Nick Florence of Baylor- ex QB has no regrets

DallasGreen · August 9, 2013

I hope everyone here has the opportunity to read the above article by Rick Gosselin in today's DMN. In this day of pampered stars who can't wait to get to the NFL, this young man made the most of his college scholarship both on the field and off. He understands that the NFL is nothing but a huge corporate business conglomeration. I always feel sorry for those who leave school early for the bright lights and limelight. Johnny Football is a prime example. Even worse is the plight of those who are injured or make it to the last cut and hang on to try just one more time. Not much is said about the 99+% of college players who never go to the NFL, but players like Nick Florence are the ones I admire as they use the scholarship that they were fortunate enough to receive to prepare them for life and still give great performances for their school. I try to implant this thought into every young athlete to whom I can. I experienced this on a personal level with my own son who was a very promising HS cornerback getting lots of major college looks. He completely blew his ACL from an illegal crack back block the fourth game of his senior year. At first he was very bitter at not getting the chance to play college football, but I was able to convince him that football is not a lifetime sport like golf, tennis,track,cross country,etc. I was always extremely proud of his performance on the football field, but I was even prouder when he walked across the stage to receive his B.S. from UT.

All of us on here love college football, but I feel it is our obligation as devoted fans to remind these young men that they have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity by being awarded a college scholarship. Now make the most of it for your future. Enjoy the game for what it is and don't let the Siren's song of the NFL dominate the college experience. I would love to see the stats on just how many college players make it to the NFL and of those who do how many either suffer dabilating injuries or come out of it with no means of support after the NFL has used them like chattel. I am glad that Nick Florence sees the real picture. I wish many others would see it as well before they become fodder for the big business that is the NFL.

Edited August 9, 2013 by DallasGreen

drex · August 9, 2013

Totally agree. Sadly, now the 'big boys' are pushing for more monetary payments to the 'student' athletes at their respective schools. It seems that a four or five year scholarship to Alabama with a degree is not enough monetary payment. I thought a college degree fully paid is a damn good payment for four or five years of part time work.

DT 90 · August 9, 2013

Totally agree. Sadly, now the 'big boys' are pushing for more monetary payments to the 'student' athletes at their respective schools. It seems that a four or five year scholarship to Alabama with a degree is not enough monetary payment. I thought a college degree fully paid is a damn good payment for four or five years of part time work.

I don't know "part time" work you are talking about. College Football, North Texas Included, is a full time, 365 day a year job. And I am also very much in favor of increased payments of "student athletes" although mine will not ever benefit from it.

It is great privilage to earn your degree while playing a sport you love but it is hardly a part time job.

Graddean · August 9, 2013

I am with Drexel on this issue. I have mant students who had to hold down jobs to go to school. This money then had to go to pay for books, tuition, and fees, not to mention housing and food. I had a single mother holding down two part time jobs to go to school and support her children. I have had fathers coming off a factory shift at 7:00 to be in class at 8:00.

I have a lot of respect for those student athletes who take care of their academic while playing, but I think their benefits (for those on a full ride) is equal to or greater than the opportunities provided to other students.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2013

No, playing college football is not part time. But a big part of the appeal of college sports is that they are non-professional. I am not in favor of making it professional. If anything, there needs to be a push back in the other direction to keep college sports amateur, and to keep student-athletes students.

PlummMeanGreen · August 9, 2013

If anyone thinks the Big Boy's (Power 5) head football coaches are doing all this extra stipends talk just for the kids then just take a look at the very climate of the entire USA today. Some in D.C (both sides of the aisle) pretend to be For the People but anyone with half a brain and can walk and chew gum at the same time knows damn well most anything they dish out to the public today is hardly about us at all, but rather about their power and their control and you can start with the very idea of the previously denied by one party Death Panels but that is all I will say about that.

Same thing with the Power 5 HFCs inasmuch that this is more about them than the kids; This is about them finding an inside edge in the recruiting wars they have amongst themselves (see PS below) plus even at the NCAA level their creating a bit of class warfare by separating from those of us in the G5 group who actually still believe that in the USA you can still advance yourself up a class or 2; that is..............a school can move up the NCAA totem pole (a la TCU, Utah, etc) by following the right modus operendis to get there.

In essence, these greedy Power 5 "so and so's" are now trying to take away the Cinderella stories out of college athletics this time around by using the almighty concept of the stipend to do so. Like anything else,

I think stipends would be fine but in moderation--lets not kill the goose that laid the golden NCAA eggs here, but the Power 5 folks haven't known the concept of moderation for quite awhile now.

GMG!

PS: Haves and 'Have Nots' Even Among the P5 Conference Schools?

A Theoretical: UT's Mack Brown and/or his UT assistants might very well say something like this to a potential recruit if P5 schools actually got their much larger stipends:

"Hey son, with this stipend just look around our campus environment (6'th Street & Beyond) where you can use some of your extra monies for R & R as compared to the environment in Manhatten, KS, for heavens sake?"

GMG ! !

Edited August 9, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

10Eagle10 · August 9, 2013

while it might not be a "part time" job. There are loads of people who would gladly do it for free. If getting a free education is not for you then become a professional something else when you graduate high school. Noone forces high school athletes to become college athletes.

In some ways, I see college athletics as a form of internship. I served two internships, and was paid for neither, while going to school. I was paying 100% for my schooling while working two jobs. College athletes are given a wonderful opportunity to earn a degree of their choice and come out on the other end with zero debt. They are also provided the amazing privilege of playing the sport they love for at least 4-5 more years. If at any point it's no longer fun and they'd rather get a job, then stop playing.

As an aside, I saw a lot of athletes who seemed to have way more free time than a good number of my working friends while we were in school. And despite working a full time job as an athlete, nary a week goes by without some college athlete getting into a lot of trouble for doing something that is usually the product of having too much time on their hands.

Nick Florence is an excellent example of a young man who took advantage of getting an education at a good university, not quite as good as our own university of course, but still a good one. I'm also always amazed by athletes such as RG3, Andrew Luck, Colt McCoy, Stephen McGee, and our Derrick Thompson that go on and start working towards a master's degree while still in school. That's how you take advantage of a university and get paid. Earn a degree that has the potential for $3 million over its lifetime, free of charge

greenit · August 9, 2013

I hope everyone here has the opportunity to read the above article by Rick Gosselin in today's DMN. In this day of pampered stars who can't wait to get to the NFL, this young man made the most of his college scholarship both on the field and off. He understands that the NFL is nothing but a huge corporate business conglomeration. I always feel sorry for those who leave school early for the bright lights and limelight. Johnny Football is a prime example. Even worse is the plight of those who are injured or make it to the last cut and hang on to try just one more time. Not much is said about the 99+% of college players who never go to the NFL, but players like Nick Florence are the ones I admire as they use the scholarship that they were fortunate enough to receive to prepare them for life and still give great performances for their school. I try to implant this thought into every young athlete to whom I can. I experienced this on a personal level with my own son who was a very promising HS cornerback getting lots of major college looks. He completely blew his ACL from an illegal crack back block the fourth game of his senior year. At first he was very bitter at not getting the chance to play college football, but I was able to convince him that football is not a lifetime sport like golf, tennis,track,cross country,etc. I was always extremely proud of his performance on the football field, but I was even prouder when he walked across the stage to receive his B.S. from UT.
All of us on here love college football, but I feel it is our obligation as devoted fans to remind these young men that they have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity by being awarded a college scholarship. Now make the most of it for your future. Enjoy the game for what it is and don't let the Siren's song of the NFL dominate the college experience. I would love to see the stats on just how many college players make it to the NFL and of those who do how many either suffer dabilating injuries or come out of it with no means of support after the NFL has used them like chattel. I am glad that Nick Florence sees the real picture. I wish many others would see it as well before they become fodder for the big business that is the NFL.

Sorry to hear that about your son, the part about having to go to UT.

Well, the injury too, but more about UT. Maybe it is not too late for him to get a graduate degree from UNT.

DT 90 · August 9, 2013

College athletes are given a wonderful opportunity to earn a degree of their choice and come out on the other end with zero debt.

I must have missed that paragraph.

Edited August 9, 2013 by DT 90

TWISMUNT · August 9, 2013

while it might not be a "part time" job. There are loads of people who would gladly do it for free. If getting a free education is not for you then become a professional something else when you graduate high school. Noone forces high school athletes to become college athletes.

In some ways, I see college athletics as a form of internship. I served two internships, and was paid for neither, while going to school. I was paying 100% for my schooling while working two jobs. College athletes are given a wonderful opportunity to earn a degree of their choice and come out on the other end with zero debt. They are also provided the amazing privilege of playing the sport they love for at least 4-5 more years. If at any point it's no longer fun and they'd rather get a job, then stop playing.

As an aside, I saw a lot of athletes who seemed to have way more free time than a good number of my working friends while we were in school. And despite working a full time job as an athlete, nary a week goes by without some college athlete getting into a lot of trouble for doing something that is usually the product of having too much time on their hands.

Nick Florence is an excellent example of a young man who took advantage of getting an education at a good university, not quite as good as our own university of course, but still a good one. I'm also always amazed by athletes such as RG3, Andrew Luck, Colt McCoy, Stephen McGee, and our Derrick Thompson that go on and start working towards a master's degree while still in school. That's how you take advantage of a university and get paid. Earn a degree that has the potential for $3 million over its lifetime, free of charge

I can appreciate what you are saying here. There are those that are not student athletes who work multiple jobs to remain debt free and I have a lot of respect for them. But let me tell you about a student athlete's life and how much free time they have. At least from a football perspective albeit a while ago now. As a disclaimer I do understand that we are playing a "game" to most people, but it isn't all sunshine and farts.

Your year starts with Fall Camp in early August where breakfast is mandatory at 6am, followed by morning meetings, then morning practice, then meetings, then mandatory lunch, then afternoon meetings, then afternoon practice, more meetings, mandatory dinner, more meetings and finally bed. Wake up the next morning and do it again. Sometimes instead of two practices it was weights or maybe a few hours of "free" time, but the month of August you were basically not able to do anything other than football in 100 plus degree heat. Fun fact, free dorms are offered and meals, but no extra money. Hope you dont have any type of bills that need covering if your parents can't help.

Then school starts. Monday and Wednesday you lift for at least 2 hours before 2pm around your class schedule(which has to be a minimum of 12 hours), meetings start at 2pm everyday except for Friday(unless we are playing at home), practice goes until 6pm(at the earliest), usually meetings after that, get home at around 8pm and then do it again. I suppose you could be partying at night and I wont lie that I did that from time to time, but that was my choice and one that is offered to every student. Point is we didn't have hours a day of "free time" that wasn't available to anybody else. For games on Saturday you report at 7am for breakfast, maybe a little downtime but usually final prep meetings before making the walk, play the game, maybe get home around midnight and go from there. Sunday you watch game film but is mostly free and then you start a new week. That is the fall semester. I'll discuss financials below.

Spring semester is a little more free. Most usually take significantly more classes. Monday, Wednesday and Friday you lift before 2pm around your schedule. Most will lift more than the 3 mandatory times throughout the week. Tuesday and Thursday are 6am conditioning workouts(Any former players remeber PEB workouts?). When spring ball comes around, you are basically back on the fall schedule(see above). Afternoons you are free to do what you want for the most part. It's not that great though because you can not have a job(NCAA rules) and that scholarship money is about enough to live in a small place with multiple people to keep the rent down and feed yourself. Unless you have family financial support which most dont have, you are scraping by. Sure your tuition and books are covered, but if you live off campus you are on your own with significantly less money than you think. On campus living has room and board covered but you get no additional money. Pick your poison. One way or another, you are probably not coming out debt free. Most come out with a ton of family and/or credit card debt.

Over the summer some go home, some stay in Denton. A few are offered summer school either as a reward to help graduate early or a necessity to qualify. Off season work out programs are "voluntary" but that isn't really true. You can work and try to save some money but still have commitments to UNT football that need to be kept. Oh and our summer "break" is only 2 months before reporting.

Dont get me wrong, those were the some of the best years of my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I still remember my first year out of it. I literally didn't know what to do with my free time and it took a long time to figure it out. Can you guess why? We spend four years on a schedule with very little "free time". I know that doesn't sound bad to most, but for the most part student athletes are told what to do and when to do it during their time of eligibility. As you previously mentioned if you hate it you should quit and some definitely did. I didn't hate it at all, but dont think that it is easy by any means. It may not be a job, but it is a full time committment.

Those "loads of people who would gladly do it for free" should know the commitment that it takes. I leave you with this. If you wanted the life style of a student athlete but didn't get the opportunity, you should have played better in high school. It isn't some gift that was given, it was earned and continually paid for. Btw, I graduated in 4 and half years with 2 bachelors degrees.

Edited August 9, 2013 by TWISMUNT

KRAM1 · August 9, 2013

I hope everyone here has the opportunity to read the above article by Rick Gosselin in today's DMN. In this day of pampered stars who can't wait to get to the NFL, this young man made the most of his college scholarship both on the field and off. He understands that the NFL is nothing but a huge corporate business conglomeration. I always feel sorry for those who leave school early for the bright lights and limelight. Johnny Football is a prime example. Even worse is the plight of those who are injured or make it to the last cut and hang on to try just one more time. Not much is said about the 99+% of college players who never go to the NFL, but players like Nick Florence are the ones I admire as they use the scholarship that they were fortunate enough to receive to prepare them for life and still give great performances for their school. I try to implant this thought into every young athlete to whom I can. I experienced this on a personal level with my own son who was a very promising HS cornerback getting lots of major college looks. He completely blew his ACL from an illegal crack back block the fourth game of his senior year. At first he was very bitter at not getting the chance to play college football, but I was able to convince him that football is not a lifetime sport like golf, tennis,track,cross country,etc. I was always extremely proud of his performance on the football field, but I was even prouder when he walked across the stage to receive his B.S. from UT.
All of us on here love college football, but I feel it is our obligation as devoted fans to remind these young men that they have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity by being awarded a college scholarship. Now make the most of it for your future. Enjoy the game for what it is and don't let the Siren's song of the NFL dominate the college experience. I would love to see the stats on just how many college players make it to the NFL and of those who do how many either suffer dabilating injuries or come out of it with no means of support after the NFL has used them like chattel. I am glad that Nick Florence sees the real picture. I wish many others would see it as well before they become fodder for the big business that is the NFL.

Good stuff here.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 9, 2013

There are loads of people who would gladly do it for free.

There are plenty who do. Walk-ons and players at Ivy League and other non-scholarship programs and levels.

FirefightnRick · August 9, 2013

What is the 5 year retention rate for scholarship athletes? Anyone know?

Because for college students in general at a traditional school, and I would assume it includes scholarship athletes as well, it is a little over 60%.

http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/reports/graduation.html

I wonder,....as hard as the daily grind is on a student who is on a football scholarship, is there a chance that nearly 2 out of 3, or even 1 out of 3 give it up and quit?

Rick