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Big mistake by Justin C.

Paris Ford says hi. But yes it is a good gig while it lasts. And he can finish college anytime, but top tax bracket and then state tax on top of it. If in LA or NY, it does not go as far as one thinks.
 
So what’s the worst thing that can come out of this for JC ? He ends up in the D league and finds that he’s nothing special so then he goes overseas and plays ball . All he’s missing out on his playing bb at Pitt for another yr or two . Not much downside especially if a college education/experience isn’t what your after . I still think he should’ve stayed , I’m not convinced he ‘s ready , but I wish him well .
 
Paris Ford says hi. But yes it is a good gig while it lasts. And he can finish college anytime, but top tax bracket and then state tax on top of it. If in LA or NY, it does not go as far as one thinks.

Big difference is that Paris Ford is pretty much screwed while Champagnie will make a really nice life for himself playing overseas. I suspect that was their intention all along, as I doubt even his people ever had much hope that he would be drafted.

Coming back to Pitt wasn’t going to improve his draft status much at all no matter what he did due to his measurables and him being one year older, getting paid to play now was the right move for him.
 
Paris Ford says hi. But yes it is a good gig while it lasts. And he can finish college anytime, but top tax bracket and then state tax on top of it. If in LA or NY, it does not go as far as one thinks.
Top bracket? Guess you don’t know how IRA’s and 401k’s work.
 
I don't know if he'll succeed in the NBA, I have my doubts. Having said that, he absolutely needs to go. Too much risk of an injury and/or regression coming back to a terrible team where teams will be able to focus on him and try to lock him down. He will do well overseas, at the very minimum.
 
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Well JC no longer has a free ride to complete his degree so if things don't pan out in bball he now has to pay his own way for to complete his degree.
 
That's the 2 way contract deal.

Undrafted Lamar Stevens from PSU and many others are on that. That's Champagnie's worst case scenario. He gets 435K for a year to prove he's an NBA player.
G-League players on a 2-way deal make something like $80k. Now if he is up with the NBA team that is obviously a different story. Nonetheless, it’s money that is in the top .05% of new Pitt grads.
 
Big difference is that Paris Ford is pretty much screwed while Champagnie will make a really nice life for himself playing overseas. I suspect that was their intention all along, as I doubt even his people ever had much hope that he would be drafted.

Coming back to Pitt wasn’t going to improve his draft status much at all no matter what he did due to his measurables and him being one year older, getting paid to play now was the right move for him.
Paris Ford has a better opportunity to stick with the Rams than JC will have making an NBA team. And going overseas is not a given - they have limited slots there as well. But I can’t blame JC for leaving if school wasn’t your thing.
 
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Well JC no longer has a free ride to complete his degree so if things don't pan out in bball he now has to pay his own way for to complete his degree.
That’s not true. He can come back and his degree will be paid for. The NCAA put that into place a few years ago.
 
Big difference is that Paris Ford is pretty much screwed while Champagnie will make a really nice life for himself playing overseas. I suspect that was their intention all along, as I doubt even his people ever had much hope that he would be drafted.

Coming back to Pitt wasn’t going to improve his draft status much at all no matter what he did due to his measurables and him being one year older, getting paid to play now was the right move for him.

We all want him to come back but the reality is that even what he'll get in Europe is still plenty of money.
 
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Well JC no longer has a free ride to complete his degree so if things don't pan out in bball he now has to pay his own way for to complete his degree.
The NBA Players Association most likely has a program that pays for college. I don’t know that for certain, but I do know that baseball players who sign a standard minor league contract have the ability to go to college for free (it’s via a tuition reimbursement program). Unfortunately, only about 10% actually take advantage of it I read.
 
The NBA Players Association most likely has a program that pays for college. I don’t know that for certain, but I do know that baseball players who sign a standard minor league contract have the ability to go to college for free (it’s via a tuition reimbursement program). Unfortunately, only about 10% actually take advantage of it I read.
I suspect that the 10% number is because a lot of guys figure that they’ll pursue it once their playing days are over.
 
G-League players on a 2-way deal make something like $80k. Now if he is up with the NBA team that is obviously a different story. Nonetheless, it’s money that is in the top .05% of new Pitt grads.
That's what it used to be. Now its 435K no matter if you play 1 or 82 NBA games
 
That's what it used to be. Now its 435K no matter if you play 1 or 82 NBA games
If my understanding is correct that change has not been made permanent. It was only alerted for the 2020/21 season. There’s a chance that the collectively bargained scale will return next year.
 
So what’s the worst thing that can come out of this for JC ? He ends up in the D league and finds that he’s nothing special so then he goes overseas and plays ball . All he’s missing out on his playing bb at Pitt for another yr or two . Not much downside especially if a college education/experience isn’t what your after . I still think he should’ve stayed , I’m not convinced he ‘s ready , but I wish him well .
About my take on it. He will do very well overseas if the NBA doesn't work out.

What sucks is I'm sure if he felt that he and Pitt had a chance to play for something next year,like a NCAA tournament berth, there;s a good chance he would have stuck around.
 
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Paris Ford says hi. But yes it is a good gig while it lasts. And he can finish college anytime, but top tax bracket and then state tax on top of it. If in LA or NY, it does not go as far as one thinks.
Paris Ford wasn't half the player that Champ is in their respective sports. Paris Ford also quit on his team and put no effort into preparing for the combine, then ran a hand timed 40 that a lot of lineman can beat.

Champ has nothing to gain from coming back to college. I've said from the start that I don't see him sticking in the NBA, but he has every reason to try. Maybe he gets lucky and somebody overdrafts him. Maybe he lands in a spot with a coach who really believes in him and sees a role for his skill set. Maybe he doesn't even get drafted and starts his career overseas, but coming back to Pitt had mostly bad prospective outcomes for him.
 
I love JC, I just think this is a poor decision. He disappeared in college games in a depleted ACC. I just don't think he's ready, but wish him the best. Even the best of Pitt's best haven't fared well in the NBA for the most part.
 
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About my take on it. He will do very well overseas if the NBA doesn't work out.

What sucks is I'm sure if he felt that he and Pitt had a chance to play for something next year,like a NCAA tournament berth, there;s a good chance he would have stuck around.
Thinking otherwise , I can fully appreciate a guy whose a sure fire 1st rounder /lottery pick type choosing the money , but a guy who might not even be guaranteed to get drafted declaring had enough of college ball . If he was interested in winning an ncaa championship I’m sure some elite school would have loved to have him .
 
Paris Ford has a better opportunity to stick with the Rams than JC will have making an NBA team. And going overseas is not a given - they have limited slots there as well. But I can’t blame JC for leaving if school wasn’t your thing.


There is a far, far better chance that Champagnie will be playing basketball for money next year than there is that Ford will be playing football for money.
 
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Top bracket? Guess you don’t know how IRA’s and 401k’s work.
Limited. The tragedy is agents steer these guys to bums who sell them gimmicks that blow up. And family needs, etc. Gotta get a contract in the NBA or forget the McLaren.
 
Paris Ford wasn't half the player that Champ is in their respective sports. Paris Ford also quit on his team and put no effort into preparing for the combine, then ran a hand timed 40 that a lot of lineman can beat.

Champ has nothing to gain from coming back to college. I've said from the start that I don't see him sticking in the NBA, but he has every reason to try. Maybe he gets lucky and somebody overdrafts him. Maybe he lands in a spot with a coach who really believes in him and sees a role for his skill set. Maybe he doesn't even get drafted and starts his career overseas, but coming back to Pitt had mostly bad prospective outcomes for him.
That first sentence isn’t true, or even close. Ford was a standout in every game on the football field. He made plays amd was always in the action. He blew his pro day but that doesn’t diminish the fact that he was a damned good college football player. And Champ exhibited his own selfishness on the floor on occasion. I’m not sure I blame him for that though, when there were a couple of his teammates seemingly playing for themselves a lot as well.
 
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There is a far, far better chance that Champagnie will be playing basketball for money next year than there is that Ford will be playing football for money.

It’s not even up for debate. Ford faces a long road to even making an NFL roster, and if he doesn’t his opportunity to play for pay is pretty much over.

Champagnie not only will have multiple opportunities to play overseas, but will probably have pretty much his choice of destinations. Freaking Chase Adams is still getting paid to play around the world.
 
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There is a far, far better chance that Champagnie will be playing basketball for money next year than there is that Ford will be playing football for money.
We’ll see! I think a lot of you think if not the NBA - that overseas is a given...not in the least.
 
Rozelle Nix was paid to play overseas, but you think Champagnie may not be able to?
I said it’s not a given. JC was good but there’s nothing in his game that says sure fire...NOTHING! And being paid to go over seas is not that big of a deal.
 
When is the last time you went to an NBA game?


What difference does that make? If you don't think that Champagnie is good enough to at least get a contract to play basketball in Europe next year you could be the owner of an NBA team, and you'd still be clueless.
 
That first sentence isn’t true, or even close. Ford was a standout in every game on the football field. He made plays amd was always in the action. He blew his pro day but that doesn’t diminish the fact that he was a damned good college football player. And Champ exhibited his own selfishness on the floor on occasion. I’m not sure I blame him for that though, when there were a couple of his teammates seemingly playing for themselves a lot as well.

Paris Ford was far from a standout in every game and might not have been drafted even if he hadn't performed so poorly at the combine. If anything, I think that professional talent evaluators would give him a break on the pro day numbers given the technical mistakes he made when performing the test. Anybody who watched him play knows he isn't a 4.8 guy, but they should also know that he just isn't much of an NFL prospect. Takes poor angles too often which leads to poor tackling, lost in deep zone, doesn't diagnose routes nearly as well as he plays the run, etc. So many red flags before you even get to the combine. Champ obviously wasn't a perfect player, but you're out of your mind if you think they were comparably effective in their respective sports.
 
Rozelle Nix was paid to play overseas, but you think Champagnie may not be able to?
Ahhh yes…..Rozelle “The Hotel” Nix……it’s all coming back to me now…..that 2015 class may very well have signified the moment JD officially jumped the shark at Pitt. That class was nothing less than an embarrassment for a once proud, once formidable major program. The next one featuring first team Steel-Curtain All-American Justice Kithcart ( “just wait til he show up Rawle Adkins in a regional AS game”) was only marginally better, amd turned out to only be better on paper.

Good times! Granted, better times than these, but still,…

nix3-JM.jpg
 
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