President Trump showed up at the Army-Navy football game Saturday and gave players a bit of news: They can defer their military service to play pro ball, Fox News reports.
“So what we’re doing now is you’ll go out and you’ll make a fortune,” Trump said in the Army locker room. “And after you are all finished with your professional career, you’ll go and you’ll serve. And everybody’s thrilled.”
Players cheered him in each locker room upon hearing the news, the AP reports. And Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who accompanied Trump, confirmed it: “We have changed that policy,” he said.
PDT just allowed Military Academy teams to recruit so many more talented athletes. which makes those institutions more competitive, more accessible (anyone remember Blanchard & Davis?) now, those w/ Big League dream can get into some of the best technical institutions in the world w/out sacrificing their best athletic years.
… just serve your 4-year obligation after you’ve pursued your dream
brilliant move, PDT … Making America Great Again! … Trump is becoming a truly remarkable president
Thanks to full Colon Kaepernick, Military Academy grads will look forward to going back into the military because they’ll make more money, work in a safer environment, and won’t have to put up with felons.
Oh, wow! Now The United States’ an hero forces can, finally, get the (if not before, certainly after) millionaire thugs, they so, desperately, need!
And, Ivanka’s thrilled!
Whether the athlete finishes his career at 35 or 40 years old, it makes no difference, they can still serve in some capacity.
Heck, coke-snorting Hunter Biden got a Navy waiver in his 40s, so basically ANYONE can serve.
Imagine a thirtyish self-absorbed lieutenant on pain therapy meds after he retired from the NFL.
Why only jocks? What about pilots and engineers. Bad move.
I have some deep reservations about this move. I don’t want to criticize Trump, and I share his love of football. BUT:
What multimillionaire ex-player is going to want to be a butter bar in the infantry. (Or do they get preferential treatment.)
Will the Academies start recruiting those who are not suitable for the military in order to boost their football teams.
Given that most of Academy students are already athletes, how is this fair to the hockey players, the basketball players, the boxers or wrestlers, the baseball players.
And how is this fair to the scholar recruits who could go make a lot of money on Wall Street instead of being an Army officer.
What now will West Point do about the too-heavy linebackers who can’t pass their PTs? Give them another exemption instead of requiring diets?
Was this Trump’s sneaky way to change the culture of the NFL?
Or to enhance the reputation of the Academies into Tier One sports status?
When would these football players have to serve their five years? After they are injured? Old? No longer viable? Or will they get another exemption of some sort, other special treatment.
I dunno. Don’t like the idea that the taxpayer invest $2 mil in the military education of anyone who is planning to go play pro sports.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
When I was an undergrad Navy had TWO 2 Heisman winners! Joe Belino and Roger!
OK I’m old
Not his best idea. Who cares if the academies have the best athletes? They aren’t there for entertainment – they are there to learn to lead. Sports and competition is a TOOL they use, not an end in itself.
The military has already lowered standards for minorities and women. Now they ABSOLUTELY WILL lower academics to get the best thugs, I mean jocks, onboard. They’ll do it quietly and discreetly, but they will do it.
Having written several endorsement letters for deserving Eagle Scouts and understanding the current level of placement difficulty for even EXCEPTIONAL “majority boys,” I can tell you this is crap.