To the Editor:
Re “Don’t Pay College Athletes,” by Cody J. McDavis (Op-Ed, Feb. 26):
Wait a minute. Isn’t the purpose of college to provide an education? Division I sports (particularly football and basketball) have so corrupted college athletics that we have totally lost sight of the purpose of college. Higher education would be much better off if all colleges and universities followed Division III rules — academic scholarships only.
As Mr. McDavis suggests, let the National Basketball Association developmental league pay aspiring young basketball talent. Also, let minor league baseball continue to pay aspiring young baseball players. And organize developmental football leagues, with pay, for aspiring pro football players.
The issue is not whether the “students” should be paid, but whether professional sports belong in universities at all.
Tom Barnard
Shaker Heights, Ohio
To the Editor:
Cody J. McDavis is of the opinion that paying athletes to play college sports is wrong and would ruin college sports. We are already on that road to ruin and have been for some time.
Unfortunately the top divisions of college football and basketball have become predictable to the point of boredom. Sure, there is the occasional interloper (Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason, Butler), but generally the same teams are in the mix in both sports. Think Alabama and Clemson in football, and Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and Michigan in basketball.
We should face facts, pay the students and be done with the romantic notion that this is all about school spirit and amateur competition. It is all about money and nothing more.
Some rule, any rule, that would keep students in school for four years would be more in keeping with the spirit of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. However, given the level of money and corruption, real change is not going to happen. Paying the athletes would be at least a small step toward honesty.
Gerald Bowman
Munich
To the Editor:
Cody J. McDavis says paying college athletes would create an “arms race” in which only a select group of college programs could compete. In reality, the arms race is exactly how college sports currently function. This is particularly true for major college football and basketball programs.
Colleges build multimillion-dollar sports facilities to attract top recruits. And salaries for coaches at major football and basketball programs have ballooned in recent years. What would you call this if not an arms race? Worse yet, because the N.C.A.A. cartel has prevented the players from receiving fair compensation, the winners in this arms race are the coaches and athletic directors. Unsurprisingly, these are usually the first people to argue against paying players.
While an arms race governs major college sports for a select group of top programs, a healthy ecosystem exists with opportunities for mid-major and nonscholarship intercollegiate competition. I am personally grateful that such an opportunity existed for me, and I am confident that a similar opportunity would exist even if the most successful college players were paid fairly.
Compensating those at the top of this structure for the value they bring will not ruin college sports. It will ensure that college sports remain something enjoyed by many fans, students and alumni.
Jack Heneghan
Glendale, Ariz.
The writer played quarterback at Dartmouth before a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers. He now plays for the Arizona Hotshots in the Alliance of American Football.
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | Should College Athletes Be Paid?
Opinion | Should College Athletes Be Paid?
To the Editor:
Re “Don’t Pay College Athletes,” by Cody J. McDavis (Op-Ed, Feb. 26):
Wait a minute. Isn’t the purpose of college to provide an education? Division I sports (particularly football and basketball) have so corrupted college athletics that we have totally lost sight of the purpose of college. Higher education would be much better off if all colleges and universities followed Division III rules — academic scholarships only.
As Mr. McDavis suggests, let the National Basketball Association developmental league pay aspiring young basketball talent. Also, let minor league baseball continue to pay aspiring young baseball players. And organize developmental football leagues, with pay, for aspiring pro football players.
The issue is not whether the “students” should be paid, but whether professional sports belong in universities at all.
Tom Barnard
Shaker Heights, Ohio
To the Editor:
Cody J. McDavis is of the opinion that paying athletes to play college sports is wrong and would ruin college sports. We are already on that road to ruin and have been for some time.
Unfortunately the top divisions of college football and basketball have become predictable to the point of boredom. Sure, there is the occasional interloper (Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason, Butler), but generally the same teams are in the mix in both sports. Think Alabama and Clemson in football, and Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and Michigan in basketball.
We should face facts, pay the students and be done with the romantic notion that this is all about school spirit and amateur competition. It is all about money and nothing more.
Some rule, any rule, that would keep students in school for four years would be more in keeping with the spirit of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. However, given the level of money and corruption, real change is not going to happen. Paying the athletes would be at least a small step toward honesty.
Gerald Bowman
Munich
To the Editor:
Cody J. McDavis says paying college athletes would create an “arms race” in which only a select group of college programs could compete. In reality, the arms race is exactly how college sports currently function. This is particularly true for major college football and basketball programs.
Colleges build multimillion-dollar sports facilities to attract top recruits. And salaries for coaches at major football and basketball programs have ballooned in recent years. What would you call this if not an arms race? Worse yet, because the N.C.A.A. cartel has prevented the players from receiving fair compensation, the winners in this arms race are the coaches and athletic directors. Unsurprisingly, these are usually the first people to argue against paying players.
While an arms race governs major college sports for a select group of top programs, a healthy ecosystem exists with opportunities for mid-major and nonscholarship intercollegiate competition. I am personally grateful that such an opportunity existed for me, and I am confident that a similar opportunity would exist even if the most successful college players were paid fairly.
Compensating those at the top of this structure for the value they bring will not ruin college sports. It will ensure that college sports remain something enjoyed by many fans, students and alumni.
Jack Heneghan
Glendale, Ariz.
The writer played quarterback at Dartmouth before a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers. He now plays for the Arizona Hotshots in the Alliance of American Football.
Source: Read Full Article