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VILLANOVA’S SZCZUR SIGNS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL CONTRACT; WILL RETURN TO VILLANOVA IN FALL

VILLANOVA, Pa. (July 1, 2010) -- Villanova’s Matt Szczur, CAA Football’s reigning Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year, has signed a contract with Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs and will report to one of the franchise’s minor league affiliates within the next few days, it was announced today. The contract will allow Szczur, a rising senior in football at Villanova, to return to campus this fall and play his final year for the Wildcats which won the NCAA Division I National Championship in 2009.

Szczur begins his professional baseball career just a few weeks after the Cubs made him their fifth-round selection in last month’s amateur draft. He will be able to play baseball this summer before returning to campus for the start of fall semester classes as well as preseason football workouts.

http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.db ... =204965442" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So everybody was right.

A win-win! He'll help the Cats beat Penn yet again!

Did I mention that I hate Penn?

This is a similar situation with Lucas O'Rear, a basketball player at UNI. He got drafted in the 5th round by the Reds, and will be playing baseball this summer but returning to UNI to finish his senior year with the basketball team.

I wish the NCAA would make up their minds. I dont' have a problem with what they are letting him do, but I don't see how it was any different than this story. Making money from anything, sponsor/team, don't see much difference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/25/sport ... remy_bloom

GrizFanStuckInUtah wrote:I wish the NCAA would make up their minds. I dont' have a problem with what they are letting him do, but I don't see how it was any different than this story. Making money from anything, sponsor/team, don't see much difference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/25/sport ... remy_bloom

Yeah, the salary but no endorsements idea is pretty stupid.

93henfan wrote:

GrizFanStuckInUtah wrote:I wish the NCAA would make up their minds. I dont' have a problem with what they are letting him do, but I don't see how it was any different than this story. Making money from anything, sponsor/team, don't see much difference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/25/sport ... remy_bloom

Yeah, the salary but no endorsements idea is pretty stupid.

Well, I'm sure gald they work it that way because our outgoing Senior QB had been in the Reds organization for 5 years before deciding to leave and go to college

Ricky Williams, former Texas RB & Phillies minor leaguer was probably the most famous guy to do this.

I wish him luck - pretty cool to be playing football with a contract in your back pocket. Let's hope he's able to stay injury free through the season.

Good for him. Gets best of both worlds.

Would be interested to see what he got as a signing bonus and see if he got a slightly reduced amount for the risk of playing football this fall. Either way, he gets to play a sport he loves and is really good at for another season.

Ivytalk wrote:A win-win!

Not for everyone.

89Hen wrote:

Ivytalk wrote:A win-win!

Not for everyone.

I'm already compiling a list of cute kids that need bone marrow that I'll be sending to him in a week or two.

It matters where you're drafted I think, was watching College Football Live last night & they were talking about Kyle Parker, Clemson's QB who was a 1st round pick by the Rockies. Somehow I'd really doubt the Rockies would allow a similar setup where he could play both. Could you imagine the reaction of the Rockies GM if/when the 1st round pick gets a serious injury.....

93henfan wrote:I'm already compiling a list of cute kids that need bone marrow that I'll be sending to him in a week or two.

GrizFanStuckInUtah wrote:I wish the NCAA would make up their minds. I dont' have a problem with what they are letting him do, but I don't see how it was any different than this story. Making money from anything, sponsor/team, don't see much difference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/25/sport ... remy_bloom

I agree - Bloom got screwed back then. The NCAA should always allow this type of situation to happen. I mean, they should do something positive for the student athlete, considering all the negative things they have in place to govern them. Good for Sczsur and others that can do this.

89Hen wrote:

93henfan wrote:I'm already compiling a list of cute kids that need bone marrow that I'll be sending to him in a week or two.

+1

Good For Nova, bad for the rest of the CAA teams who have to play against him;-(