A Love/Hate on College Football

football just doesn’t do it for me. Although it is fun for a day of drinking when you want to get away from intellectual stimulation. So probably every Saturday this fall for me.

I am split on this overall (mostly because of the idiotic rules that force basketball players to go to college) but with football I am with you.

Here is the deal, no football player in the country comes out of high school ready for the NFL. The game is too nuanced and requires a physical development well beyond an 18 year old. Going to college provides these athletes with all of the training and preperation they will need in the NFL as well as a contingency plan that will help them a lot if they don’t go pro or aren’t succesful at that level.

College football training earn arguably the most financial commitment from the University considering they have, per person, the most spent on their facilities and have a ridiculous teacher to student ratio. All of that trains them to earn millions of dollars or the ability to use their notoriety among alums to find a job. Oh yeah, and they get all of this for free in addition to room and board, bowl presents, and athletic apparel that you and I shell out at least $25 for.

Not saying college football players don’t earn those perks either, they work hard for them, but I find it a bit amazing that people think that we should also be giving them money on top of everything else.

First off and most importantly, let me say thank you for your service to our country. I think the GI Bill is one of the greatest pieces of legislation this country has ever passed for a number of reasons, and I was glad to see it get increased funding in its Post 9/11 form.

Now on to the silly sports stuff: I’ve never really understood the “we already pay collegiate players with tuition and room and board” argument. If that’s true, then why is there such a big concern with simply giving them a raise? If a Computer Science major used KU labs to create the “next Facebook,” he would see an increase in profits as the product exploded. (The school might still hold the IP rights, but that’s a topic for a different blog) As athletic profits have exploded over the last 25 years, players haven’t been able to see any increased benefit for their labor.

Whether you loved playing football or absolutely hated it, the risks of permanent injury are the same. And as we get more and more research on concussions, it’s becoming increasingly clear that football is a significantly more dangerous sport than anything else KU offers. The differences between D-1 college and high school football are also massive. So while I hope that every Jayhawk shares your passion for the gridiron, I don’t really think that’s relevant. Lots of people in the world love their jobs, but that doesn’t stop them from cashing their paycheck every two weeks. And in a free, rational market, salary should increase as the risks you undertake increase.

The NCAA is a monopoly. That doesn’t make them evil per se, and I’m not suggesting that the age minimum to enter the draft should be abolished—companies should be free to require a certain level of training/ experience to enter their workforce. That’s how capitalism works. But because the NCAA does get monopoly status, I believe they need to be watched closely to ensure they aren’t exploiting people.

Maybe a better solution (instead of just straight up paying players) would be to have them earn money placed into a trust during their time in college. They wouldn’t be able to access that money until they get their degree. That money could then go towards future medical costs, as well as reimbursement for having their names and achievements used by their schools and the NCAA for their own financial gain.

Maybe I’m just still bothered by the story of Eric Washington. If you don’t remember him, here’s a good article:

http://www.ncaatop25.com/ewash.htm

Now, the school did honor his scholarship, and hopefully Mr. Washington has gone on to take full advantage of his KU education. But realistically, in this economy, a degree from a Big XII school isn’t enough to guarantee you a job. I guess what I’m saying is, I feel like he deserved more from KU for what he sacrificed for our entertainment than what he actually got.

And I don’t think amateurism is the thing that makes college sports special. For one thing, I don’t think teams have been completely amateur since…maybe ever? Hell, even Fielding Yost was probably paying players back in the day.

I think what makes college sports special are the traditions, the bands and cheerleaders, the way they bring communities together, the chance for guys you may have a class with or seen at a party to do something truly memorable, etc. I don’t see why giving players their fair share would change any of that.

I’m always open to a different take. I agree with your take in theory but not in practice. To me the current system is not practical nor is it sustainable. Something’s gotta give. Here’s my thing, I think the NCAA is corrupt and is seemingly placing more priority on revenues than developing student athletes. As a result, this money machine appears to be running off of a system of exploitation. My philosophy with corruption is typically remove the need for corruption in the first place.

In the war on drugs for instance. We all know drugs are bad m’kay. But what makes drugs really bad is the crime that usually accompanies them. Instead of relying on cartels and unregulated trade, why not legalize and regulate the drug trade. As a result, the corrupt cartels and dealers are cut out of the loop, drugs are safer, addicts can seek help instead of prison time, and it will generate a massive tax flow.

Here in the NCAA, we have a system of exploitation where the NCAA and the institutions are making BILLIONS in revenue and the ones providing us with this incredible year-round entertainment don’t see a dime of that. Sure they get an education but let’s say the GI bill paid for tuition and room/board. You’re still a 18 y/o kid and you don’t have much. What do most kids do in college who can’t rely on mom and dad? They get a job at taco bell, or borders. The players can’t even do THAT! I’m not saying pay these kids pro dollars. I’d feel much less slimey if even I knew kids in the revenue generating sports were getting a $200 stipend or per diem per month.

I also like the idea of the trust that KGRtC mentioned….

But by this time of year, I’m ready to see them in jeans and sweatshirts.

there’s NOTHING like that first 80 degree day in April. All the sudden every girl on campus is wearing about half a yard of fabric. After 5 months of North Face jackets it is quite a transformation.

go meet all the Freshmen and tell them it’s my first year too (they can find out that it’s my first year of grad school later)