Speech - Caleb Combs

According to Sport’s Illustrated, 60 percent of NBA players and 78 percent NFL players go bankrupt within five years of retirement from their profession.  The many years living in the height of luxury are often short-lived, as the lives of these men and women come crashing back down to reality.  The reality is that after coming out of the NBA, NFL, or any other league for that matter, many of these talented individuals don’t have the proper education to succeed outside of the world of professional athletics.

                 The most talented of athletes are scouted by pro teams during their college and even high school careers.  Many are drafted after just a year or two of college, leaving their futures entirely dependent on their career in athletics.  These two years of education are not nearly adequate.  Jobs that require four years of college on average pay $50,000 more than those that require two years or less.  Every student that enrolls in college and intends to be a collegiate athlete should be required 4 years of education before considering entry into the professional drafts.  Such a method would reduce the number of economically unstable members of our society, and better the futures of these individuals significantly, giving them a fall back option in the event that their professional careers don’t work out.

                The average age of a student at the end of their freshman year in college is 19 years old.  They lack the experience that most graduating seniors have, making them unfit and unprepared for life on the road.  A standard NBA season is 82 games, 41 of which are played on the road.  Most of these kids coming out of college are not ready to go all over the country playing basketball.  Not only are they travelling, but they are also playing in twice the number of games as they did in their collegiate seasons.  And on top of all of this, the temptations faced by professional athletes are unmatched.  A 2012 documentary Broke recaps the very real obstacles that these athletes face.  These include freeloaders, gambling problems, and even their own egos.  Studies show that 18 percent of bankruptcies are caused as a result of gambling addictions.  NBA forward Charles Barkley told ESPN that he had lost a mind blowing 10 million dollars as a result of his gambling addiction.  The egos of these athletes also pose a serious problem.  Being pro athletes, their competitive spirit can lead to them wanting to one up their teammates.  As the documentary Broke states, “everyone wants to drive the best car, wear the best clothes.”  Flaunting money on pointless things leads these people to financial ruin, and poor education and lack of maturity prevent them from reaching their full potential.

                Serious injury to these athletes is another leading factor in some careers not working out.  A prime example of this is college basketball superstar Greg Oden out of Ohio State University.  After a successful college basketball career, he announced he would be entering the NBA draft after completing just his freshman year.  He was drafted with the number one pick in the NBA draft, and entered his rookie year with high expectations.  These expectations to this day have yet to be met, as he has had 3 NBA seasons cut short due to injury, and he is currently not on an NBA roster.  The fact that his career was so short-lived on top of the fact that he completed just one year of high school leave his future in question.  Without a good education to fall back on, Oden’s career options are now greatly limited.  Oden is not the only victim of this scenario.  Athletes all over the country suffer the same fate that he has.  This is why it is essential that a rule be implemented requiring athletes to stay in school for four years.  I feel that Zach’s proposal for compensation for athletes for their troubles would be a very good incentive for student athletes to stay in school.  The bonuses thrown out by professional teams to sign a contract with them are a huge reason why many athletes jump to the conclusion that the pros are their best bet.  This common misconception needs to be managed effectively.  Giving athletes a sum of cash for their troubles prevents the financial aspect of the decision from getting to them.  They are happy, as they receive compensation for their efforts, and on top of that they earn the education that they desperately need and deserve.

                Education is essential for success in everyday life, as it opens up career opportunities, as well gives students a sense of responsibility.  Common sense and everyday knowledge are much too lacking in our society, and allowing college students to run themselves into the ground with a premature entry into the draft is unbearable.  Students should stay in school, get their education, and develop as an individual.  Maturity and career readiness are traits that many professional athletes lack, and staying in school for 4 years would be monumental for their futures.