----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Smith-White" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 6:24 AM Subject: Re: What can be done?--It is more important than you know!

> On 6 Jan 2003 at 13:48, Grant Balkema wrote: > > [snipped material essentially a less antagonistic presentation of my > post yesterday] > > > Do the universities or colleges overseas charge admission for soccer? > > I hate to be the curmugeon this early in a new year, buuuuuuut...... > universities and colleges overseas don't waste time trying to be the > minor league development part of professional sports.

Good point. Think baseball (with the Short A, A, AA, AAA farm systems, owned by the MLB teams). Or hockey (in Canada), with players drafted out of Junior A... in neither case is the US College system basically a service to a professional entertainment unit (err... sports team).

Or look at the NBA and NFL, where this basically nothing other than the US College system feeding them players.

Now, in fairness, there are two counter-arguements:

- The Universities give scholarships to other top achievers, which they then prepare for entry into a corporate entity. OK, there is a chance that the computer or biology major actually finishes third year, let alone their degree.

- University athletics have a much bigger role than jocks. There is an entertainment value for students, as well as integration into the university culture. And also for those with checkbooks, the Alumni (which is really a money topic, not a sports topic - these guys are often the source of funding for that biology major).

Jim