It is commonly known that athletes begin their career in college, showcasing their abilities for as long as they can before “going pro”. However, college sports have a certain flare that it seems pro leagues lose upon signing their contracts. So which is better, College Sports or Pro Sports?
Michael Jordan and Lebron James are just two names in basketball that have transcended the sport. However, can you tell me who the backup point guard on the golden state warriors is? Of course not. I needed to look it up myself. All because Steph Curry’s talent has made Brandon Podziemski irrelevant. In the sense of the game, you would put Curry in before him. This creates the “superstar” culture that surrounds basketball. But when we move to college, it is different. Surely there are names that stand out because of the way they play, but college ball is dependent on the idea of “A team”. The idea that everyone on the team plays a part. Does this mean everyone is equal in skill? No, but coaches like Todd Golden of the Florida Gators understands the importance of each players knowing what role they play on the court. Consequentially, there is more passing, more spread out scoring, and more passion in each game. Players like Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Thomas Haugh, Denzel Aberdeen, and Alex Condon, all understand their worth to the team, a reality that isn’t carried over once the players go pro.
The same case is for football, with many minor changes. Clearly, basketball and football are different sports. However, they follow similar patterns when attempting to go pro. Football players get 4-5 years of college play, then move onto the draft where they are hopefully picked up and given their rookie contracts. However, football is a much more brutal sport than basketball. While both have their taxes, you hardly see anyone play football past 35. Quarterbacks are the most durable, that being because they’re not supposed to get hit (when they do, it’s often either a sack or a foul), so they last a bit longer. I’ve seen quarterback like Graham Mertz tubs through three defenders who are 30 pounds heavier than him. He didn’t play for the Jaguars or the Saints or the Chiefs. He played for the Florida Gators and while professional football is a bit more of a team sport than basketball is, I see more team bondage in college football. Mertz did what he did because he was tired of watching his team lose. You would have never seen Tom Brady busting through three 250 pounds defensive backs.
At the end of the day, college athletes have heart that is for some reason lost after signing a contract. While this isn’t true for some, like Anthony Richardson or Ricky Pearsal, I hope that any athlete who reads this holds true to the values and teachings they received in college. Because that’s what we love to see.
