 

[panther2]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that
come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

Paul, my post was not directed towards you, but to the tone of the thread in general. I am all for allowing kids to develop as human beings and expand their horizons. However, that is no longer possible in Big time sports. When I first went to college in 1965, it was a whole different atmosphere. In the summer the schools used to find paid internships for their athletes. This allowed them to experience the world of work so that they would be prepared when they graduated. Now basketball is a 12 month a year job. You are expected to be on campus to work out over the summer. You also take classes so that your class load during the season will allow for more time for practice and individual workouts.

It would be ideal if the players were fully able to take advantage of all the opportunities that college life has to offer but that is not happening. They are here for one reason and one reason only, to play ball. They also need to win games and keep the alumni and fans happy. I have not seen anyone post that we need to help Lovett get a summer internship that will help prepare him for life after basketball. I may be wrong, but most posters are concerned about our players only as it relates to basketball, and wins and losses.

In the thread on Tariq Owens, no one said, this young man played above expectations. Let's look into fining him a Summer Internship to help him prepare for life after ball. Everyone had ideas on what he needed to work on to make him a better and more productive player for good old St. Johns. Let's not kid ourselves, big time college sports is a year round job that leaves very little time for anything else.

Someone else talked about kids leaving early and then not being able to handle their business responsibly when they are through playing. How about the young man who represents his school admirably for four years and then has a hard time finding employment because he never had an internship or practical experience and does not have any familial connections. How about the fact that athletes are sometimes placed n majors that are not very challenging in order to keep them eligible and give them plenty of time to practice. I see this happening because when these young men finish school, they come back to my neighborhood. Then it is up to people like myself to help them readjust to the real world.

 

[Red.Fans]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that
come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

Paul, my post was not directed towards you, but to the tone of the thread in general. I am all for allowing kids to develop as human beings and expand their horizons. However, that is no longer possible in Big time sports. When I first went to college in 1965, it was a whole different atmosphere. In the summer the schools used to find paid internships for their athletes. This allowed them to experience the world of work so that they would be prepared when they graduated. Now basketball is a 12 month a year job. You are expected to be on campus to work out over the summer. You also take classes so that your class load during the season will allow for more time for practice and individual workouts.

It would be ideal if the players were fully able to take advantage of all the opportunities that college life has to offer but that is not happening. They are here for one reason and one reason only, to play ball. They also need to win games and keep the alumni and fans happy. I have not seen anyone post that we need to help Lovett get a summer internship that will help prepare him for life after basketball. I may be wrong, but most posters are concerned about our players only as it relates to basketball, and wins and losses.

In the thread on Tariq Owens, no one said, this young man played above expectations. Let's look into fining him a Summer Internship to help him prepare for life after ball. Everyone had ideas on what he needed to work on to make him a better and more productive player for good old St. Johns. Let's not kid ourselves, big time college sports is a year round job that leaves very little time for anything else.

Someone else talked about kids leaving early and then not being able to handle their business responsibly when they are through playing. How about the young man who represents his school admirably for four years and then has a hard time finding employment because he never had an internship or practical experience and does not have any familial connections. How about the fact that athletes are sometimes placed n majors that are not very challenging in order to keep them eligible and give them plenty of time to practice. I see this happening because when these young men finish school, they come back to my neighborhood. Then it is up to people like myself to help them readjust to the real world.

Those are legitimate issues that IMHO the NCAA created. Alumni/boosters have been taught for decades not discuss anything financially related wrt athletes to the point where there is a whole subculture of subterfuge where there are professional anonymous individuals that handle these issues between athletes/families and boosters and provide deniability for coaches and administrators (and politicians). And as we know it is the big money schools that primarily engage and benefit from this culture. Moreso in football but in basketball too. Pretty sure every big football school engages in this in basketball as well.

There are plenty of generous alumni and boosters and I don't remember any of them bragging about it online. I know several on this site that have helped the school pay for things like Tournament/travel expenses where it was sanctioned by the NCAA to do so. Just because they don't talk about it online, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I could be wrong but I don't believe that an Alum can blankly offer to provide an internship. If at all, I'm guessing there would be a lot of NCAA red tape.

 

[panther2]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that
come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

Paul, my post was not directed towards you, but to the tone of the thread in general. I am all for allowing kids to develop as human beings and expand their horizons. However, that is no longer possible in Big time sports. When I first went to college in 1965, it was a whole different atmosphere. In the summer the schools used to find paid internships for their athletes. This allowed them to experience the world of work so that they would be prepared when they graduated. Now basketball is a 12 month a year job. You are expected to be on campus to work out over the summer. You also take classes so that your class load during the season will allow for more time for practice and individual workouts.

It would be ideal if the players were fully able to take advantage of all the opportunities that college life has to offer but that is not happening. They are here for one reason and one reason only, to play ball. They also need to win games and keep the alumni and fans happy. I have not seen anyone post that we need to help Lovett get a summer internship that will help prepare him for life after basketball. I may be wrong, but most posters are concerned about our players only as it relates to basketball, and wins and losses.

In the thread on Tariq Owens, no one said, this young man played above expectations. Let's look into fining him a Summer Internship to help him prepare for life after ball. Everyone had ideas on what he needed to work on to make him a better and more productive player for good old St. Johns. Let's not kid ourselves, big time college sports is a year round job that leaves very little time for anything else.

Someone else talked about kids leaving early and then not being able to handle their business responsibly when they are through playing. How about the young man who represents his school admirably for four years and then has a hard time finding employment because he never had an internship or practical experience and does not have any familial connections. How about the fact that athletes are sometimes placed n majors that are not very challenging in order to keep them eligible and give them plenty of time to practice. I see this happening because when these young men finish school, they come back to my neighborhood. Then it is up to people like myself to help them readjust to the real world.

Those are legitimate issues that IMHO the NCAA created. Alumni/boosters have been taught for decades not discuss anything financially related wrt athletes to the point where there is a whole subculture of subterfuge where there are professional anonymous individuals that handle these issues between athletes/families and boosters and provide deniability for coaches and administrators (and politicians). And as we know it is the big money schools that primarily engage and benefit from this culture. Moreso in football but in basketball too. Pretty sure every big football school engages in this in basketball as well.

There are plenty of generous alumni and boosters and I don't remember any of them bragging about it online. I know several on this site that have helped the school pay for things like Tournament/travel expenses where it was sanctioned by the NCAA to do so. Just because they don't talk about it online, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I could be wrong but I don't believe that an Alum can blankly offer to provide an internship. If at all, I'm guessing there would be a lot of NCAA red
tape.

Paul, I am not saying an Alumnus should do it themselves, but the Athletic Dept. should be able to refer young men for internships. However, the point I am making is that there is not time in their schedules for internships. These young men were brought here to play basketball and there is no time for thins like a summer job or an internship because the summer is spent getting better for the following season.

 

[mjmaherjr]

I was not trying to find fault with his game and have never talked about getting rid of players. I was presenting a side of the argument that no one ever makes any more. Everyone is always saying take the money and makes these "no brainer" arguments but those arguments are superficial at best. I would not have any discussion with or about a St John's player's future without the same kind of consideration that I'd give to my own kid and I have never pushed my kids to pursue money but instead to be better people.

The quick cash even in abundance, isn't always the best choice and now we have historical stats that show that it is an overwhelmingly bad, long term choice. Go to college. Develop yourself as a human. Then when you make some cash you will be more mature and capable to deal with it and other things in your life that
come along because rich or poor, they surely will.

Paul, my post was not directed towards you, but to the tone of the thread in general. I am all for allowing kids to develop as human beings and expand their horizons. However, that is no longer possible in Big time sports. When I first went to college in 1965, it was a whole different atmosphere. In the summer the schools used to find paid internships for their athletes. This allowed them to experience the world of work so that they would be prepared when they graduated. Now basketball is a 12 month a year job. You are expected to be on campus to work out over the summer. You also take classes so that your class load during the season will allow for more time for practice and individual workouts.

It would be ideal if the players were fully able to take advantage of all the opportunities that college life has to offer but that is not happening. They are here for one reason and one reason only, to play ball. They also need to win games and keep the alumni and fans happy. I have not seen anyone post that we need to help Lovett get a summer internship that will help prepare him for life after basketball. I may be wrong, but most posters are concerned about our players only as it relates to basketball, and wins and losses.

In the thread on Tariq Owens, no one said, this young man played above expectations. Let's look into fining him a Summer Internship to help him prepare for life after ball. Everyone had ideas on what he needed to work on to make him a better and more productive player for good old St. Johns. Let's not kid ourselves, big time college sports is a year round job that leaves very little time for anything else.

Someone else talked about kids leaving early and then not being able to handle their business responsibly when they are through playing. How about the young man who represents his school admirably for four years and then has a hard time finding employment because he never had an internship or practical experience and does not have any familial connections. How about the fact that athletes are sometimes placed n majors that are not very challenging in order to keep them eligible and give them plenty of time to practice. I see this happening because when these young men finish school, they come back to my neighborhood. Then it is up to people like myself to help them readjust to the real world.

Those are legitimate issues that IMHO the NCAA created. Alumni/boosters have been taught for decades not discuss anything financially related wrt athletes to the point where there is a whole subculture of subterfuge where there are professional anonymous individuals that handle these issues between athletes/families and boosters and provide deniability for coaches and administrators (and politicians). And as we know it is the big money schools that primarily engage and benefit from this culture. Moreso in football but in basketball too. Pretty sure every big football school engages in this in basketball as well.

There are plenty of generous alumni and boosters and I don't remember any of them bragging about it online. I know several on this site that have helped the school pay for things like Tournament/travel expenses where it was sanctioned by the NCAA to do so. Just because they don't talk about it online, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I could be wrong but I don't believe that an Alum can blankly offer to provide an internship. If at all, I'm guessing there would be a lot of NCAA red tape.

I was just wondering that. Are boosters or Alum's allowed to hire players as interns ?

A real long time ago my office hired a couple of Jay Wrights hofstra kids as interns but my office had no connections to hofstra other than a friend of mine being friends with Jay and Pecora

 

[SJU79*]

Hope I'm wrong but just heard he will be leaving