Turnover is something of a necessary evil in big-time college athletics. Every year, lineups and rosters change as players from the previous team go their separate ways. Sometimes, it’s because eligibility has been worn out and players graduate. Other times, people may decide that the place where they are is just not for them and opt to transfer. Let’s not forget there’s also the allure of the pros.
The reality of turnover has been all too evident here at Boston University this past week as Terrier fans have seen two key players in different sports ride off early into the sunset.
In wake of the men’s hockey team’s national championship, sophomore forward Colin Wilson has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, the team that drafted him with the number seven overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Coach Jack Parker is widely-known as someone who not only expects excellence from his players on the ice, but also in the classroom ‘- and by that, it means you better earn your degree. In the interview shown on the big screen at the championship rally, Parker stressed this point. He said he’s had many players who have gone on to the NHL, but very few of them actually make their living playing pro hockey, and find themselves out of the league in three or four years.
I love Parker’s outlook on graduation. There are too many overzealous coaches out there who don’t look out for their players’ best interests and urge them to go pro at the drop of a hat so that they can boast to recruits about how they can do the very same for them. Parker’s commitment to his players and the ideals of scholarship is unfortunately few and far between in today’s world of college sports.
I usually tend to be in accord with Parker’s beliefs, but in Wilson’s case, I may just have to disagree a bit. I think Wilson has made the right choice in this situation. He led the team in points this year and was statistically the most decorated player on a championship squad that featured four All-Americans and the National Player of the Year. His presence was usually overwhelming in games, and it seemed like he was always the most dynamic guy on the ice.’ Saying he was a man among boys is probably a little clich’eacute; and hyperbolic, but it’s not a totally inaccurate assessment.
To some, it may have been a bit of a surprise that Wilson even came back to the Terriers this past year, considering his high-draft status. He came back for his sophomore season, played terrifically and was a central figure in perhaps the most-decorated BU squad in the program’s storied history.
Considering how early he was taken in the draft, he should be in for a big payday. Unless Wilson has the financial responsibility of Bernie Madoff, he probably won’t have to worry about money the rest of his life, and his skill set seems like it will transfer well to the NHL.
The other early exit from our part of Commonwealth Avenue came in the form of Jake O’Brien, the multi-dimensional freshman forward from the BU men’s basketball team. Unlike Wilson’s departure, I don’t get this one at all.
This opinion isn’t a knock on O’Brien’s skill or personal character. I’ve enjoyed watching him play this year and had high hopes for him and what he could do for the team in the coming years. He had a great freshman season, averaging 12.5 points per game, shooting a good percentage from 3-point range and winning America East Rookie of the Year in the process. He was a valuable contributor down low and showed flashes of brilliance, especially towards the end of the year.
O’Brien made his intention to transfer pretty clear and was granted his release by the university last week. His decision was possibly in response to the firing of Dennis Wolff, but he was quoted as saying that he ‘feels like he had a good enough year where he could play at a higher level.’ All indications would point to him looking to transfer to a school in a bigger conference like the Big East or ACC.
This is where I start to get thrown off. Did O’Brien have a great freshman season? Of course he did, and his stats and accolades speak for themselves. Was his decision a reaction against Wolff getting fired? College basketball players often are put in tough situations when there is a coaching change, as they see the man who they came to play for leave the school. I truly sympathize with the young men put into these situations, but I just don’t feel Wolff’s exit is the reason for this circumstance.
I think Jake’s success this season may have given him some visions of grandeur and made him feel as if he could do better than BU. If he believes he can succeed elsewhere or just doesn’t feel like he’s in the right situation here, that’s fine. But thinking that he can step onto a Big East or ACC team and make some sort of important contribution is a pretty ill-conceived notion.
Although O’Brien was a force in the America East, he’s got some pretty resounding flaws.’ His physical stature and degree of skill created mismatches in the AE, but he won’t find any such luck in the Big East or ACC.
He doesn’t have the speed or dribbling skills to play small forward in an elite conference. At 6’8′ and 205 pounds, he’s definitely not cut out to be a power forward, particularly in the notoriously physical Big East. Don’t even get me started on the idea of him playing center. So where does that leave O’Brien? Probably on the bench for the remainder of his career, with the exception of garbage minutes or Senior Night.
As Wilson and O’Brien both move on in their careers and lives, I wish them the best of luck regardless if their decisions seemed compelling. But for their sake, their careers better pan out, especially in a world littered with wasted talent and unfulfilled promise.
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