Arian Foster: “I was getting money” at Tennessee

[Gopherguy0723]

Quite honestly, I don't know. I am fine with it the way it is - but, I am concerned that the landscape could change drastically. If it is going to change, I'd rather the NCAA be defining how it will change.

You mean the corrupt NCAA that has been lying about the sanctity of amateurism for decades in order to make huge amounts of money that also happens to be tax free? Do some research, you'll see the NCAA has been selling snake oil for more than 50 years. The only reason people defend the current system is because nobody ever likes change, and they've been sold a bill of goods for so long that they don't know they've been lied to.

As for competitive balance concerns, when has there ever been competitive balance? That is a pipe dream people delude themselves with. There never has been balance, nor will there ever be. Teams can breakthrough every now and then, and every now and then one blue blood will fall and an upstart will become a blue blood, but those instances are exceptionally rare.

 

[atsgopher]

While what you say is true, your argument is a red herring and an appeal to an emotion that simply deflects or distracts from the argument.

Perhaps both situations should be better rather than saying we have it bad so quit complaining if others do as well.

I don't get people who have things tough and then want other bring people who have it marginally better to shut up and be torn down to the lower level. Why wouldn't you complain about your problems and demand they be made better rather than create a wedge and bring others down due to jealousy or spite?

I actually know the answer is due to human psychology, and that people would actually rather ruin others if they see something as unfair as opposed to bringing their own station up. But that kind if thinking doesn't make anything better it only makes things worse.

I must have come off a bit unclear. I am simply trying to point out that exploitation in both instances, at least in my view, is absurd. No more, no less.

Appeal to Emotion, naw, comedic; that's military humor... civilians get emotional about certain things that veterans joke about. It simply easy to forget.

To me it's hard to empathize with anyone receiving the opportunity to play college sports. I would pay to play.

I guess to attempt to explain better, I view college athletics the same as any other field of study. You are simply studying within sport.

I say, good for the institutions that they can make some money on it and don't have to pay for it via tuition. Those that don't like the NCAA system should take their grievances up with the pro ranks. Payment is a non-starter argument.

The poster that stated (I think CSOM1991), he would rather see the end to scholarships than payment has hit the nail on the head. It is a much more reasonable solution.

 

[disco]

I don't see why any Gopher would be in favor of paying college athletes. We're already at a recruiting disadvantage, but if it becomes a bidding war we are completely screwed. The sanctity of the NCAA is last thread holding us at the major college level. Without it, we'll be swept away.

I don't know that it matters. If there were a stipend system, players would still get cash under the table from programs with big money boosters that programs like ours simply don't have. If they were allowed to sell autographs or work at jobs, it's not like boosters wouldn't pay way more than market value, or give guys no-show jobs for big bucks anyway. The only way to level the playing field is if the NCAA really, seriously got tough about punishing programs that get caught for this kind of behavior. I'm talking about a two-year ban for any team found to be complicit in allowing boosters to pay guys under the table. This will never, ever happen because of all the TV money involved in the game now, and the NCAA would be scared to death that conferences like the SEC would just leave.