Re: Harrington story

["Icarus" <smishra@ix.netcom.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: R. Bentz Kirby <bocelts@scsn.net>


>But Mishra, aren't most of these tennis stars pushed by their parents as
well?  What
>about those who aren't ready but are pushed into the game, such as Jermaine
O'Neal?
>And, agents are already so involved in running the game, so now they are in
the high
>schools picking their prey.  Many of these kids are great talent but need
to be more
>mature to play a physical game against men.  It is not the same as tennis.
>
That's the kind of media spin I am talking about, yes we see their parents
in stand and conclude that it's the parents who are pushing these stars and
there are some parents who do. But behind most promising young tennis star
is a high profile manager who manages his career and makes a percentage of
their earnings and basically pulls strings from the background.

>I think you are comparing apples to oranges.  But, that doesn't mean that I
condone
>what goes on in tennis, or these other sports.  Still, this is not a good
thing.

Not necesarilly, the point I am trying to make that this is a wide spread
practice that is making into pro-basketball and the media doesn't have to
single it out with a jaundiced outlook. Tennis was but one example the same
is true for soccer.

>And what if he isn't drafted high and doesn't mature as a player and ends
up broke.
>Or what if the shoe company cancels his contract after convincing him to
come out?

If Harrington is drafted in the first round and doesn't mature as a player,
he still gets a guaranteed 3 years contract which is atleast 1-1/2 million
dollars. I would say that's a pretty good deal. I mean look at Dontae Jones
even with college he hasn't matured as a player..he is destined to be in the
CBA or Europe if he continues playing basketball, but for the three years in
the NBA he is making about 2.8 mill..pretty good deal don't you think so? -
Mishra