packer involved in miami scandal

[Scott Campbell]

Hopefully they are not using the same broom.

Geez.

I promise to use a clean broom on you next time. How long are you going to stay mad about that?

[sharpe1027]

If you took the revenues generated by the football program and gave 40-50% of it to the athletes to be distributed that would be reasonably fair. I say, still give them the four year eligibility - some will choose to get educated right away, and for others, having that guaranteed college opportunity waiting for them when they finish attempting to play in the NFL or elsewhere is far more valuable and sensical than having them blow it on basket weaving 101. A lot of these guys won't mature for a long time and they blow their physical bodies with nothing to show for it AND they've lost their chance to use their education. Many need remedial education just to take advantage of college in the first place. I say pay them for their on-field efforts and guarantee that four year education, to be cashed in whenever they want.

Would you remove all restrictions on non-university funds being given to college students? Would you allow anyone to give/loan them money? If not, you still have the same problem. Granted, there would be less temptation because athletes would have more "legit" money. If you do, I think that you might see a lot more kids being taken advantage of.

[mraynrand]

Would you remove all restrictions on non-university funds being given to college students? Would you allow anyone to give/loan them money? If not, you still have the same problem.

Good questions. Maybe if it were all in the open I could stomach it. At least we'd know which institutions were recruiting high school stars with sports cars, etc.

[sharpe1027]

Good questions. Maybe if it were all in the open I could stomach it. At least we'd know which institutions were recruiting high school stars with sports cars, etc.

Yeah, some transparency would be an improvement, but so would actually enforcing the rules as they stand now. You can never stop it completely, but right now the NCAA has their heads buried 10 feet deep in the sand. Nothing happens unless someone breaks a story in the news and even then they aren't guaranteed to do anything.

Miami didn't get busted for using their own funds; it was a third-party. That's part of the reason that I'm not sure that the answer is to have the universities to give the players money. The temptation is still there.

[red]

this is a must read, just an awesome article

http://sports.yahoo.com/investigations/news;_ylt=AgpvyYZncrUh6i4LCOBYpQM5nYcB?slug=dw-wetzel_miami_scandal_scene_081711

[cheesner]

I don't see this as a problem, if you look at the big picture. A 42" high def, big picture, as Sam does.

[Joemailman]

I just remember the Notre Dame-Miami rivalry game was always "Catholics vrs. Criminals"

Actually, Catholics vs. Convicts. They weren't just criminal. They were guilty.

[ND72]

I honestly haven't followed the story very closely at all. I'm as burned out about these NCAA violations as I was from the MLB steroid BS. Just tired and uninterested.

What is funny is how these guys decide to throw people or teams under the bus. I don't know why this guy chose to just rooffie the entire Miami athletic program and then drive a bus over it but its pretty ridiculous.

He reached out to some of the NFL players and some of those coaches to ask them to pay his bail, and they refused to...so he started talking. Kind of funny to me. Everything will always come back to get ya....especially syphilis.

[Patler]

Not typically undergrads - if you want to compare apples to apples. If you want to start talking graduate students and post docs, that's a different story.

Sure it is. A lot of research involves mundane, grunt,repetitive testing and data gathering that is often done by the undergrads, not the graduate students or profs. Kind of like the 99% of the football players who will never have a professional career. Fans don't come to watch the no name center and guards.

[cheesner]

Here's my idea:

Open the NFL draft to all college players. However, they only get to play when they turn 21 or are in their third year of college. They can do minicamps, but not full contact in spring during OTAs. They would get a set salary that would afford them decent college living. NFL teams would have limit of x number of players on developmental squad. It would be big gamble for teams drafting late to take shots on these promising freshmen kids and get to help with their development.

[mraynrand]

Sure it is. A lot of research involves mundane, grunt,repetitive testing and data gathering that is often done by the undergrads, not the graduate students or profs.

The grad students and post docs do the bulk of the grunt work - by far.

[Pugger]

Everything is driven by greed, dear. I can see them not wanting the schools to pay athletes, but to say that they can't hold a job while they're in school is ridiculous. If there is a company that wants to hire them, it is their prerogative to work while in school as long as they keep their athletic eligibility.

+1

I'm with Zig here. This is crazy. A kid on any other type of scholarship can get a job flipping burgers to earn spending money but student athletes cannot?

[digitaldean]

Plain and simple, some of the common sense is missing with the NCAA regulations. Let the kids get a legit job to earn some cash on the side.
That being said, they are getting paid with an education, which per the Univ of Miami website equals approx. $160,000. I don't know about you, but that SHOULD mean something. I have to bust my ASS off to save to put my kids through college (and that's including 2 yrs jr. college then staying in state to keep tuition down).
If you have the talent and can earn that scholarship, more power to you. But please don't tell me you are being exploited. Frankly, I'm damn tired of it.
Some of the NCAA rules are flat out idiotic on how coaches and players can interact. I get that, those should be changed. Yeah the networks are making money. But the kids are getting paid with their education. I may be accused of being simplistic, but that education, that degree (which is supposed to be used when they're done with their athletic careers) should mean something.

[pbmax]

Here's my idea:

Open the NFL draft to all college players. However, they only get to play when they turn 21 or are in their third year of college. They can do minicamps, but not full contact in spring during OTAs. They would get a set salary that would afford them decent college living. NFL teams would have limit of x number of players on developmental squad. It would be big gamble for teams drafting late to take shots on these promising freshmen kids and get to help with their development.

Far too logical for real world application.

[mraynrand]

That being said, they are getting paid with an education, which per the Univ of Miami website equals approx. $160,000.

But the kids are getting paid with their education.

I may be accused of being simplistic, but that education, that degree (which is supposed to be used when they're done with their athletic careers) should mean something.

You are being simplistic - or rather, pollyannaish. I worked for two years in college as a student athlete tutor. Students are all over the map in their abilities. Shouldn't shock you that many of the swimmers were very smart and worked hard at their classes, while hockey, basketball, and football players in general were much more challenged. Of what use is a 160,000 education if you have the skill set of a sixth grader? Universities are making tons of money off college athletes and they, and cackling alumni congratulate themselves on what a fine institute of higher learning they have. For many athletes, this is a total crock of shit.