Jim Tressel resigned from Ohio State after ten plus years as head coach, and a week and a half later, Terrelle Pryor tells the NCAA to kiss it or “foregoes” his senior year. Is this really shocking to anyone here? I wouldn’t want to answer to the NCAA either. Yes, Tressel knew, I’m sure there are a lot of coaches out there that know of such acts but don’t disclose the information because it could disturb or alter the dynamic of their athletic program due to the sanctions the NCAA has in place. Is that hypocritical? Maybe, but why not ask the NCAA why this continues to happen? Who’s really the culprit? Is it that these kids are signing their lives away to their school and while making the school millions of dollars, they can’t get not one percent of their merchandise earnings ever and end up getting lured in by boosters, businessmen and whoever has the cash flow to facilitate their current needs?
Many people feel that it’s a fair trade- you, a kid, sign your entire college earnings FOR LIFE in exchange for an education, room and board maybe even a few dollars in your pockets depending on your scholarship amounts. Really?? So, if I lived on a plantation, and I did what my master told me and worked hard, I’d have a meal and a roof over my head but can’t get any money off the cotton that I picked that’s now headed to town to be threaded into fabric?? I believe there’s a term for that…right? Same analogy, different circumstances- yes, I said it! The NCAA is nothing more than a modern day plantation owner. Pay these kids a percentage of their earnings. They are making you money. Wake up folks! The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a for-profit business. The University/ College is not paying these kids way through school, the athletic program, that’s worth and making millions of dollars is!!
So where does this leave OSU? Well, I’m from the D aka Detroit…home of The Big House (if you don’t know, Google it), and for me, there’s nothing like watching a Big Ten game but frankly I don’t mind watching OSU sweat and scramble, I just hate for the kids who chose to attend and be a part of the legacy that is Ohio State to get lost in this madness. Ohio State went 11-1 last year losing only to Wisconsin, including winning against my two home teams Michigan and Michigan State. Tressel is the coach that got them there and to the Sugarbowl, which they won over Arkansas 31-26. Pryor ran for 2772 yards, followed by Herron 1155 yards, Sanzenbacher 948 and Posey 848. So it’s safe to say that Coach Tressel had a fire of a squad and that he did his job. Am I mad at him, nope! Am I crossing my eyes at the NCAA, yes! I hope that the Buckeyes get through this madness and smooth things out. Tressel and Pryor are gone but is that going to stop any of the infractions committed by the athletes??? You answer that.
I will say this, on Saturday, November 26, 2011, OSU plays in the Big House…maybe I will fly home and attend the game. My swami is saying it doesn’t look good for The Buckeyes, yeah, I know it’s early but I’m going to call it anyway…smile OSU fans, all in fun in the love of sports :)
PS Terrelle Pryor’s so called former friend is a PUNK!!!
~A2
I totally agree. The System is Flawed! These coaches get paid Millions to train and coach broke college Athletes. Note I did not say student/Athletes. Why is is such a big deal that they are treated different? Guess what they are different! "A" Students do not bring big bucks to the school.
ReplyDeleteStacy
Well....where do I begin??? What a great written blog by you Amani. You did an excellent job on framing the issue concerning whether the student/Athlete should be compensated for his or her hard work. I disagree with both you and Stacey's opinion on the topic. The average American working in the United States earn less than $50,000.00 per year on a taxable basis. Being a former Big Ten Athlete, the tuition at my beloved college currently stands more than $60,000.00 per year. A student/Athlete receiving a full scholarship at my beloved school is receiving a tax free benefit of $60,000.00 per year which by the way on a taxable basis is equivalent to $90,000.00 per year salary for a family who has to pay for Jiimmy/Susan to attend college the usual way...lol.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter how much the school is making for the use of the student/Athlete, but rather the focus needs to be placed on what the Athlete is getting out of the deal.....in the case of my beloved school, that would be on a tax equivalent basis $360,000.00 over a four year period. That is strong in anyone's book. Oh....how could I forget, the Athlete also receives a piece of paper that increases his or her earning potential for decades to come. How could I forget that lil bit of information?
The true push should be to punish or reprimand the schools that bring students/Athletes in that have no intentions on helping them graduate but instead use them for sports. I feel there should be penalties set in place for schools that don't graduate a certain percentage of their student/Athletes in each sport discipline.
Peanutz