There comes a time when even a stubborn Taurus like myself has to admit he was wrong, and this is one of those times.
I used to be one of these schools-should-pay-college-athletes types, but I've recently committed a turnover of sorts. With my continuing experience as a poor college student at Cal State Fullerton, I had to ask myself, "What makes these guys any more special than me?"
Sure you may be able to throw a 60 yard spiral, dunk from the free throw line or run back a 95 yard kick return, but I can write an essay that would knock your socks off, fill in every correct bubble on a scantron and bring the school's overall GPA up.
Why shouldn't I get paid?
I'm valuable to the institution.
So I got to thinking. These kids do get paid. They just send the money right back to the school, same as the rest of us.
Let's take annual tuition at USC as an example. $20,192 per semester over a four year career at USC comes out to $161,536 bucks, not to mention potential summer courses, housing, parking or books. (http://www.usc.edu/academics/classes/term_20111/tuition_and_fees.html)
Pretty lucrative deal.
"Oh, but they need some spending cash."
Oh, you want spending cash? Take a student loan like the rest of us. If you make it to the bigs, that student loan is paid off with your first signing bonus.
Oh you want some pocket change? Kick as much ass in the classroom as you do on the field and earn some grants.
Oh you want to take your girl on a date? Get a part time job at a pizza place in the offseason.
Parents can't help out with the electricity bill? Here's the website: www.fafsa.ed.gov
Or you could just keep hitting up that rich booster for another envelope laced handshake, a privilege the rest of us in academia would kill for.
And supposing you do start paying the kids, who gets what? Does USC Quarterback Matt Barkley earn more than USC Safety TJ McDonald?
Or does Barkley earn more than Colorado State Quarterback Grant Stucker?
Bottom line is I don't feel sorry for these guys. Even if their sport doesn't become a professional career, they got a 4 year education that's going to double their earning potential after college at a massive discount. (http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/censusandstatistics/a/collegepays.htm)
I have more to say, but I have to get to class.
You go bro! What part of education are college sports? The money part and nothing more. They're sure not teaching them the 'plays nice with others' part. But then there's always the degree in communication.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of paying college athletes is laughable at best... more like stupid, are people actually serious when they talk about this as a possibility? Like i said stupid
ReplyDeleteAnother case of undocumented discrimination exposed. Its sad that Academia has been sucked into the money vortex, believing high profile athletes will bring in more money.
ReplyDeleteDouble E Reed you have some very good points, but from the other side, what about the players that can do all the things that you say your doing in the classroom and then going out on saturdays and leaving it all on the field? See while your able to work and go to school some not all players are studying football and classwork and are not able to get a job so they can have extra money to take there girl out or help there parent with a few bills. I think all players should get a little allowance straight across the board, so they don't have to sell there own personal things just so they can get some of the things that non sport students get. I've been on both sides as a player and as a parent of a college player. Its tougher than most know for a college player. Not all players are partying and getting gifts from booster. A lot are just like you trying to got ahead buy getting a college education, they have just been blessed to be able to run a 4.2 forty and dunk from the free throw line.
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