Anthony Alford says he will not go to MLB..

[fishwater99]

Buzzards get a good one..

He's already started letting potential big-league suitors know that no
matter how high he's drafted and no matter how much money he's offered –
he plans to play football and baseball at Southern Miss beginning in
the fall.

 

[fishwater99]

Buzzards get a good one..

He's already started letting potential big-league suitors know that no
matter how high he's drafted and no matter how much money he's offered –
he plans to play football and baseball at Southern Miss beginning in
the fall.

 

[fishwater99]

Buzzards get a good one..

He's already started letting potential big-league suitors know that no
matter how high he's drafted and no matter how much money he's offered –
he plans to play football and baseball at Southern Miss beginning in
the fall.

 

[The Greek.sixpack]

No way he's good enough to get that kind of money. Pretty sad that the people around him are pushing for this. If Steve Buckley who he's basically lived with the past few years really cared for the kid he'd tell him to go pro. He's already torn his ACL once in football, and will never play pro football. Right now his stock is as high as it will be and he may never have a chance to get a payday like this again.

 

[bsquared24]

somebody needs to get Kenny Rogers (not Cam's) to give him a call. Son, there is a time to know when to hold them and know when to fold em. Take the payday

 

[MedDawg]

Nm

 

[boomboommsu]

If they have an agreement with a team for the $, they say this stuff so that they can fall to that team, and not be stuck in a worse negotiating position with a team that has the rights to him after picking him.

 

[CEO2044]

If they have an agreement with a team for the $, they say this stuff so that they can fall to that team, and not be stuck in a worse negotiating position with a team that has the rights to him after picking him.

he turned down the Blue Jays with a $3 million offer today.

 

[DirtyLopez]

With the **** that is going on at that school right now, he could be going door to door to fund his scholarship before his eligibility is up.

 

[shotgunDawg]

First off, Alford will get offered in at least the 2 million dollar range. He is very well thought of as an MLB prospect. Secondly, the USM coaches, or any other coaches that feed these kids BS about how they need to come college, should be chastised and embarrassed for it. Look, I get it. I understand that these coaches have to look after number one, but that doesn't change the fact that what they are asking these kids to do is just wrong. The same goes for Golson, Beede, and Alford. It is an absolute joke that anyone, who has this kids best interest at heart, would tell him to go to college instead of signing for that amount of money. If he were a Mississippi State signee I would feel the exact same way. The truth is that many of these kids come form modest roots, and the coach may be the most the influential person in his life. If that coach won't tell him the truth, then how does the kid have a chance. <div>
</div><div>Hopefully, this is just creating more leverage for Alford, because if it isn't then that coach should be absolutely ashamed and embarrassed about how he encouraged the kid to do something that wasn't even close to what was in his best interest.</div>

 

[fishwater99]

No way you can turn down that kind of signing bonus, unless you are from a very wealthy family or just plain stupid...

 

[jacksonreb1]

if true makes the discussion "almost" moot. once he sits down in a class, its over, if i'm not mistaken.

 

[perch0]

First off, Alford will get offered in at least the 2 million dollar range. He is very well thought of as an MLB prospect. Secondly, the USM coaches, or any other coaches that feed these kids BS about how they need to come college, should be chastised and embarrassed for it. Look, I get it. I understand that these coaches have to look after number one, but that doesn't change the fact that what they are asking these kids to do is just wrong. The same goes for Golson, Beede, and Alford. It is an absolute joke that anyone, who has this kids best interest at heart, would tell him to go to college instead of signing for that amount of money. If he were a Mississippi State signee I would feel the exact same way. The truth is that many of these kids come form modest roots, and the coach may be the most the influential person in his life. If that coach won't tell him the truth, then how does the kid have a chance. <div>
</div><div>Hopefully, this is just creating more leverage for Alford, because if it isn't then that coach should be absolutely ashamed and embarrassed about how he encouraged the kid to do something that wasn't even close to what was in his best interest.</div>

This brings to mind. Does anyone know how Billy Hamilton is doling?

Found this ]http://www.baseball-refer...ayer.cgi?id=hamilt002bil[/url]

 

[shotgunDawg]

Enrolling in classes means nothing. Last year Bubba Starling went through the entire off season program and summer school at Nebraska before signing with the Royals on the August 15the deadline.<div>
</div><div>Actually, in many cases enrolling in school can lessen the chances of the player going to that school. The reason for this is that the kid believes he is going to school to play football and be a superstar. What most kids don't think about is that you actually have to go to class. Not publicly, but there have been many instances where a kid has enrolled in summer school before he is drafted only to find out that he hates school and wants to sign. Trust me, it happens almost every year.</div>

 

[shotgunDawg]

Glad you mentioned that. Billy Hamilton actually did the correct thing and went pro. Currently, he is the top prospect in the Reds organization, and will likely be their SS or CF in the next 2 years. He is also breaking every minor league stolen base record ever in the process.

 

[AshleySchaffer]

The kid Loves football, and WANTS to keep on playing football in college. He will also be a 3 year starter for Southern Miss and HC Scott Berry whom Alford has known on a personal level for years having played HS baseball with his son.


I can't get the people on here calling out Alford and his coaches/parents for him making the decision HE CHOOSE.


Vandy's Starter this Sunday was a first rounder and turned down the money to go to college, as did Karsten Whitsen at Florida wo was drafted 8th in 2010 and turned down over $2 mil.

Going to college and living th college life with the girls, and parties, as well as being the big man on campus is a lot better of a life than riding buses for 10 hours on a team of whom half don't speak English.

The money will be there for Alford in 3 years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually gets a good look at the NFL as well. He is one of the best HS athletes I've ever seen play.

 

[HD6]

all of these guys are talking a huge gamble. Alford even more so, because playing football increases his chance of career ending injury even more so. Somebody get them on the phone with Alan Horne.

 

[Todd4State]

There is always risk in whatever decision a player makes.

You go pro- you may end up flaming out, wasting your money and then you have no education to fall back on.

You go to college, you might get hurt or flame out and you lose out on your bonus money.

Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball for people to tell them what to do.

If he is going with his heart and that's what he really wants to do, that's usually the best decision for the player. It's also possible that he may like playing football better than baseball.

 

[8dog]

that people are talking about with Alford, you don't need an education. If you do, you can pay for one....at Harvard if you need to.

There is zero risk in taking a large signing bonus.

 

[HD6]

If you can skip a step and get right to the good living, why waste your time and risk anything? Somebody who's an accountant, how much interest can you potentially draw on a 2 million dollar deposit? I promise whatever good times you have in college can be had tenfold with that kind of money in the bank.

 

[shotgunDawg]

I will also add that pro teams pay for the kids education and there is nothing stopping him from playing college football if he flames out in baseball. Ricky Williams, Chris Winke, and Brandon Weeden all did this and it turned out great. There is little down side to going pro. The education NFL excuse just doesn't fly.

 

[Xenomorph]

$3 million plus a contract to play baseball but the kid turned them down to keep playing football?

 

[Todd4State]

And maybe he can. What usually happens is a guy will get a million dollar bonus (or usually less), and then he has to buy him a house, his Mom a house, and then buy them cars and etc. It goes quickly. And then in the meantime, they get paid about 20K a year to play minor league baseball. If he doesn't make it to MLB, he won't end up with a whole lot. And even if he does, he won't make a lot unless he can play a long time in MLB.

Pro athletes don't think about interest. They think about get rich quick, and they usually end up like Deuce McAllister.

And I can also tell you this- if his heart isn't in baseball, he will never make it to MLB. And he'll just waste everyone's time.

There was a big article in SI about athletes blowing their money recently.

It's not always about good times in college or money for some people. I know that may sound hard to believe, but for some people it's true.

 

[was21]

enough to listen to it.

 

[Goat Always Be Grindin]

nm

 

[Goat Always Be Grindin]

I'm guessing they are both going pro? One or both from Louisiana I think. Can't imagine LSU letting him get away if he was actually planning on going to college.

 

[dawgstudent]

don't be ridiculous. If gets $2 million - it would take him 30 years making almost 70K to get $2 million. Some people retire before working 30 years.

If he chooses college, more power to him. But it's stupid if he got that kind of money to go to college. Even if he blows it, what a fun ride it would have been to spend it.

 

[CEO2044]

And maybe he can. What usually happens is a guy will get a million dollar bonus (or usually less), and then he has to buy him a house, his Mom a house, and then buy them cars and etc. It goes quickly. And then in the meantime, they get paid about 20K a year to play minor league baseball. If he doesn't make it to MLB, he won't end up with a whole lot. And even if he does, he won't make a lot unless he can play a long time in MLB.

Pro athletes don't think about interest. They think about get rich quick, and they usually end up like Deuce McAllister.

And I can also tell you this- if his heart isn't in baseball, he will never make it to MLB. And he'll just waste everyone's time.

There was a big article in SI about athletes blowing their money recently.

It's not always about good times in college or money for some people. I know that may sound hard to believe, but for some people it's true.

and got to know the players very well. There were always a few guys every season who had been fairly high draft picks at one time (not always just on our team, but in the league). Some were still fairly young.. so those were the guys that didn't pan out.<div>
</div><div>The common theme with them was that most of those guys just were not grown up at all. It was really sad, because most of them did very well in indy ball- because they were a lot better players. But even a 12 year old could see why they weren't anywhere else.</div><div>
</div><div>Of course, you had the exceptions like Oil Can Boyd, whom I have no idea how he made it where he did with his attitude and other problems, other than that guy could still throw pills when he was like 40.

</div>

 

[dawgstudent]

or something like that in Louisiana and that's why those players are leaving the state.

 

[shotgunDawg]

Todd, you are making ginormous assumptions that simply are not true. Most pro baseball players do in fact save their money, but you only hear about the idiots because they are idiots and idiots make the news. Therefore, without knowing the kid, you are assuming that the kid is an idiot. It is my experience that the minor league system in baseball actually does the most of any professional sports leagues at preparing kids to know the value of a dollar. This is because the make so little in the minors. The truth I that there isn't one sensible or logical argument that can be made for a first round money draft pick going to college, other than if he simply hates baseball.

Furthermore, this kid is 18 years old. He most likely listens and very much relies on the influences in his life when making decisions. Most likely many of those influences care more about Southern Miss football than they do personally for his best interests. The kid should go pro and there is no logical argument that he shouldn't. You can keep pointing out reasons all night and I will continue to shoot them down an tell you how illogical they are.

 

[bill brasky.sixpack]

And there is no point wasting money on them<div id="myEventWatcherDiv" style="display:none;"></div>

 

[Todd4State]

other than I am assuming is that he is doing what he wants. And that's exactly what he should do. If he wants to go play baseball, that's fine. If he doesn't, that is fine too. In my experience, I've seen it happen too. I've even seen players like Mark Prior actually go higher in the draft after being drafted in the first round out of high school.


What if he doesn't like playing baseball? What if he doesn't want to ride around on a bus for years and a million dollars isn't worth it to him and he wants to play in the NFL, where he can make easily as much if not more and be happier?

You're doing as much assuming as me when you say that his influences care more about USM football than him. It doesn't matter because the scouts are going to try to sign him because that's their job and they're the ones with the money on the table.

 

[Todd4State]

don't be ridiculous. If gets $2 million - it would take him 30 years making almost 70K to get $2 million. Some people retire before working 30 years.

If he chooses college, more power to him. But it's stupid if he got that kind of money to go to college. Even if he blows it, what a fun ride it would have been to spend it.

I think he is an exception because he is a good football player, so he does have a realistic chance at making millions in more than one thing- and if you have that chance why not do what you like the best?

Take for example a smart person that could to be a MD. But they really want to do something else like teach school, and that's their love. Is that stupid of them on their part because they want to do something that they enjoy more, but pays less? Or is it better for them to be a miserable MD making a lot of money?

The problem with your spending spree theory is that these guys usually end up in debt and that's not very much fun.

I know it sounds crazy, but for some people it really isn't about the money.

 

[Todd4State]

"In March 2009, Sports Illustrated reported that by the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce. The article also reported that within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke. Many MLB players also find themselves facing similar financial situations only a short time after retiring. Whether it's through poor financial advice, bad investments, manipulative asset management practices, or debt accumulation, professional athletes are being taken advantage of and have a penchant for finding themselves in financial duress."


I wish that they had put the MLB figures up, but it is obviously high.

 

[MedDawg]

He was earlier hired by USM to be the RB coach under Ellis Johnson , but now will be the OC as the OC has health problems.

 

[shotgunDawg]

Todd, your just making a terrible argument. He is an individual and not a statistic. No matter what the stats say, he makes his own choices and can choose not to go bankrupt.
Furthermore, where do you think all those NFL players went before going bankrupt? That's right college. The basis of your argument is completely irrelevant. Going to college or not cannot and will not legislate stupidity. It has no bearing. Again, there is no logical argument that can be made for a guy turning down first round money unless he hates baseball. However, that doesn't happen much because a kid doesn't typically become a first round pick in a sport he hates.

 

[ClevelandBrown]

at least he plays on the offensive side of the ball. He can't get juked foolishly by a RB that gets shown on Sportscenter 2,729 times!

 

[dawgstudent]

then sign my *** up.

 

[Rutherford B Hays]

asdf</p>

 

[DerHntr]

1. That article you are citing talks about the NFL and all of those players were in college for 3 years. Going to college won't stop the problem.

2. You make it sound like the option to go to college is completely gone after someone goes pro. Colleges will still let you apply. Sure, they won't get to go on scholarship for a full ride but the vast majority of students don't get to do that either.