Posted on Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 12:21 p.m.
Drop the charade and pay college football players
By AnnArbor.com Staff
ESPN spent nine hours covering National Signing Day, undoubtedly earning millions in advertising while 18-year-old football players announced their college decisions on their network.
It's time for the kids to get their cut.
That's what Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times believes after witnessing the latest recruiting spectacle. Can't we just acknowledge that "major college football is minor league pro football."
Meanwhile, the worst fears of the college football overlords may be coming true: The Justice Department appears ready to investigate the BCS. Does that mean a playoff is coming? Andy Staples at SI.com tries to provide answers.
Here's the rest of today's college links:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
- A look into Demar Dorsey's recruitment at Michigan. Jim Schaefer and Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Detroit Free Press.
- Fitzgerald Toussaint, other young RBs, ready for increased roles at Michigan. Dave Birkett, AnnArbor.com.
- Devin Gardner, Conelius Jones, give U-M depth at quarterback. Dave Birkett, AnnArbor.com.
- How young is too young? A 13-year-old commits to USC. Tom Herrera, ESPN.com.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Comments
Ann Arbor Resident
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 10:07 p.m.
It is about time the college players get their fair share of college sports revenue. College coaches make millions from these kids. Most of the kids, especially those in major team sports, never earn a college degree and very few ever make it to the pros. Graduate students, whose slave labor enable professors to earn lucrative research grants and salaries, receive free tuition and are paid (though the compensation is not great). Why shouldn't student athlethes who are partly responsible for bringing millions of dollars to a university also be paid something for their efforts?
RudeJude
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 4:12 p.m.
So are all these five-star recruits enrolling in college for the degree or because it is the only means of reaching the NFL and the millions of dollars they can make there? Unfortunately, college football has become big business, and I believe if it is the only means to going from playing high school football to playing in the NFL, then they should be paid. Otherwise, if the NCAA truly believes players should not be paid, they should support a true minor football league be created for athletes not interested in going the college route, one where they could play in for a few years to be prepped for the NFL and be paid for it, but there is no way the NCAA will allow that to happen and lose out on all that money. I love college football and hate the cartel that governs it.
sikness
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 3:28 p.m.
Tater, I've never seen a college jersey sold with a kid's name on it. Unless it is like one of those you can buy and customize the name on the back and you choose to use your favorite player's name. But that is a whole different thing there. Randy Moss doesn't get credit for selling a jersey when someone buys a custom jersey and decides to put Moss on the back of it.
blueiniowa
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 2:20 p.m.
I have gone back and forth on this. I have finally settled on the notion that it would likely just cause more problems than it would solve. Young athletes just need to make sure they get the most from their free education.
InsideTheHall
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 2:19 p.m.
Well, a scholarship, room & board is not enough????????
rich
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 1:22 p.m.
I agree voiceofreason, this is an absolutely terrible idea. Players already are getting a free education, so if you ask me they are already getting paid! If ever the mistake was made to pay college players, all that would happen is college football would turn into NFL, with nobody playing for "the team", only for a paycheck. I wonder what Bo would say about this if he was still here...
voiceofreason
Fri, Feb 5, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.
Richard Roeper: I give your idea "two thumbs down".