Paid 2 Play

[Count 'Bility]

Kenny Bell is fortunate to have his schooling paid for once he graduates unlike my wife who has about 180K to pay off for the next 10+ years after earning her Physician's Assistant degree. Hell you think the hospital would at least pay half of it but nope.

Kenny Bell has a right to his opinion but there are several thousand other students who have it worse than him.

And you make a great augmentative point as well...many students are so far in debt it is ridiculous. It's a damn blessing to have your college tuition paid for.

I kind of agree with this but I kind of disagree. I think blessing might be the wrong word. A kid who gets a full ride for sports or academics generally worked really really really hard. I mean, there are some freaks, academic and athletic, that do not have to do much but for the most part, its tons of work and a huge drive.

True. But it reiterates my point. It's a choice. No one forces them to play a sport as a scholly athlete and have their education paid for. I dreamed of having the ability to get my college paid for, but I didnt, hence, I didnt go to college. So be it. They should be grateful they get what they get. But on the bottom line, deep down Kenny as well as many other players are most likely plenty happy with their current situation.

 

[Count 'Bility]

If I was a player, I couldn't help but feel a little ripped off when I know the schools are making huge dollars off my work. I think that would be natural. I also think the "but your college is being paid for" thing wouldn't hold a lot of water to me as a college kid. It would probably even feel like a bit of a slap in the face.

But as a 33 year old man, who is still paying off student loans (and I am not complaining about that--it just is what it is) the value of what they are getting is a little more apparent to me than what it would have been as a 21 year old. The key would probably be, that you have to be getting something out of your college education for that to really be a value. If you are just taking blow off classes to stay eligible then your college education is really a waste of your time and energy and then you would really feel like you should be getting paid. If you are progressing in a degree that you are passionate about, then it probably feels like more of a value.

I obviously don't know Kenny, and am not pretending to know anything about his college. I do appreciate him advocating for what he believes in, and think he did it in a reasonable way.

Good point. the student athlete needs to have the sense to take advantage of his opportunity to get a high class education paid for by his athletic abilities. If he's a 1st round draft pick as a freshman, and screws off with stupid classes, then blows out his knee and can never play again, that's his own fault. You reep what you sew. You get no sympathy from me when you feel negative effects of choices you made, esp. when you were in a situation that pretty much guarantees success one way or another.

 

[Enhance]

I'm actually ok with the smaller schools struggling to pay their players. Then maybe they will drop the sport! All big east teams should drop football anyways. And if you can't self sustain paying these kids $1200-$1500 a month for 5 months after the tens of millions these major programs bring in from football then drop the program or make FCS football no pay for play and all the smaller FBS schools drop down a level and run that division like everything is run now, play for schollies!

Do you have any idea how many universities can't legitimately afford to pay their players? In 2010, only 22 of 120 Division I-A athletic programs turned a profit. I couldn't find the 2011 numbers, but I'm sure they're not vastly different. If universities can't afford to pay players, they should drop football? You're essentially telling thousands of student athletes "Your university is poor, now go away."

The overwhelming issue is outside the realm of football - it trickles down to the other sports. There are handfuls of schools, namely Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, etc., who make their money because of basketball, not football. Do these players deserve to be paid too, given they're more valuable to their respective universities than the football players? In extension, how is it fair then to all the other hundreds of student athletes who play sports like baseball, softball, tennis or soccer? Sure, they don't bring in the big bucks, but they put in just as much effort into their sports as the popular sport athletes do.

I believe student athletes are taken advantage of. Literally speaking we should name them all property of their respective universities. I also believe student athletes should be given extra money to help out with expenses, given their time constraints and the effort they put into their team. But I have yet to see someone come up with a legitimate, effective plan that wouldn't punish the less fortunate schools. There's simply no way that we can pay all college athletes, even all division one athletes, in a fair and unbiased way. People think there's parity in college sports now? Imagine how bad it would be if some schools could pay their players and others couldn't.

 

[teachercd]

Kenny Bell is fortunate to have his schooling paid for once he graduates unlike my wife who has about 180K to pay off for the next 10+ years after earning her Physician's Assistant degree. Hell you think the hospital would at least pay half of it but nope.

Kenny Bell has a right to his opinion but there are several thousand other students who have it worse than him.

And you make a great augmentative point as well...many students are so far in debt it is ridiculous. It's a damn blessing to have your college tuition paid for.

I kind of agree with this but I kind of disagree. I think blessing might be the wrong word. A kid who gets a full ride for sports or academics generally worked really really really hard. I mean, there are some freaks, academic and athletic, that do not have to do much but for the most part, its tons of work and a huge drive.

True. But it reiterates my point. It's a choice. No one forces them to play a sport as a scholly athlete and have their education paid for. I dreamed of having the ability to get my college paid for, but I didnt, hence, I didnt go to college. So be it. They should be grateful they get what they get. But on the bottom line, deep down Kenny as well as many other players are most likely plenty happy with their current situation.

Grateful just makes it sound like they should be happy with what they are getting. Why shouldn't they want more? Why shouldn't you want more? Are you grateful for your job/life right now or do you want more? I know I want more, I want more money, bigger house, cooler friends (trust me, getting my friends to even party for a Husker game is a TERRIBLE experience).

I am grateful for the things I currently have but I for sure, want more.

I am not saying they should get more, I don't care at all either way, not one bit. But I can tell you for sure, that I would want more, so would you. So would every poster on this site.

Lets put it this way, say yourself or a friend or family member gets a full ride to grad school because of your smarts. Lets say school one will pay for everything but school two will pay for everything, give you a stipend AND a promised internship in your field when you graduate.

Which will you take? Would you just be grateful for option one? Or would you want option two because it offers you more?

I don't understand how anyone would not want more, if they could get it.

 

[teachercd]

I'm actually ok with the smaller schools struggling to pay their players. Then maybe they will drop the sport! All big east teams should drop football anyways. And if you can't self sustain paying these kids $1200-$1500 a month for 5 months after the tens of millions these major programs bring in from football then drop the program or make FCS football no pay for play and all the smaller FBS schools drop down a level and run that division like everything is run now, play for schollies!

Do you have any idea how many universities can't legitimately afford to pay their players? In 2010, only 22 of 120 Division I-A athletic programs turned a profit. I couldn't find the 2011 numbers, but I'm sure they're not vastly different. If universities can't afford to pay players, they should drop football? You're essentially telling thousands of student athletes "Your university is poor, now go away."

The overwhelming issue is outside the realm of football - it trickles down to the other sports. There are handfuls of schools, namely Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, etc., who make their money because of basketball, not football. Do these players deserve to be paid too, given they're more valuable to their respective universities than the football players? In extension, how is it fair then to all the other hundreds of student athletes who play sports like baseball, softball, tennis or soccer? Sure, they don't bring in the big bucks, but they put in just as much effort into their sports as the popular sport athletes do.

I believe student athletes are taken advantage of. Literally speaking we should name them all property of their respective universities. I also believe student athletes should be given extra money to help out with expenses, given their time constraints and the effort they put into their team. But I have yet to see someone come up with a legitimate, effective plan that wouldn't punish the less fortunate schools. There's simply no way that we can pay all college athletes, even all division one athletes, in a fair and unbiased way. People think there's parity in college sports now? Imagine how bad it would be if some schools could pay their players and others couldn't.

This is a really good post.

 

[Polarhusker]

Question? how much money does NU actually make by using Bells name? Or any student athlete?

I would say not much.

I would think NU makes more $$$ using the NU logo than using the names of the players.

 

[teachercd]

Question? how much money does NU actually make by using Bells name? Or any student athlete?

I would say not much.

I would think NU makes more $$$ using the NU logo than using the names of the players.

Some of the players and some of the former coaches (BC) hurt the name! haha

 

[ladyhawke]

Just curious: What other expenses do student athletes have when compared to other students who are involved in extra curricular activities?

(I don't know if there are other non-sport activities that require the same amount of time that is required of a student athlete.) I'm also curious as to what criteria the university would use to determine what would be counted as 'expenses covered under the 'payment' or 'stipend'?

 

[Count 'Bility]

Kenny Bell is fortunate to have his schooling paid for once he graduates unlike my wife who has about 180K to pay off for the next 10+ years after earning her Physician's Assistant degree. Hell you think the hospital would at least pay half of it but nope.

Kenny Bell has a right to his opinion but there are several thousand other students who have it worse than him.

And you make a great augmentative point as well...many students are so far in debt it is ridiculous. It's a damn blessing to have your college tuition paid for.

I kind of agree with this but I kind of disagree. I think blessing might be the wrong word. A kid who gets a full ride for sports or academics generally worked really really really hard. I mean, there are some freaks, academic and athletic, that do not have to do much but for the most part, its tons of work and a huge drive.

True. But it reiterates my point. It's a choice. No one forces them to play a sport as a scholly athlete and have their education paid for. I dreamed of having the ability to get my college paid for, but I didnt, hence, I didnt go to college. So be it. They should be grateful they get what they get. But on the bottom line, deep down Kenny as well as many other players are most likely plenty happy with their current situation.

Grateful just makes it sound like they should be happy with what they are getting. Why shouldn't they want more? Why shouldn't you want more? Are you grateful for your job/life right now or do you want more? I know I want more, I want more money, bigger house, cooler friends (trust me, getting my friends to even party for a Husker game is a TERRIBLE experience).

I am grateful for the things I currently have but I for sure, want more.

I am not saying they should get more, I don't care at all either way, not one bit. But I can tell you for sure, that I would want more, so would you. So would every poster on this site.

Lets put it this way, say yourself or a friend or family member gets a full ride to grad school because of your smarts. Lets say school one will pay for everything but school two will pay for everything, give you a stipend AND a promised internship in your field when you graduate.

Which will you take? Would you just be grateful for option one? Or would you want option two because it offers you more?

I don't understand how anyone would not want more, if they could get it.

Yes, all this I know. Had to get back to work and didnt have time to point out the "wanting more" ideology. No one can be blamed for wanting more, but in this case, it just can't be logically accomplished.

 

[teachercd]

It probably can't be logically accomplished but most of the things we want usually can't, but we still want them!

 

[Landlord]

ANYONE WHO THINKS COLLEGE ATHLETES NEED MORE MONEY NEEDS TO READ THIS ARTICLE AND THEN CHANGE THEIR MIND OKAY GOOD.

http://www.holyturf.com/2011/05/football-players-receive-17000-annually-in-cash-all-within-ncaa-rules/

$17,040- Grand TotalRemember, this excludes any money from the Student-Athlete Opportunity Fund, the Special Assistance Fund, and any occasional meals provided by boosters. Monthly, football players are looking at $1,420 cash in their pocket without having to buy books or pay tuition and fees. Did you have $1,420 of cash every month in college?

 

[NUance]

Just curious: What other expenses do student athletes have when compared to other students who are involved in extra curricular activities?

They spend a lot on condoms. Hopefully.

 

[okaive]

If you look at this link, there would be alot of colleges that wouldn't be able to make it that is in the big conferences. For example, look at Texas A&M, they only made $9k for the year. I don't think they would be able to afford the $1500 per kid in football a month. And they had to take a subsidy. Only 10 schools out of college football didn't take the subsidy. So are you wanting only seven teams to play each year? That would be very boring.

http://www.usatoday....base/54955804/1

 

[teachercd]

7 teams, with an 8 team playoff?!?! ha

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

My thoughts can be summed up in three scenarios:

1) If you pay them, then don't allow them to be there on scholarship, make them pay their tuition.

2) If you don't pay them, then give them the scholarship.

-OR-

3) If they are going to take pud classes just to stay eligible, then give them the opportunity of getting paid a little bit and having a scholarship (because the value of their education to them is $0 anyways), but if they don't make it to the NFL like they planned, then tough luck. They made their decision.