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The current trend of empire building by the athletic departments of many of the nation's largest universities is coming to a dramatic head. Having grabbed multi-million dollar salaries for coaches and cornered vast operating budgets usually beyond their athletic-related income, now the powers-that-be in college sports want to start paying the players walking-around money.
I can think of nothing that would infuriate average students struggling to get by with onerous loans and even the lucky full scholarship students forbidden from earning outside money, than having athletes waving around cash even if the coaches don't think it's that much money. How long before one of the all too frequent sexual attacks or other crimes committed by athletes ignites campuses across the country? How long would it be before we see sit-ins at the athletic departments? How long before there would be widespread calls to end direct state funding for college athletics where it exists, and the cessation of loans to athletics departments from general funds where it doesn't? How long would it be before there are demands to rid the schools of thugs masquerading as students? How long would it be before there are serious demands to throw big-time athletics off campus altogether? These folks are playing with fire around a very short, dangerous, fuse.
Since the 19th century, athletics have had a poor reputation with the academic side of things. With athletics pulling in huge amounts of money without sharing a dime with the rest of the school, tensions have to be rising. Athletics have always survived on campus by keeping the faculty and student body willing to accept the accompanying nonsense. Maybe not right away, but I think eventually the issue of paying athletes will drive too many of the student fans and faculty fans into the opposite camp.
I can think of nothing that would infuriate average students struggling to get by with onerous loans and even the lucky full scholarship students forbidden from earning outside money, than having athletes waving around cash even if the coaches don't think it's that much money. How long before one of the all too frequent sexual attacks or other crimes committed by athletes ignites campuses across the country? How long would it be before we see sit-ins at the athletic departments? How long before there would be widespread calls to end direct state funding for college athletics where it exists, and the cessation of loans to athletics departments from general funds where it doesn't? How long would it be before there are demands to rid the schools of thugs masquerading as students? How long would it be before there are serious demands to throw big-time athletics off campus altogether? These folks are playing with fire around a very short, dangerous, fuse.
Since the 19th century, athletics have had a poor reputation with the academic side of things. With athletics pulling in huge amounts of money without sharing a dime with the rest of the school, tensions have to be rising. Athletics have always survived on campus by keeping the faculty and student body willing to accept the accompanying nonsense. Maybe not right away, but I think eventually the issue of paying athletes will drive too many of the student fans and faculty fans into the opposite camp.