Link: Richard Sherman/Michael Bennett call out NCAA "scam".

[AgentAntiOrange]

My wife paid her own way through school. 2 jobs and a full class load.....her life was work & school not much else. Only it was really not much else. There were no parties at boosters houses, she had to provide her own meals, and she worked through the summers. No photo/publicity ops at schools or hospitals, no adoring fans, and no campus wide attention from her fellow students.

She would've traded places with any athlete if she could have. If you want talk compensation because of what the schools make off of athletics, I'm willing to listen. If you want to compare the difficulties of being a student athlete vs footing your own bill, fugitabowtit.

 

[bamatex82]

I am going to speak from my own personal experience. In the early '80s I was working on an ENGINEERING degree in my junior year. My work study assignments varied, but one semester I got to be the assistant track manager (bottom of the totem pole for sure). I had to be there at noon BEFORE the atheletes and left a 5PM, which was AFTER the athletes left. So I had to schedule my classes in the morning. I made my best grades ever that semester carrying a 16-18hrs of school work on UPPER level ENGINEERING courses. It can be done. There are some students that work longers hours than I did working odd jobs. So, I don't buy it. They have enough time for school.

 

[davefrat]

iirc, there was a lineman at miss state who was working on his PhD.

i find that a bit hard to believe, having been in a PhD program myself.

 

[theballguy]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/201...an-michael-bennett-seattle-seahawks-bash-ncaa




I too wonder how they are getting it done and still coming out with honors? Are these guys really "that" smart?

No way Michael Bennett is.

Exhibit A:

They [the NCAA] say, 'We give you a free degree.' That's like me owning a restaurant and saying, 'I'll give you a free burger.'

Very very bad analogy.

If they don't like it, they should join the Marine Corps. Looking back on it, I would have loved to have gone to college right out of high school on a sports scholarship rather than going in the service so I could save for college.

 

[Catfish]

If they don't like it, they should join the Marine Corps. Looking back on it, I would have loved to have gone to college right out of high school on a sports scholarship rather than going in the service so I could save for college.

You have NO idea how much harder the life of a college student athlete is compared to the life of a Marine!

 

[bamafaninbham]

My brother in law is asst coach for the soccer team at a local private college. He told me once that the players GPAs are higher during the semester that the season is played. He thinks that the structure that is provided and required during the season helps the players stay focused. In the off season they have too much free time and their grades suffer.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I am really tired of the argument about paying players. Yes student athletes put in an incredible amount of time and work. It takes a huge amount of dedication and in football and basketball their talent brings in a ton of money.

In return, they get an opportunity to earn a college degree and in many cases a masters degree. Room and food is paid for. In many cases they have their own dietitian. All the athletic shoes, shorts, shirts, jackets, hoodies, etc. they want. Personal tutors to help them with their classes and people to push them along. They have everything they need to help them succeed in the classroom. The facilities and surroundings are usually the best on campus. AND it they are truly "in need' they qualify for pell grant money. That is cash in their pocket.

They like to compare themselves to other students about how much time they spend on their sport. Many students work very hard to put themselves through school. They do not have the personal tutors in the state of the art study halls. Many can't go to summer school because they have to work to pay for next semester.

The price to be a student athlete is very high, but lets not believe these are poor college kids looking for their next meal for their efforts. They are provided for very well.

I paid my own way through school. There were times when I didn't eat because I had to buy a book or pay rent. I sometimes had to eat crackers for a meal. If I was struggling in a class I had to make an appointment with the professor which usually meant I missed work and got a lower paycheck that week. I am so tired of this pay the players and hearing how mistreated they are. They are spoiled brats. Shut your mouth and do your job.

 

[CoachJeff]

Football gets a lot of attention, but I'm not sure if there's a sport that has fewer travel requirements. For example, an Alabama XC runner could have 20+ competitions this year, and only 2-3 would be at home. Football has, at most, 6-7 away games. All on weekends.

 

[CrimsonPride]

How great is it for a student who has to have a job while enrolled at a university. It could be harder than for any athlete.

I'll bet that student working would love to have all the goodies that athletes get.

I agree that is could be much harder for a student who has to have a job while enrolled at college. However, that is not required for all students but the schedule and requirements outlined by Sherman apply to all student athletes. I understand that it can be difficult for a student that has to juggle class, studying, and work but I am not going to diminish what student-athletes go through either. The are advantages and disadvantages to both types of student life.

Instead of comparing the student-athlete to a student who also has to work while attending college, let's compare them to students who get full-ride or other academic scholarships. They have to go to class and maintain a certain GPA to keep their scholarships but so do the student-athletes. Unless the parents were lied to during orientation, there is also tutoring and other academic assistance available for students who are not athletes. The students on the academic scholarship don't have the practice, training, and team meeting requirements to contend with. They also don't have to endure the wear and tear on their bodies. Just consider all of our players who have either had surgery or sustained significant injuries. We accept that as part of the package for an athlete but your average student doesn't have to deal with that.

 

[gamersfuel]

i see where he's coming from. and i wish they could come up with something to help the kids out more. football is a violent sport. it's like being in a car crash for 4 qtrs. meanwhile the schools are making lord knows how much money off of those players.

 

[im4uainva]

They would probably all be better off if they would instead join the Marine Corps for four years. That would be much easier and pay so much better. Not to mention so much safer for their health, physical and mental.


Roll Tide!

 

[Special K]

When I start to see scholarship players dropping out of football in droves, then maybe I'll pay attention to the arguments from Sherman and Bennett. If it sucks so bad, do something else. Here's one option......

 

[cmmiller711]

the harsh reality of this situation is that everybody that goes to big time FBS school gets paid. if everybody didnt get paid, a very large percentage of these guys would have to do all that AND get a job to pay for a car/books/etc. school alone is hard enough for a lot of people. not every d1 player is as brilliant as richard sherman. the complaint players have i think is more eliminating the "black market" element of it.

 

[BamaFanatJSU]

I am going to speak from my own personal experience. In the early '80s I was working on an ENGINEERING degree in my junior year. My work study assignments varied, but one semester I got to be the assistant track manager (bottom of the totem pole for sure). I had to be there at noon BEFORE the atheletes and left a 5PM, which was AFTER the athletes left. So I had to schedule my classes in the morning. I made my best grades ever that semester carrying a 16-18hrs of school work on UPPER level ENGINEERING courses. It can be done. There are some students that work longers hours than I did working odd jobs. So, I don't buy it. They have enough time for school.

This is a prime example of how one has to manage his/her time in order to be involved in college athletics and still make academic progress. With that said, though, I think most people, especially Sherman and Bennett are glossing over a common practice of most college football players: creative scheduling.

When I was in college, the football players I knew took the classes for their major or any other difficult-to-schedule classes during the spring and summer semesters, when workouts and meetings (other than spring drills) were at a minimum. During the fall semester, they only took the bare minimum hours needed to stay eligible, and they filled their schedules with a mixture of lower level electives, online courses, and independent study opportunities. That method made it much easier to fulfill their football requirements while making minimum academic progress, and let's be honest, the athletic department was always able to negotiate these opportunities for the players with the academic departments.

Again, I'm not saying it's easy, but I certainly don't think it's the drudgery that Sherman and Bennett made it out to be, especially when you figure that many of these guys are working toward degrees in underwater basket-weaving, recreation administration, or human reproductive sciences.

 

[Tidewater]

Well that sure will open up a can of worms. Tell me Mr's Bennet and Sherman, if you had it so bad, why didn't you just quit football and go as one of those regular students who have it made?

Of course there are schools who could care less about the players ~ how do I spell FSU ~ but it still all comes down to whether a player wants to pass his courses or not. If it is that bad a deal, why do athletes sign the dotted line? They don't know what kind of lousy, rotten deal they will get? Huh. All recruits know player and players who have left. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING INTO.

Listen, why don't you whine and moan about Nick Saban making a lot of money, like that has anything to do with your passing or not passing.

I only read one valid point and that was practice time. Maybe I am wrong, but I thought schools provided tutors for just that reason?

When I was teaching at the University of Alabama, I had two student-athletes: one young lady played basketball and another ran track. These two were not my best student-athletes. They were my best students. Self-disciplined, dedicated.
These young ladies found the time to manage practice, school and social life, and balanced them well. Maybe Mr. Sherman could use some coaching from these Alabama student-athletes on how to multi-task.

 

[Gr8hope]

IF Richard Sherman marries the mother of his unborn child and then sticks around to support it both financially and morally, I might care what he has to say about his interest in other children. He strikes me as another mouthy, useful idiot.... regardless of his education level.

 

[CoachJeff]

When I was teaching at the University of Alabama, I had two student-athletes: one young lady played basketball and another ran track. These two were not my best student-athletes. They were my best students. Self-disciplined, dedicated.
These young ladies found the time to manage practice, school and social life, and balanced them well. Maybe Mr. Sherman could use some coaching from these Alabama student-athletes on how to multi-task.

And the demands for a basketball player and track athlete are probably more rigorous than football.

 

[WylieTexasTider]

Yea I have no idea how players graduate in 3 years. You would have to take 5 classes year around (fall,summer, and spring semesters) to graduate in 3 years. 5 classes * 3 hours per class * 3 semesters per year = 135 hours. Most colleges require 128 hours for a bachelors degree. Just doesn't seem feasible to take 5 classes year around for 3 years while also being a full time football player without having some impermissible help..

Depends on the major. I was a History major which currently requires 120 hours. (Did require 128 when I graduated). Many of the kids are on campus for at least 1 summer session before their freshman year. Therefore, they could easily knock out 6 hours without any effort. Then, assuming they just take 1 class in interim and 2 during summer 1&2 before their sophomore and junior year, they knock out another 30 hours. (They have plenty of time without structured practice/meeting etc.) Then, they only need 14 hours per semester during fall/spring terms when they have more time taken away due to football in order to graduate in 3 years.

Those who stay 4 years have it even easier.... Average 12 hours in the fall/spring. (technically 10.5)

 

[CrimsonPride]

Depends on the major. I was a History major which currently requires 120 hours. (Did require 128 when I graduated). Many of the kids are on campus for at least 1 summer session before their freshman year. Therefore, they could easily knock out 6 hours without any effort. Then, assuming they just take 1 class in interim and 2 during summer 1&2 before their sophomore and junior year, they knock out another 30 hours. (They have plenty of time without structured practice/meeting etc.) Then, they only need 14 hours per semester during fall/spring terms when they have more time taken away due to football in order to graduate in 3 years.

Those who stay 4 years have it even easier.... Average 12 hours in the fall/spring. (technically 10.5)

This is a great point especially with the emergence of the early enrollees. These guys have two semesters of classes and could easily have 21 hours before their fall semester. I would also think the ones who are able to enroll early have demonstrated the ability to manage their time between class and athletic requirements.

 

[WylieTexasTider]

This is a great point especially with the emergence of the early enrollees. These guys have two semesters of classes and could easily have 21 hours before their fall semester. I would also think the ones who are able to enroll early have demonstrated the ability to manage their time between class and athletic requirements.

Exactly, if you are an early enrolee and took just 12 hours in the spring (which I believe is the minimum to be full time), you could take 12 hours each semester and still graduate after 3 years as long as you took 9 hours each summer. There is no reason a player can't take 1 class in interim and each summer session.

Plus, a lot of these kids are used to the demands. My cousin is a HS senior this year and during the season gets up at 5:30AM, Has his butt dressed on the practice field at 6:15AM for practice 6:30AM-8:30AM. Then dressed and in class 9AM-3PM. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday has film study/position/team meetings/lifting 4PM-7:30PM. Wednesday is team dinner 5PM-7:30PM. They have football meetings/film study etc on Saturdays for a good chunck of the day.

He managed to be offensive MVP of his district, all region player, and be an honor roll student. (And find time to deal with recruiting, spend 2-3 hours a week on his spring sports, golf and baseball, and go to bible study.) He is excited to get to college b/c he will have a lot more time to relax... (Not sure he isn't folling himself...)