 Posted: Sun 5:18, 26 Sep 2010 Post subject: whether it is |
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| Like Reggie Bush Jersey, Division I Collegiate Student-Athletes Already Get Paid
There is one sport this time of year that dominates media headlines: football. These headlines often feature upcoming game previews, notable injuries, "fantasy" stats, and exciting results. However, mildly tainting the annual football headlines this year has been the unfortunate news of misconduct by collegiate football players – specifically, former University of Southern California star Reggie Bush Jersey and current University of Georgia player A.J. Green. Both individuals have been penalized for violating NCAA Jersey rules. Reggie Bush Jersey, who received improper benefits from a street agent while enrolled at USC, was recently ruled ineligible for his 2005 Heisman Trophy-winning season. This ruling subsequently forced the now National Football League player to forfeit the storied college football crown – the first recipient ever to do so. Green, rather than taking gifts, sold his gift, i.e., a bowl game jersey, last year for cash. He is currently serving a four-game suspension per the NCAA Jersey’s ruling. These unfortunate outcomes are just two of countless cases in a corrupt NCAA Jersey at the Division I level – a matter discussed in one of my previous columns. But while the Reggie Bush Jersey and Green penalties are appropriate, they have reignited a debate – one spearheaded by Washington Post columnist and Pardon the Interruption host, Michael Wilbon. In his recent column, “As colleges' greed grows, so does the hypocrisy,” Wilbon argues rather than punishing Division I collegiate student-athletes who are trying “to sneak a few hundred bucks” for their “labor”, college athletic departments should pay them. He poses: Why should athletic programs continue to reap millions in revenue off the success of their respective student-athletes? Well, it’s simple: First, believe it or not, NCAA Jersey student-athletes already get paid; and second, the student-athletes aren’t the moneymakers for their respective institutions. NCAA Jersey student-athletes receive their paychecks through invaluable (yet overshadowed) things called college enrollment (an opportunity many of them would not be eligible for as regular college pool applicants), college educations, room and board,MLB Jerseys, and, ultimately, college degrees. As true “financial rewards”, a college education exceeds $160,000 – a price tag non-Division I student-athletes (and just regular students, for that matter) work years to pay off. And speaking of non-Division I student-athletes – namely, football players – what makes their “labor” any less valuable than Division I participants, especially considering non-Division I student-athletes don’t receive free educations? They, just like those in Division I, “spend more than 40 hours a week working at being a college football player, even though [their] the [ones] who [risk] head injuries that could shorten [their lives]” (to use Wilbon’s words). More importantly, let’s consider what a (free) college degree provides over a lifetime: On average, a person with a college degree will earn twice as much as a person with just a high school diploma. Not a bad payday, eh? When debating this issue, some fail to realize one fact: The institutions make the student-athletes and the money, not vice versa. The institutions even give student-athletes the platform to excel, oftentimes propelling a professional career. Take the University of Notre Dame Football: The program hasn’t been a national championship contender in over 15 years – yet the program continues to be the most profitable. Same goes for most programs in the Southeastern, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-10 Conferences. The big institutions have such large alumni bases and national followings that the excitement and revenue building will never cease – whether it is Reggie Bush Jersey, Green, or Joe Schmo from Idaho on the field. NCAA Jersey Division I student-athletes such as A.J. Green reap “financial rewards” that most people never enjoy. So enough about paying them further. Green and his peers should just wise up and better appreciate their rewards rather than sell them away. And if they don't wise up, I'll gladly give them a few of my own "gifts" – they're called, college loans. |
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