T1B

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2466146

It's one thing to play as an outfielder, but pitchers have arm problems all the time. With the payday he will inevitably get in the pros, I just think he's risking it a bit to pitch.

He has been doing this for 3 years now, and up until this past football season, it looked as if baseball was going to be his meal ticket. You are only in college once. Live it up.

Ditto what Cicero said.

When it looked like he would waste away on Willingham's bench, baseball was his best option. And if he concentrated just on baseball, I have no doubt that he would be a top 20 pick. As it stands, he has a great frame and consistantly throws in the low/mid 90's. His best pitch is his off speed stuff.

After this past football season, it really became a tough choice for him. Now, he'll likely get drafted by a baseball team, get a nice bonus and play minor league baseball. Until April of '07.

Well, I don't know how good he is. 8-2 record witha 4.34 ERA in college isn't bad, but most college baseball players will never sniff the pros. Most of the kids who play college baseball do so because they didn't get drafted out of high school.

In any case, I agree with the "live it up" philosophy. And if he really is that good in baseball, by all means, play baseball. The financial rewards are much more in baseball than they are in football no thanks to the salary cap, or lack thereof.

What's wrong with pissing away a career in the NFL for baseball?

Regards,
Drew Henson

Just blowing by to rack the thread title.

So like I said...MOST kids. I didn't say ALL kids.

Sure, some of them go for the right reasons. I don't have the stats to back me up, but I'd bet heavily that high school kids picked in the first 3 rounds have damn near a 100% rate to "sign with the pros" vs. say "no thanks, I'll go develop in college."

My whole point was the guy proved last season he's a playmaker. He will no doubt be looked at heavily this upcoming season with ND possibly in the BCS Championship picture. Why would he want to risk an arm injury pitching when he could be a 1st or 2nd round pick? Killian says he's a stud at baseball. Didn't know that. If he is, more power to him. There's more $ and longevity in baseball anyways.

Some say he had the talent to go in the 1st Round if he would just focus on baseball. He hasnt been picked yet, as I'm sure most teams worry about his signability.

Rumor on the ND boards is that he will be picked by the Cubs in the 5th round.

Killian wrote:Rumor on the ND boards is that he will be picked by the Cubs in the 5th round.

All the more reason to worry about his arm.

Sin,
and

The Cubs have ruined two good arms right there. Jezzus, can you imagine what they would be like w/ Prior, Wood, Zambrano and Maddux.

I don't think the kid is an idiot. He was playing baseball for ND long before he was anyone in football.

Obviously the kid is a competitor and you can't fault him for that.

Given the choice, I'd rather play baseball than pro football.

Walking without a cane at age 45 is appealing to me.

The guy is crazy

Sin
Bo jackson and Dieon Sanders

Props to whatever his name his. Have fun while you can.

One thing different with Samardzija's situation is that he is a pitcher in baseball. Even with a sore arm, you would think he could still catch a football. And on the flip side, he's only going out there every 5th day risking injury in baseball, as opposed to someone like Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, DJ Dozier, or Brian Jordan who were position players.

My guess is that he will get picked sometime today in the baeball draft, play minor league ball until late August, collect a nice signing bonus, and get ready to strap it on in the fall. Once he gets drafted in football, maybe it's something he can dabble with in between seasons.

Update:

Cubs Nab Golden Domer
4:06 p.m.: The Cubs, as expected, took Jeff Samardzija in the fifth round with their second pick. The Notre Dame righthander and All-America wide receiver intends to play both sports, which scared off teams enough to help him drop to the Cubs. The Cubs might spend first-round money on Samardzija in what's sure to be a back-loaded deal that allows him to play football this fall, a commitment Samardzija has made repeatedly. Samardzija has first-round talent with a fastball up to 94 mph and a developing slider that has shown improvement this spring as his season progressed and he got deeper into baseball season. The Cubs have a strong relationship with Notre Dame, as both scouting director Tim Wilken and especially GM Jim Hendry are longtime friends of Irish coach Paul Mainieri.
-- John Manuel

So he's not an idiot after all. Congrats. Off season talk.

I do like this though:

The Cubs might spend first-round money on Samardzija.....The Cubs have a strong relationship with Notre Dame, as both scouting director Tim Wilken and especially GM Jim Hendry are longtime friends of Irish coach Paul Mainieri.

Just keepin' the football playas paid, right? ;)

Samardzija was one of my favorite players to watch last year.....

Indy, you might have some "baseball" issues this year that are expressing themselves in other ways....no? perhaps?

(joking).

:D

What's funny is I keep hearing Nebraska fan telling me Childress will right the ship at A&M. They must really know something that I don't...

IndyFrisco wrote:What's funny is I keep hearing Nebraska fan telling me Childress will right the ship at A&M. They must really know something that I don't...

that's what they are saying at Texags....too. which is dubious.

only a matter of time. but, i guess you guys have some really good young arms (I seem to recall)....i've heard that from knowledgable, objective type people even.

i can't see you guys being down for too long.

Damn, I can only strive to be the idiot that Jeff is. To be a consenses all american wide receiver and a pitcher that has been clocked at 99 mph. As stated previously he would have been a top 20 pick if he only played baseball, but he is having fun doing both, why not? That being said if he gets hurt playing this fall we can reopen this idiot conversation.

Back when I played golf at A&M R.C. wanted me at Quarterback but I thought I should focus on just golf. (Just fuckin w/ ya turtle slayer)

Hell, back when I started at A&M, Corey Pullig was our QB. I seriously think I could have done better than him. ;)

IndyFrisco wrote:Hell, back when I started at A&M, Corey Pullig was our QB. I seriously think I could have done better than him. ;)

On that subject . . .

When I got to ND, Blair Fuckin' Kiel was our starting QB. I'm at least 98% sure I could have done better than him. :wink: :P

Blair Kiel, that's a name i haven't heard in a while.

Dude just signed a 7.25 million dollar deal.

how the fuck can he sign a contract, yet play next season for ND????


boy did the kid from colorado get fucked

Then all those guys who signed the baseball contracts bought all of their own bats, shoes, gloves, or if they didnt they covered up any manufacturers logos on that equipment?

As many probably guessed, Samardzija's contract is very back loaded, meaning he would have to give up football to get anywhere near the $7.25 million that he signed for.

Also, didn't JON's favorite man crush have to stop being a male modle for Abercrombie & Fitch?

Promoting a product = bad.
Playing a sport = good.

That's a quick little cheat sheet for anyone that doesn't understand the rule.

I def think he is doing this as an insurance policy. I believe if he gets picked in the 1st Round that he might focus only on football. If for some reason he gets hurt and his draft stock dips, he might stick w/ the baseball. Def doesnt suck to be him though.

When did the promoting a product thing come into effect? I remember this guy from my high school, Tremaine Wingfield, went to Louisville to play basketball. When he was there, LaBradford Smith was there. For some reason, I thought Smith had a Converse endorsement deal whaile he was at Louisville.

Side note: Tremaine transferred to t.u. for his senior year. I ALMOST rooted for them while he was there but just couldn't do it. He joined the Rockets for a preseason. Went to a game and got the program with him. Dude could jump outa the buiilding but could not make a shot outside of 8 feet to save his life.

Long time. NCAA athletes are unable to promote any products. Hell, you can't even promote products and not get paid for it. They can offer their opinion on a product, but they can't promote a product.

Believe the Heupel wrote::roll:

Yes, exactly like everyone who plays NCAA ball covers up the swoosh on their uniform.

You're really not smart, are you?

Teams can provide players with equipment.

Sporting goods companies can't pay an NCAA athlete for wearing their gear.

Wearing something does not constitute an endorsement deal. Otherwise Wal-Mart would be cutting you a check every quarter.

Professional teams dont give excliusive equipment contracts the way NCAA teams do. You can see Nikes Swoosh all over college players because Nike has a contract with the schools athletic department. Minor League baseball teams dont have those contracts and the companies that make the shoes, bats, gloves, glasses, wrist bands and mits are using the professional players who use their products to endorse those products.
Wouldnt a player who is wanting to keep his eligibility need to cover up the logos and not accept any money or discounts on that equipment?

As Frozen pointed out the teams can equip their players to play the game. Yes, many pro athletes have deals that pay them to use certain equipment, but when they don't the team buys the gear.

so then the minor league teams are buying these guys the gear and in no way using the player to endorse the gear?

Correct. If Fox Sports Net happens to catch the guy holding his bat such that the logo is visable then so be it. But the team can't use his picture with the bat logo in some add for the bat maker in the program for example.

This is really simple. There is a difference between using a product and being paid to use a product.

SoCalTrjn wrote: Professional teams dont give excliusive equipment contracts the way NCAA teams do. You can see Nikes Swoosh all over college players because Nike has a contract with the schools athletic department. Minor League baseball teams dont have those contracts and the companies that make the shoes, bats, gloves, glasses, wrist bands and mits are using the professional players who use their products to endorse those products.
Wouldnt a player who is wanting to keep his eligibility need to cover up the logos and not accept any money or discounts on that equipment?

Actually, pro teams have deals with every major equipment provider. For example, MLB teams have deals with Rawlings, Mizuno, Wilson, Nike, Louisville Slugger, Easton, etc. to provide the team with bats, gloves, wristbands, etc. and the players can then choose what they want to wear. This goes for minor leaguers and major leaguers.