Playing Dirty In a Dirty Game
USC got hit with a pretty hefty penalty for violating the NCAA rules for student participation in college athletics. Namely, the two people involved were current New Orleans Saints running back(and former celebrity boyfriend) Reggie Bush, and current Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo. (Insert your "another OJ bringing shame on USC" quote here). There also appears to be some sort of violation in the women's tennis department as they too were punished by the NCAA.
Would I would love to see, for once, is a university get out in front of this, and just as they blatantly violated the rules, blatantly speak out about it almost defiantly. I say this because the expectations of the NCAA and their demands on the student athletes are in my view very much hypocritical. I would like for a university chancellor or an athlete to step out in front of a camera and speak out against the NCAA rules and regulations. When you confess to violating their policy, don't be sorry. Don't be remorseful, just state the real. Big time college athletics is a business, not some celebration of the student athlete. If anything, the current conference chaos of the Big 10 and PAC 10 should be perfect evidence of that.
These kids make the NCAA and their respective universities tons upon tons of paper, have made national holy weeks out of early January and late March, and you honestly expect these kids to do all this for free? For free? And then when they go pro and make millions, you expect them to give back as alums? And please spare me the "free education is payment enough" argument. Giving these guys a free education is priceless no doubt, and meaningful beyond understanding. However, we're talking billions, billions in revenue generated by the NCAA through TV contracts and corporations at the expense of these athletes. Are they not putting in work? Is it not free labor? I mean, seriously, its about time some of these money makers get a little cash in hand, just a little. They don't need thousands or tens of thousands, but something to signify what they earn for the product they produce. The NCAA would love to keep agents out of the game. But the agents bring the money that the NCAA refuses to allow the athlete to have. Then, in conjunction with pro leagues, they wanna force a kid to stay in college for x amount of years before turning pro? That's why I applauded Brandon Jennings for going to Europe for a season to make money and still develop his game. I hope more basketball hopefuls do the same. The Euroleagues end the monopoly of the college game. Unfortunately, football players don't have that option; and there's only one way to the National Football League and the dividends that it pays out.
My question is this: for what, does the NCAA pay for, that requires the billions that they get from TV contracts ALONE, let alone all their other sources of income? USC, much like the University of Memphis basketball, and all other violators of NCAA rules did indeed break rules and, as such, are subject to the punishment. My problem is that the NCAA, their corporate sponsors, the universities, and their respective conferences are able to treat big time college athletics as a business, but collegiate athletes are prohibited to be a part of the business, only to continue to act like its just a game. It just seems to me that the NCAA and their corporate sponsors can play 'patty cake' with all the cash while plucking the "student athlete" for taking outside money and all the while saying "We give you a free education. Take it, like it, and shut the hell up."
Again, I don't mean to act like a free education is nothing, but it seems the pattern of the powerful to give the rest of us just enough, while keeping the untold rest to themselves. And as long as that system remains the same, more people WILL take outside money. More people and universities WILL continue to violate the rule. More probation and bans and de-legitimizing of great teams WILL continue. And finally, the whole of college athletics WILL continue to be legitimized.
Would I would love to see, for once, is a university get out in front of this, and just as they blatantly violated the rules, blatantly speak out about it almost defiantly. I say this because the expectations of the NCAA and their demands on the student athletes are in my view very much hypocritical. I would like for a university chancellor or an athlete to step out in front of a camera and speak out against the NCAA rules and regulations. When you confess to violating their policy, don't be sorry. Don't be remorseful, just state the real. Big time college athletics is a business, not some celebration of the student athlete. If anything, the current conference chaos of the Big 10 and PAC 10 should be perfect evidence of that.
These kids make the NCAA and their respective universities tons upon tons of paper, have made national holy weeks out of early January and late March, and you honestly expect these kids to do all this for free? For free? And then when they go pro and make millions, you expect them to give back as alums? And please spare me the "free education is payment enough" argument. Giving these guys a free education is priceless no doubt, and meaningful beyond understanding. However, we're talking billions, billions in revenue generated by the NCAA through TV contracts and corporations at the expense of these athletes. Are they not putting in work? Is it not free labor? I mean, seriously, its about time some of these money makers get a little cash in hand, just a little. They don't need thousands or tens of thousands, but something to signify what they earn for the product they produce. The NCAA would love to keep agents out of the game. But the agents bring the money that the NCAA refuses to allow the athlete to have. Then, in conjunction with pro leagues, they wanna force a kid to stay in college for x amount of years before turning pro? That's why I applauded Brandon Jennings for going to Europe for a season to make money and still develop his game. I hope more basketball hopefuls do the same. The Euroleagues end the monopoly of the college game. Unfortunately, football players don't have that option; and there's only one way to the National Football League and the dividends that it pays out.
My question is this: for what, does the NCAA pay for, that requires the billions that they get from TV contracts ALONE, let alone all their other sources of income? USC, much like the University of Memphis basketball, and all other violators of NCAA rules did indeed break rules and, as such, are subject to the punishment. My problem is that the NCAA, their corporate sponsors, the universities, and their respective conferences are able to treat big time college athletics as a business, but collegiate athletes are prohibited to be a part of the business, only to continue to act like its just a game. It just seems to me that the NCAA and their corporate sponsors can play 'patty cake' with all the cash while plucking the "student athlete" for taking outside money and all the while saying "We give you a free education. Take it, like it, and shut the hell up."
Again, I don't mean to act like a free education is nothing, but it seems the pattern of the powerful to give the rest of us just enough, while keeping the untold rest to themselves. And as long as that system remains the same, more people WILL take outside money. More people and universities WILL continue to violate the rule. More probation and bans and de-legitimizing of great teams WILL continue. And finally, the whole of college athletics WILL continue to be legitimized.
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