Last night, HBO ran a one hour special called "Pay To Play" by former ESPN correspondent Andrea Kramer. The "not so new perspective" about college athletes being paid instigates the Auburn family of giving $400 dollar handshakes and the like to players. This is hardly news worthy as everyone with a brain knows that college is dirty (just watch "He Got Game") from the players all the way up to the Bowls (Fiesta Bowl). Everyone has blood on their hands and even though the players benefit from the corruption they also have the most to lose. In the end, their benefits end after football is over, while everyone else will probably get another coaching gig or business to run down the road.
This point is really hammered down by Andrea Kramerʻs during her interview on the Scott Van Pelt Show (3/30). When asked what stood out to her about the "Pay To Play" special she explains Stanley McCloverʻs situation and how the money created this false sense of reality, which encouraged him to believe that his education wasnʻt as important as football. He thought the money would always be coming in and probably envisioned himself playing in the NFL, which he did but now he sits unemployed with his children to feed, no college degree and no college booster to hand him a wad of money.
So should college football players or any college athlete be paid to play? If they are paid, how can colleges make sure their student athletes take school seriously? Because not all will make it on the field (which the NCAA commercials like to point out) and even though the student is solely responsible for his or her educational choices there are other entities (coaches, athletic director, etc.) that have the ability to mentor and steer these athletes in the right direction. But I guess, you would first have to care about your athletes and I donʻt mean the players who are your stars (Cam Newton, Reggie Bush) but those whose careers wonʻt be in the NFL. Those are the voices that are never heard and the faces that are hidden in the bright spotlight of college football.
Make a passing grade a requirement to get paid. I know, sounds redundant, but when you include $ into the equation, exceptions are always made.
ReplyDeleteIncentives are always good and usually works but I wonder how many players would find a way to cheat the system to get a passing grade without really working. Unless the entire system is onboard (like the coaches and athletic directors, etc.) players will never take their education more serious then their sport.
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