Big Ten looks at aiding athletes' living expenses

[mugs]

Seems stupid to give them more money when most college athletic departments are losing money. They're already giving them a free education, which is pretty good compensation for the 99% of them who will never make it to the NFL. For the 1% that will make it to the NFL, the players (and NFL) are using the college as a stepping stone as much as the college is using them to make money.

 

[Kirby]

This.

I have yet to meet a college athlete that played one of the major sports to have a plan B. Most were borderline retarded, if not completely so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_McElroy

I've met Greg. He seems like a nice guy, plus he does a lot of charity work and such.

 

[Blackjack200]

Seems stupid to give them more money when most college athletic departments are losing money. They're already giving them a free education, which is pretty good compensation for the 99% of them who will never make it to the NFL. For the 1% that will make it to the NFL, the players (and NFL) are using the college as a stepping stone as much as the college is using them to make money.

I'd be more simapthetic to that viewpoint if there were legitimate semi-pro feeder leagues that football and basketball players could use if they did not want to play for free. Ice hockey players can go to college and play for free, or they can play in the CHL for money without hurting their chance at the NHL.

 

[vi edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_McElroy

I've met Greg. He seems like a nice guy, plus he does a lot of charity work and such.

Yep. There's a pretty good pile of athletes that go completely under the radar with respectable, hard earned degrees. They just don't make as good of a news story as the thugs and mouthbreathers that arrested for whatever stupid crime they manage to find themselves in.

What makes a more interesting headline?

"Terrel Pryor, QB of OSU is caught selling his Big 10 title ring for free tatoos!"

Or.....

"Greg McElroy, QB for Alabama makes list of smartest college atheletes!"

 

[Brigandier]

I'd be more simapthetic to that viewpoint if there were legitimate semi-pro feeder leagues that football and basketball players could use if they did not want to play for free. Ice hockey players can go to college and play for free, or they can play in the CHL for money without hurting their chance at the NHL.

A lot of big hockey players first play in the minor leagues, then go to a D1 school, and then go to the NHL.

 

[TheFamilyMan]

I have said this before, a Reggie Bush is more valuable to a university than the smartest kid on the planet. They make money. And some will generate 50 to 75 times more than they will ever recieve. Great athletics is superior to great brains when you factor in economics. They should get many economic perks.

Just because you have said it before, SimpleJack of ATOT, that doesn't make it any more true. A Reggie Bush, who could barely spell U-S-C and signed his fucking scholarship papers with a Crayola crayon 'X', is not more valuable to a university than the smartest kid. Why? Because players like Reggie Bush will move on and distance themselves as far away from the University as possible when they leave because of all the eligibility rules they knowingly broke. The University is then left to deal with the shitstorm (both economically as well as goodwill) left behind. People that go to a University with the goal in mind of say, actually being there for school and LEARNING, will do more for the University during and after graduation. Quite a few students that are there on academic scholarships that would qualify for "superstar" academics will probably end up doing or participating in possibly ground-breaking research that may or may not lead to very valuable intellectual property for the University. Most academically scholarshipped students that then go on to be successful at life end up giving back to the University over a prolonged span that equates to way more than a Reggie Bush will ever give or generate.

Yes, athletics pay for a lot of things on a campus but they cost a hell of a lot as well. Many D1 and D2 atheltic programs don't have the financial surplus most think they have. I've been through the books before and know what their margins look like...before and after success/failure.

 

[Kirby]

Reggie Bush, who could barely spell U-S-C and signed his fucking scholarship papers with a Crayola crayon 'X'

i lol'd

 

[dr150]

Since college football is basically just a business on campus, separate it as such, and pay the employees (football players, coaches, grounds keepers, cheerleaders, etc.) their fair share. Education is just a by product.

College is a scam for most.

Unless you're majoring in anything technical (i.e. employable), majoring in Philosophy ain't going to cut it....unless you go the MBA/Law route (as if they aren't oversaturated already)

College, for most, is largely about getting laid, drunk, stoned and murdering yourself the night before the final to get the Pass.

All the info. you learn in class is largely gone by graduation time...and with a six figure debt to show for it....a debt that can never be cancelled out by bankruptcy. :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Scholarship athletes are making out like pigs already...and now they get more benefits aside of the secret payouts?! Fuck these these near illterate bastards.

 

[BoomerD]

Every dime received in scholarship funds/support/benefits should be taxable...to the parents of the student receiving said scholarship monies...unless the student qualifies as a non-dependent student...then it's taxable to them...as regular income.

 

[Drako]

Every dime received in scholarship funds/support/benefits should be taxable...to the parents of the student receiving said scholarship monies...unless the student qualifies as a non-dependent student...then it's taxable to them...as regular income.

LOL, and what good would that do?

 

[MotF Bane]

How about stop doing scholarships, and make it a type of financial aid. If they don't graduate, they have to pay the money back. If they do graduate, then it's okay. It's a start, at least.

 

[BoomerD]

LOL, and what good would that do?

Add to the tax revenue of the government, of course...

Why should students, especially athletes, get "free money?"

Scholarship monies should be considered taxable income.

 

[Drako]

How about stop doing scholarships, and make it a type of financial aid. If they don't graduate, they have to pay the money back. If they do graduate, then it's okay. It's a start, at least.

So, are you going to do this for academic/private/religious/etc scholarships as well, or just on athletic scholarships? Or you just want to punish athletes?

 

[Drako]

Add to the tax revenue of the government, of course...

Why should students, especially athletes, get "free money?"

Scholarship monies should be considered taxable income.

Wow, my sarcasm meter must be broken :|

 

[BoomerD]

Wow, my sarcasm meter must be broken :|

That's ok...I also think company paid insurance, such as health and life insurance should also be treated like taxable income...

 

[MotF Bane]

So, are you going to do this for academic/private/religious/etc scholarships as well, or just on athletic scholarships? Or you just want to punish athletes?

Just athletes. What private and religious organizations wish to do is their concern. As for academic scholarships, how many of those students fail to graduate versus how many athletic scholarship students fail to graduate? For NCAA, it's about 20% of them fail to graduate.

 

[destrekor]

They very much should have a stipend. Scholarships do not cover everything - they take a major bite out of the pain of college finances, but you are still left with a little pain to deal with.

Hell, I had a scholarship, a housing scholarship, and a stipend that increased each year for my 4 years of school... these helped significantly, obviously, but it only got easier as that stipend increased. And I wasn't involved with athletics, not directly (we were athletic, but not school-sponsored athletes)... and there's a good amount of cost that comes with that. The book money, now that was the thing that took the sting out of my remaining costs. Typically had book money left over, and thus became beer and grocery money.

 

[classy]

Just because you have said it before, SimpleJack of ATOT, that doesn't make it any more true. A Reggie Bush, who could barely spell U-S-C and signed his fucking scholarship papers with a Crayola crayon 'X', is not more valuable to a university than the smartest kid. Why? Because players like Reggie Bush will move on and distance themselves as far away from the University as possible when they leave because of all the eligibility rules they knowingly broke. The University is then left to deal with the shitstorm (both economically as well as goodwill) left behind. People that go to a University with the goal in mind of say, actually being there for school and LEARNING, will do more for the University during and after graduation. Quite a few students that are there on academic scholarships that would qualify for "superstar" academics will probably end up doing or participating in possibly ground-breaking research that may or may not lead to very valuable intellectual property for the University. Most academically scholarshipped students that then go on to be successful at life end up giving back to the University over a prolonged span that equates to way more than a Reggie Bush will ever give or generate.

Yes, athletics pay for a lot of things on a campus but they cost a hell of a lot as well. Many D1 and D2 atheltic programs don't have the financial surplus most think they have. I've been through the books before and know what their margins look like...before and after success/failure.

Texas, Penn State, and Notre Dame football programs are all worth over 100 million dollars. Let me repeat that each of those college, college football programs are worth over 100 million dollars. Each make over 40 million a year in profit.

Duke basketball team is worth over 20 million. North Carolina over 20 million. The Tar heels posted a 16 million dollar profit last year.

This is simple math, economics. College is the next step for academics and athletics. That is life. The weak argument of college only being for secondary education died 20-25 years ago. Your argument of detriment is weak. What is a fine and sanctions when the University has already pocketed 100-200 million during the college career of its star athlete.

And the academic student who contributes very little to the University benefits was well. Instead of paying 70K a year and a kidney, they get away with 25K and having to pass a gallstone. Athletes pay bills, period. And you are right Reggie Bush may can't spell USC, but he damn sure signed some paychecks.

How much did Duke pocket off Laettner, Grant Hill? How much money did Vince Young make for Texas? Tim Tebow made a lot of people rich.

 

[vi edit]

They very much should have a stipend. Scholarships do not cover everything - they take a major bite out of the pain of college finances, but you are still left with a little pain to deal with.

Hell, I had a scholarship, a housing scholarship, and a stipend that increased each year for my 4 years of school... these helped significantly, obviously, but it only got easier as that stipend increased. And I wasn't involved with athletics, not directly (we were athletic, but not school-sponsored athletes)... and there's a good amount of cost that comes with that. The book money, now that was the thing that took the sting out of my remaining costs. Typically had book money left over, and thus became beer and grocery money.

Or you do like 99% of the rest of the college kids do and give them a student loan that they repay once they graduate/leave.

 

[destrekor]

That's ok...I also think company paid insurance, such as health and life insurance should also be treated like taxable income...

eck
you have some insane ideas, and that's taking the hippie part into consideration.

Scholarships and monies related to scholarship aid should not be taxed. Typically these things are given to students who are not exactly making a pretty penny... let the money help the students focus on making themselves better adults, where in the future their hopefully better education will hopefully allow them to make more money than they would without that education. Thus, the idea is the non-taxed money right now is sort of an economic investment.. we won't tax it now, because we're hoping you will use all of that now to make a whole lot more when you are older.
And thus, the filthy rich should be taxed more.

 

[destrekor]

Or you do like 99% of the rest of the college kids do and give them a student loan that they repay once they graduate/leave.

Yep. I have a loan from my freshman year too (which wasn't entirely covered through the scholarships, and I hadn't contracted so there was no stipend then either).

It's that, or work insane hours and try and keep decent grades, or hope you get some kind of scholarship. Or do like half the military folks do, which is enlist simply to get money for school (or loan repayment).

 

[ElFenix]

Seems stupid to give them more money when most college athletic departments are losing money. They're already giving them a free education, which is pretty good compensation for the 99% of them who will never make it to the NFL. For the 1% that will make it to the NFL, the players (and NFL) are using the college as a stepping stone as much as the college is using them to make money.

they're only losing money because they're squandering it on old white guys in funny suits (the bowls) or paying staff way too much

 

[sactoking]

The solution to the problem is way too easy and makes way too much sense, so it will never be implemented: Allow students (all students) to take unsubsidized Stafford loans of up to $5,000 more than their calculated cost of school per year.

Currently an athlete on a full ride (which are the ones we're concerned about here) cannot take out a student loan b/c their calculated need is zero. Allow them to borrow $5,000/year, unsubsidized, and they'll have some scratch to spend and won't need to take hundred dollar handshakes. If they make it big they can repay the loan. If they go bankrupt they still have to repay the loan. Everyone wins.

 

[vi edit]

The solution to the problem is way too easy and makes way too much sense, so it will never be implemented: Allow students (all students) to take unsubsidized Stafford loans of up to $5,000 more than their calculated cost of school per year.

Currently an athlete on a full ride (which are the ones we're concerned about here) cannot take out a student loan b/c their calculated need is zero. Allow them to borrow $5,000/year, unsubsidized, and they'll have some scratch to spend and won't need to take hundred dollar handshakes. If they make it big they can repay the loan. If they go bankrupt they still have to repay the loan. Everyone wins.

:thumbsup:

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Gibsons]

How about stop doing scholarships, and make it a type of financial aid. If they don't graduate, they have to pay the money back. If they do graduate, then it's okay. It's a start, at least.

An interesting idea is that you tie the number of scholarships you can offer to the graduation rate.

I can think of how both basketball and football programs would loophole this, but it would make the legit student athlete very highly sought after.