Jamaica athletes face massive setback

[Islandman]

Doesn't this ruling seem have some parallels to the ruling in English Country cricket limiting foriegners years ago?

That was effectively the beginning of the end for the great WI teams. No longer could we send young, raw talent to England for a few seasons and recieve in return professional, international-calibre players.

Fortunately, the difference with T&F is that MVP led the way in creating an alternative for our top tier athletes, so at least we are not caught totally flat-footed waiting on the JAAA to find alternatives, the way we were with the WICB.

[Assasin]

talk to a few people yesterday and many don't see it as such a big deal. While it will affect some but there are many Comm Colleges around and we just have to look wider. This only affect Comm Colleges in D2 I think. NAIA is also an option.

As Sickko say they are trying to get away from some coaches stockpiling athlete rather then competing.

[Gamma]

"stockpiling" no siree .. the intent is to facilitate the development of american talent. the way i see it, if the talent was there to begin with the jakan athlete would not even get a sniff.

[Gamma]

yup! is it me or does it seem that county cricket is not as exciting as it used to be and that the quality has dropped a notch or 2 (still better than regional cricket though, as it always was)

[Assasin]

At that the talent pool is not that deep. There is no change to Division 1 or even to to 4 year colleges.

This is really the real lower level where most exceptional talent with a little homework will not find themselves. If this was an accross the board change then I would agree. Still a blow but not a big one. Can't be compared with county cricket.

[Gamma]

that is where it will start ... watch and see if it will not eventually include NAIA and the NCAA Div I schools ... mark my words.

[Assasin]

I will bet you on that G. The Division 1 schools I can't see them going that way. NAIA schools maybe but if they do some won't have a program.

[Islandman]

More like 3 or 4 notches. LOL.

At any rate county cricket will probably never return to what it was even if they lifted the restrictions. The center of the cricket universe has moved from England to India. Thats where the appearance fees and endorsement money is made.

[Gamma]

alrite sah .. put me down on record as having said that. this is a reaction to something i saw/read about a year ago where a prominent figure was complaining about the jamaicans being trained in the US to beat US athletes.

[Karl]

I agree with you on this, Gamma. The only problem, though, is training facilities. As Franno said sometime last year, there are only so many athletes who can utilize Stadium East.

Franno just said that moving outside of the island will always be an option for the great majority.

I do not see that changing anytime soon. We turn out vast quantities of athletes with the potential to do well. It is the same thing in every other discipline, not enough local opportunities for our local 'graduates'.

I am not joking when I made reference to the 'umpteen' numbers of quality athletes that we lose each year. I have had a front row seat of that from the '60s. With full respect for the efforts of Franno, UWI, Cast and Gen Mills - nothing has occurred to change my mind. The numbers with great potential just keep on pouring out in ever increasing numbers and our offer on avenues to assist is woefully inadequate.

[Assasin]

that is true but they have so many sports and so many foriegners in American sports that they have to keep it up. Remember them take 1 and 2 a the Jamaicans and others who come here to college to build their program.

If it was just for track I would say yes but it govern all the sports even syncronize swimming too -

[Sickko]

I said that? When? Where?

[Sickko]

You realise Assassin that the majority of our athletes who did well after US college since the late 1970s to not so long ago went through the JC system first before transferring to the big schools

[Assasin]

when talk about "Pappy rule"

[Assasin]

Do they go to D2 JC colleges?