Get Rid of College Football Scholarships?

[WorkHorse]

Ralph Nader doesn't venture into the world of college sports often, and maybe that's a good thing. You might have missed it, but the former presidential candidate made headlines last week for his proposal to END all college scholarships for athletes. According to Nader, and some activist group called the League of Fans, college athletes are actually professionals who are abusing the educational system for selfish reasons. Nader might have a point about some one-and-done athletes, but is that really a good reason to get rid of all college scholarships? What about the kids who would never get the chance to go to college without their scholarships? Nader says the current setup should be scrapped and replaced with a need based system. But even though the new plan might have a few good ideas in there, in the end it really sounds like just another one of his crazy schemes.

What do you think of Nader's plan? Nader wants to end scholarships and others want to pay the athletes along with the free ride. What's your take on this?

[BigdaddyQH]

Nader should be talking about college hoops, not college football. But the fact is that Nader rarely knows what he is talking about anyways. A "Need based" system is just another word for affirmative action. Get all of the poor minority kids into school, even though they may not qualify academically. Same old Liberal caca.

[fishmonger]

I hate when people pull out the card "how about kids that didn't have a chance without their scholarships". Everyone has a chance to go to college. I don't care how poor you are. My parents didn't have money for me to go to college. So I joined the Marines and went to college after I served my country. I love college football and if athletic scholarships are done with, college football will suffer talent wise but they will be true student athletes that will play the game. Half of the scholarship athletes don't even care about going to class and getting an education, all they want to do is play football and goof off anyways. It is a total abuse of the system. I would totally support axing athletic scholarships, it would make all the kids students first and athletes second. Stupid kids don't belong in college anyways.

[john1217]

the kids need compensation ether way,with there longterm health at risk.pay them !

[Wrecktangle]

This would never work as the money sports brings in is like crack to the NCAA football schools, not to mention the alumni.

W got in because of the votes Nader siphoned off, so in my book not only is Nader a wacko, he's a nation-wrecker.

[utmoody10]

A four year college degree from a major university that many of which never wouldve never qualified into academically without college football is a good form of compensation. That would require the kids to actually study though. The pay for play is a slippery slope because are you going to pay the starting QB as much as your kicker? Is there going to be a salary cap or an all out free for all for boosters to throw as much money at a kid as possible? This is just a sign of the times that we live in today, where everyone has their hand out and likes to take the path of least resistance. The fact of the matter is that these kids are given the best of everything that universities have to offer yet its still never enough for some.

Maybe they should let these guys leave college for the NFL even earlier, or never make them go to college at all. I guarantee you it would be short lived because the amount of players that would likely make it in the long run through that path would be slim to none. The system is in place to better these athletes on the playing field while giving them an opportunity to further themselves as people in the classroom. I say if they would like to try their hand at a professional football team at 18-20 years old, then do so but I bet it will not end well. College football does nothing to "hinder" these athletes from becoming pro prospects. They see their faces on tv and people wearing their jerseys in the stands and immediately feel as if their being taken advantage of. Let them leave and try to make a dollar elsewhere, college football will survive without them.

[bornselling]

Let them leave and try to make a dollar elsewhere, college football will survive without them.

[WorkHorse]

Tuition + board + meals + books.

I thought it was a good deal back when I played and I feel the same way now.

(To get the above, many, most students work at night, day jobs, get help from parents, loans, just grind out enough money for an education, etc.).

I wasn't FORCED to play college football....these kids today aren't either.

[WorkHorse]

My friend Bloomquist just asked; what's with our friend bornselling...the SOB just put 17 words together which means Bloomer just won a bet with our gang. Hell, we were betting the over/under on the words of Mr. B's next post.

We love this fucken guy..........Bloomer just won $175 on the over.

[cant call it]

The whole college system is a joke. It, like many other things has turned into a revenue first business, putting money before minds. Its more about revenue than it is sharing knowledge.

[morganwags]

its crazy

[RPP]

Nadar is a jackass and the primary reason we had to suffer 8 years of GWB.

[scarp]

I think hes going crazy

[bornselling]

[COLOR=#000000 !important]I think hes going crazy[/COLOR]

[LLXC]

Just pay the players

[clonecat]

College football will not be competitive if they start paying players as the schools with the biggest donors, Oregon especially, will be the powers and the others will be worthless. All of the talent will be at 10-12 schools.