Happy New Year

[John Liang <liangj@asiaonline.net>]

Long time no write! happy new year to all (and if you know anything
Chinese, happy lunar new year -- coming up by end of this month!!)

First of all, concerning the trade everyone is talking about:  forget
it! it has not happened and it won't happen. Why waste so much time on
two high picks in exchange for over-the-hill and one-time stuff? Makes
absolutely no sense. We all know Pitino is sensible enough not to do
that!

I want to bring up one issue though, and that is young kids going off
early for the NBA. I think that's bad. You go to college to get an
education, not to play basketball. Sure some people are meant to be for
the court rather than for the classroom, but an education would give you
some security, both mentally and physically, when you are playing and
especially when you retire. Hey, a ball player can go only so far, and
there is still much life to live afterwards. Not many can end up like
Larry who continues to be involve in basketball (and mind you, Larry got
his degree too!), you have to think about a longer future as well.

Besides, some players certainly can use the extra years to polish up
their characters and maturity. Quite a few show that they are not quite
ready emotionally.

Well, come down to it, it is always the agents who are the problems.
They would lure the kids into thinking: to hell with education, make
money now! I just think that is morally wrong.

The damage being done though, it is impossible to turn back now. The
best thing to do now is for these guys to study part-time and finish up
when they have time (like Summer School). I know some guys did that, and
that's great for them.

John Liang