Let's Fix Football

In light of "The U" there are some college football fans, supporters, deans, athletic directors that are just coming out throwing their hands in the air and saying why don't we just pay this college athletes? Why not let boosters pay to recruit them, and then pay for their play. Give them the 30 Grand school signing bonus, then a million a year to play. Those comments are so asinine and egregious that sports bars and ticket takers every where should be issued your photo so that those who think they should get paid that amount can't attend another game and spread such unfounded ideals amongst true sports fans. However I think there finally might be room for compromise, not a pay for play, but another form of a student loan. One that the athlete will have to be responsible for whether or not they go pro or major in something else.

First, these are Student-Athletes, the student part always should come first. Don't make the grade don't play, don't follow the rules don't play, and guess what all students are broke. These 18,19,20 year-old kids are getting their room and board paid for, extra free meals in the athletic department dinning halls, FREE tutors, plus a $40,000 education laid in their laps. Let me tell you that is a damn lot more than I had going to school, I ate noodles and dollar menu's 6 or 7 days a week to survive and pay rent.

However, now you want to see them get paid well for their contribution to the university. That is that I'm not blind and realize that certain blue chip athletes can pull in a ton of cash from jersey sells, tickets purchased, etc. Either way they already did get paid to the tune of $40-60 K a year if you add up the paragraph above. Plus what's to say if we are just opening the flood gates and giving up on the real problems at hand that it would solve anything? In fact it would make it worse. So your QB, RB, WR, and Defensive captain get more than other players on the team. In what world does that make sense to you? Once again these are very young men, who if given 5 to 10 grand extra year are not going to spend it on Subway, a date night to the movies, or cell phone bills to cover calls home to mama. They are going to blow that cash on booze, weed, pimpin rides, tattoos, and who knows what else. Don't believe me? What would you have done if someone gave you an extra $10 grand the first week you were away from your family structure and off on your own at college? Like any 20 year old that money wasn't going to the bank it was going to the bar.

So devils advocats think that just because some boosters do it now, they should just open it up and let boosters have the money let them? C'mon how does that level the playing field when there are the T. Boone Pickens, and the Phil Knights of the world can give amazing recruiting and signing bonuses . So now we know how the Big XII, Pac 10, Big 10 would draw to get their talent, yet the Independent schools, Mountain West Leagues, and Conference USA schools of the world get left to suffer.

ESPN did come back later in the day with a round table panel to discuss this, the likes of the College Football Analysts and former coaches Urban Meyer, Nick Saben, and other professionals. This Cost of Attendence notion they brought up should be looked it as a loan from either the University or Federal Aid, that must be paid back upon exit of the university. Make it one flat rate of an easy $1,000 per semester per athlete, and only if the school deems it necessary does it get offered. Correct human behaviors, show these kids there is a price for attending instutions of higher learning. If they break the rules, get benched, or kicked out of school guess what the bills still keep coming just like in the real world. It makes me sick that we are putting the NFL supplemental draft on hold for Terrelle Pryor if he didn't meet the requirements especially due to rules violations then he must pay the consequences. The NFL should not be any sort of escape or safe haven for players who broke rules and laws in college. Sit out, unemployed for an entire NFL year, realize what a gift you have and how foolish it can be wasted on the things that don't matter. They might get a small taste of what it is like for the millions of Americans that know what it is like to be out of work. A lot of those are the same Americans that will pay for tickets when there are a few extra bucks in the bank. These athletes should even be thankful they are not locked up for that year or more like a Mike Vick or Plaxico Burress, who I'm sure would tell you having your lively hood taken and shelf life decreased hurts. Just giving a free pass to these kids to take what ever money they get from where ever they get it and not have someone to answer to at the end of the day is just ludicrous, not lucrative.

Well I've been up for 20 straight hours, next time how to fix the NFL kick off, HERE WE GO!