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NCAA blogger Josh Centor posted the following July 10 on the Double-A Zone (http://www.doubleazone.com), the official blog of the NCAA.
A few days ago, Mark Schlabach wrote an interesting story for ESPN. Schlabach tells the story of Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, who is the team’s projected starter at quarterback this fall. Dixon, who graduated with a degree in sociology in June, was selected in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft last month.
Dixon didn’t play an inning of baseball in college, but his superior athletics talent was enough for the Atlanta Braves to give him $150,000 for a six-year commitment to the franchise. The money isn’t surreal, but it’s certainly hard for a college graduate to turn down for his first job offer.
I’m always intrigued by two-sport standouts, although I find this instance less fascinating because Dixon hasn’t really tried to play both sports at the same time. Only now is he playing professional baseball with the prospects of the fall semester hanging over him. Once the football season is complete, he may or may not have professional opportunities as a quarterback. If he has the chance to keep playing on the gridiron, he will likely choose one sport over the other once again.
The part of Schlabach’s story that bothered me was a quote from Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti. The coach isn’t thrilled with Dixon’s decision to play baseball this summer: “I think he’d be better served, in my situation, reading defenses rather than reading curveballs.”
I understand Bellotti’s desire to have his quarterback on campus this summer for voluntary workouts, but isn’t this a little presumptuous? Dixon has no guarantees that an NFL career is around the corner, and with injuries so prevalent in that sport, why wouldn’t he have signed a baseball contract?
I’m not a fan of football workouts during the summer. If Dixon wanted to spend the summer surfing in San Diego, he should be permitted to do so. There shouldn’t be an expectation that he will spend his time in Eugene, learning plays and tossing the ball around with receivers. An expectation by the coaching staff no longer makes the workouts voluntary.
On the flipside, NCAA rules permit these summer workouts, and Dixon and others who choose to pursue alternative interests must be prepared to lose playing time during the fall.
The fact of the matter, however, is that Bellotti shouldn’t be unhappy with Dixon’s decision. In my eyes, it looks like a 22-year-old kid had a more exciting summer job than most.
A few days ago, Mark Schlabach wrote an interesting story for ESPN. Schlabach tells the story of Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, who is the team’s projected starter at quarterback this fall. Dixon, who graduated with a degree in sociology in June, was selected in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball draft last month.
Dixon didn’t play an inning of baseball in college, but his superior athletics talent was enough for the Atlanta Braves to give him $150,000 for a six-year commitment to the franchise. The money isn’t surreal, but it’s certainly hard for a college graduate to turn down for his first job offer.
I’m always intrigued by two-sport standouts, although I find this instance less fascinating because Dixon hasn’t really tried to play both sports at the same time. Only now is he playing professional baseball with the prospects of the fall semester hanging over him. Once the football season is complete, he may or may not have professional opportunities as a quarterback. If he has the chance to keep playing on the gridiron, he will likely choose one sport over the other once again.
The part of Schlabach’s story that bothered me was a quote from Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti. The coach isn’t thrilled with Dixon’s decision to play baseball this summer: “I think he’d be better served, in my situation, reading defenses rather than reading curveballs.”
I understand Bellotti’s desire to have his quarterback on campus this summer for voluntary workouts, but isn’t this a little presumptuous? Dixon has no guarantees that an NFL career is around the corner, and with injuries so prevalent in that sport, why wouldn’t he have signed a baseball contract?
I’m not a fan of football workouts during the summer. If Dixon wanted to spend the summer surfing in San Diego, he should be permitted to do so. There shouldn’t be an expectation that he will spend his time in Eugene, learning plays and tossing the ball around with receivers. An expectation by the coaching staff no longer makes the workouts voluntary.
On the flipside, NCAA rules permit these summer workouts, and Dixon and others who choose to pursue alternative interests must be prepared to lose playing time during the fall.
The fact of the matter, however, is that Bellotti shouldn’t be unhappy with Dixon’s decision. In my eyes, it looks like a 22-year-old kid had a more exciting summer job than most.
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