Cord Sandberg (Former Manatee QB) retires from Baseball to seek football Scholarship

[gatorman-uf]

Sometimes it is interesting how things play out. I saw him play once in 2011 and 2012, he seemed a big talented type of guy who would have excelled at Mississippi State for Mullen. If he chooses the Gators, I think it is great.

More interesting to me is one of the linked articles in the article, where he chose baseball because of the potential longer career due to the fear of concussions. When we talk of a dying sport this is something that we should continually talk about.

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/flor...etirement-could-help-florida-gators-football/

 

[Silver King]

Good article, talented kid. Minor league baseball is a grind - in this case anyway, it's worse than the possibility of concussions...

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

Oh wow, I always thought once a player is drafted or even signed onto ANY pro sport team then they are done with college sports, period. So, I'm guess as long as its a different sport they can play do what he's doing? But then again if you are undrafted in the NFL and NBA you cannot come back. So what makes baseball so different? And I'm curious has anybody ever challenged this policy in court?

I remember him after watching the Manatee vs. Palmetto game...

 

[gatorman001]

Hoping he end's up a Gator and back with Dan Mullen, I always thought Cord was the most complete QB to ever play at Manatee!

Go Canes Go!

 

[DarterBlue2]

Oh wow, I always thought once a player is drafted or even signed onto ANY pro sport team then they are done with college sports, period. So, I'm guess as long as its a different sport they can play do what he's doing? But then again if you are undrafted in the NFL and NBA you cannot come back. So what makes baseball so different? And I'm curious has anybody ever challenged this policy in court?

I remember him after watching the Manatee vs. Palmetto game...

Several former baseball players have gone on to play college football when it became obvious that their baseball dreams were not going to pan out. A couple have even made it to NFL rosters after that. Vernal Morencey (I may have gotten his name slightly wrong) from Miami Nortwestern comes to mind.

 

[Dan in Daytona]

Chris Weinke FSU QB, began college as a 26yr old. He signed a pro baseball contract out of high school.

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

Several former baseball players have gone on to play college football when it became obvious that their baseball dreams were not going to pan out. A couple have even made it to NFL rosters after that. Vernal Morencey (I may have gotten his name slightly wrong) from Miami Nortwestern comes to mind.

I understand but let’s say he signed with an NFL team he cannot play any sport in college if it doesn’t pan out because he’s considered a pro. What makes this different than signing with an MLB team? I have never understood NCAA policy on the NFL and NBA that says you can’t play college sports once you are drafted and signed but with MLB they can still play!!!

 

[gatorman-uf]

HardeeFan,

Incorrect information. They just aren't eligible in the sport they turned professional in. The problem is that there are not too many players who skipped playing in college to focus on football, who would also have the tools to play baseball after a stint in the NFL. In theory, Tim Tebow could have went back to the Gators and played. But even when we talk about Jameis Winston, Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Kyler Murray. These guys all were playing in college, thus using up their eligibility.

https://theundefeated.com/features/could-lebron-james-and-j-r-smith-actually-play-college-football/

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

So Cord was drafted out of high school? Tebow used 4 years and you only get 5 total but once drafted and signed with an NFL he can’t come back to play one year of football. Baseball I guess he could play one year. Cord is going from baseball to football, different sport so yea that article says he can play. I hope he does play because he was good whenever I seen him play.

 

[Dan in Daytona]

Mainland great TT Toliver, was nominated for Florida High School Player of the Year in both Football and Basketball his senior year 1995-96. After graduation he chose football and played QB at Hinds Community College in Mississippi. After two years (or was it one?) he signed with Montreal of the Canadian Football League for 50K. He soon changed his mind and returned his signing bonus and enrolled at Bethune-Cookman to play football. He was ruled ineligible for college football. So he played college basketball a couple seasons for the Wildcats. He currently is leading or Top 3 in receiving, total yardage, and TD's in Arena Football History. He was still playing in his 40's last year.

 

[Neutral 0bserver]

Nu'Trelle saw Cord play several times in the Florida State League as a Clearwater Thresher. He was named to the North Division All-Star team one summer, but struggled offensively throughout his 6 year stint in the Philly organization.

There were times when his productivity at the plate increased and he showed signs of progress, but those times always proved to be temporary. Over the course of his minor league career, Cord did not hit for power, average, or consistently drive-in runs. Not a good combination for any Outfield prospect.

Good luck to Cord in college and hopefully he gets a chance to pursue a career in football.