No joy in Mudville

While it is debatable as to whether men's college basketball is more popular than the NBA, I don't think many can argue against women's college basketball receiving more notoriety than the WNBA.

The average sports fan can name more female college basketball players than WNBA players. Most of the WNBA players that are popular, gained more attention while they were in college than they do now. The reason for this is a debatable issue, but it leads to an interesting side effect.

Female college basketball players are more prepared for the real world than male basketball players when they leave school. While male college basketball players dream of entering the NBA draft and signing a multi million-dollar contract, there is no such incentive for female basketball players to enter the WNBA draft.

I am not saying that WNBA players don't make a good living nor am I saying NBA players shouldnt leave college early for large contracts. However, male college players that leave school early and don't make it in the NBA are left without a college degree, the big money they were expecting and an interest in something else. More female basketball players are forced to stay at school all four years and earn their degree.

With this in mind, female basketball players are more focused on their studies and learn to juggle a schedule full of academics and athletics, while male athletes are more inclined to lean solely on their athletic abilities.

Rarely do you see female athletes in trouble with the law or being suspended for academic reasons. Even though one could argue that this example is just a product of boys being boys, it can't go unnoticed.

With the WNBA lacking the same allure as the NBA, more female college basketball players come out of school with a degree, a better understanding of the value of money, knowledge of efficient time management, more options in the work force and a feel for the important things in life.

I agree that women are more prepared than men when they get out of college, but that isn't really saying much, and neither group is prepared enough for post-athlete life, in my opinion. College athletes arguably may be better physically equipped and more competitive than their non-athlete counterparts, but in my experience, college athletes are so focused on their sports career during college that the studies to some degree get neglected. This isn't to say they don't get good grades, but it does say that they spend less time doing internships, forming professional connections outside of sports, etc., so when they do graduate and do not embark on the path to pro sports, former college athletes are frequently at a loss as to where to go/what to do next. Their main drive over the past +-20 years has been removed and they are likely unsure as to what to focus on that would be as fulfilling as their sports career. Anyway, that's just my two cents.

Blackbird4Life Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Aug 29, 2007	Posted on: January 16, 2008 12:30 pm Score: 0 This comment has been removed. Interesting side effect
jkutz40 Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Apr 8, 2008	Posted on: April 8, 2008 3:00 pm Score: 41 Interesting side effect I agree that women are more prepared than men when they get out of college, but that isn't really saying much, and neither group is prepared enough for post-athlete life, in my opinion. College athletes arguably may be better physically equipped and more competitive than their non-athlete counterparts, but in my experience, college athletes are so focused on their sports career during college that the studies to some degree get neglected. This isn't to say they don't get good grades, but it does say that they spend less time doing internships, forming professional connections outside of sports, etc., so when they do graduate and do not embark on the path to pro sports, former college athletes are frequently at a loss as to where to go/what to do next. Their main drive over the past +-20 years has been removed and they are likely unsure as to what to focus on that would be as fulfilling as their sports career. Anyway, that's just my two cents. [ Reply to Comment ]
ricefield Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Sep 24, 2006	Posted on: April 17, 2008 1:40 am Score: 80 Interesting side effect I tend to agree with you jkutz40. For the athletes in big time college sports the game is their major. Getting good grades from classes offered by the athletic department, either directly or indirectly, means nothing. I would wager that there is little guidance for these athletes once their eligibility is gone. I guess a Communications major is the P.E. major of the 60's. It would be interesting what the majors are of these athletes that do get degrees. Are these degrees that can lead to a job, like engineering, or are they a general studies type of degree? I don't fault either the athletes or the colleges. Sports and possibly a pro career is what the athletes are after and the colleges are looking for the money. The colleges are no different than the Boston Celtics or L.A. Lakers. They just staff their rosters differently. [ Reply to Comment ]
CousinBasil Reputation: 87 Level: All-Star Since: Aug 14, 2007	Posted on: August 6, 2008 12:32 pm Score: 73 Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Log-in to rate: Interesting side effect ", male college players that leave school early and don't make it in the NBA are left without a college degree, the big money they were expecting and an interest in something else." I do understand the whole NBA "farm system" concept for college ball and to a good part, that is true. But when the guys don't make it-they have no back-up at all with no degree and little incentive to get degrees. 1. Frequent lack of solid academic foundation from high school. 2. Frequent lack of adequate communication skills. 3. All too frequent character lapses. 4. Much too frequent lack of maturity issues. All too many of these young men are sucked into the "real world" of the fast buck and they are generally un or underprepared. I hate to see them make a little money in the league-not invest it wisely- and have to take $8 an hour real jobs after their league time because they have no academic foundation. And even worse-don't make the league at all-have no academic foundation and just flounder forgotten afterwards. I understand --it is all about the benjamins and it is what it is!

finsince82

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