08-08-2014, 06:21 PM
Yep, that's the way I see it too, Cutz.
School sports -- I don't give a shit if it's 3rd grade handball, 9th grade racquetball (California women's and mixed doubles state champ here, hold the applause), or college football -- school sports programs are elective parts of the STUDENT experience.
When you pay or otherwise compensate students for athletic participation, they become employees or professionals -- not students who choose to make athletics part of their curriculum.
On the other hand, since the big schools are making a fuckload of money off of these "amateurs" and the athletes are forced to focus almost all of their time (whilst risking long-term injuries) towards making the cut if they want to stay on the very profitable team, I can see why the student athletes are pushing for compensation.
My opinion is that the schools lack appropriate prioritization. Academics should come first. I'm probably biased, though. I've been both a student and teacher of junior college, undergrad college, and graduate university studies. I think even for those who excel in sports, nothing takes the place of maximizing your education and knowledge -- that's what "school" is all about. And, if you injure yourself into permanent sidelining or are simply not physically apt enough to make the top echelon sports-wise, ain't nobody can take your brain power away from you.
Interested in watching how this all turns out... It's big sports news.
School sports -- I don't give a shit if it's 3rd grade handball, 9th grade racquetball (California women's and mixed doubles state champ here, hold the applause), or college football -- school sports programs are elective parts of the STUDENT experience.
When you pay or otherwise compensate students for athletic participation, they become employees or professionals -- not students who choose to make athletics part of their curriculum.
On the other hand, since the big schools are making a fuckload of money off of these "amateurs" and the athletes are forced to focus almost all of their time (whilst risking long-term injuries) towards making the cut if they want to stay on the very profitable team, I can see why the student athletes are pushing for compensation.
My opinion is that the schools lack appropriate prioritization. Academics should come first. I'm probably biased, though. I've been both a student and teacher of junior college, undergrad college, and graduate university studies. I think even for those who excel in sports, nothing takes the place of maximizing your education and knowledge -- that's what "school" is all about. And, if you injure yourself into permanent sidelining or are simply not physically apt enough to make the top echelon sports-wise, ain't nobody can take your brain power away from you.
Interested in watching how this all turns out... It's big sports news.