July 12, 2010
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - For over a week, LeBron James had the sports world wrapped around his finger. His every move was covered by a media that simply went with any rumor as fact. In the end, James chose to play for the Miami Heat and the City of Cleveland was hit in the gut as their homegrown King suddenly was gone. James went to seek his riches of championship gold elsewhere. The people of Cleveland are left to wonder how it happened. How could James leave home? How could he choose to think there was a better place than the place he was raised?
Welcome to the world of pro sports versus college sports. For seven seasons James was the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the world of free agency means change can happen and it can turn a hero into a goat over night. That doesn't happen in college sports. Athletes may leave early for a pro career, but everyone leaves eventually. No one keeps their eligibility for 10 years. That's why only one name on the jersey matters, the one on the front.
That name is more than just a logo or piece of identification. It is a thread that bonds players, coaches, school presidents, former students, current students and fans forever.
No matter the number of players from UCF that play in the NFL, they are UCF Knights forever, It doesn't matter how many passes Brandon Marshall catches or yards Kevin Smith runs for or field goals Matt Prater kicks, they'll always bleed black and gold . It doesn't matter which NFL they played for last season or who they will play for in three seasons, they are part of our nation.
College fans have always been different than pro fans. We all root for our team to win. But for the most part, fans of a pro team understand things are a bit different. For one, it's always about the money. Secondly, most pros do not play for a city or state. They play for a team because they were either drafted by that team, traded to that team or was offered a lot of money to play there. In college, student-athletes pick a school to be a part of. They go a place they want to go to.
UCF has had teams with star players. Players who were special in their talents and those that garnered extra attention. But the college game is such that your heart cannot be broken like so many Cavaliers fans feel LeBron did to them. Oh yes, players do transfer. But there's a cap to the length of a college career.
Players come and go. Coaches come and go. But the team is always there. We root for the team. We feel a little extra special when they win. We hurt a little bit more when they lose. They make us scream with joy and sometimes make us angry in defeat. But we come back because they are our team. There will always be the next quarterback, the next running back and the next linebacker. The numbers see new faces, but he who wears No. 79 today will give way to another.
We may hope for the next Daunte Culpepper, Kevin Smith or Jermaine Taylor. But those stars never told you someplace else was a better place to play. And so is the difference between the pro and college world.
The people of Cleveland may choose to erase the memories of James and all he meant to their town. He likely won't ever be welcomed back. The Cavaliers may go from one of the best teams in the NBA to one of the worst and James may find championship success on South Beach. And don't get me wrong, stars win titles. But in college, the star light burns just so long because the name on the back of the jersey will eventually change, but the name on the front is always there for you.
Marc Daniels' From the Press Box runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF-ISP Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts "The Beat of Sports" on ESPN 1080 in Orlando from 9-11 a.m.