jk Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?s...hreaded&order=0 Interesting read. I'm glad the Sioux don't have to play against him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoteauRinkRat Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Nice article, sounds like he isn't really interested in his education......lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaneA Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Whoa! You don't suppose Matt was "gooning himself up" in order to impress the pros with that comment about putting an opponent out of the game with a big hit just because he can, do you? I can't see those comments, whether honest or hype, playing in "Sioux Illustrated." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejm Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Oiler scout Chris McCarthy recently described [Greene]like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Not too impressed with what he said about the educational side and one COULD read into what he said regarding Major Juniors, but it was a nice article. He does make me think though. Sometimes, when I see these excellent players like Balfour, Parise, Hrkac, Vanek, Ballard, etc. I wonder why they didn't go Major Juniors, as it appears, at least historically, that most NHL stars come from Major Juniors? It makes me thankful to have what we have. And darn it, I'm happy to call myself a Greene fan!!! Kick their @rse Greene Giant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kr Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Not too impressed with what he said about the educational side And uscho is going off on it too -- why, oh why do people post stuff there? I have no problem with what Matt said. Why else would someone from Michigan come to ND if not for aviation or native American studies? Seniors from last year: CL, JN, KS -- where are they? Using a "insert your choice" degree? No, they are pursuing the dream of hockey ... and being paid for it. They went to college, had the college experience and, whether it is realistic or not, have the chance to see "show time". UND is a training ground/factory for post-college hockey -- no, I'm not saying an NHL factory, but rather, the coaching staff gives the hockey training and education so that these talented individuals can play at least a couple more years --- what a great thing: get to play hockey and get paid for it. Other recent Sioux getting checks for hockey (ECHL/AHL/NHL -- insert your own acronym): Mike Commodore, David Hale, Ryan Bayda, Tim Skarperud, Aaron Schneekloth, Travis Roche, Jeff Panzer, Karl Goehring, Jason Ulmer, Chad Mazurak, Brad Defauw ..... So while it is probably true that less than 5% of college hockey players make the NHL, there is a significant %, at least from UND, that are making a living at post-college hockey. As long as the current collegians are passing their classes, I couldn't care less if they liked "school" or not. There is time to finish their degree/use their degree when their playing days are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Look, maybe we want Greene to say he's here to get an education first and play hockey second but with his kind of future, isn't it understandable what he said? I mean, think of it this way....I went to school for engineering but never even worked in the field. Now I'm in a related field, but not what I was really educated to do. Other students, as mentioned, want to be a pilot, or an accountant, or something like that. How many students go to college and then work directly in the field they were educated? Many, certainly, but not all. Look at aviation. How many students complete their aviation degree with the idea they will get to land that big $ big airline pilot job, only to toil away with the small commuter airline forever? Do we tell them to pick up a business degree at the same time so they have something to fall back on? No... Matt and many other UND hockey players have a dream to play professional hockey, be that at the NHL level or some other level where they get compensated and can make a living. They come here to hone their skills and prepare them for that career best they can. That is what they want to do. In the meantime many of them get a cheap education in a "fall-back" field in case something happens and their playing days end. Our system doesn't allow kids to get a "major" in pro sports. If someone with Greene's future says they came here to prepare to take a shot at the pro game, that's fine with me. As long as they are living by the rules that allow them to play collegiate hockey, go to class, make grades, and meet those expectations required of them in order to play and earn/keep their scholarship, I don't think it should matter what their ultimate goal is. Seriously, I have thought for some time there an argument could be made that a college curriculum could be developed for the pro "hopeful" athlete. Maybe a handful of guys on each D1 level team could be eligible on a yearly basis for this sort of curriculum. It would include a lot of basic education that most students have to complete, the humanities, business classes, and such. Advanced coursework could involve things like advanced communications and media relations courses, economics, accounting, finance, contract law, physical training, anatomy/physiology/physical therapy, etc. Additional courses could even be developed that would specifically train athletes to handle the situations that athletes handle on a daily basis (I can't really provide a list). I don't think it's reasonable to assume 25 guys should be able to go through school in this sort of a curriculum, but why not 25% of a roster, or something that accepts those students most likely to and most interested in having that future? Why not train some of them for their future career like we train other students for theirs? (I admit a lot of this can already happen with current course scheduling. I believe additional relevant coursework could be developed beyond what is typically offered through a university that would be of immense benefit to a pro athlete. I'll bet you could get intelligent guys who have been in the pro game for some time together with educators and instructional designers and come up with some pretty valuable stuff) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted October 30, 2003 Author Share Posted October 30, 2003 To be honest, I paused for a moment before starting this thread, because there were elements of the interview (which have been addressed here and on USCHO) that could be viewed less than positively. I decided to go ahead and post the link because I would have wanted to read it had I not been aware of it. In thinking about the education comments, I decided MG was just stating the truth bluntly. IMO, people who think the elite players are pursuing anything other than their hockey careers are kidding themselves. As for the non-elite guys, I hope they study hard and take advantage of the educational opportunity their hockey talent has provided them. dagies, I agree about the disconnect between one's course of study and eventual profession. Careers, and lives, wind along paths you couldn't have forseen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSiouxFan Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Who really cares if they don't want to get an education. He knows he probably won't need one, because he is already drafted, and could always come back to finish school. Some people don't enjoy school and can't wait to get out, just like Travis Roche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Who really cares if they don't want to get an education. He knows he probably won't need one, because he is already drafted, and could always come back to finish school. Some people don't enjoy school and can't wait to get out, just like Travis Roche. Or others like Jeremy Roenick who did summer school to finish his degree. Yes, I agree, they don't have to have a good drive towards education because they are drafted but who says they aren't going to need it down the road? I mean, look at the NFL. The average career of an NFL player is 3-5 years. NHL, I'd say, is far shorter. I'm not surprised at what he said. Just a little disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 A lot of hockey players go to UND for the same reason football players attend Nebraska, Miami or Florida, because the school has a powerhouse program that gets pro scouts' attention. Most of these guys accomplish two goals: 1. they attain, or make good progress towards a degree, and 2. they get a chance to realize their dream of playing pro hockey. Frankly, I like Greene's candor. I'd be more worried if he said he was working a degree, and then he ends up on academic probation or getting bounced from school. More power to him. A number of UND players have left early and finished their degrees later after their pro careers ended. Greene should be viewed no differently in this regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 All this and yet the Mike Prpich's of the world (not saying he'll never play for pay, but just the same) still pick UND to get their ENGINEERING degree at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmduf Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 Just because at this point in his life, Matt Greene's priority is hockey doesn't diminsh UND's academics at all. I know that Mr. Greene has to keep his grades up under the supervision of DB and the rest of the coaching staff to keep playing hockey. I also know that the UND athletic department runs clean programs, which is more than I can say of some other athletic programs I know of in the northern regions. (Anyone remember the "do your homework" chant at the WCHA final five a few years back!) If anyone think his remarks are a problem bringing some kind of disgrace to UND academically, I remember about 12 years ago at McNichols Arena during the NCAA D-1 Final Four. Duke vs. UNLV. The Duke fans sitting directly behind the UNLV players bench with the best sign I have ever seen pointing toward the UNLV players. It said, "Welcome Fellow Scholars". Yeah, maybe UND is a "Hockey Factory", but DB is not the Jerry Tarkanian of hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 A follow-up. The HF interviewer subsequently posted the following on a message board. ------------------------------ Hi everybody... Glad you all liked the interview. Sorry I was in Cowtown and just got back so I could address things for a while. I need to make on note... Matt emailed me after this was posted and wanted to make a point about how important schooling is to him because he's worried that the way the interview reads... it sounds like he's 100% hockey and that school is a necessary evil or something. That's not the case at all. He was making the point that he knows his future is with hockey so that's where his direction lies... but he's still working his butt off scholastically and UND is a very good academic school too. Hoceky wise it's a factory, but it's not all UND does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millionaire Posted November 4, 2003 Share Posted November 4, 2003 I need to make on note... Matt emailed me after this was posted and wanted to make a point about how important schooling is to him because he's worried that the way the interview reads... it sounds like he's 100% hockey and that school is a necessary evil or something. That's not the case at all. He was making the point that he knows his future is with hockey so that's where his direction lies... but he's still working his butt off scholastically and UND is a very good academic school too. Hoceky wise it's a factory, but it's not all UND does.It doesn't take ESP to sense some PR backpedaling. I do believe that he didn't quite mean the way it came out in print, although I expect it isn't too far off. It's only an anecdote, not necessarily representative of all former college athletes: Dave Christian, after a solid 16 year NHL career, said that he wishes he had finished his degree. He still can, of course, if he deems it worthwhile at this point. I'm always glad to hear about student athletes that see value in getting a degree and finish up over summers. Dagies, you make some very interesting points about hockey being their "major," and that we shouldn't push them for a fallback degree. You convinced me a little. The comeback is that a partial degree is still no degree. How many college grads work in their exact field? Correct, probably fewer than they expected. However, having a degree, albeit unrelated, still enabled many (most?) of them to get and excel at the varied jobs they have. I admit a lot of this can already happen with current course scheduling... At the end, you shot down your own argument ala Eminem's finale in 8 Mile, so I can't add anything worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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