Apparently, everyone from the Supreme Court of the United States on down to Joe Everyday Fan is just fine with the idea of college football and basketball becoming full on professional football and basketball.
While the ideal of pure amateurism passed away many years ago, up until now there was still a little bit of divide between professional athletes and college kids. That divide has officially been bridged. And not a minute too soon, right?
The NCAA has already granted college kids free agency disguised as a “transfer portal.” Kids who sign a Letter of Intent out of high school are no longer bound by that long-term contract stuff. They can bolt for greener playing fields any time they want.
Just ask Luke McCaffrey.
The sophomore quarterback wasn’t going to get enough playing time at Nebraska, so he transferred to Louisville last winter. After a few months there, he decided that wasn’t the place for him either, because he hadn’t been guaranteed the starting quarterback gig before practice started. So now he’s back on the market.
Anyone with an open starting job should reach out. That’s all he’s asking for. The promise of immediate gratification. Nothing wrong with that, right?
These guys would probably also like a little cash on the side as well. Fortunately, that’s about to be legal now too, thanks to a lot of political types who are more than happy to loudly promote their sympathies for all those poor, exploited student athletes. So what if they have their entire college education paid for and won’t have any student debt after they graduate? Beside the point. It’s just plain wrong that some of them can’t earn big bucks while also thinking really hard about perhaps finding some time to take that chemistry test. Then again, how important is classwork if you’re already pulling down six figures?
After all, all these athletic departments and the NCAA are swimming in cash. They should gladly share the wealth with a few of the laborer’s, right?
So we’re all okay with college athletes getting paid to play college sports. Got it.
To heck with the notion that college is a teaching/learning experience, designed to get young people prepared for life in the workplace (even if that workplace is a playing field.) Let these teenagers’ cash in on their athletic abilities right now. Let them jump directly into the workforce. Let them get theirs while the gettin’ is good. And those offensive linemen who aren’t getting paid, but who are protecting the quarterbacks getting the big money endorsement deals? Surely the QB will take them out to dinner a couple of times and give them rides to practice in his new car. It’s all good.
Oh ya, those new cars will be looking good on campuses. Because we’re all okay with agents and boosters taking over the recruiting process, right? What’s wrong with these high school kids selling their services to the highest bidder? That’s the American way, right? If Billy Bob’s Auto Emporium in Birmingham wants Johnny Five Star to play for Nick Saban instead of Kirby Smart, then by all means, it’s cool if he hands over the keys to a new ride to the kid who’s never taken a college snap – as long as the kid does a TV commercial for him. The upperclassmen won’t have any problem with that, right? What could go wrong?
And the NFL agents will take good care of these kids. Of course they will. What reason would they have to try to exploit college kids? Heck, it won’t be too long before agents will be lining up to help high school kids set up marketing deals. What high school won’t benefit from having agents and boosters hanging around campus? Can’t believe it took this long for that to be okay.
Apparently, there’s nothing we should worry about. Yes, these are team sports, but in today’s dog eat dog world, the most important thing isn’t learning how to be a team player or functioning within a team concept. That’s outdated thinking. The most important thing is that some of these kids get to make some cash right now. There might not be a tomorrow, after all. And the players who just aren’t good enough or important enough to the team to cash in? Too bad. Tough life lesson there. Need to get better, I guess. But of course they’ll still be selfless, supportive teammates, right?
And those political types in Georgia that think it might be better if the endorsement money gets spread around to other athletes? What the heck are they thinking? Now that’s just pure unadulterated socialism — we can’t have any of that!
People don’t pay to watch the field hockey team play, so why would the field hockey player (who might be getting a little scholarship help but will probably have some of that hefty student loan debt after graduation) need to share in any of the endorsement revenue they didn’t help bring in? That’s not how capitalism works, right?
All that stuff about what’s best for the team, or playing for the name on the front of the uniform…or playing to represent your school? That’s so last century. Finally college sports are getting with the times and realizing that what’s really important is that the quarterback can make money when they put his face on a cereal box. That’s what makes America great.
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