<p>Navy</a> orders Cardinals pick to report for duty - Baseball - MSNBC.com</p>
<p>My favorite line from the article was, of course:</p>
<p>"If I dont get that chance (to play baseball) right now, Ill never get it again. And to fulfill a goal of getting to the pros, its sad that they would take it away from me."</p>
<p>Because the Navy didn't just give him quite possibly one of the best undergraduate educations in the world and a job in the world's finest Navy. Right.</p>
<p>zacgogden, you were not accurate in your representation of this guy as you took his quote out of context</p>
<p>Exactly how inaccurate could I possibly be? I posted the link for everyone to read the entire story. The fact that he said it's "sad that they would take [playing baseball] away" from him is absurd and reflects upon his character tremendously in my opinion. He chose to attend the Naval Academy, and he chose to continue to commissioning. As such, he should not be complaining about receiving said commission and being ordered to report to a ship for duty. If baseball is that important to him, he should have picked a different path. Also, if you read the article you'll see that there isn't much context. He starts by saying he's "not trying to get out of anything" but then right after that, the author of the article includes the aforementioned quote.</p>
<p>Zach--I had EXACTLY the same thoughts as you when I read the story elsewhere online this morning. Give me a break--he took the education, now he wants to skip paying it back to play baseball??</p>
<p>zach, wolfe; if you read the original Virginian-Pilot article along with the statements on either side of the 'sad' comment, it will put things in perspective. He did not want out of his commitment. He wanted to do both. Both he and his agent, unrealistically, I might add, wanted him to somehow be granted an assignment that would allow him to pitch on his 30 days of annual leave. At sea on the USS Ponce is not one of those assignments.</p>
<p>Ensign graduates of the Naval Academy go to sea duty first. Sea duty is not conducive to being a professional athlete. SecNav Winters was not willing to make an exception.</p>
<p>I admit I didn't read the Virginian-Pilot article. I read it on MSNBC, and here's what it said: </p>
<p>
[quote]
Before Thursdays decision, Harris told The Virginian-Pilot, which first reported the Navys ruling, that he thought there are different ways to juggle military service and a professional sports career. Bottom line is, were a nation at war and as a nation at war we believe it is inappropriate for Navy and Marine Corps personnel to be released from service obligation to play sports at a time other sailors and Marines are carrying out their service obligations, Davis said. Winter suspended all early releases from active duty for professional sports in January 2007. Previously, officers could serve 24 months and then apply for an early release to pursue an activity with potential recruiting or public affairs benefit to the Navy and Marine Corps.
That policy allowed former NBA star David Robinson to serve two years before joining the San Antonio Spurs.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I took from that several thoughts.</p>
<ol>
<li>He is looking for "different ways" to fulfill his obligation.</li>
<li>Davis said it would be "inappropriate" for anyone to be "released from service obligation" to play sports.</li>
<li>Winter suspended all early releases for professional sports.</li>
<li>Other athletes have been released early to play sports.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't think I unreasonably jumped to a conclusion that this young man was hoping to not have to complete his obligation in full so that he could play baseball. The article is full of words like "early release" and "inappropriate". The word "leave" does not appear in the article.</p>
<p>I don't really care if he was looking to use "different ways" to serve the Navy instead of trying to get out completely. If he didn't want to serve his country to the best of his ability, he ought to have gone to Penn State or Oklahoma State to play baseball.</p>
<p>His USNA education was to make him the best Naval officer and I think it's extremely inappropriate for a Naval Officer to be trying to run back home to play professional baseball for 30 days, even if that is the case.</p>
<p>Baseball is a hobby. He can certainly play baseball while he's in the Navy. He just can't play PROFESSIONAL baseball while he's a Naval Officer. I think that's only right.</p>
<p>Having now read the original article: Navy</a> won't let sailor-pitcher pursue pro-baseball career</p>
<p>I see that USNA69 is right about what this young man is saying. I still think it's a selfish position, and I remain unsympathetic. :wink:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Harris had hoped his commanding officer in Norfolk would assign him a duty that would allow him to also play baseball.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
“I completely understand the policy, but there’s got to be some kind of way you can do both ,” Harris said before the draft.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you ask me, here is the root of this problem (besides the idolization of sports in this country)--</p>
<p>
[quote]
Unlike the Navy, the Army has an Alternative Service Option that has allowed West Point graduates to pursue pro sports careers while remaining on active duty. Some Naval Academy officials have contended that it puts Annapolis at a disadvantage during recruiting.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From the original Virginian-Pilot last week:</p>
<p>Navy</a> hurler seeks unique (MLB) draft resolution | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com</p>
<p>
[quote]
Harris isn't asking for an exemption from that policy. Rather, he's hoping that when he gets to Norfolk, his commanding officer will give him an assignment that will allow him to fulfill his obligation and still play professional baseball.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
"I think there's different ways you could work it out to do something like that," Harris said.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
Harris' agent, Rick Oliver, also suggested that because starting pitchers only work every five days, his client could use his 30 days of annual leave to make his starts.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
"I'm not trying get out of anything," Harris said. "I want to fulfill my obligation. Hopefully, we can find a compromise that will work for everybody."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
[quote]
A late bloomer, Harris didn't expect to be in this situation when he signed with Navy four years ago. Recruited as a position player out of Mount Holly, N.C., he played outfield as a freshman and served as the team's closer out of the bullpen. A new coaching staff arrived the next year and was impressed by his arm strength. They made him a starter, and Harris blossomed into one of the top pitchers in the nation.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From the above article:</p>
<p>
[quote]
“Of course we’re at war, no one can argue we’re not,” Harris said. “But what I’ve said from the beginning is that I’m not trying to get out of anything.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
Before Thursday’s decision, Harris told The Virginian-Pilot, which first reported the Navy’s ruling, that he thought there are “different ways” to juggle military service and a professional sports career.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So please don't use the journalist's filler to speculate what you think Harris might have thought. His biggest error seems to have been to wait until he executed his sea duty orders before attempting to do something about it. Hardly the actions of an officer intent on not serving his obligation.</p>
<p>I agree USNA69, just a tough situation for the Ensign.</p>
<p>I don't think it's a "tough situation for the Ensign"- I think he's disappointed but the Navy did exactly what it should have done and what USMA and the Army ought to be doing. What really ought to generate a groundswell of outrage is the Army prostituting itself for the sake of a football schedule with this policy at a time when it's engaged in a ground war, desperately trying to grow and using tools including Stop Loss as a personnel management tool.</p>
<p>Other than totally agreeing with SECNAV, this policy also creates consistency throughout DON.</p>
<p>Thanks for the perspective, USNA69. I hadn't read the other article.</p>
<p>Its ashame that the Navy was unable to come up with some type of situation that allowed him to both serve and take a shot at a professional baseball career.</p>
<p>Plenty of ball players gave up the prime of their careers to serve our country. The kid should not have even let it get to the papers. He knew the deal. Be a man and serve to the best of your ability And for the record Ted Williams was a fighter pilot in WW II and in Korea. And he still managed to have a hall of fame baseball career.</p>
<p>
Don't be naive. Anyone who should have gone in the first or second round of the major league draft is not able to keep it from getting to the papers.</p>
<p>USNA 69, The Ensign in question was the 395 pick in the draft. In the 13th round. Before you call someone naive at least know the facts man. It makes you look uninformed. My point was if a hall of fame player can take 4+ yrs of his career to serve in 2 wars. This marginal player can fufill his obligation. Without saying the navy is taking something away from him.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^ He was 395th because of the military service obligation. He was one of the top pitchers in the draft. Had he been available full time, he would have gone probably in the first round, definitely no lower than the second. By no means, a "marginal" player". "Know the facts man."</p>
<p>Who cares whether he was a 1st round or a 13 round draft? If you are claiming that somehow makes a difference- you are pushing pure situational ethics (" oh it's ok for him because he's a star") and is exactly the bull that the Army is pitching with their NFL drafted football player. What's good to see in this whole thing is that the SecNav stuck to his guns and is making the guy fulfill his obligation.</p>
<p>So let me get this straight... he is a good, if not great pitcher. Had he been available "full" time he would have gone near the top of the draft. So that in its self says that the Navy should look the other way, accommodate him, because he is good enough to play professional ball. So, my Midshipman, who sits almost at the top of the class, in an Engineering major, sits near the top of the class in Military OOM. He would like to attend Law School post Academy. He has the grades to make it into ANY top law school in the Nation. You might say he could be drafted for Law school in the first round. Given that there are alumni that think that a ball player should be accommodated, should not the Academician also be accommodated? The bottom line is that every Midshipman knows the service obligation when they sign their 2 for 7 papers. HE SHOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED IF HE WANTED A MAJOR LEAGUE CAREER, just the same as the scholar who wants a different career path than line officer should have thought about it before attending USNA. Choices... sometimes in life we cannot have it all.</p>
<p>Well perhaps we should eliminate all mids/cadets from post grad scholarship programs - Rhodes, Fullbright etc. Why should they be allowed to go to gradschool right after commissioning instead of serving. We are in a time of war - why are we sending these kids off to learn instead of serve?</p>
<p>One could make the case that law school will be there - as well as other grad school programs and the 5 year committment should come first. With athletics - the opportunity won't always be there. This is not the 1940's anymore - if an athlete has to wait 5 years without training for the sport specifically then he will find his opportunity is long gone. </p>
<p>While I don't think we see an exodus from the academies at the two year mark so one can attend law school - we may be seeing our top athletes leave, if their ability grows while at the academy- if only to keep their options open.
BTW - I don't agree that academy athletes should be forgiven their obligation to serve in order to play pro sports - USNA69 was not saying that either.<br>
USNA69 was remarking on other posts attacking the mid's character.<br>
There have been numerous instances of athletes in our academies who excel beyond all expectations after they arrive. Many athletes are still developing and maturing. This ball player was approached and offered an opportunity. Accomadations have been given before - there is a precedence. While I agree with the decision I empathize and don't begrudge the athlete for making the inquiry.</p>
<p>Apparently, there is a young swimmer who will show up for I-Day and that evening be whisked away to participate in the Olympic swimming trials - should this accommodation be given?</p>