No worries Lanky. They may have all been right: A projected third rounder when it appeared he would go the route of the NFL, and then eventually undrafted. No one took a chance on him changing his mind. I really posted this thread for one main reason, but have come to learn many things from it in time. Pretty cool, really.
1. I never knew that a potential Olympian runner could make $400k a year in endorsements--and not even take hits. With lawsuits and concussions becoming more publicized, I now see how that could be attractive to him, and his family members. 8 years running, or 3-5 getting pounded?
2. In the last 24 hours, I've learned a little about Olympic politics. In the preliminary, Demps was part of a four man team that broke the US record. No matter--the coach still replaced him at the last minute. The trust is now broken in his mind. If the same coach is there four years from now, won't he pull him again? Who wants to train four years for that? According to his family, he no longer looks at the Olympics four years from now as being guaranteed. The kid....young kid......is absolutely crushed right now.
3. What if they had won Olympic gold? Jay Leno, Dave Letterman, maybe a Wheatie's box? Maybe a Nike US shoe contract for sprinters? How much potential fame and fortune did he just lose? Will his current sponsors continue to pay a guy who didn't even run in the final $400k next year? I doubt it.
4. The biggest reason why I made this thread....I can't tell you how impressed I am. Not with Demps. But rather, with Bruce and Shanny for not only knowing who this kid is, but for actually sending two team representatives to the US Olympic trials to try and sign him if he faltered.
Think about that for a minute. How intelligent was that? With the "Capgate" scandal in full effect, and with the FO scrambling to look not only at legal options, but also focusing on player solutions.....to have the competency to also go after Demps--a player that many FOs thought was a lost cause? Brilliant!
Now compare that type of planning and execution to what we suffered through with Vinny. I'll bet Vinny still doesn't even know who Jeff Demps is.
Usain Bolt to the NFL? Nope. But we came pretty damn close to having our own version.
This is a fascinating story to me. And even if we don't get him in the end.....we've still succeeded.