Report: Jake Long doesn’t want to play for Dolphins

[Guru-In-Vegas]

I agree with Brian on douche rookies who act like that though.  This is why I hated Eli Manning.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Well sure...the NFL is a sports league, and the draft (as well as the cap) are designed to try to ensure a level playing field. You can't compare that to a non-sports industry like lawyers, where "level playing field" is a non-issue.

Actually yes you can.  While you do have a point about level playing fields, you realize that both athletics, law, doctors, teachers, and most other stuff people go to college for are PROFESSIONS.  Most professions, the college student graduates and gets his/her degree, then entertains job offers.  Not so in sports. 

[Guru-In-Vegas]

^ So why do draftees hold out then?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

^ So why do draftees hold out then?

To get whatever leverage they can....... but what they realize is that they'll re-enter the draft after they choose not to sign with the team that originally drafted them.  That's a year out of football for them.

[Philly Fin Fan]

To get whatever leverage they can....... but what they realize is that they'll re-enter the draft after they choose not to sign with the team that originally drafted them.  That's a year out of football for them.

Tommy- the comparison is idiotic because players are required to join a players union, and the union has agreed with the owners that players coming out of college will enter the draft. Therefore if they have a beef with it, they need to hire one of those lawyers who can work wherever he wants and sue the union. And I'm sure that will get them very far.

Also, you say that most people entering professions graduate with a degree then choose where to work. A lot of athletes come out early, and enter the draft. Show me a lawyer or doctor who "comes out early" and can start practicing without a degree.

[Spider-Dan]

That's not a fair analogy; the athlete "earns his degree" when he shows that he can play, not when he completes his academic courses.  So it's virtually impossible for them to "come out early" in that sense.

[StL FinFan]

I resent being compared to a professional athlete.

[Philly Fin Fan]

That's not a fair analogy; the athlete "earns his degree" when he shows that he can play, not when he completes his academic courses.  So it's virtually impossible for them to "come out early" in that sense.

But its a decision the athelete makes (sometimes with the help of coaches, agents, etc) and sometimes the decision is made unjustly. There are a lot of players who "come out early" and should've played another year in college. Again, doctors, lawyers, and most professions don't have the option of saying "I think I'm ready to start doing my job and I am going to forego my senior year".

[Guru-In-Vegas]

^ Yeah, really.  There would be no such thing as a senior year!