most of the other college kids on campus. Those other kids might not make the school money while they are there,
I dont get this. You say most of the college kids on campus are broke as well, but they dont generate the revenue that the athletes do for the University? It seems like that kinda answers why the student athlete should be entitled to more.
but it's those doctors, those lawyers, those engineers that normally donate tons of $ to their alma mater after they graduate, not the athletes.
First... who says the alumni donating money are mostly doctors, lawyers and engineers? What records are you referencing to support that stereotype/generalization of professional athletes as stingy and unwilling to contribute to Universities?
Second... these Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers aren't having the revenue from their work, taken from them and spread around to other Doctors offices and to the President of their conferences and whoever else cuts up the money generated from their services.
So should those other kids get a piece of that pie when 1 of them donates hundreds of thousands of dollars after they graduate?
Again, I dont see the Litigation Club or the Surgical team generating millions per year in ticket sales, internet, TV and radio rights, and merchandise sales.
And I work at a State University.
They're there to first and foremost, get an education. Whether that is in their minds or not, that's a fact. Whether that's "reality" or not is irrelevant, the main purpose of these places is to educate. It's the student-athletes' choice to go through what they go through to play sports. It's their choice when they decide to leave school early & take the risk of getting hurt & losing everything, without anything to fall back on. It's their choice when they take a 'ho-hum' major just to go through the motions when their intent is really on pro sports.
So the games should be free or the cost of admission should be set low to cover the operating expenses of the team/club.
When you bring up "choice" its irrelevant. I didnt say this was forced slavery. However, there are rules in the NFL and NBA that prohibit grown men from making money at their profession until they have spent so many years out of high school. I like that rule for both leagues. However, I dont like athletes being restricted from making money while doing so.
I value my college education, but Im 28 and the harsh reality is that I havent earned my first million dollars yet. I've seen enough Terrell Pryor jerseys down here in Tennessee to feel that Terrell Pryor has probably already reached a million dollars in jersey sales alone.
Unless those were Malcolm Jenkins jerseys.
The notion that a college education SHOULD be worth so much, is not lost on me. However, it is lost on the guys who sign pro contracts and go from "earning" $15k or $12k for a basketball or football scholarships annually, to $50 million dollar signing bonuses and $12 or $15 million dollar guranteed contracts for NFL rookies and NBA rookies respectively.
You're older than 18 MoFlo...
You are offered contracts for your contributions to RealCavsFans. You can get 12-15k for moderating here for a year... while the site generates $50-75 million just from ticket sales and tv rights. And you cant go work for a penny more even if a site like ESPN comes calling Not for 3 years or so after RCF has made their money from you.
And do you really think ordinary college students get all that the student-athletes get?! Not even close. Student-athletes always get the special treatment because they make the school money & bring the school attention in the present. And it all starts in high school, sadly, when the teachers give these kids the benefit of the doubt when they should be failing or ineligible for the week (if that's what the school does).
My wife failed the kicker for the football team in one of her courses her first semester here. It was a Grad course that he shouldnt have been in, but still...(Kanye Shrug)
You seem comfortable passing judgements on students athletes behind some pretty broad generalizations. I could do the same and say that most athletes are Rhodes Scholar-like students like Myron Rolle.
The problem isn't the kids or the coaches or the teachers, per se, however. It's ESPN & the National Media that portray these student-athletes as if they're athletes 1st and the school is just the team they play for.
50 years ago, I would have agreed with this sentiment. Id bet that back then, before cable and internet, schools werent making as much from football and basketball games. We can blame ESPN and National Media... but then when I want to watch Akron vs Kent State, I turn to ESPNU to see the rivalry since I cant just drive down 76 and be there anymore.
They arent the devil. Its great that intercollegiate sports are growing like they are. But the rules need to as well
