Army Solider Plays Pro Football

[bigcountrysg]

ALLEN PARK -- If football doesn't work out, Lions' seventh-round draft pick Caleb Campbell has a fallback career waiting for him in the Army.
Campbell, a linebacker/safety the Lions took with the 218th pick, is the first Army player to take advantage of a new exception to the academy's commitment to active service upon graduation. Campbell will be on active duty when he graduates May 31st, but his job will be to play football for the Lions and he'll work in his spare time as an Army recruiter.
If his playing career ends after two years, Campbell said he'll have fi ve years of reserve duty remaining. If it ends before two years, he'll branch into air-defense artillery.
"They think the marketing and the PR that I'm going to give the Army is going to be very benefi cial," Campbell said. "I'll still be active duty but I'll just work as a recruiter as opposed to my classmates, they'll be given some unit, they might be deployed. My obligation is to play football."
Campbell is the first Army player drafted since quarterback Ronnie McAda was Mr. Irrelevant in 1997.
With the Lions, he joins a team rich in military background. Lions coach Rod Marinelli served a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam, and president Matt Millen's son, Marcus, played football at West Point with Campbell. Marcus Millen will graduate May 31 and branch into infantry.
Matt Millen said the Lions' military connections had nothing to do with Campbell's selection Sunday.
"That just happens to be that it happens to be," he said. "If you took West Point off his chest and put another school on he'd still get drafted.
"You draft him for the right reasons and the reasons are first and foremost he's a good football player, second of all he's what you're looking for in terms of football character."


I think this is the biggest pile of crap I have ever heard.

I am all for serving our country as I did. But to have gone through West Point only to be given up by the Army to play pro football. The Army claims it is for PR reasons.

Ok the Army spends more money on PR then any other Branch.

They have 2 NHRA dragsters one top fuel one funny car, they also have one drag bike in the NHRA, along with one Nascar team. Now we are flipping the bill for a pro foot ball player.

They say in his off time he will be recruiting. Ok so what happens if he gets injured and is unable to for fill his contract with the lions or the Army. Then we will be flippin his disability bill for the rest of his life.

What a great way to spend my tax dollars.

[AJF]

I thought it was a good story.

[Dirk]

Terrorism on the gridiron. Can't be too vigilant.

[rankroddin250]

dont it feel good that your tax dollars put him through school and now pay him to play foot ball.

[bigcountrysg]

Originally Posted by rankroddin250

dont it feel good that your tax dollars put him through school and now pay him to play foot ball.

That is what I am so torqued about. I hope he does not get one second on the field this year.


I would hate to see my tax money wasted on medical bills for this guy. I hate to say it but if the Army has this much money to throw away. But yet complain that they need more money to buy equipment. Come on, I think someone in Government needs to step up about this.

I may just need to find out what Recruiting Office he is gonna be working out of. This Marine may have to pay him a visit.

[silverF250]

Originally Posted by AJF

I thought it was a good story.

I think it is a good story also. Why shouldn't he get a chance to play pro just because he is in the services? How much money do you think the government has spent on him? I would bet no more than $40-50,000 on his education. If he actually makes the team the Lions will be footing the bill not the government. If you want to be upset about government spending than complain about the state schools paying for athletes to go to school and them not graduating or studying African American studies. More taxpayers money is wasted on this than one kid getting the chance to play pro.

[lifewitlooie]

In every service when there is a star athlete they try out for the "ALL MARINE BOXING or SOFTBALL or SOCCER" If they make it then they get to travel around like a mofo playing there sport. he isnt the first to do it trust me. big difference is he is going to be doing it full time

[AJF]

Originally Posted by silverF250

I think it is a good story also. Why shouldn't he get a chance to play pro just because he is in the services? How much money do you think the government has spent on him? I would bet no more than $40-50,000 on his education. If he actually makes the team the Lions will be footing the bill not the government. If you want to be upset about government spending than complain about the state schools paying for athletes to go to school and them not graduating or studying African American studies. More taxpayers money is wasted on this than one kid getting the chance to play pro.

I like that point. One of my friends went to West Point, he quite, but at the scholarship cermony our high school had there was an officer that said Davis was worth $345,000 as a student of West Point, so it is more than 40K I guess. I don't know why though.

[bigcountrysg]

Originally Posted by lifewitlooie

In every service when there is a star athlete they try out for the "ALL MARINE BOXING or SOFTBALL or SOCCER" If they make it then they get to travel around like a mofo playing there sport. he isnt the first to do it trust me. big difference is he is going to be doing it full time

I know what your saying. But this is a little different then this guy with a West Point Education.

[lifewitlooie]

yeah. you know for some high speed schools like mine lol j/k Air traffic control school cost abbout 30 or 40K to put us through. It may or may not be true what1ever. I can imagine a west point education being worth over 100K all said and done. It does suck but there was a Marine who got out early I think and went on a country tour and did leaps and bounds for Marine recruiting. Not like the Marine Corps needed it though. Men are still walking in and signing up