Not sure why the distain exists. NCAA will change. As soccer grows in popularly, NCAA knows how to follow the money.Originally Posted by Yohan
Set aside the development aspects to a 4 month schedule, the one core advantage NCAA has over the Academy model is routed in the "off field" aspects to growing up. While some can piss away their scholarships, NCAA provides much more support to developing players with various support mechanisms. Players graduate in their 20s and with more experience in being on their own and coping with the stresses of life, both personal and financial.
I remember listening to a broadcast on the Montreal Canadiens and a former player was talking about PK Subban. Then a 19 year old star with the Habs living on his own, with millions of dollars in Montreal of all places. A fellow with circumstances like that could get himself into a lot of trouble and Subban's 2nd year in the NHL suggested lots of that.
Many NHL teams are making the idea of billeting their young stars a common part of their development plan... regardless of who the player is. For those that can't crack the NHL at a young age, the minor league teams have those supports in place.
Contrast that with what DeRo said about TFC in that the team didn't even help guys find apartments and there are some very worrying aspects to the current model. Becoming a professional isn't just about what you do with a ball, it's what you do with time in between training and how you approach life.
NCAA prepares players for that much better than letting them loose on their own.
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