College athletes already are ‘paid’

Today’s question: Should the NCAA allow college athletes to get paid while they are in school?

Not even close. No … as in “hell no!”

The Beaumont Enterprise, where I used to work as editorial page editor, has this interesting feature in which it poses a question and then offers competing points of view. This week, the paper addressed the issue of paying college athletes.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/opinions/editorials/article/PRO-CON-VIEW-Should-college-sports-let-athletes-4721405.php

I’m an old-fashioned guy when it comes to sports. Heck, I don’t even like the designated hitter rule, artificial turf, domed stadiums, or all the commercial signage pro golfers and race car drivers have to wear.

Thus, I believe college athletes have no compelling need to actually get paid for playing football and basketball, the two money-making sports for virtually all colleges and universities in America.

The question comes up in the wake of the Johnny “Football” Manziel matter involving whether he got paid for signing autographs while playing Heisman Trophy-winning football for Texas A&M University.

My take on it is this: Manziel already is getting paid by virtue of his receiving a fully funded college education. He, along with all blue-chip athletes, go to college with all their schoolwork paid for by scholarships, funded usually by huge endowments paid by big-time contributors. Texas A&M is among the richest universities on the planet, endowment-wise.

I prefer to see these young athletes also perform as students in the classroom, without the perk of capitalizing on their athletic skills through payoffs handed to them under the table.

I cannot predict what the NCAA will rule in the Manziel case. From my perch, it doesn’t look good for Johnny Football.

As for paying college athletes? A free college education is payment enough.

11 thoughts on “College athletes already are ‘paid’”

  1. As my (much-smarter-than-I) wife says, the fact that these athletes get out of school without a crushing load of debt ought to be enough.

  2. Great post John, I agree 100%. As a former collegiate athlete, I have some rather strong feelings about this topic. Granted, I was an Ivy League athlete, so athletic scholarships didn’t apply to me. I do agree however, that a scholarship is more than adequate “payment.” And from my experience, the benefits of college athletics reach far beyond money; teammates, personal development, connections…etc. And when you think about it, a college athlete is just another member of the student body. I’ll probably blog about this topic in the near future. Love the post!

    1. Thanks for the good word. I am amazed at those who think we ought to compensate these college “student-athletes,” forgetting that they’re already compensated with a free college education. Thanks for reading the blog and thanks for signing up as a follower. Enjoy the ride.

  3. While Johnny “Football” may get the headlines, is he the norm of the exception ?

    My bride worked for a major college program and she knew the “stars” but also the others. Like the kid that had to quit school because the family needed him to work …

    Let us remember that the NCAA is a monopoly … oh, sure the school announces that it has awarded a “scholarship” to a “student-athlete”.
    Sounds good … until you understand that according to 2012 federal graduation rate information, only 47% of NCAA Division I men’s basketball and 57% of football players graduate within a six year window of time.
    The “student-athlete” signs on the dotted line and then, immediately are waving their personal freedom to transfer to other schools.
    And they really don’t get a free ride …NCAA rules allow athletic scholarships to include tuition, room and board, and some books. Expenses that are allowed for academic scholarships but are prohibited from inclusion in athletic scholarships may include books that are recommended but not required, school supplies, transportation to and from school, and other basic necessities.
    And it may not really be a “four year ride” as many schools offer a one year, renewable scholarships.
    As such, athletes may be vulnerable to losing their scholarships for a variety of reasons such as the inability to produce because of injury, failure to perform as desired on the field, and/or a change in coaching staff or coaching philosophy.

    There are efforts being made to change things.
    What the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA) want :
    – Guaranteed coverage for sports-related medical expenses for current and former players.
    – Minimizing the risk of sports-related traumatic brain injury. Reduce contact in practices like the NFL and Pop Warner have done, place independent concussion experts on the sidelines, and establish uniform return to play protocols.
    – Improving graduation rates. Establish an educational trust fund to help former players complete their degree and reward those who graduate on time.

    The NCAA is considering changes … most likely because of the CAPA and the NRLB pending case.

    BTW, I have written about this subject on the MN Political Roundtable including a post about Ken Starr’s testimony against the paying students … the Roundtable is always open for comments.

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