Shaq gets an MBA

[Young Drachma]

Story

Shaquille O'Neal returned to the Forum on Saturday, not for an NBA game, but to pick up his MBA.

The man who once called himself the Big Aristotle was the tallest and most famous of the 2,200 University of Phoenix graduates at the arena. But O'Neal said he was simply getting ready for the real world.

"It's just something to have on my resume [for] when I go back into reality," the 7-foot-1 Miami Heat center said before picking up his master's in business administration. "Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else."

O'Neal played with the Los Angeles Lakers at the Forum until the team moved to the downtown Staples Center in 1999. Championship banners and the gold-and-purple jerseys of retired stars still hang on the walls.

"Sports for me has always been, you know, fairy tale life. And this right here is real life," he said of his degree. "This right here means more."

O'Neal left Louisiana State University as a junior in 1992 to turn pro, and made good on a promise to his mother to graduate, earning a bachelor's in business from LSU in 2000.

For the University of Phoenix, a national for-profit college that caters to working adults, the Big Graduate did online work, and, before he was traded, attended classes several days a week at a West Los Angeles campus. Fellow students weren't intimidated, he joked.

"They would all say, 'You're not like we thought you would be. You're not as smart as we thought that you would be,"' O'Neal said.

O'Neal, who left the Lakers following a well-publicized feud with Kobe Bryant, said his job experience came in handy in the classroom.

"I used my basketball experience working with different egos, to get everybody to work together," he said.

But O'Neal likes to be in charge. He previously took courses at a police academy and said he'll aim for another degree, in criminal justice. He hopes to eventually work as a sheriff or police chief and said he met some people in those top positions with advanced degrees.

"I wanted to have the same type of knowledge that they had," he said.

O'Neal worked with classmates to design mock sneaker and cell phone companies, though he already had more than a little experience in the business world from product endorsements, his own clothing line and forays into movies and music.

The degree, he said, "solidifies that I'm a businessman."

The Big Executive is ready to take on Bill Gates and Donald Trump.

"I could always go and have a conversation with Mr. Gates or Mr. Trump. But now that I have this," he said, "I can really have a conversation with them on the same level that they have their conversations."

[Lathum]

Good for him. He is a the model of what every sports star should be.

[Galaxy]

Anyone watch his show on ESPN that follows him around?

[Franklinnoble]

I wonder how many guys in the NBA ever bother to continue their educations after they enter the league and start making big money. Good for him.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

A true rennaisance man he is.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I wonder how many guys in the NBA ever bother to continue their educations after they enter the league and start making big money. Good for him.

A lot more than people think, from what I understand.

[Young Drachma]

Doug Glanville retired today as a Phillie.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Here's the most interesting part of the story, that piggybacks this Shaq story (and in my mind, surpasses it)

Glanville spent six years with the Phillies, most of them as the starting center fielder. His corporate life will have him utilizing his the science and systems degree he earned at the University of Pennsylvania.

He serves as a managing partner for Metropolitan Development, a company that builds condominiums and custom homes in Chicago's western suburbs, and remains on the Board of Overseers of the engineering college at Penn. While in college, he wrote his thesis on the feasibility of a proposed ballpark in West Philadelphia, concluding that the cost of new transportation systems would have been prohibitive.

[ThunderingHERD]

Yeh, but he's also an Everquest addict:

Tamat - Do you know of any other baseball players who play EverQuest II?

Curt (Schilling) - I know of 2 for sure, Todd Pratt and Doug Glanville I know play.

[theclassic]

I don't see how Shaq is a model for all pro athletes, just because he's gotten his degree. We don't think of actors any less because they don't have degrees, why do we think less of athletes without degrees. There in the same business, entertainment. I believe John Travolta (sp?), doesn’t even have a high school degree, and I know for sure he didn't when he started his acting career as a high school dropout.

Why does Shaq think he is more qualified to have a business conversation with Bill Gates, than before he had his degree? Once again I don't believe Bill Gates even has a degree, and he certainly didn't when he started Microsoft. College degrees are overrated, and imprison people into professions they may not like, and people stay in those professions just because they believe that's all they’re qualified to do. Why? Because that's what their degree that they spent an enormous amount of money on reflects to them and to human resource departments.

[HerRealName]

I guess his dedication towards that goal is impressive but does an MBA from the University of Phoenix really count as a real MBA?

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

I guess his dedication towards that goal is impressive but does an MBA from the University of Phoenix really count as a real MBA?

It is my understanding that they have legitimate national accreditation, so I say yes. It may not be the same as a Harvard MBA, but it is still a real MBA.

[jamesUMD]

Originally Posted by theclassic

College degrees are overrated, and imprison people into professions they may not like, and people stay in those professions just because they believe that's all they’re qualified to do. Why? Because that's what their degree that they spent an enormous amount of money on reflects to them and to human resource departments.

I totally disagree with this statement. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy and administer 401K plans for T Rowe Price. Not exactly pigeon holed. I believe that a degree serves the task of opening more doors of opportunity. I worked as a web developer prior to my current role. It's all how you spin the interview that determines whether or not you can gain entrance into a field outside of what your degree is in.

I do think that having a degree does not neccesarily make you smarter than the guy without one. I think that a degree does show potential employers your potential not to be a fuck up. Getting a degree does take a level of commitment, sacrifice, and follow through over the course of an extended period of time that I think is important to employers as it translates to your work ethic on any job.

There are people that are successful without the aid of a degree, but IMO, those opportunities are becoming fewer and farther between, or at the very least are in more volatile fields (home mortgage reps, real estate, IT).

It depends on the individual. I have one friend that does not have a degree, but learned a specialized set of skills (electrical engineering in the Navy), and pretty is certain to be able to find work.

One other friend lacks any sort of trade skills, has found the mortgage rep thing to be a tougher market to crack into than he thought, and is back to waiting tables.

[jamesUMD]

for the topic Steve Francis was on Campus taking Summer classes after he had been drafted and I thought that was fairly impressive.

I think that it's impressive that Shaq did this just because he does not have to. He is probably already set for life from what I have read. To make a commitment when you don't need to is the impressive thing.

Doug Glanville's MBA from University of Pennsylvania is a much more impressive degree though being that it came from an Ivy league school rather than an On-line program that has been somewhat lambasted in educational circles.

[Lathum]

I don't see how Shaq is a model for all pro athletes, just because he's gotten his degree. We don't think of actors any less because they don't have degrees, why do we think less of athletes without degrees. There in the same business, entertainment. I believe John Travolta (sp?), doesn’t even have a high school degree, and I know for sure he didn't when he started his acting career as a high school dropout.

Shaq is a model for mor then one reason. He is personable, charitable, and an all around likeable guy.

The actor-Athlete argument is apples and oranges to me. Yes they both make lots of money, but an athlete has a much shorted lifespan then an actor so more athletes need something to fall back on. A succesfull actor can act into their 70's where as even the best athletes are pretty much done by their late 30's.

[sabotai]

"It's just something to have on my resume [for] when I go back into reality," the 7-foot-1 Miami Heat center said before picking up his master's in business administration. "Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else."

With how much money he makes? He'll have to get a regular 9-5 job? If I had a fraction of the money he has, I and the rest of my family could retire.

But good for him on getting it. And a real on, too. Not one of those phony "honorary" ones that are the rage these days among celebrities.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by theclassic

I don't see how Shaq is a model for all pro athletes, just because he's gotten his degree. We don't think of actors any less because they don't have degrees, why do we think less of athletes without degrees. There in the same business, entertainment. I believe John Travolta (sp?), doesn’t even have a high school degree, and I know for sure he didn't when he started his acting career as a high school dropout.

Why does Shaq think he is more qualified to have a business conversation with Bill Gates, than before he had his degree? Once again I don't believe Bill Gates even has a degree, and he certainly didn't when he started Microsoft. College degrees are overrated, and imprison people into professions they may not like, and people stay in those professions just because they believe that's all they’re qualified to do. Why? Because that's what their degree that they spent an enormous amount of money on reflects to them and to human resource departments.

I don't think college degrees are the end all be all, but they are valuable. At what point in the process would you say there is no longer value in education? College gives you the framework for decision making and problem solving that most people don't have after just a high school education. That is the most important part of the process. And no one gets pigeon holed these days unless they want to be, that hasn't been the case for years.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

I guess his dedication towards that goal is impressive but does an MBA from the University of Phoenix really count as a real MBA?

most Nursing masters (MSn) are accuired from the U/ of Phoenix mainly because the classes are cheaper than from a ''normal'' school.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by theclassic

College degrees are overrated, and imprison people into professions they may not like, and people stay in those professions just because they believe that's all they’re qualified to do. Why? Because that's what their degree that they spent an enormous amount of money on reflects to them and to human resource departments.

Wow - I disagree in a big way. I agree that having a college degree doesn't necessarily mean someone that has it is smarter than someone that doesn't, and there are certainly examples where academically questionable people have college degrees due to slipshod oversight by their schools, but generally speaking a college degree shows that a particular job candidate not only has some level of intelligence and a certain aptitude in their area of focus, but as or more importantly, they have demonstrated the drive to apply that knowledge toward a goal. Any company and HR director worth a damn feels the same way.

There are differences obviously between undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees and their impact on your job prospects. Obviously, as you pursue a particular line of study in beyond a bachelor's degree, you gain an ever-increasing level of expertise in that subject and will be more attractive to employers in that particular field, but it's usually not all that limiting.

In my experience, what degrees you have on your resume matter the most when you're first starting out in a particular type of career. As you build up work experience, that becomes the dominant factor in your desirability as an employee, with your degree(s) becoming increasingly unimportant, with the exception of those that pursue additional degrees directly related to their field of work (people going for their MBA's being a common example).

At Microsoft, I came across a large number of people that had undergrad and even graduate degrees that had little or nothing to do with what their positions at the company; they were smart, ambitious people who did a good job of convincing HR that their school experience had broader applications than just in their field of study, and the HR people were smart enough to recognize that.

The extent to which someone may feel "trapped" in a profession because that's what their degree(s) say they should do is really dependent on those people's willingness to let themselves feel that way.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Shaq is a model for mor then one reason. He is personable, charitable, and an all around likeable guy.

I'll second that. I didn't want to like him when he first came into the league, mainly because I thought he got away with too much contact on offense. I also didn't think much of his forays into music and acting.

But over the years, I've come to realize that this is a guy with a pretty level head on his shoulders, a tremendous sense of humor and a pretty big heart. I've talked with a few people that have had direct dealings with him and they all have very good things to say about him - that he doesn't have a prima donna attitude, that he's personable and that he's smart.

I think it's great that he not only completed his undergrad at LSU after leaving early, but he pursued this MBA degree and is seriously considering pursuing a Criminal Justice degree. He's made enough money in salary and commercial endorsements that, unless his financial advisors are completely incompetant and/or crooks, he's financially set for life many times over.

I suspect what the MBA does for him is allow him to feel more comfortable taking an active role in his financial dealings. Highly visible people like him with that much money are constantly being approached to invest in this business/real estate, contribute to that charity, etc. He probably wants to have a more educated basis to be able to evaluate these requests, and good for him. If he feels like this degree gives him the means to better communicate with Bill Gates and Donald Trump on their level, good for him.

[jeff061]

Getting a degree does take a level of commitment, sacrifice, and follow through over the course of an extended period of time that I think is important to employers as it translates to your work ethic on any job.

As someone without a degree and not a day of college experience, this is how I view them.

That said I've had good paying jobs since I was 20 and have consitently moved forward in my field. Both with responsibilities and money. Currently the only real obstacle I see overcoming due to lack of degree is breaking the management barrier.

However I'm only 23, and going by current experience I am maybe 3-4 years away from entering management grounds. So I have plenty of time to work my way in, even if i need to tack another 4 years on top of that to help make up for my lack of degree.

However not all job fields allow this kind of freedom without going to college, thankfully in IT there are a fair amount of people with a background similar to mine willing to give chances to guys who interview well and have good experience.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by jeff061

However I'm only 23, and going by current experience I am maybe 3-4 years away from entering management grounds. So I have plenty of time to work my way in, even if i need to tack another 4 years on top of that to help make up for my lack of degree.

However not all job fields allow this kind of freedom without going to college, thankfully in IT there are a fair amount of people with a background similar to mine willing to give chances to guys who interview well and have good experience.

And the cool thing is that many companies are willing not only to let people work towards a degree but to contribute to the cost of doing so, looking at it as an investment in their employees and improving the company by doing so.

[Ragone]

He wants to be a police officer.. great.. can you see anyone resisting arrest against shaq?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by jamesUMD

I do think that having a degree does not neccesarily make you smarter than the guy without one. I think that a degree does show potential employers your potential not to be a fuck up. Getting a degree does take a level of commitment, sacrifice, and follow through over the course of an extended period of time that I think is important to employers as it translates to your work ethic on any job.

I met a Lt. Colonel back when I was in the Air Force. He went to Dartmouth and told me exactly what you said there. It's not about the degree. It's about the sacrifice you put up with to get it - and to do well.

Say what you want about it, an advanced degree says something about the person. Especially for a guy like Shaq who obviously doesn't need to do it. He's not even grandstanding, because he actually had to show up once or twice. You think his classmates wouldn't want to secretly see the jock not do so well?

[SFL Cat]

Originally Posted by theclassic

I don't see how Shaq is a model for all pro athletes, just because he's gotten his degree. We don't think of actors any less because they don't have degrees.....

I do, especially when they sit in front of Congressional committees and try to pass themselves off as some kind of foreign affairs expert or an expert in some other field that is FAR outside their expertise as an actor or an athlete. Call me an intellectual snob, but I have no real interest in listening to these type of people (some of whom lack even a high school diploma) prattle on about their views of world affairs.

So cudos to Shaq.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

I do, especially when they sit in front of Congressional committees and try to pass themselves off as some kind of foreign affairs expert or an expert in some other field that is FAR outside their expertise as an actor or an athlete. Call me an intellectual snob, but I have no real interest in listening to these type of people (some of whom lack even a high school diploma) prattle on about their views of world affairs.

So cudos to Shaq.

Kinda like a certain star of a soon to be blockbuster alien movie.

[SFL Cat]

I think the jury is still out on whether it will be a blockbuster or not. I haven't seen anything that makes me want to rush out and see this film.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Wow - I disagree in a big way. I agree that having a college degree doesn't necessarily mean someone that has it is smarter than someone that doesn't, and there are certainly examples where academically questionable people have college degrees due to slipshod oversight by their schools, but generally speaking a college degree shows that a particular job candidate not only has some level of intelligence and a certain aptitude in their area of focus, but as or more importantly, they have demonstrated the drive to apply that knowledge toward a goal. Any company and HR director worth a damn feels the same way.

There are differences obviously between undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees and their impact on your job prospects. Obviously, as you pursue a particular line of study in beyond a bachelor's degree, you gain an ever-increasing level of expertise in that subject and will be more attractive to employers in that particular field, but it's usually not all that limiting.

In my experience, what degrees you have on your resume matter the most when you're first starting out in a particular type of career. As you build up work experience, that becomes the dominant factor in your desirability as an employee, with your degree(s) becoming increasingly unimportant, with the exception of those that pursue additional degrees directly related to their field of work (people going for their MBA's being a common example).

At Microsoft, I came across a large number of people that had undergrad and even graduate degrees that had little or nothing to do with what their positions at the company; they were smart, ambitious people who did a good job of convincing HR that their school experience had broader applications than just in their field of study, and the HR people were smart enough to recognize that.

The extent to which someone may feel "trapped" in a profession because that's what their degree(s) say they should do is really dependent on those people's willingness to let themselves feel that way.

College does two very key things, it teaches you about how to teach yourself, and teaches your responsibility.

[theclassic]

The main counter argument I'm hearing is that completion of a college degree, shows to yourself and future employers your dedication to prior commitments, and your life goals. I understand that it does do this. But once again it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense based on a financial standpoint. Aren't there other ways you could show commitment, without $50,000+ spent?

And the point I was trying to make earlier and should have gone into further detail about is that college is overrated. I have spent two years in college so far, and have found out that you don't have to read that much, papers can be written up within an hour before they’re due, and 90% of the stuff you learn in class is fairly useless, and with a little bit more effort, could all have been read in a library for free.

And most importantly is the smugness that comes with college degrees. People with degrees often feel more superior to those who don't have degrees. And people without degrees feel crappy to those who do. That's what I really can't stand. When in all truthfulness I'm pretty sure those without their degrees and who are in the real world, worked a lot harder over that 4-year period, than those who were out earning their degrees.

College is fine, I'm not bashing college at all. It opens up great opportunities for people. But to look at someone on a higher plateau just because they have their college degree, seems to be quite asinine.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by theclassic

The main counter argument I'm hearing is that completion of a college degree, shows to yourself and future employers your dedication to prior commitments, and your life goals. I understand that it does do this. But once again it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense based on a financial standpoint. Aren't there other ways you could show commitment, without $50,000+ spent?

And the point I was trying to make earlier and should have gone into further detail about is that college is overrated. I have spent two years in college so far, and have found out that you don't have to read that much, papers can be written up within an hour before they’re due, and 90% of the stuff you learn in class is fairly useless, and with a little bit more effort, could all have been read in a library for free.

And most importantly is the smugness that comes with college degrees. People with degrees often feel more superior to those who don't have degrees. And people without degrees feel crappy to those who do. That's what I really can't stand. When in all truthfulness I'm pretty sure those without their degrees and who are in the real world, worked a lot harder over that 4-year period, than those who were out earning their degrees.

College is fine, I'm not bashing college at all. It opens up great opportunities for people. But to look at someone on a higher plateau just because they have their college degree, seems to be quite asinine.

It really does matter where you go to school. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to you. That said, if you go somewhere inexpensive or plan halfway decent..it doesn't have to cost you 50k.

Or even half that, really.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

It really does matter where you go to school. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to you.

Matters in some cases, doesn't matter in every case. Neither my dad or uncle have a college degree. My uncle lives in a multi million dollar home and is one of the most successful insurance saleman in southern california. My dad also does very well in the video industry working on current releases in the telecine field.

College degrees certainly help you get opportunities in the working world, but it will still end up coming down to how well you can do the job, colege degree or not, degree from a "good" college or not.

[Balldog]

Originally Posted by Danny Drickman

Matters in some cases, doesn't matter in every case. Neither my dad or uncle have a college degree. My uncle lives in a multi million dollar home and is one of the most successful insurance saleman in southern california. My dad also does very well in the video industry working on current releases in the telecine field.

College degrees certainly help you get opportunities in the working world, but it will still end up coming down to how well you can do the job, colege degree or not, degree from a "good" college or not.

The opportunities your dad and uncle got back then are no longer available now unless you have a degree. Things have changed quite dramatically, a lot of companies REQUIRE that new employees have a degree of some sort.

My mom has worked in Human Resources for almost 40 years, when her company closed the plant she was working at no one would even interview her because she didn't have a degree.

Our plant manager where I work was hired 20 years ago, promoted from within with no degree only previous manager experience of 1 year. Now for even the lowest paying jobs we have here you are required a minimum of an associate's degree, which the guy you are working for does not even have. It is now a corporate wide policy, no degree = no salary job hires.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Balldog

The opportunities your dad and uncle got back then are no longer available now unless you have a degree. Things have changed quite dramatically, a lot of companies REQUIRE that new employees have a degree of some sort.

My mom has worked in Human Resources for almost 40 years, when her company closed the plant she was working at no one would even interview her because she didn't have a degree.

Our plant manager where I work was hired 20 years ago, promoted from within with no degree only previous manager experience of 1 year. Now for even the lowest paying jobs we have here you are required a minimum of an associate's degree, which the guy you are working for does not even have. It is now a corporate wide policy, no degree = no salary job hires.

You are probably right, hence why I already have an Associates and want my bachelors degree at minimum, but the main point I am trying to make is a top notch degree from a top notch college is nice and all and will give you oppurtinities, but it will still end up coming down to how well you can do your job, not whether you graduated from Uof Phoenix or some better school.

[Franklinnoble]

College degrees definately matter. I'd be making more money now if I had one. Period. I could be doing the exact same job, and the company would pay me a little more if I had a diploma. Not only that, but having it would seriously increase my options for promotions and job advancement. So, I'm pursuing some distance learning options. Because, when I was younger, I thought I was smart enough to get by without finishing college, but now I realize that I was just being lazy and stupid.

[jeff061]

Or maybe it's just time for you to switch companies or jobs. Not everywhere is like that.

In any case the only reason I'm avoiding college is issues I had in High School still plague me. If it's not computer related my attention span is nil and I just can't put the time or energy into it. Since High School everything I've done is computers, and I worry I'll spend a ton of money on college just to flunk out.

It's a mental thing and I'm doing alright.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Balldog

The opportunities your dad and uncle got back then are no longer available now unless you have a degree. Things have changed quite dramatically, a lot of companies REQUIRE that new employees have a degree of some sort.

My mom has worked in Human Resources for almost 40 years, when her company closed the plant she was working at no one would even interview her because she didn't have a degree.

Our plant manager where I work was hired 20 years ago, promoted from within with no degree only previous manager experience of 1 year. Now for even the lowest paying jobs we have here you are required a minimum of an associate's degree, which the guy you are working for does not even have. It is now a corporate wide policy, no degree = no salary job hires.

Exactly: college degrees have basically been reduced to the value of a high school diploma. No one cares what you did there, but they won't even give you the time of day if you don't have them. Kindof fitting since there's a lot of uselessness to the time I spent in college. Sure, (most of) my Computer Science classes were hard and I learned a lot. There was a bit much on the theory side because you could tell they were trying to get you ready for being a grad student but that's life at a public university.

But whenever I wandered out into CLAS (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), this mentality made sense. There's extra credit, they're surprised when you turn something in, they take attendance in some classes, etc- it's like a giant babysitting atmosphere for morons and anyone with half a brain did the least they could to get an A while focusing on their important classes. If you don't go to your CS/CoE classes, they don't care- but if you do, you'll miss that material for the day and it'll come back to haunt you on tests or projects.

SI

[Young Drachma]

SI did this story on athletes who recently finished up their degrees. It's NFL players in particular..but still pretty neat.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200.../05/grads0711/

[sterlingice]

Anyone know what's up with Robert Smith. I remember he quit football and was making murmurings about going to med school and I was wondering if that ever turned out.

SI

[Young Drachma]

This is from a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article published in 2003 around the time Clarett came out.

Smith played eight years in the NFL. During his playing career, he had talked about the possibility of entering medical school. But he did not pursue that path.

"I could apply to medical school now but I'm not going to do that," Smith said. "Your perspective on life changes so much as you age. Well, I voted for (Bill) Clinton twice. When I was an idealistic 18-, 19-year-old, that's what I wanted to do, but it's not me now. I had a construction company before I left the game. And I also have a software company and we manage health care networks."