Terrelle Pryor, four teammates suspended first five games of 2011

[Baron Scicluna]

But the athletes get a scholarship and a pretty much guaranteed job when they leave school.

I'd argue that their job isn't guaranteed. Unless they're an absolute shoo-in to be a lottery pick, there's nothing guaranteed. Guys who are slated to be first-round picks in the NBA draft end up not getting drafted. Heck, look at Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was slated to be in the top 10 and nearly fell out of the first round. And NFL contracts aren't guaranteed, beyond the bonus.

Yet no one seems to have a problem when the a writer at the student paper also strings for AP and a nearby metro.

The two things aren't comparable.

The reason players can't sell things like this is it will lead to corruption. If they're allowed to sell jerseys and rings, certain schools will give them more jerseys and rings as an inducement to attend. If they're allowed to have jobs, boosters will create fake jobs to lure them to school. That's the reality of the situation.

No one is lining up student journalists with jobs at the AP to lure them away from other schools.

Players are never going to get paid. Never. The sooner everyone realizes that the better. Is it fair? No. So what? Lots of things in life aren't fair. When an actor wins an Oscar in his debut film role, he doesn't get more money. He makes his money on the next movie. Same thing here - the players who are stars will make their money down the road. The players who are not stars will get a free education. It's not a bad deal.

It's only corruption because the NCAA is saying it is. I'd argue, and I'm sure economists would agree, that what the players are doing is merely capitalism.

Capitalism is more than taking advantage of an inequitable situation. To the extent that Free Market Capitalism exists, and it doesn't, is when there is easy access to the markets for both buyer and seller. These highly paid college athletes, easily earning $100,000.00/yr in education, room, board, travel, use of world class facilitates, are provided with benefits that not only the normal student doesn't get, but 90% of the student athletes at their school gets. What's going on isn't capitalism, it's Russian Oligarch-ism. Special rewards to connected people. These select college athletes aren't even buying merchandise low and selling at a profit, they are selling gifts. It is corruption for that reason.

But at the same time, regular students are able to receive benefits that athletes cannot receive, i.e. a free beer. The NCAA calls anything athletes receive to be "Extra benefits," that is not available to regular students.

Problem is, what the athletes frequently are not allowed to receive are benefits that the regular student can receive. And I know, people will say that the athletes are receiving more in extra benefits than a regular student. While that may be true among the stars, how many athletes are considered stars? I'm referring to the sixth man on the bench, or the offensive linemen who get their scholarships, and very little of the perks.

Someone earlier cited Rick Majerus buying Keith Van Horn a dinner before he left for a funeral. Now, the NCAA says that it an extra benefit because it's a coach buying an athlete dinnner. Yet, if Van Horn wasn't a player, and Majerus bought a regular student dinner, the NCAA wouldn't have a gripe. But because Van Horn was a player, suddenly it was an extra benefit.

There was also that running back that played for Northwestern in the mid-90s (Darnell Autry?), who was a theater major. He was chosen to act in a play during a summer, and the NCAA balked because they claimed he was using his stature as an athlete to get the role. It was only after a bunch of negative publicity about how an athlete was trying to enhance his education that the NCAA backed down.

Bottom line is, the NCAA needs to figure out a way to make sure athletes are properly compensated, before they end up losing control of the entire system.

 

[golfnut8924]

When a high school player is being recruited and going on his official visits, I assume the school pays for the kid's plane ticket and all other costs for that trip(?).

If that much is true, how about the non-athlete who has been offered an academic scholarship and takes a trip to visit the school. I assume they are left paying for it out of pocket.

So you have two kids, each one being offered a scholarship. Yet one has to pay for his own trip and the other does not (given that my assumptions are correct).

 

[dreunc1542]

When a high school player is being recruited and going on his official visits, I assume the school pays for the kid's plane ticket and all other costs for that trip(?).

If that much is true, how about the non-athlete who has been offered an academic scholarship and takes a trip to visit the school. I assume they are left paying for it out of pocket.

So you have two kids, each one being offered a scholarship. Yet one has to pay for his own trip and the other does not (given that my assumptions are correct).

I can't say this for all programs, but in my experience, you are incorrect on the second assumption. When being interviewed for an academic scholarship at the school I eventually attended, they paid my way (via plane) to visit and then paid for all my meals while I was there.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

So the Sugar Bowl CEO has enough pull with the NCAA to keep these players eligible. Nah, money doesn't trump all in CFB. Not at all.

"I appreciate and fully understand the Midwestern values and ethics behind that," he said. "But I'm probably thinking of this from a selfish perspective."

Selfish as in I want my forking bonus.

"We've already established what you are, ma'am. Now we're just haggling over the price."

 

[Jersey_Guy]

Well ... if they promised, then go right ahead ... Very clever by Tressel, actually. He creates the headline with the "they promised" news, and then buries the fact that he has no intention of sitting any of them for any part of the bowl game.

NEW ORLEANS - Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel said today that the six players suspended for the start of next season have pledged to return for next year, otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.

Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Dan Herron would all have legitimate options to enter the NFL Draft rather than return for their senior seasons.

But Tressel said that in order to avoid skirting punishment from the NCAA, which suspended those players for the first five games of next season but allowed them to play in the Sugar Bowl, they had to vow to return, and did.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2010/12/jim_tressel_says_suspended_ohi.html

 

[Boom_70]

Boy those players are dumber than I thought.

 

[MileHigh]

Pledge sounds like a verbal agreement to attend a certain school. Nothing is set until you sign the letter of intent.

Nothing says these six on Tuesday morning can't sign with agents and say "See, ya."

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Pledge sounds like a verbal agreement to attend a certain school. Nothing is set until you sign the letter of intent.

Nothing says these six on Tuesday morning can't sign with agents and say "See, ya."

I would stand and applaud if they did that.

 

[qtlaw]

And if you believe that.....you believe that the suspension for 2011 is a harsher punishment than missing the Sugar Bowl.

 

[mb]

[tressel, next year]But ... but ... but ... but ... THEY PROMISED!!!!!!!11[/tressel, next year]

 

[Baron Scicluna]

[tressel, next year]But ... but ... but ... but ... THEY PROMISED!!!!!!!11[/tressel, next year]

Followed by the requisite, "These kids have no honor, and they're ungrateful for the opportunity to bring glory to Ohio State while receiving scholarships to attend basketweaving classes."

 

[qtlaw]

Of course, don't the kids pledge when they sign the LOI to stay in school for the duration of the scholarship (4 years) as well?