I am not opposed to some type of stipend for players. I think it is very wrong for the schools to sell jerseys of a players number and essentially make money off the players likeness. How many #14 jerseys were sold pre- Clayton era? I bet not as many as in his playing days.
if They'd just bring some strippers around the locker rooms after every win, we wouldn't be having this discussion. paying players is wrong but strippers are always right
That's an excellent point. And the better the players perform (as a team, in terms of wins/losses), the more money the school makes in bowl payouts as well as paraphenalia.
And, in the words of a rabbi I know, you bet your bubbie that they are going to subpoena his statements and laugh him out of court.
I don't think they should get paid, but they should be allowed to work off-season. One summer is all you need to cover Fall and you could work during the spring to pay for itself. Heck, didn't athletes back in the day work? Not allowing them to work turns them into some sort of protected class w/in the university, which is contrary to the whole concept of the "student athlete."
Athletes can work summer jobs, but they can't work on or off campus during the 9-month academic year, spring or fall. LSU basketballer Ethan Martin declined a scholarship in his freshman year and walked on so that he could continue the part-time job that his poor family badly needed the income from. Amazingly, his mom was offered a well-paying full time job by E's sophomore year and he was able to accept his scholarship.:grin: The worst was in Shaquille O'neal's last year when LSU was selling "SHAQ" T-shirts for 20 bucks in the week leading up to Shaq's last home game. Sgt. Harrison had had enough and he informed LSU that royalties would be owed to the Harrison family for use of the name "Shaq" for profit. LSU ended up just giving him all of the T-shirts.
Why not have all successful pro players have to reimburse their colleges with at least their tuition in return for having given them a stage for their talents? Or even a % over and above that to support the current student athletes? The argument could be made that more high school players would avoid college and jump to the NBA, minor leagues, or semi-pro football... But let's face it, the guys that get schollies get a free education along with a stage. IN MOST CASES they need the U's as much as the U's needs them. They oughta have to give back some of the MILLIONS IMO...
