Submitted by Ron Rockman, Nov 28, 2006 19:03

It's fine for colleges and universities to offer athletic programs for its students, but when these college programs take on the air of professional sports as is the case with NCAA basketball, and football, it should be understood that these programs are merely the minor leagues for some professional league somewhere in the world.

The reason NCAA soccer programs are qualitatitively on a lower level than NCAA basketball is because college soccer players on the whole are not as good in their sport as are college athletes that participate in sports such as basketball, football, baseball, etc. So naturally, college soccer isn't going to be a good feeder system for MLS; but that's ok because it shouldn't be. Today's US born and bred soccer playing is improving and is probably closer to being on the level of his peers internationaly than at any time in history, but we are not there yet.

Today, most school boy athletes (accept US Football) that has a desire to and a shot at playing professionally would serve his own interests by not playing his sport in college. Of course it's very difficult to make it as a professional athlete - anywhere in the world - so if one has an opportunity to play competive sports - not necessaraly high level competitive sports, while having a chance to earn a degree from schools such as Duke, or Michigan, than a decision will have to be made.

Interstingly in New Jersey, Rutgers, the stae university is experiencing its best ever football season and is in the running for a BCS bowl game. If they earn a bid to one of those games, amongst other things they will receive a financial windfall which is highly ironic as the state is facing a severe budget crisis requiring many spending cuts. Therefore a number of non income producing sports are going to be cut at Rutgers. At this time soccer is not one of them, but it's hard to imagine that soccer is an income producing sport for the majority of NCAA programs. I also wouldn't be surprised if other states face similar financial challenges, so who knows what the future of big time college sports is anyway.

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