01-16-2003, 12:53 AM
Quote:It's ok since Lebron hasn't been an amatuer since he picked up a ball.
I agree with lupica.
If countless people can make money off him by putting his face on espn, sports magazines, sneaker promotions, newspapers, etc. Why can't the kid accept a gift for his talent?
Amatuer is just a coprorate sports term for 'explot them because we can'.
No. Amateur is a word that is used to describe those athletes which participate in specific type of sporting competition. Dictionary.com defines it:
Quote:An athlete who has never accepted money, or who accepts money under restrictions specified by a regulatory body, for participating in a competition.
I know that the OHSAA and the NYHSAA has the restriction that only amateurs may play in high school sporting competition. I believe that every single state high school athletic association includes this same restriction.
I am not using the word amateur to describe how Lebron James plays basketball. He plays basketball "like a professional would", because most great basketball players are professionals. He does not play "like an amateur would", because the overwhelming majority of amateurs are not good basketball players.
I am using the word amateur to describe what Lebron James must be in order to play high school basketball. He must not receive any compensation for playing basketball, or else he would be a professional basketball player, thus, his team forfeits all of its wins, and Lebron will not be allowed tp play at the high school level.
Does he want to play in the NBA? Of course. Yet he is not eligible to play in the NBA yet. Does he want to sit around and wait until he is eligible. Of course not, he wants to play basketball for his high school. But he has the choice, and he is choosing to play high school ball, and however much it sucks that everyone but him is making money off of his basketball, he must abide by the rules and play as an amateur if he wishes to play basketball for his high school.
... Most high school kids are playing because they simply like playing basketball, and they know most of them won't be playing it on the college or professional levels. Are they not going to play basketball because of that knowledge? No, they love the game, and want to play, and this is their chance to play, because they won't ever see it again. The beauty of amateur sport is no matter if you're the next #1 pick in the NBA draft or if you're a scrub, everyone has the opportunity to play basketball. This is why high school sports have regulations on which athletes can play.