Despite his current success at Miami, Fernandez made a gutsy decision to turn down a guaranteed professional contract. He was the first first-round draft choice since 1979 to turn down the major leagues.

While football's Barry Sanders, Timm Rosenbach and Bobby Humpherey and basketball's Jay Edwards are leaving school before graduation to make their riches in the professional ranks, Fernandez reflects a growing trend of high school stars who are taking advantage of NCAA baseball as an alternative to the bus rides of the minor leagues.

Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire are two prominent examples of baseball players developing their skills while garnering a college education. Neither missed a beat on the path to the major leagues.

Hopefully, Fernandez won't either. But even if he does, he will always have his education and his four years of college at Miami.

Fernandez postponed his dream of pitching in the majors, just as Harvard's Lane MacDonald and Allen Bourbeau postponed their dreams of playing professional hockey for one year to graduate from Harvard...and lead the Crimson to a national championship.

The embattled NCAA is facing a long road to recovery, but it can take heart in a few refreshing breezes like the Crimson and Alex Fernandez.