Numerous replies have been sent in reply to Jerry's discussion. I get the digest form from the email group, therefore my reply is late and quite moot. But that's never bothered me when I want to write something. To my opinions (worth absolutley nothing):
1. Tim Tebow made the correct decision in staying (and ticking off a lot of folks out here in Austin, but I digress). Several points support my position: Point A. - Tim mentions that he's having fun playing football. Football at the pro level essentially isn't a game, but a business. Apparently, Tim still considers playing the game and not plaing the business. When he takes his business-like approach to a business level - then he should go pro. Point B. - Tim needs to work on his mechanics as a quarterback under center and a quicker release when throwing the football. The speed of pro ball would eat him alive. 2. Brandon Spikes could use another year working on his speed. He's good, but there's a difference between his level of ability and that of Wilbur Marshall's (focusing on the position of a Gator linebacker - and I can't think of anybody else) at this point in his collegiate career. Also, he mentioned that if Tim came back - he would, too. Obviously, Brandon share the same idea the football at UF is quite fun. The business approach will happen over the spring & summer for him as well. 3. Percy Harvin (obviously) made the jump to the NFL. My opinion is that he needed to stay one more year at UF in order to rehab his legs. The NFL folks influenced his decision (as is/was their right) by declaring him a high(er) draft pick. Given the history of Percy's aches & pains and what could happen to him next year (the Bama receiver Prothro comes to mind) and other (familial?) influences (based on his personal history before UF) makes sense that he tries the pro route. My suggestion (like he's reading this) - Good luck as a pro, be careful & rehab the wheels, and follow Emmitt Smith's example and come back to Gainesville and finish the degree (after all, there's a bit the YOU owe the university). That's it. I'm done. Later Gators, Dave On Jan 15, 3:13 pm, Jerry Belloit <[email protected]> wrote: > I posted this on Gatorcountry and given the news that Percy is going and > Brandon is staying, I thought you all might want to chime in. > > With Tim Tebow, Brandon Spikes, and Percy Harvin considering or having > considered leaving early, I thought that it might be a good idea to > conceptually discuss the generic issue of leaving early and look at it > realistically. I want to look at each of the three and weigh the pros and > cons of leaving early for the NFL. It is easy to for we armchair > quarterbacks to say that that people should stay in college because we want > to have them back so that we have a better team. At the same time, there are > very few of us that would have personally turned down that kind of money > when we were juniors even if was only a few hundred thousand dollars. > Finally all three of these players face the possibility of having a > career-ending or limiting inury by staying. I am assuming that each of them > can borrow or get enough money to insure themselves against that risk if > they stay. To the extent that this assumption is not a good one, then > leaving early becomes a much more attractive option. > > I will begin with Tim. From what I could read, it seems that Tim would have > been a second or third round draft pick if he would have gone out this year. > The knock on Tim is that his release is slow and that he does not have much > experience taking the ball under center. The championship game did little to > discourage the release issue when he threw the long wide out that was > intercepted. In Tim's case, it would seem that another year in college might > give him and the coaches time to quicken his release as well as they might > give him some plays under center. (I admit that I really am not sure how > being under center allows the QB to see the defenses better, but since it is > so widely used, I will defer to those who understand it better.) Given the > salary difference by rounds, it is possible that if Tim can improve on his > throwing mechanics and gain some under center experience, he may well > improve his draft status by one or two rounds. Thus his decision has some > economic logic. The foregone income may well be made up quickly by improving > a round in the draft. > > Brandon Spikes was projected a late first or early second round pick. It > seems to me that remaining another year would only marginally improve his > draft position as far as his potential skill growth is concerned. Here is > where it becomes a more difficult analysis. His draft position is also > influenced by the other people in the draft. If the draft competition is > greater this year than next, his best economic result may be to wait. > However, if the competition is less this year, his best economic option > would be to come out now. > > If I were looking at Percy Harvin right now, I would be concerned with his > historic injury record. I would be afraid that he would be continually hurt. > As great of a player as he is, he cannot help my team if he is hurt. > Further, in the NFL, he may more likely be hurt since the quality of > defenses is greater. Can you imagine Percy being hit by Ray Lewis? In > Percy's case, he may well be best served by remaining an additional year IF > HE CAN BE HEALTHY THE WHOLE YEAR. > > What do you think? > > P.S. I wonder if Percy talked with Brandon before he made is final > decision. I wonder if Percy was pressured to have all three come back? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
