Sunday, July 19, 2009

Pope Gives up Medical School, Joins Fox

Mark Pope left medical school to accept a position with Coach Mark Fox.

Bonehead decision? Probably.

He was almost done with school. Just one more year to go. Graduating with a medical degree from Columbia? The guy could have had his choice of options for a residency. A career of helping people lay just ahead. Lots of respect from the community. And he turns it in to try for a future as a basketball coach?

Pope is smart enough, obviously, to weigh the plusses and minuses. Giving up medicine has its minuses. And college coaching itself has its share of challenges. Keeping up with all the NCAA rules. Unreasonable expectations from the fans.

What if the team doesn't win? Pope could end up fired if Georgia decides to make another coaching change in 2 or 3 years. What then?

On the other side, there are the plusses of doing what you really love, working with student-athletes, being paid to do what you would gladly pay somebody else to be involved in--

If you can't be two places at once, sometimes you have to follow your dream.

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