The Right Decision

Many young men are coming face to face with the decision of a lifetime, one which will no doubt play a very significant role in their future. Although I don't usually like the decision, more often than not, the young men are making the right call.

Although I am a casual Major League Baseball fan, college football is my sport, a sport losing several potential All America type players to the hardball. In fact, it seems my teams, Florida State and Nebraska, were sent on a MLB caused coordinated slide.

It appears it all began when Nebraska signed a player from Houston Jefferson Davis to a national letter of intent, who was a first round MLB selection. Carl Crawford is now among the top players in Major League Baseball, moving this past year from the Tampa Bay Rays over to the Boston Red Sox. Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, signed by Florida State out of Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, MN, spent six years with the Toronto Blue Jays before returning to Florida State and winning the national championship and playing half a decade in the NFL. The Seminoles were stung again when three sport superstar Joe Mauer, remarkably out the same high school as Weinke, never enrolled at FSU, rather becoming the top player on the MLB diamond as a catcher with the hometown Minnesota Twins. While Weinke was never close to achieving the success of Crawford or Mauer on the diamond or in terms of financial compensation, he earned a nice financial foundation playing minor league ball, and post FSU in the NFL.

This year, another decision had to be made. Enter Bubba Starling, a top rated signal caller, who signed with Nebraska although he was certain to be a top draft pick in baseball. Starling was highlighted in a piece by Sports Illustrated earlier this spring. Take a look:



Like Mauer, Starling was selected by his hometown team, the Kansas City Royals, as the fifth pick in the draft. Football at the University of Nebraska or a big paycheck and a chance to play for years with the Royals, significantly lessening the chance of a career ending injury.

As you may suspect, although I think Starling really wanted to play pigskin with the Big Red, he signed on with the Kansas City Royals, reportedly signing a deal worth a guaranteed $7.5 million. Starling made the right decision no doubt. Most 'Huskers are also Royals fans, myself included, and the Royals future is bright as they have a fine young team that will no doubt be enhanced by the skills Starling possess. Starling will be joining Alex Gordon, the NCAA National Player of the Year as a senior baseballer at Nebraska in the Royals outfield.

I join Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini and Cornhuskers nationwide in wishing Bubba Starling all the best. Say Hi to George and Go Big Red!