BearsTruth Board

Good points. The universities are basically giving free advertising to these athletes, in addition to their other benefits, so they can make the $ after the leave to pursue their career.

I know I wasn't put on TV to show all of my business skills to employers everywhere by our business school. I also didn't have free, specially prepared meals, tutors, housing, training facilities, etc. while I was in school. Not saying that athletes aren't deserving of the treatment they get, but they get a pretty good deal while training for their potentially very lucrative professions, which is the biggest reason we go to college. I have no issue even with giving them spending money to a degree. But letting them basically get salaries on top of all that? No. Let amateurs be amateurs and pros be pros.

way to miss the entire point

wait...I have it.

amateurism

student athlete

all is well...nothing to see here

And you changed your name on here thinking you would get a better reputation? How's that working for you, Bono?

I feel for the kid having to hitchhike from California or eat Earl Campbell's and Ramen. The thing is, so do many others on here too. Some were in the same boat. My wife and I had to pay back nearly $100,000 for the opportunity to attend Baylor. I would have loved to have afforded name brand sausage at times while in school, and after for a while. My wife never had a car while in school and lived off of her loan money for room and board.

What is forgotten is that many of these kids would not be in school if not for their ability to lift a car, jump a river, or catch a cheetah. They would likely be in worse shape than worrying about not having money for that fourth meal or snacks or money to go to the club or movies. Their athletic abilities give them that chance and they do get something out of it. My point is that we shouldn't feel any sorrier for them than any other kid scrapping their way through school to move on to the opportunity to get paid. It's part of the process.

That said, I do feel with the revenue they help pull in, that they should get something more in return. The problem is there truly isn't a fair way to do it unless it is a blanket, fixed amount for everyone. Once you go past that, college athletics and all the things we love about it (which is the biggest reason it brings in the money it does), is done. If you start treating it like the pro leagues, it will eventually die.