Penn State, Seriously Options

[Badman]

Here's an idea. Shouldn't college be all about learning? How did sport and business weasel its way into education. I think it's ludicrous that students are given scholarships purely on their ability to play football or basketball. The US education system is flawed beyond belief.

In the 5 years I have been here, I have never seen Dan take a position on anything. I did a double take.

But yes, I agree. I hate football and think it is a waste of taxpayer/student dollars. It's a fucking leather ball and a bunch of 7 minute clips to convince you to watch commercials. It is a waste of time only comparable to talking about it on an internet forum.

The fact that a bunch of boys were sodomized by a greasy old man-god because of this game is probably the biggest travesty of all. At least the Catholics claim to have a connection to the gods while raping their boys!

This post has been edited by Badman: Jul 25 2012, 12:08 am

[Wambangalang]

i hate sport more than anyone but the game didnt make the greasy old man rape boys. his doodle made him do it!

[PillarOfDavidson]

Major college athletics are farm systems for professional sports. Pay the players and be done with it.

Better yet, create a minor league for football. Works for baseball right?

It won't happen though. There's too much history, tradition, and money involved in college football.

[dancing queen]

there are several minor football leagues. my coworker plays. gets paid $30 a game. there are leagues where people make livable money, though.

[PillarOfDavidson]

there are several minor football leagues. my coworker plays. gets paid $30 a game. there are leagues where people make livable money, though.

Those are more like independent leagues than minor leagues. What I mean is that the NFL should have a Minor League Football league with each team having its own affiliate teams. Or maybe work out a deal with existing leagues to serve that function. Obviously it wouldn't be the same thing as minor league baseball, but it could mirror it in some of their functionality.

It's just an idea as an alternative to college football. It won't ever happen unless the colleges decide to stop having football, which isn't going to happen any time soon. As a result college football serves as that "minor league" function for the NFL.

[PurdueSteve]

Here's an idea. Shouldn't college be all about learning? How did sport and business weasel its way into education. I think it's ludicrous that students are given scholarships purely on their ability to play football or basketball. The US education system is flawed beyond belief.

It's not a "US education system". Unlike elementary, middle and high school, college isn't an entitled public school system" it's a series of private institutions wherein the "state" schools receive government subsidizes from the states to lower tuition for in state residents only.

The athletic programs are essentially separate entities. Athletic departments cannot use education funds. Even when a player gets a scholarship, the athletic department has to cut a check to the school for that students tuition. So, it's not like the bonehead with a really good jumpshot is stealing a scholarship from anyone, without the athletic department (that makes money on ticket sales, and concessions) that scholarship otherwise wouldn't exist.

College athletics tend to get branded by the stereotype of the elite player that moves on to the NBA or NFL when in reality the vast majority of college athletes move on to graduate and get jobs. Their time on a team with a rigid schedule, in general, results in them being more disciplined and in general better employees than they'd otherwise be.

College athletics do far more good than harm.

[World Dreamer]

It's not a "US education system". Unlike elementary, middle and high school, college isn't an entitled public school system" it's a series of private institutions wherein the "state" schools receive government subsidizes from the states to lower tuition for in state residents only.

The athletic programs are essentially separate entities. Athletic departments cannot use education funds. Even when a player gets a scholarship, the athletic department has to cut a check to the school for that students tuition. So, it's not like the bonehead with a really good jumpshot is stealing a scholarship from anyone, without the athletic department (that makes money on ticket sales, and concessions) that scholarship otherwise wouldn't exist.

College athletics tend to get branded by the stereotype of the elite player that moves on to the NBA or NFL when in reality the vast majority of college athletes move on to graduate and get jobs. Their time on a team with a rigid schedule, in general, results in them being more disciplined and in general better employees than they'd otherwise be.

College athletics do far more good than harm.

I'd like to add to that and say that something like 80-90% of college athletes graduate and go on to work good jobs. A small percentage move on to be professional athletes and the remaining percentage are the jackasses and THOSE are the stories you hear about so much that give college athletics a bad name. Also, many of the ones that turn professional are jackasses. But also many are good people and end up donating millions to charities and helping their communities.

Good with the bad, it seems.

[dancing queen]

Those are more like independent leagues than minor leagues. What I mean is that the NFL should have a Minor League Football league with each team having its own affiliate teams. Or maybe work out a deal with existing leagues to serve that function. Obviously it wouldn't be the same thing as minor league baseball, but it could mirror it in some of their functionality.

It's just an idea as an alternative to college football. It won't ever happen unless the colleges decide to stop having football, which isn't going to happen any time soon. As a result college football serves as that "minor league" function for the NFL.

all true.

I don't hate college sports for existing, though. I just find them boring to watch.