I hate to admit it but it makes sound financial sense for the schools and agents to encourage this behavior. How much money do you think they stand to make from all of this? Look at USC football. They bring in millions. reggie Bush wasn't the whole team but he certainly helped increase the value of the football program for years to come. Why not try it for basketball? Hire a big name coach with big salary. Need more money, more seats, more tv, more wins...pay some kids to come and play. If you get caught, you have to give back a fraction of the money that you made.
Sadly, it also goes on more often than not. I've had good friends play sports in all levels in college and they've told me that money is slipped underneath their door during the week and almost always, there's money in that envelope. Money, cars, housing, clothes are offered. If not to the player, it's to the players parents.
I completely agree with you. Another thing I would like is if the NCAA would just let the schools pay the players. It would be awesome if more good college players decided to stay in the NCAA longer than just going pro after one year. I mean the colleges make MILLIONS off the good players so paying them like 30-40 thousand a year is cheap. Maybe if the kids were making some money that would have them at least think about staying in school longer.
Oh come on, that is a ridiculous idea. The colleges can't afford to be paying players to stay on instead of going to the NBA, or NFL. They simply can't compete with pro sports salaries. Plus then schools will have to cut their budgets elsewhere to make ends meet. Let me guess...cut the arts programs?
Anyway the thing that makes college sports great is that the kids haven't been manipulated by the system....yet. They play with heart, pure and simple. Cmon we've all seen pro athletes and their ego. You never know who is going to show up and play when you watch an NBA game.
This kind of stuff really cheapens the sport and has no business in college athletics. Frankly I wish I could have been around for the older days when players always stayed their four years, no matter how good they were. Part of the prestige was receiving an education from a university.
Furthermore they all get full rides, which does provide spending money for things like rent, food, etc.. Let them live a few years humbly before they become preoccupied with all the bling bling and commercial culture which is clearly ruining professional sports.
