Congratulations to Oliver Drake, the Navy pitcher drafted by the Orioles in June. He withdrew last week from the Academy after signing a contract that included a $100,000 bonus.
He gets to follow his dream.
Meanwhile, taxpayers get to pick up his school tab of about $70,000 for the two years he attended the Naval Academy. Technically, he can leave the school early without penalty because he would not make a military commitment until the first day of his junior year. But he committed to serve his country when he entered. Shouldn’t that count for something — including repayment for reneging on his promise?
Getting out, a legal option, for a MLB or other professional sports opportunity is different, of course, than getting out for chronic seasickness on the first summer cruise or mutual agreement between the Navy and the midshipman of unsuitability.
Many gifted athletes served their country first before entering the professional leagues. Navy football stars Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino, both Heisman Trophy winners, are just two examples.
The Naval Academy was right in denying Drake’s teammate Mitch Harris the opportunity to play professional baseball by refusing to release him from his five-year military commitment. So was the Army in refusing to let football safety Caleb Campbell play for the Detroit Lions in exchange for serving as an Army recruiter in his free time after first giving him its blessing. Better career opportunities must not trump a promise to serve one’s country. If that were the case, why stop at professional sports — how about high-paying jobs on Wall Street or a movie career?
Drake chose to leave before that military commitment kicked in. But it should not release him from a personal responsibility to his country.
The honorable thing to do would be to use part of his signing bonus to repay the academy for time spent. Doing so would confirm that “Education is very important to me and my family,” as he said, and reflect the patriotism he showed in accepting his commission to the Naval Academy. Even better, the Orioles should donate $70,000 to the Naval Academy too. As recipients of millions in taxpayer subsidies it would only show their gratitude. Besides, the team already committed to pay for five semesters of college so that the economics major can earn a degree. If it wants him that badly, what’s another $70,000 for talent they expect to pay off many times over? Examiner
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http://www.examiner.com/a-1512151~For_honor_or_money_.html
Editorial
For honor or money?
The Baltimore Examiner Newspaper
2008-07-30
BALTIMORE -
Congratulations to Oliver Drake, the Navy pitcher drafted by the Orioles in June. He withdrew last week from the Academy after signing a contract that included a $100,000 bonus.
He gets to follow his dream.
Meanwhile, taxpayers get to pick up his school tab of about $70,000 for the two years he attended the Naval Academy. Technically, he can leave the school early without penalty because he would not make a military commitment until the first day of his junior year. But he committed to serve his country when he entered. Shouldn’t that count for something — including repayment for reneging on his promise?
Getting out, a legal option, for a MLB or other professional sports opportunity is different, of course, than getting out for chronic seasickness on the first summer cruise or mutual agreement between the Navy and the midshipman of unsuitability.
Many gifted athletes served their country first before entering the professional leagues. Navy football stars Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino, both Heisman Trophy winners, are just two examples.
The Naval Academy was right in denying Drake’s teammate Mitch Harris the opportunity to play professional baseball by refusing to release him from his five-year military commitment. So was the Army in refusing to let football safety Caleb Campbell play for the Detroit Lions in exchange for serving as an Army recruiter in his free time after first giving him its blessing. Better career opportunities must not trump a promise to serve one’s country. If that were the case, why stop at professional sports — how about high-paying jobs on Wall Street or a movie career?
Drake chose to leave before that military commitment kicked in. But it should not release him from a personal responsibility to his country.
The honorable thing to do would be to use part of his signing bonus to repay the academy for time spent. Doing so would confirm that “Education is very important to me and my family,” as he said, and reflect the patriotism he showed in accepting his commission to the Naval Academy. Even better, the Orioles should donate $70,000 to the Naval Academy too. As recipients of millions in taxpayer subsidies it would only show their gratitude. Besides, the team already committed to pay for five semesters of college so that the economics major can earn a degree. If it wants him that badly, what’s another $70,000 for talent they expect to pay off many times over?
Examiner
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