It would be one thing to go back on the offer to play NFL to serve the country, but really, This?

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Despite his disappointment, Campbell said he is “really excited” for his next assignment—a year as a graduate assistant football coach for the Army, either at the U.S. Military Academy or the service academy’s preparatory school.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-lions-campbell&prov=ap&type=lgns

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You are a dumb**** if you really believe that.

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I think it's adorable the way you let nostalgia and legend cloud the fact that Ruth played in a day where athletics were a far cry from the multi-million dollar businesses they are today. There are some athletes from those times that could succeed in modern sports, but only if they had been brought up and trained in the modern age of athletics.

Take our 1939 football team and throw them into today's college football scene, and to say the least, they wouldn't be getting the national title.

Ali would have a good shot on the other hand. But then again, Ali was around when sports were becoming more and more competitive. The heavywweight division has gotten bigger and bigger, but watching the big guys fight anymore is painful with how sloppy an poorly conditioned they are.

A better comparison to Ruth's time would be to throw Jack Dempsey in with the current crop of boxers or Cage Fighters.

Oh the humanity.

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Despite his disappointment, Campbell said he is “really excited” for his next assignment—a year as a graduate assistant football coach for the Army, either at the U.S. Military Academy or the service academy’s preparatory school.

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Yeah, that's a head scratcher. It seems they're setting him up to be West Point's head football coach a few years down the line...... I would think that if that were the case, you would want to try and get him the NFL experience.

This story just keeps getting more and more.... odd.

It sucks... yes

Should it have been done... yes

Should it have been done before he was drafted and prepared to play in the NFL... yes

Best wishes LT Campbell!

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I have no problem with making him serve. He signed up for it and his chances of making the team were questionable at best anyway..

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What you're missing is that he only went the next 2 year at the Academy because he was told that he could play in the NFL if he was drafted and made a team.

So now, he's coaching at the Academy?

SNAFU.

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Despite his disappointment, Campbell said he is “really excited” for his next assignment—a year as a graduate assistant football coach for the Army, either at the U.S. Military Academy or the service academy’s preparatory school

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Every sport at USMA has a 2LT grad assistant who acts as a liaison for the players to the academy; sort of a mentor. They get their BOLC (entry officer school, in laymen's terms) date delayed to do it. That's perfectly normal...2LT Campbell would have been a perfect candidate for this based on his personality, reputation, and skill, regardless of the draft saga.

There is much discussion going on at the Point about this. I have my inclinations and suspicions about this and the politics behind it, but I will keep my comments to myself in that matter. The truth (and facts) are that 2LT Campbell's top-tier education and military education were paid for (mostly) by the taxpayers of the United States and for that - he owes the government 5 years of his time.

2LT Campbell understands this.

may have been mentioned earlier, but West Point allows Nick Hill & Milan Dinga to play baseball. why the sudden change in policy?

He was the best football player on the team and wanted play in the NFL. He was told he could play in the NFL and still serve in a capacity.

Otherwise, HE NEVER WOULD'VE STAYED AT THE ACADEMY.

He was screwed by the other academys whining to the DoD.

He should've been grandfathered.

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Otherwise, HE NEVER WOULD'VE STAYED AT THE ACADEMY.

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Where did he say this?

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Every sport at USMA has a 2LT grad assistant who acts as a liaison for the players to the academy; sort of a mentor.

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pretty sure a majority of ROTC programs do this same thing. they keep their top graduating recruit around to serve his first year of active service as a liason. at least this is what they do at auburn as a buddy of mine got this opportunity his first year of service then his 2nd year he got to spend it in Iraq.

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WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!


2008 Auburn Football
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIAp2CLw2o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4EHfYLzQdo
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http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3361402&categoryId=3060647&n8pe6c=2&brand=expn?dd

I feel no remorse. Dude took an oath and is obligated. Being a late round pick, it's sad he may not have the opportunity again to compete for a roster spot. But, if he wanted to play in the NFL, he should have gone somewhere else to play ball. Of course I'm sitting in Baghdad and I have a different perspective.

Must of missed it; where in the video did he say he would of left the Academy if he knew he wasn't going to be able to go to the NFL?

I wonder if he would be willing to pay the taxpayers ~$400K BEFORE departing for the NFL ? I don't support this because I'm against treating athletes as 'special" people. I can't vouch for the source, but here's some Academy cost data I found.

The GAO issued a report in September 2003 (publication GAO-03-1000) on Military Education and gave the following cost per graduate for the Fiscal year 2002:

USMA: $349,327
USNA: $275,001
USAFA: $322,750

This cost was the total operating cost of the academy devided by the number of graduates. Assuming some inflation, the value for the Class of 2010 will likely be closer to $400,000.

I thought it was there. Let me find the story where he was told after his sophomore year that he'd have a chance to play in the NFL.

Some of you people jsut don't get it. The man is a soldier! And he chose to be a soldier! Amd he will do well in life.

I have to say that this is a poor decision by the DoD. Thank goodness that 2LT Campbell is taking the high road.

Some of you don't get it. The Lions made an investment in him.

if the young man really wanted to play in the nfl as his career goal, he should have never stepped foot on the campus of west point.

but he did, took the oath, and it doesnt make a damn bit of difference what the lions invested, it was not near the amount the governemtn invested in his free education that he voluntarily pursued.

[This message has been edited by txdawg80 (edited 7/25/2008 9:56p).]

i will ask again:

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may have been mentioned earlier, but West Point allows Nick Hill & Milan Dinga to play baseball. why the sudden change in policy?

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Because the Air Force and Navy Academies were pissed that the Army was doing this and complained to the DoD. No one cares about a couple of minor league pitchers.

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if the young man really wanted to play in the nfl as his career goal, he should have never stepped foot on the campus of west point.

but he did, took the oath, and it doesnt make a damn bit of difference what the lions invested, it was not near the amount the governemtn invested in his free education that he voluntarily pursued.

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He could've transferred after his sophomore year with no obligation. He was told by his coach that he could still attend the Academy AND play in the NFL.

We don't know what would've happened if he had known he wouldn't be able to play for 2 years.

Also, he still could've been an officer in the Army, after playing in the NFL.

And, if he had transferred, he still would've gotten a free education.

The Army has a shortage of Officers right now. That is one of the major contributing factors. We're not laying off 900+ Lieutenants like the Air Force did last year.

the thing you are not realizing is the military is not your normal civilian job.


no matter how bad the orders suck, you follow them.

as i said if his goal was really to play football beyond college, he should have never stepped foot on the campus of west point. he put himself in this position, he chose to stay at west point, it does not matter what a civillian coach told him, i'm sure he is smart enough to realize orders dont come from a football coach, and a football coach will not dictate policy for the army.

he had an opportunity to leave the usma like everyone else, he chose not to, he chose this life style.

former Cowboys' DT Chad hennings also served in Desert Storm before coming to the Pokes from the Air Force.

As a Marine, I recognize the commitment it requires to fulfill one's obligation in military service. My issue lie with the narrow definition of said service. In today's business world, recruiting talent is an extremely competitive entity. the service academies, and therefore our military, are also competing for talented young people. How impactful would it have been for 2nd Lt caleb Campbell to make the NFL and actively recruit for the Army? i'm thinking it would also influence enlisted recruiting as well, which is extremely difficult these days.

Like some others on the board, I get the feeling some panty-wadded senior officer(s)decided they had better follow the traditional path. I wish they could be a little more flexible in their approach. caleb Campbell could easily "pay off the taxpayer's investment in his education" by recruiting AND playing in the NFL.

Shouldn't have gone to Army to play football.

His football was part of the reason he got in the Academy.

He showed NFL potential, and he was told he could indeed play in the NFL. He did not transfer.

if that is the case he could have played elsewhere, if he had no desire to be in the army.

if his only interest was the nfl, and he chose to stick it out at west point that was a dumb decision, but i dont think that is the case.

he had to know this could happen, just like soldiers on the irr know you can be called back.

He was told he could have his cake and eat it to. I'm not sure what part you guys don't understand. The DoD screwed him.

It depends on who, exactly, 'told' him, and how much actual authority that person had to make those kind of decisions. Apparently whoever it was did not, ultimately, have that kind of authority.

Maybe the West Point folks were overstepping their bounds by committing to him this kind of agreement, and the other academies were just asking for a consistent application of existing policy. If that is the case, I don't see that he got 'screwed by the Army'.

One consquence of this chain of events will certainly be fewer kids who want to have a shot at the NFL will consider West Point as a viable option. That may or may not be OK with the West Point community.

no one screwed him

he may have screwed himself if he thought he would never have to perfrom traditional military duties.

he should have never been able to be drafted to begin with, but to suggest he was screwed is idiotic.

he asked for this lifestyle, he voluntarily pursued a commission from west point.








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HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL READS THE CARD OF A MAN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sQozssvZ8M

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no one screwed him

he may have screwed himself if he thought he would never have to perfrom traditional military duties.

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He was told he wouldn't have to if he was drafted. By the Army.

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he should have never been able to be drafted to begin with, but to suggest he was screwed is idiotic.

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Army said he could be.

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he asked for this lifestyle, he voluntarily pursued a commission from west point.

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He was told he could still be commisioned, still graduate with his class, and still play in the NFL.

I really don't see how you can't comprehend how the DoD screwed him over.

i'm functioning at a 3rd grade reading level, hence the correction.


he voluntarily asked for this lifestyle, and to live under the ucmj.

he made a commitment to the military. he had an opportunity to pursue other options away from the military if he wanted, but he CHOSE to stay with the army, and live by it's rules.

you do not attend usma/usna/usafa and think pro sports will override your obligation to the military. no one at any academy would tell any recruit that.

[This message has been edited by txdawg80 (edited 7/26/2008 2:32p).]

[This message has been edited by txdawg80 (edited 7/26/2008 2:37p).]

First off, the NFL drafts.

Second,

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you do not attend usma/usna/usafa and think pro sports will override your obligation to the military. no one at any academy would tell any recruit that.

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He was told he could serve in a special capacity and the PR from playing in the NFL and serving as a recruiter/PR function would qualify his commitment.

It's almost as if you have not read anything about this story.

There are 2 Army graduates playing minor league baseball, Nick Hill & Milan Dinga.

[This message has been edited by Rudyjax (edited 7/26/2008 2:37p).]