Yale University senior quarterback Patrick Witt had a tough decision to make last Saturday. His choices were interview for the prestigious Rhodes scholarship or play in "the game" between Yale and hated rival Harvard. After much deliberation Witt decided to suit up and help his team to victory. Although Yale lost Witt said he has no regrets. Did he make the right decision?
Absolutely not. The chances of Patrick Witt playing NFL football are slim and even if he was a top prospect missing one game wouldn't have affected his overall assessment that dramatically. The Rhodes scholarship is the ultimate insurance policy synonymous with excellence and the key to unlocking just about any corporate door. As if being a Yale graduate wasn't prestigious enough adding Rhodes scholar to your resume guarantees a huge amount of interest from fortune 500 companies. There are no guarantees in the NFL.
Football purists will argue he made the right decision. You don't abandon your team for selfish reasons and no one person is bigger than the program. He's the leader of the team and their most important player. To run out on them to fulfill a personal commitment would be considered betrayal.
Personally I think it's important to look at the big picture. The Rhodes scholarship is an opportunity that will continue to pay dividends for a lifetime. The average career of an NFL player is less than 5 years. If you look at it that way it's a no brainer. Missing "the game" wouldn't jeopardize his chances of getting to the NFL, but missing the Rhodes scholarship interview ruined his chances of obtaining the scholarship. Team unity and comradery are important, but I don't think it's as important as securing your future. Your thoughts?
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