What do you think?
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/06/11/red-sox-close-to-signing-football-staroutfielder-shaq-thompson/

I hope he goes, if only so we never have to face him.

Geesh...how long has he played baseball?...something like 2 minutes?..nobody even knows if he'll be any good considering he hardly played until his senior year....Jake Locker also signed a baseball contract while at UDub...guess it's something in the water.

is CAL baseball better than u wash ? ... i know we had few drafted

BlueAndGold;841899950 said:

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I hope he goes, if only so we never have to face him.

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Maybe if we all chant "put on those red socks, put on those red socks..."

If his chances of making it to MLB are substantial, I'd tell him to go for it. MLB careers are typically longer than NFL careers. Baseball arguably pays better. (Mediocre MLB players get more scratch than mediocre NFL players. For the top stars, maybe its a wash.) Plus baseball is a lot easier on your body.

Maybe his agent is Erik Lorig

if he goes pro ... see you later u wash .... that would be fitting

He'll play football regardless. Boston only wants him during football offseason

going4roses;841899983 said:

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if he goes pro ... see you later u wash .... that would be fitting

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Read the article, he's going to do both. This was the plan all along.

It will give him some extra cash while he's in college.

Jake Locker and Dennis Dixon did the same thing.

BowDowntoWashington;841899999 said:

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Read the article, he's going to do both. This was the plan all along.

It will give him some extra cash while he's in college.

Jake Locker and Dennis Dixon did the same thing.

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Anybody know how signing a pro contract affects your NCAA eligibility? With baseball, I'm guessing, all pay must be deferred until you actually join the team after finishing your eligibility in NCAA sports. I know many high school players get drafted and then go play college baseball. Since that former Colorado football player was ruled ineligible for gettin endorsements as a pro skier, I have to assume not only can they not be paid, but they can't even receive deferred compensation.

briloker;841900057 said:

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Anybody know how signing a pro contract affects your NCAA eligibility? With baseball, I'm guessing, all pay must be deferred until you actually join the team after finishing your eligibility in NCAA sports. I know many high school players get drafted and then go play college baseball. Since that former Colorado football player was ruled ineligible for gettin endorsements as a pro skier, I have to assume not only can they not be paid, but they can't even receive deferred compensation.

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Your assumptions are wrong. See the lengthy discussion on this in the Shaquille/baseball thread from last week.

He can still play football. This has been covered previously here.

I feel like we're starting to resemble the way SC fans reacted to Desean Jackson. Let's get over it.

BowDowntoWashington;841899999 said:

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Read the article, he's going to do both. This was the plan all along.

It will give him some extra cash while he's in college.

Jake Locker and Dennis Dixon did the same thing.

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Still think it is Bullshit that you can play pro baseball and college football, but you cant ski in the Olympics and play college football.


I have heard the lame ass excuses people claim to show it is ok. They dont fly.

LafayetteBear;841899992 said:

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I hope he stinks at both...

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He cant hit! That's coming from scouts that I know and trust.

Tedhead03;841900066 said:

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I feel like we're starting to resemble the way SC fans reacted to Desean Jackson. Let's get over it.

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I still like Shaq. I hope he does well (unless he plays Cal).

Good family. Good kid. Bad recruiter.

One of those is not actually part of him.


Plus, it is hard enough that he has to wear purple... why pile on?

Phantomfan;841900084 said:

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Still think it is Bullshit that you can play pro baseball and college football, but you cant ski in the Olympics and play college football.


I have heard the lame ass excuses people claim to show it is ok. They dont fly.

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You CAN ski in the Olympics and play college football on scholarship. I believe you can even win prize money for skiing and still play CFB. But you can't receive sponsor money for your skiing, for a very good reason.

Tedhead03;841900066 said:

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I feel like we're starting to resemble the way SC fans reacted to Desean Jackson. Let's get over it.

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This.

It's a nice paycheck for a summer job.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/shaq-thompson-top-football-recruit-sign-red-sox-210540345.html

A hundred grand signing bonus to report to the Redsox. Easy money! That's probably more than he got from Washington.

FingeroftheBear;841900062 said:

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I think the averages are something like this:

MLB - avg 5.3 yr career @ $3.3m per year = $17.5m
NFL - avg 3.3 yr career @ $1.9m per year = $6.25m

The other thing, a MLB player is less likely to sustain repetitive head injuries leading to CTE than a NFL'er.

If a kid has the talent for both (and can read) I imagine you'd have to consider not just the better pay and duration but health, although at 18-19 who really does?

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If those were really his options, the correct choice is obvious from a financial perspective. However, considering how highly-regarded he is as a football player, he probably stands a much better chance of actually making it to the NFL than he does to MLB.

couldn't care less

That was changed quite some time ago. Now you can maintain amateur status as long as you don't get paid for that sport (or accept endorsement money).

BGGB2;841899975 said:

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If his chances of making it to MLB are substantial, I'd tell him to go for it. MLB careers are typically longer than NFL careers. Baseball arguably pays better. (Mediocre MLB players get more scratch than mediocre NFL players. For the top stars, maybe its a wash.) Plus baseball is a lot easier on your body.

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For top stars, you can't beat guaranteed contracts of MLB with no salary cap. But it takes like 6 successful years in the MLB to become unrestricted free agents.

It's a lot harder to predict success for MLB. In the NFL, I would guess a majority of the first round picks have good careers, and players drafted in the first 3 rounds are more-or-less expected to play in the NFL. The "hit-rate" for MLB early rounds is much lower.

UrsaMajor;841900247 said:

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That was changed quite some time ago. Now you can maintain amateur status as long as you don't get paid for that sport (or accept endorsement money).

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John Elway played in the Yankee's farm system between his junior and senior years at 'furd. That was thirty years ago.

Well if the redsox really wanted Shaq they could just hire Tosh.

Bear_Territory;841900294 said:

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Well if the redsox really wanted Shaq they could just hire Tosh.

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yeah, but they'd have to hire Wilcox first. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row. Oh wait, that's Oregon.

Shaq signed with the Red Sox.

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports/2012/06/15/shaq-thompson-officially-signs-with-the-red-sox/