Every year there is a very good team in the news about violations of college football teams and players receiving money from boosters and alumni. Every year there is a discussion about paying college football players and it never turns into anything. Why?
They should pay college sport athletes who are on scholarships with certain conditions. Most college athletes are not allowed to work jobs and most don’t have the time for it with their grueling practice and game schedules. These players are like employees of the college because they represent their school even when they no longer attend and generate revenue for the school with their participation in a positive program.
Although the athletes are like employees for the college, they are still students. Therefore strict standards should be placed for these athletes to achieve a desired grade point average with an acceptable courses. English, math, science,… should be standards and are with many schools, but let’s make the athletes responsible for achieving a certain grade point average and give them bonuses for doing so. This in turn is a way of compensating them for going to school for knowledge and not just for sports.
I remember an explosive running back who went to school his senior year just for football. As soon as the season was over, he left school. I was disappointed he made a decision like that when I thought he had the speed and power to play with a top college. But that was high school and many times high school student athletes emulate what college athletes do.
Shaq O’neal was an awesome player for LSU and I was extremely happy when the Orlando Magic drafted him. But I thought he should have finished school, but he made the best choice as he made a ton of money and later finished his degree. They certainly were not going to pay him a portion of the proceeds for selling his college jersey to fans and alumni. That reminds me of the Fab Five Freshman from the University of Michigan in the early 90’s.
Bottom line. Pay student athletes based on achieving good grades at the end of the school year using a set criteria. Enough said.
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