Should the draft-goers no-show?

Consider this hypothetical situation.
In an attempt to boost Middlebury’s rankings in the Princeton Review, President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz decides, under pressure from professors and administration, that the following changes will be implemented for the upcoming school year: The grading scale will change such that the A range starts at 93 instead of 90, that tuition will increase by 50 percent and exams will finish in June instead of May.
Students protest the future changes by refusing to take exams this spring and have stopped attending classes. The SGA announces that unless Liebowitz nixes his demands, no students will attend Middlebury for the 2011-2012 school year.
Some prospective first-years decide to go to other colleges, but others stick with Midd anyway, believing that the situation will be resolved in time for the school year to begin. Students accepted Early Decision don’t have a choice in the matter while Febs celebrate as they embark on their Febmesters, avoiding the strife completely.
As summer comes to a close and students and administration remain at odds, the College starts to wonder if incoming freshman will show up for orientation. Will they come to Middlebury with the school year hanging in the balance? Will they be present for convocation and shake Liebowitz’s hand as he welcomes them to college? This is, after all, a once in a lifetime opportunity that they have to meet the incoming first-years and hear Liebowitz’s opening speech.
Of course they won’t. Why would they?
Shaking President Liebowitz’s hand during convocation in Mead Chapel would be as foolish as NFL rookies greeting the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell tonight at the NFL draft at Radio City Music Hall.
Oh wait.
A record 25 NFL rookies will attend the NFL Draft. In the middle of a lockout, in which the Commissioner represents all that the players stand against, more players will attend the Draft than ever before.
Tonight Goodell will stroll to the podium, adjust the microphone and say, “With the first pick of the 2011 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers select…” And it won’t matter if Cam Newton, Marcel Dareus or Patrick Peterson walks out of the green room adjusting his new Panthers hat, what matters is that the first overall draft pick, and 24 others, will have made the trip to New York to attend the NFL Draft.
Though the owners and players are farther than ever from coming to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NFL Draft will take place as if there is nothing amiss. Players will shake Goodell’s hand and flash million dollar smiles, all while competing to see who can wear the most horrendous suit.
Suggestions from the NFL Player’s Association for players to boycott the draft have fallen on deaf ears. The top prospects that will likely be selected in the first round are unwilling to forfeit the incredible opportunity to attend the NFL Draft. Instead, they will dutifully stand up when their names are called and awkwardly embrace the man who is at the heart of their problems.
The Draft is a special moment for rookies, and even more so for those fortunate enough to be invited to attend the draft. But by attending the draft these young players are fueling Goodell’s agenda for the lockout. If these rookies are setting records for attendance at the draft in April how can they possibly expect to sit out their entire rookie seasons afterwards?
Stay home first-years. And if you have to go, don’t stand up when your name is called.