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Show Herschel Waller Didn't Defect, He Just Went To Work By DAVE WIGHAM Clipper Sports The vay some people are talking Heriehcl Walker defected from th United States to Russia. Rus-sia. Come on folks all the kid did was become an instant millionaire. THE THING that gets me about the whole story is why does the NCAA think they have the power to tell a youngster just when he can go to work. If I was a junior in college and someone offered me all that money I would lake it and I really wouldn't care what anyone said. Those folks back in Georgia that are say ing Herschel wasn't loyal to them are a bunch of phonies. What if someone from New York came up to them and offered them a job at 20 times w hat they were making, somehow I think they would leave Georgia and head to the big city. No difference with what this younester did. THE NCAA IS the one that should take a long look at what's going on. Why should they be allowed to tell someone they can't take ajob opportunity until they are through with them and their four years of eligibility. They don't care if the athlete graduates they just want to use them for four y ears to bring fans into the stands and money into their pockets. Georgia is just upset because without Herschel Hers-chel they just might not get full houses each time they play, they might not get to a major bowl without him all of which means less money for them. The bottom line in everything, every-thing, college football especially, is the almigh- ty dollar. EVEN THE NCAA is not consistent with their rules. A college basketball player can declare de-clare any time he w ants to that he doesn't w ant to compete in college anymore and they put him up for the NBA draft as a hardship case. So each basketball play er can decide after each of his four y ears w hether or not he wants to turn professional. Nothing is said to these guys that come out early, and their reason for doing so is plain and simple, the money. But the college gridiron heroes have to wait until they have used up all their eligibility. Sounds fair doesn't it? BASEBALL is even more unique in the way the NCAA handles it. A player can be drafted by a professional team right out of high school. That team can then talk to that player and ev en make him a firm offer. Then the player has the option to turn pro or go to college. If he goes to a junior college the professional team can talk to him again after two years. However, if he goes to a four year school he can't be approached again until his class has graduated, in other words in four years. That brings me to the solution to this entire affair. The NCAA should simply say that a professional team, in any sport, can draft anyone any-one regardless of class when they want and make that athlete an offer. This way is a professional profes-sional team wants to risk making an undergraduate undergra-duate their top choice and then not sign him that's their choice. THE PROFESSIONAL teams should have the right to talk to anyone they want to and the athletes should have the right to hear all off Such is the case in any other area in c0K study. IBMorGEcantalktoanyonethev'!t to in college and make them ajob offer V"' students can turn it down and not be classif as pros. As it stands now a football player in coll-can't coll-can't talk to anyone about professional f'f ball. Even if they talk to soneone about re' senting them when they are eligible theTy' all their college eligibility. ' 0t THE NCAA should take a long look at nV standards, which are different in every sn'" and revise them to allow some room forTj athletes to be able to do what ever; other Ji lege student can do. Get the best job offer ihen" ' can. I |
