When’s the last time 90,000 fans came to watch a regular student take a final
:boxosoap A few points here. First, 951 is absolutely right. I can’t believe the crap I’m reading on this board about all of the poor non-student athletes who have to pay their own way. When I finished with my first MA I had a combined debt of $35,000 and I had paid out-of-pocket another $25,000 for tuition alone (Some at a public university, some at a private university). And nobody gave me anything to help out. But, then again, nobody was paying to come and watch me go to school. And, at least part of the time I had an income in the $35,000 - $40,000 per year range. And the NCAA didn’t care.
Here is the point that many of you seem to miss. I was able to help out my family by earning a decent income and there weren’t any of the NCAA Nazis coming around telling me I couldn’t work. Now I realize that if they loosen the rules on how and where players work we can run into all kinds of abuses like the cliché of players being paid to watch the sprinklers go on and off. So to avoid that, throw the players some bones. I don’t think anybody is talking about multi-million dollar contracts here. I think all we are talking about some cash so they can take their girlfriend on a date, or buy some decent non-Nike, or non-Adidas, REAL clothes. Why do you think some of the athletes walk around in team issued sweats and sneaks all the time? It’s because that is all some of them have to wear. And don’t start with the “Some people would love to have team issued clothing” crap. What I am saying is, since those players are bringing in millions to the university, they should be able to wear some decent threads if they like. They shouldn’t have to tell their lady “sorry babe, I can’t take you on a date, but I do get some great food at the training table.” Or “I can’t take you to that nice club because all I have is this cool Adidas sweat suit and the club has a dress code.”
If I couldn’t afford to take my wife out when I was in school, that was my problem, I was only bringing in the cost of my tuition to the school. Nobody was at the Adidas store paying big bucks to buy a jersey with my student ID number on it. And, by-the-way, if a friend wanted to pick up the tab for a couple of beers at the local pub, I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to make sure the NCAA Nazis weren’t there accusing me of receiving “benefits associated with my status as a student athlete.”
If the only way to pay for the stipend is by raising ticket prices, then so be it. How much would it take? Five dollars per, or even ten? I’ll make you all a deal, if they raise the ticket prices even $20 per ticket at Nebraska, and if anybody turns in their season tickets because of it, I’ll be the first in line to buy them.
Some of you have said “what about the schools that can’t afford to pay the players a stipend?” TO FREAKING BAD! I hate parody anyway. I hate scholarship limits; I can’t stand the constant efforts by the powers that be, to make things "FAIR. :sarcasm " After all, that is what all this is about isn’t it? You don’t think it is fair that athletes get a free education AND spending money? Well, wake up and deal with it. That is life. If you could run a 4.3 forty or throw a ball 50 yards and thread the needle between defenders, you would get all the benefits too. I think this is nothing more than jelousy. If you want everything to be fair and equal there are places where the government takes care of that. But last time I checked, in this country we do reward greatness. I wish I could have been a good enough athlete to play at NU, but I don't hold it against the players that can. And I don't think they should have to live like peasants while the Steve Pedersons of the world live high on the hog.
As long as people are willing to lay down $60-$75 bucks for a regular ticket to a game, and as long as ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, TBS, NBC, etc are willing to shell out hundreds of millions of $$$ to televise, and as long as fans are willing to pay insanely inflated prices for hot dogs, popcorn, and warm beer at a game, and as long as fans are willing to buy t-shirts, jerseys, hats, banners, pennants, and anything else with the team logo on it, then I think the players deserve to benefit from it. I know they get a full ride scholarship. But if the university is already giving them a benefit that is worth anywhere from $30k to $50k a year (or more depending on the university), then what is a few hundred bucks a week more?
And also, why doesn’t anyone complain about the extra money the coaches make. As if the million dollars a year for base salary wasn’t enough, the coaches rake in the endorsement money and TV money, etc. BC makes big bucks for a weekly interview show, but if a player goes on the same show, he gets nothing. And one last thing…and anyone who knows me had to know this was coming…if they would just fire that worthless piece of crap Coz, they could split his $300,000 among the players.