One wonders how much missing out on Egypt impacted this decision.
I think TM's and Jah Gol's comments add a refreshing perspective.
Being a student-athlete incorporates two responsibilities, being a pro involves one ... as a pro, the only student yuh need to be is a student of the game in a dedicated football environment.
Ngozi good contribution. But let me say: there are other leagues in the world in which fan attendance is minimal and front office profitability at the margins ... yet, soccer of a well-regarded quality is on display, and players in those environments are not consigned to remaining there. What I think may be lacking in our nascent pro environment is a certain level of individual enterprise among our players. Our league is a feeder league, and as a pro today, I would treat it as such.
The perfecting of our league will take time. However, in the interim, it provides players a platform on which to go forward. While fsw's defence of UCONN is understood, at the end of the day we're comparing apples and oranges. Starting a venture with one's ultimate destination in mind is what the college v pro divide should turn on. However, some players achieve a certain level of acclaim and self-recognition during their collegiate careers that then leads them to explore the next level.
While there's more than one way to skin a cat, I think the most valuable comments in this thread rest on the notion of risk-taking. Whereas, the standard manner in which most of us tend to assess decisions like Lougheed's is cost versus benefit. IMV too many variables are unknown to make that the most useful approach ... not to mention, any player engaging in CBA is likely engaging in a self-defeating assessment before embarking on the journey.
