NFL Union Backs 3 Year Rule

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It isn't education that's the issue. It's age. I don't know why they just don't set an arbitrary age limit, but what they have is better than nothing. MLB & the NHL don't have this problem because of their minor league systems. You draft a young guy and then send him there until he is ready to be called up. There isn't this luxury in the NBA or NFL. By getting rid of the limit, you are essentially eradicating the equivalent of the minor league programs. In the NBA this has been disasterous, forcing several prospects into the big leagues when they are far from ready and causing the quality of play in the league to decline. Football is a more physical sport so the effects would be even worse in the NFL.

 

For those who support Clarett, you have to ask yourself if you also support the elimination of the minor leagues in baseball. If the answer is no, then you should really re-think your position on this issue.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

For those who support Clarett, you have to ask yourself if you also support the elimination of the minor leagues in baseball. If the answer is no, then you should really re-think your position on this issue.

 

A-Rod hit .358 at the age of 20, in 1996. Should he have been forced to spend more time in AAA because he was too young?

[Chuck Woolery 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Kobe? He didn't really become dominant until his third year in LA. Prior to that, he looked like an unpolished rookie kid with enormous potential.

 

KG? He didn't become truly dominant until year four or five, at which point he developed into one of the best players in the game.

 

MJ went to college for three years. Shaq went for (I believe) two. Duncan, Jordan, and Shaq all made impacts right away -- KG and Kobe didn't start making an impact until their third year or so. By imposing a three-year rule, you cut that waiting period down to half a season or so.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

For those who support Clarett, you have to ask yourself if you also support the elimination of the minor leagues in baseball. If the answer is no, then you should really re-think your position on this issue.

 

A-Rod hit .358 at the age of 20, in 1996. Should he have been forced to spend more time in AAA because he was too young?

Is A-Rod a regularly skilled player or the exception? 1 A-Rod isn't worth 200 Adrian Beltres. There is no other option in the NFL. It is worth keeping one player or a handful of other players in the minors for a whole extra year, then allowing hundreds into MLB early who can't cut it.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

For those who support Clarett, you have to ask yourself if you also support the elimination of the minor leagues in baseball. If the answer is no, then you should really re-think your position on this issue.

 

A-Rod hit .358 at the age of 20, in 1996. Should he have been forced to spend more time in AAA because he was too young?

Is A-Rod a regularly skilled player or the exception? 1 A-Rod isn't worth 200 Adrian Beltres. There is no other option in the NFL. It is worth keeping one player or a handful of other players in the minors for a whole extra year, then allowing hundreds into MLB early.

The point is there should be an option. Pro sports should pay for their own developmental systems. It shouldn't be the responsibility of universities to lower their academic standards to admit kids who don't really even want to be there and are getting an "education" (taking the absolute easiest courses possible) just so they can play sports to prepare for their real career. People complain about how high school kids going to the NBA "hurts" NCCA basketball, as if that should warrant any consideration. It seems that these leagues want to keep their sweetheart deal that lets them develop players at no expense, and have brainwashed the general public into believing that's the only way possible, and that these players "owe" it to them to play for their favorite college sports teams.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I'd be for the above, but you just can't open the floodgates until the system is fully in place. Turn the CFL & NFL Europe into farm leagues and I won't have anything to complain about.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

I'd be for the above, but you just can't open the floodgates until the system is fully in place. Turn the CFL & NFL Europe into farm leagues and I won't have anything to complain about.

OK fair enough.

 

Frankly, I've wondered why guys like Clarett unsatisfied with the draconian NCAA system don't try out the CFL. The quality is similar to NCAA div. I, maybe a bit worse, and they get paid a salary and don't have to worry about picking up some loose change only to have the NCAA swoop in and claim it was dropped by a booster. Plus if they don't care about going to school they can spend their non-football time in the gym or something.

[Ripper 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Kobe? He didn't really become dominant until his third year in LA. Prior to that, he looked like an unpolished rookie kid with enormous potential.

 

KG? He didn't become truly dominant until year four or five, at which point he developed into one of the best players in the game.

 

MJ went to college for three years. Shaq went for (I believe) two. Duncan, Jordan, and Shaq all made impacts right away -- KG and Kobe didn't start making an impact until their third year or so. By imposing a three-year rule, you cut that waiting period down to half a season or so.

Lebron, Carmello and Amare all made contributions in their first year. So what.

 

If you feel a player has the skill to help your team either now or later, and they are out of high school, they should be able too.

 

Carmelo Anthony didn't become lightyears better because of his one year in college, he became more known. That is what college ball is for now basically. If you haven't really had a chance to display your skills, it is a exhibition of them for the NBA. Why should someone thought to be ready have to go and play for FREE, risk injury, that in turn could prevent them from ever making a penny off their talent?

[AlwaysPissedOff 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Zuh? I thought Duncan played 4 years at Wake Forest?

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Zuh? I thought Duncan played 4 years at Wake Forest?

I do believe he did graduate.

[Ripper 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Zuh? I thought Duncan played 4 years at Wake Forest?

I do believe he did graduate.

Yep, he played all four years.

[Guest MikeSC]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

The best players are also significantly worse than the best players of the 80's. NBA's ratings are dropping for a reason.

-=Mike

[Ripper 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

The best players are also significantly worse than the best players of the 80's. NBA's ratings are dropping for a reason.

-=Mike

Don't come at me with ratings when Amercian Idol and The Swan is kicking everything elses ass. Seriously.

 

And I will whole heartedly disagree saying that the 80's players(outside of the ones that are in the top 20 players to ever play...honestly, they are better than everyone) were better than the Kevin Garnetts, and Kobe Bryants of today. Garnett would have still been a all around dominant force in the 80's(I mean, Ralph Sampson had the whole league fucked up because he was a 7 footer that could hit a jumper, what do you think guys like Garnett and Dirk would have been) and Kobe and McGrady would be a incredible scorer no matter what era. And do I even have to point out guys like Isaiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone?

 

I mean for every Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler(both of whom I still think will be good players in the league) there is a Pervis Ellison, Danny Ferry, and Beniot Benjamin that NEVER materialized in to anything and they were in the league for YEARS after long college careers. I mean even some of the greatest college players were pretty much nothing in the NBA....*looks at Christian Latner*

 

Chosing on a player is a crap shoot anyway, and if a team wants to give a guy 3-4 years to develop when he is 18 instead of him being 23 and needing 3-4 years to develop they should be able to.

[Guest MikeSC]

Don't come at me with ratings when Amercian Idol and The Swan is kicking everything elses ass.  Seriously. 

Look at the numbers. It's not just reality TV that has killed the NBA's ratings.

And I will whole heartedly disagree saying that the 80's players(outside of the ones that are in the top 20 players to ever play...honestly, they are better than everyone) were better than the Kevin Garnetts, and Kobe Bryants of today.  Garnett would have still been a all around dominant force in the 80's(I mean, Ralph Sampson had the whole league fucked up because he was a 7 footer that could hit a jumper, what do you think guys like Garnett and Dirk would have been) and Kobe and McGrady would be a incredible scorer no matter what era.  And do I even have to point out guys like Isaiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone?

Players in the 80's could actually SHOOT the ball and SCORE points. The NBA today is a horrible game to watch. Most players can't shoot to save their lives. The NBA in the 80's was fun --- now, it possibly violates various human rights.

I mean for every Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler(both of whom I still think will be good players in the league) there is a Pervis Ellison, Danny Ferry, and Beniot Benjamin that NEVER materialized in to anything and they were in the league for YEARS after long college careers.  I mean even some of the greatest college players were pretty much nothing in the NBA....*looks at Christian Latner*

Yes, duds have been around in every draft. But, in the 80's, you had guys who DID put butts in the seats. Bird, Johnson, and Jordan always did it. Dominique could do it. Barkley could do it. Almost EVERY team had at least one guy who the fans would want to come and watch.

 

Now, I can't even think of 15 players I'd want to see --- period.

Chosing on a player is a crap shoot anyway, and if a team wants to give a guy 3-4 years to develop when he is 18 instead of him being 23 and needing 3-4 years to develop they should be able to.

The draft is supposed to be for bad teams to have a chance to quickly improve --- not for bad teams to take massive gambles and screw themselves up even worse. The NBA --- like MLB and the NHL --- needs to be saved from itself.

-=Mike

[Chuck Woolery 0]

Yet the best players didn't play college ball or only a year.

Tim Duncan? He's the first one that sprang to my mind, but look at the others.

 

Zuh? I thought Duncan played 4 years at Wake Forest?

I do believe he did graduate.

Yep, he played all four years.

Yeah, that's my bad for not clarifying what I meant there. I was trying to say that Tim Duncan was the first person I could think of that went against what Rip was saying.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Players in the 80's could actually SHOOT the ball and SCORE points. The NBA today is a horrible game to watch. Most players can't shoot to save their lives. The NBA in the 80's was fun --- now, it possibly violates various human rights.

 

Here's some numbers I find interesting. 3 Point Percentage (League Average)......

 

1984 25.1%

1989 32.2%

1994 33.3%

1999 33.9%

2004 34.7%

 

Yes, duds have been around in every draft. But, in the 80's, you had guys who DID put butts in the seats. Bird, Johnson, and Jordan always did it. Dominique could do it. Barkley could do it. Almost EVERY team had at least one guy who the fans would want to come and watch.

 

Now, I can't even think of 15 players I'd want to see --- period.

 

That's your own bias. I can hardly name any of the best NFL players. Does that mean football sucks?

 

The draft is supposed to be for bad teams to have a chance to quickly improve --- not for bad teams to take massive gambles and screw themselves up even worse. The NBA --- like MLB and the NHL --- needs to be saved from itself.

-=Mike

 

I'm not sure what you mean by that last statement. If you mean teams are using a losing draft strategy, then let one of them figure it out, and beat the pants off the competition. If the theory is true, it will fix itself.

[MrRant 0]

Well all drafts are a gamble but the NFL has the benefit of being able to watch 3-4 years of a guy on tape and that lessens the gamble IMO.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

If an individual team wants to lessen the gamble, by all means let them. It's smart. It really is. But players should have the OPPORTUNITY to enter the draft.

[MrRant 0]

They do have the OPPORTUNITY to enter the draft. They just have to wait a certain amount of years. I could make myself eligible for the draft if I wanted to.

[Ripper 0]

Don't come at me with ratings when Amercian Idol and The Swan is kicking everything elses ass.  Seriously. 

Look at the numbers. It's not just reality TV that has killed the NBA's ratings.

And I will whole heartedly disagree saying that the 80's players(outside of the ones that are in the top 20 players to ever play...honestly, they are better than everyone) were better than the Kevin Garnetts, and Kobe Bryants of today.  Garnett would have still been a all around dominant force in the 80's(I mean, Ralph Sampson had the whole league fucked up because he was a 7 footer that could hit a jumper, what do you think guys like Garnett and Dirk would have been) and Kobe and McGrady would be a incredible scorer no matter what era.  And do I even have to point out guys like Isaiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone?

Players in the 80's could actually SHOOT the ball and SCORE points. The NBA today is a horrible game to watch. Most players can't shoot to save their lives. The NBA in the 80's was fun --- now, it possibly violates various human rights.

I mean for every Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler(both of whom I still think will be good players in the league) there is a Pervis Ellison, Danny Ferry, and Beniot Benjamin that NEVER materialized in to anything and they were in the league for YEARS after long college careers.  I mean even some of the greatest college players were pretty much nothing in the NBA....*looks at Christian Latner*

Yes, duds have been around in every draft. But, in the 80's, you had guys who DID put butts in the seats. Bird, Johnson, and Jordan always did it. Dominique could do it. Barkley could do it. Almost EVERY team had at least one guy who the fans would want to come and watch.

 

Now, I can't even think of 15 players I'd want to see --- period.

Chosing on a player is a crap shoot anyway, and if a team wants to give a guy 3-4 years to develop when he is 18 instead of him being 23 and needing 3-4 years to develop they should be able to.

The draft is supposed to be for bad teams to have a chance to quickly improve --- not for bad teams to take massive gambles and screw themselves up even worse. The NBA --- like MLB and the NHL --- needs to be saved from itself.

-=Mike

You are naming Hall of fame, 50 greatest of all time players against the entire NBA now? Thats really stacking things in your odds, isn't it?

 

But you really didn't discount the guys like Moses Malone, Magic, Thomas and others who either only played one year of college ball or skipped it all together who went on to be some of the best EVER.

 

Some players don't need college ball to get better and some do. Why should anyone have the right to tell someone they can't make money off your talent until you play for someone else millions for free? Oh yeah, you aren't going to be allowed to work, so you have to be broke for a couple of years, so if your parents or something need money, well, fuck you and them, make us money first and then if you don't get hurt, you can maybe go on to make money off it. And if you don't, at least you have that degree and a 20,000 dollar a year job to fall back on...if you find that job...

 

I can say that i have never seen a high school football player that I think could enter the NFL. THAT is a completely different thing. But NBA...comeon. These kids are coming in with more size and skill than alot of those in the league already

[Guest MikeSC]

You are naming Hall of fame, 50 greatest of all time players against the entire NBA now? Thats really stacking things in your odds, isn't it?

 

But you really didn't discount the guys like Moses Malone, Magic, Thomas and others who either only played one year of college ball or skipped it all together who went on to be some of the best EVER.

 

Some players don't need college ball to get better and some do. Why should anyone have the right to tell someone they can't make money off your talent until you play for someone else millions for free? Oh yeah, you aren't going to be allowed to work, so you have to be broke for a couple of years, so if your parents or something need money, well, fuck you and them, make us money first and then if you don't get hurt, you can maybe go on to make money off it. And if you don't, at least you have that degree and a 20,000 dollar a year job to fall back on...if you find that job...

 

I can say that i have never seen a high school football player that I think could enter the NFL. THAT is a completely different thing. But NBA...comeon. These kids are coming in with more size and skill than alot of those in the league already

Ripper, I'm not even discussing starters. Heck, Vinnie Johnson of the Pistons was a better player than a frightening percentage of the league today. Ditto Doc Rivers.

 

Are some people ready to come out early? Yes. The VAST majority are not, though, and teams are run by people too stupid to know that a player who has PROVEN to be a solid player in college is a better pick-up than a high school player who MIGHT pan out.

 

The NBA needs people who know how to shoot. They need people who know how to score. They don't have that now --- and the league is suffering mightily because of that.

-=Mike

[Ripper 0]

You are naming Hall of fame, 50 greatest of all time players against the entire NBA now?  Thats really stacking things in your odds, isn't it?

 

But you really didn't discount the guys like Moses Malone, Magic, Thomas and others who either only played one year of college ball or skipped it all together who went on to be some of the best EVER. 

 

Some players don't need college ball to get better and some do.  Why should anyone have the right to tell someone they can't make money off your talent until you play for someone else millions for free?  Oh yeah, you aren't going to be allowed to work, so you have to be broke for a couple of years, so if your parents or something need money, well, fuck you and them, make us money first and then if you don't get hurt, you can maybe go on to make money off it.  And if you don't, at least you have that degree and a 20,000 dollar a year job to fall back on...if you find that job...

 

I can say that i have never seen a high school football player that I think could enter the NFL.  THAT is a completely different thing.  But NBA...comeon.  These kids are coming in with more size and skill than alot of those in the league already

Ripper, I'm not even discussing starters. Heck, Vinnie Johnson of the Pistons was a better player than a frightening percentage of the league today. Ditto Doc Rivers.

 

Are some people ready to come out early? Yes. The VAST majority are not, though, and teams are run by people too stupid to know that a player who has PROVEN to be a solid player in college is a better pick-up than a high school player who MIGHT pan out.

 

The NBA needs people who know how to shoot. They need people who know how to score. They don't have that now --- and the league is suffering mightily because of that.

-=Mike

But its not like you learn to shoot in college. And you have to do more than just be able to shoot. I mean there are plenty of Lawrence Motens, Randolf Childress's and Curtis Staples who all played out their college careers, all were deadly midrange shooters and all couldn't play D to save their lives so they are all over the world playing in other places. If a mid range jump shot isn't there, going to college for 4 years isn't going to make it appear any faster than going straght to the league.

[Guest MikeSC]

You are naming Hall of fame, 50 greatest of all time players against the entire NBA now?  Thats really stacking things in your odds, isn't it?

 

But you really didn't discount the guys like Moses Malone, Magic, Thomas and others who either only played one year of college ball or skipped it all together who went on to be some of the best EVER. 

 

Some players don't need college ball to get better and some do.  Why should anyone have the right to tell someone they can't make money off your talent until you play for someone else millions for free?  Oh yeah, you aren't going to be allowed to work, so you have to be broke for a couple of years, so if your parents or something need money, well, fuck you and them, make us money first and then if you don't get hurt, you can maybe go on to make money off it.  And if you don't, at least you have that degree and a 20,000 dollar a year job to fall back on...if you find that job...

 

I can say that i have never seen a high school football player that I think could enter the NFL.  THAT is a completely different thing.  But NBA...comeon.  These kids are coming in with more size and skill than alot of those in the league already

Ripper, I'm not even discussing starters. Heck, Vinnie Johnson of the Pistons was a better player than a frightening percentage of the league today. Ditto Doc Rivers.

 

Are some people ready to come out early? Yes. The VAST majority are not, though, and teams are run by people too stupid to know that a player who has PROVEN to be a solid player in college is a better pick-up than a high school player who MIGHT pan out.

 

The NBA needs people who know how to shoot. They need people who know how to score. They don't have that now --- and the league is suffering mightily because of that.

-=Mike

But its not like you learn to shoot in college. And you have to do more than just be able to shoot. I mean there are plenty of Lawrence Motens, Randolf Childress's and Curtis Staples who all played out their college careers, all were deadly midrange shooters and all couldn't play D to save their lives so they are all over the world playing in other places. If a mid range jump shot isn't there, going to college for 4 years isn't going to make it appear any faster than going straght to the league.

Well, I suppose arguing this is idiotic as any team that will willingly pay some kid millions to LEARN HOW TO DO HIS JOB before he leaves for the BIG MONEY deserves the shaft.

-=Mike

[2GOLD 0]

The NFL put the rule in for a damn good reason. The last time they let a fresh out of high school kid in he lasted four years because his body was just basically destroyed since it was not ready for the beating it received. And that was in the 70s for crap sake. The problem is most of the players WILL think they are ready fresh out of high school and there has not been many high school players that are really amazing in their freshman year of college.

 

If they can't compete right away with college players as Freshman, then what makes anyone think for five seconds they could compete in the NFL. Mike Williams has been an exception to the standard but that doesn't mean the flood gate should be opened so he can come in.

 

This isn't the god damn NBA and arguing that the NFL should start treating these kids like the NBA is insanity to the max. The NFL put in a requirement, A JOB REQUIREMENT, and it is plain and simple. An experience requirement basically.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Players in the 80's could actually SHOOT the ball and SCORE points. The NBA today is a horrible game to watch. Most players can't shoot to save their lives. The NBA in the 80's was fun --- now, it possibly violates various human rights.

 

Here's some numbers I find interesting. 3 Point Percentage (League Average)......

 

1984 25.1%

1989 32.2%

1994 33.3%

1999 33.9%

2004 34.7%

Al, I think those numbers are misleading. The 3-point shot has become much more important in today's game than it was in 1984. In fact, it seems like almost every shot taken in the NBA today is either a dunk or a 3-pointer. Part of the reason for the low scores in the Detroit-Indiana series was the fact that the teams were basically posting up and shooting threes when they should have been finding open shots.

 

In 1984, players could actually shoot the ball. They could hit the 12-footer in traffic if they had to. Nowdays, players make plays to get on the SportsCenter highlight reel. Why try to hit a semi-open 14-footer when you can shake and bake past a defender or two and make a reverse layup under the basket? Or when you can hit a dunk?

 

When Robert Horry hit that big postseason shot for the Lakers a year or two ago, everybody clung to his balls about it. I never understood why: he's a power forward, so he should have been under the basket fighting for the rebound, not waiting for the improbable perfect bounce. He called it "posting up," I call it "standing around with this thumb up his ass."

[Vern Gagne 0]

The biggest difference in the NBA is the shots per game taken by teams. In the 80's teams frequently had over 100 shots, today it's closer to 75 shots.