The Bubba Starling Thread

VA Husker Fan said:
knapplc said:
VA Husker Fan said:
Expected and reality are two different things. Draft projections are all talk until they happen, wasn't Rendon supposed to go higher, for example? Plus Bubba could've gone higher to another team, and it seems a bit more likely he'd want to play in his neighborhood with the Royals.

Pro baseball teams talk to players before the draft like they do in football, don't they? If he seemed pretty serious about football, a sign would've been a lot of teams taking a pass on him. That didn't happen. The Royals are either taking a gamble, or from talking with him know they have a good chance to sign him.

All this is info that points to it being less likely he'll be a Husker. Nothing shocking, but there's nothing at all here that makes it more likely.
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I suppose there was a Prince Amukamara's chance that Bubba fell to the 20th pick or so, but it would have had to be the perfect draft for that to happen. We're talking three chances in 100. The other 97% of the time a player with Bubba's abilities is going to be drafted in the top ten, same as Prince.

I feel bad that this comes as a surprise to you. The easy money was on Bubba getting drafted this high and it always has been. Now we just have to see if he wants to play college football.

Coincidentally, the same situation we were in this time yesterday.
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Hujan, if he doesn't sign with the Royals by Aug 15, the Royals lose his rights. He's off limits for 3 years, then he is eligible for the draft again. Whether he gets good money depends on how he does in college ball, and whether he gets hurt playing football. College may expose a hitting weakness, or he may just tear up all pitching and be #1 after 3 years.
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Thanks. So if his dream was to play for the hometown team, this is pretty much his only guaranteed opportunity. Darn.

 
zonaSker said:
OregonHuskerMan said:
Playing for KC is like playing for Colorado; no one wants to do it unless they really have to.
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WTF are you talking about?????? First of all, he's a homebody who(at least according to his mother & sister), doesn't sound at all like he's ready to dive into the real world. Well, that barrier pretty much just got thrown out the window with him being drafted by KC. That is an absolute DREAM situation for him. As far as Colorado, I guess you missed the fact that they were in the world series in 2007. Not to mention that as a hitter, it's the best place in the world to inflate your stats.

Somebody has been smoking too much of that Oregon hippy hay. Christ
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pretty sure he was talking about the university of colorado football team. quite obvious really...

 
This is like the small town Nebraska kid getting a scholarship offer to play for the Huskers. Walking away from that to another school doesn't happen very often. I don't see Bubba turning this one down. I was really encouraged going into this when numerous sites were pointing towards the Nationals. Bubba isn't exactly the type of guy that would be comfortable roaming DC IMO. Arkansas, Omaha, KC however...easy choice.

At least I'll still get to see the kid play ball...

...but I'll always be wondering 'what-if'. Ultimately I think that will be the deciding factor for him as well. He's a competitor. He can go play baseball and have the successful career we all expect him too - or he could head to Nebraska. I think the greater challenge lies 3 hours north. The easy way out is MLB, and if he takes it, 15 years from now he'll be retired, content with his baseball career, and wondering if he could have been a great QB had he just delayed his decision a few years. He'll never know though, and neither will we.

 
kchusker_chris said:
This is like the small town Nebraska kid getting a scholarship offer to play for the Huskers. Walking away from that to another school doesn't happen very often. I don't see Bubba turning this one down. I was really encouraged going into this when numerous sites were pointing towards the Nationals. Bubba isn't exactly the type of guy that would be comfortable roaming DC IMO. Arkansas, Omaha, KC however...easy choice.

At least I'll still get to see the kid play ball...

...but I'll always be wondering 'what-if'. Ultimately I think that will be the deciding factor for him as well. He's a competitor. He can go play baseball and have the successful career we all expect him too - or he could head to Nebraska. I think the greater challenge lies 3 hours north. The easy way out is MLB, and if he takes it, 15 years from now he'll be retired, content with his baseball career, and wondering if he could have been a great QB had he just delayed his decision a few years. He'll never know though, and neither will we.
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Thats an easy way out? Um, last time i checked the major leagues are tougher than college. What if he came up here and ended up getting hurt or his baseball skills declined because he was not fully committed to baseball? I know if that happened to me, I would wonder what it would have been like if i focused on baseball. Also, he would always wonder how good he could have been if he solely focused on the major leagues, it is a two way road. Watching video of him though, I do not think he will succeed as a qb, he has too much air under his ball that will be easy to pick off for division 1 cbs. But who knows!

 
I think the odds of him coming here have become increasingly stacked against us from Watson and Anderson being fired, Green leaving, and now the Royals drafting him. I'd give it a 5% chance that he plays for us.

 
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huskerfan333157 said:
kchusker_chris said:
This is like the small town Nebraska kid getting a scholarship offer to play for the Huskers. Walking away from that to another school doesn't happen very often. I don't see Bubba turning this one down. I was really encouraged going into this when numerous sites were pointing towards the Nationals. Bubba isn't exactly the type of guy that would be comfortable roaming DC IMO. Arkansas, Omaha, KC however...easy choice.

At least I'll still get to see the kid play ball...

...but I'll always be wondering 'what-if'. Ultimately I think that will be the deciding factor for him as well. He's a competitor. He can go play baseball and have the successful career we all expect him too - or he could head to Nebraska. I think the greater challenge lies 3 hours north. The easy way out is MLB, and if he takes it, 15 years from now he'll be retired, content with his baseball career, and wondering if he could have been a great QB had he just delayed his decision a few years. He'll never know though, and neither will we.
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Thats an easy way out? Um, last time i checked the major leagues are tougher than college. What if he came up here and ended up getting hurt or his baseball skills declined because he was not fully committed to baseball? I know if that happened to me, I would wonder what it would have been like if i focused on baseball. Also, he would always wonder how good he could have been if he solely focused on the major leagues, it is a two way road. Watching video of him though, I do not think he will succeed as a qb, he has too much air under his ball that will be easy to pick off for division 1 cbs. But who knows!
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if I had to put money on it...I would bet that he has a more likely chance of being successful in MLB, than he does being equally successful in both college baseball and football plus in the classroom and as a leader on the team. that's why I say it's a greater challenge. MLB - he just shows up and does his job daily. playing Husker football is very different than MLB from the team dynamic standpoint. playing Husker football is very different from the classroom/life standpoint as well. Does he want sports to be his job, or the same part of his life as it is now. He'll go out there and hit .280 with 25+ HRs and bat in 100 nearly every year for the 10-15 years of his career. He is about as safe of a bet as it goes when drafting prospects. Lots of crap could happen, I won't argue with you there. But all things being equal...the sure bet is MLB. The 'what-ifs' all lie in Nebraska IMO.

...and as for the air under his ball? you realize he will be coached now right? he'll improve, grow, etc?

 
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Hujan said:
and the fact that he doesn't seem like the type of character to put money over the more fundamental things in life like an education, friends, family, and the college experience.
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Sorry, but how does choosing MLB over college football have anything to do with "fundamental things" like you mentioned? Can he not get that from the professional world? Do you have none of that in your job or career?

Let's be honest. If you put that much money in-front of yourself at 18, you know you'd be hard pressed to not say no to it. I know I would probably choose the MLB route if I were in his shoes. I admit it would be hard, but it would be hard not to turn down an automatic paycheck. It has nothing to do with "fundamental things" that you mentioned. That is laughable.

He has friends, he can make friends in the minors and at the majors. He has family. And the college experience, will always be there for him, either in a few months or years down the road. Look at Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, or former Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke.

He has to not only do what's best for him, but he has to be as successful as he can be. Maybe he knows he will be a better MLB player than college football player, but really wants to go to college at the same time?

He can have his cake and eat it too, he is in that good of a situation.

Which is why we should just be happy for him that he has two GREAT decisions to make. He will make the decision that is best for him, for his career and his family. He does seem torn, which makes me think he is really, really, really leaning towards Nebraska, but when that contract offer arrives, he will be hard pressed to turn it away.

Accepting money is not a bad thing at all.

How many of you have left a job to advance your career? For better benefits, more money, more stability? To help your family? Can you not do what's best for you? Isn't that why Nebraska left the Big XII? For the reasons I just listed? Should we go back to the Big XII because of loyalty and what it used to be?

You know you can take money and not be greedy at all. Being greedy would be demanding more than he is being offered. He isn't choosing money over ethics, you can get ethics anywhere, it just depends on what kind of person you are and how you go about life, it's your personality. Money makes things click and the world turn. However, it's the LOVE of money that can be the root of evilness.

I know I'd like to have that extra cash in my checking account as a security measure, to not only secure my future, my career, my family, but my future family as well. Much like how Nebraska looked after itself when we joined the Big Ten.

How is that a bad thing?

It just seems like some of us are jealous and selfish that he may go the MLB route. If he does, I say good for him and good luck. If he comes to Nebraska I will still say thanks for your commitment, and good luck on being the best Husker he can be.

Let's just be happy for him and stop saying if he turns down Nebraska that he is a "bad person with no fundamentals" because in my opinion, that's what it seems like some of the posters are trying to do.

Please Husker nation, do not take his choice personal if he chooses the MLB and calling him selfish or something like that.

huskerfan333157 said:
kchusker_chris said:
This is like the small town Nebraska kid getting a scholarship offer to play for the Huskers. Walking away from that to another school doesn't happen very often. I don't see Bubba turning this one down. I was really encouraged going into this when numerous sites were pointing towards the Nationals. Bubba isn't exactly the type of guy that would be comfortable roaming DC IMO. Arkansas, Omaha, KC however...easy choice. At least I'll still get to see the kid play ball......but I'll always be wondering 'what-if'. Ultimately I think that will be the deciding factor for him as well. He's a competitor. He can go play baseball and have the successful career we all expect him too - or he could head to Nebraska. I think the greater challenge lies 3 hours north. The easy way out is MLB, and if he takes it, 15 years from now he'll be retired, content with his baseball career, and wondering if he could have been a great QB had he just delayed his decision a few years. He'll never know though, and neither will we.
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Thats an easy way out? Um, last time i checked the major leagues are tougher than college. What if he came up here and ended up getting hurt or his baseball skills declined because he was not fully committed to baseball? I know if that happened to me, I would wonder what it would have been like if i focused on baseball. Also, he would always wonder how good he could have been if he solely focused on the major leagues, it is a two way road. Watching video of him though, I do not think he will succeed as a qb, he has too much air under his ball that will be easy to pick off for division 1 cbs. But who knows!
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Agreed mostly. The tough challenge would be going professional. He might feel he will be more successful as a MLB player as opposed to a college football player as I stated earlier, and probably won't go professional in the NFL, but that still is a long way to go.

I'm glad we recruited Bubba, I would recruit him too, but let's be honest, he was throwing the ball and running against Kansas kids, not the most powerhouse high school football teams. He is a hell of a runner though, and has the arm, but I think his passing accuracy needs to be worked on.

Some of us here think that he is a finished project and the minute he steps on campus he will be a 3 times Heisman Trophy winner. He is not a finished project. Can he be? Absolutely, but he has things to work on, such as the ball hanging in the air too long, he has got to get the ball to his receivers faster and not leave them up in he air as much. However, we will have coaches that WILL help him improve, and he will NATURALLY improve with the game and experience.

If he put up those stats in California, Texas, Florida, or Ohio, then I would be very impressed. But against Kansas competition, I am wary of him throwing the ball at this point in his career, and him looking a little loss in the High School All-Star game, he is not a finished project and needs some things to work on. But as most high school prospects, that's how it is, they have some things to work on.

I am glad he is a Husker, I hope he ends up here, if he doesn't I won't hold it against him and I will understand, but he will need to work on things and if he can he can be a great one, I absolutely believe that.

 
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kchusker_chris said:
But all things being equal...the sure bet is MLB. The 'what-ifs' all lie in Nebraska IMO.
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Agreed. The sure bet is the MLB, but how's that a bad thing? If that's what he is comfortable with and he can be the most successful in, then he has the right to do that as well as making sure he has his life covered.

Going through the minor leagues can be a grind, but the minute he steps on campus he will be a GOD before even playing one down. From a popularity stand-point, he will have it easier here based on the hype alone and has everything at his finger tips.

And absolutely agree, the what-ifs will be at Nebraska...I still think about Carl Crawford at Quarterback. Jamaal Lord at safety. Solich still here in 2004, takes the team to great heights, especially if Bo stays. Bo takes over in..201X? Since Solich said that was the plan all along for Bo to eventually take over.

But do we get into the Big Ten with Pedey at the helm? Or does he leave, since Bo would be promoted to Head Coach, Osborne comes in and we still get in the Big Ten?

Agh, that's for a Rumorville or What-If thread!!!

Sometimes it's best to just take things as they come and not think about the what-ifs, but it is hard to do that in the off-season. :)

Now back to your regular scheduled programming thread....

 
druski_2k5 said:
kchusker_chris said:
But all things being equal...the sure bet is MLB. The 'what-ifs' all lie in Nebraska IMO.
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Agreed. The sure bet is the MLB, but how's that a bad thing? If that's what he is comfortable with and he can be the most successful in, then he has the right to do that as well as making sure he has his life covered.

Going through the minor leagues can be a grind, but the minute he steps on campus he will be a GOD before even playing one down. From a popularity stand-point, he will have it easier here based on the hype alone and has everything at his finger tips.

And absolutely agree, the what-ifs will be at Nebraska...I still think about Carl Crawford at Quarterback. Jamaal Lord at safety. Solich still here in 2004, takes the team to great heights, especially if Bo stays. Bo takes over in..201X? Since Solich said that was the plan all along for Bo to eventually take over.

But do we get into the Big Ten with Pedey at the helm? Or does he leave, since Bo would be promoted to Head Coach, Osborne comes in and we still get in the Big Ten?

Agh, that's for a Rumorville or What-If thread!!!

Sometimes it's best to just take things as they come and not think about the what-ifs, but it is hard to do that in the off-season. :)

Now back to your regular scheduled programming thread....
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I think you might be reading into my thread a little too much. :) I'm speaking more from Bubba's perspective, my "what-ifs" mean nothing - if he doesn't go to Nebraska he's leaving a lot of things unanswered as far as his athletic career IMO. Baseball is looking pretty dang good right now if I'm Bubba. So, I think about all we have going for us at the moment is the hope that he has a competitive drive in him to succeed at the collegiate level, rather than entering a world we all already assume he will dominate.

Ultimately, the kid as nothing to prove. He done enough to be a winner in my book. I'm already starting to see posts about him not being that great of a passer/player - which will shortly lead into the "we didn't really want him anyway" talk which is sad. The guy's a Burkhead. We need more of them on the team.

 
If Bubba comes what Position? QB? I think we are Jammed up with Young Qbs? I read that he was told that he wouldnt red shirt. So would he move to another Positon? How in the world would he come in and dethrone A starting qb from last year and One that everyone is high on? So does any one have any inside ifo on this?

 
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