osu football

[shittygsxr]

Renting a car? You lost me. If you're saying these guys aren't ready to play pro football at 18, you're absolutely right. Almost none of 'em are ready at that age.

However, your original point was that the researchers and student assistants at universities are getting pimped like the football players are. That's not on point. Bill Gates left Harvard very young (19 I think) to start Microsoft. There is no age limit for free enterprise risk-taking.

you are right they should pay the high school players too

[DAC]

you are right they should pay the high school players too

That's the spirit!

[Fonzie]

Better yet, pay the guys their fair share of the revenue. The Big T(12)en will take in between $200 and $250 million this year and these guys get suspended for selling some charms and autographs?

This situation is brought on by NCAA/BCS/conference monopoly powers that, coupled with NFL collective bargaining, result in slave wages for these athletes.

I don't know that I agree w/ these particular allegations about selling their personal items, but these 18-22 year old kids are hardly getting paid "slave wages". Show me any other kids that age that are getting paid $100,000+ to go to school. Whether they take advantage of the schooling or not is beside the point... They have an opportunity that normal average kids do not... Simply because they excel at a child's game

[Meanie]

Look at it this way - the gate at OSU is something like $6 million +. That's just THE GATE! Not concessions, merch., media, etc.

How much of that do the players get? Yeah, some will make millions in the pros some day, some will do okay. Others could have done that but blew out a knee or finished with 6 concussions. Still other players played, never went pro - but got an education and will treasure the memories forever.

Look, I grew up here and I'm and OSU grad and I root for the Buckeyes. I love the place - but it's changed a lot. The college game has too. College athletics is mostly a business - still with some good people involved, just like any other business. Let's not pretend that these are just little amateur contests among some college kids. This is a more or less unpaid minor league for the NFL with some nice traditions and aesthetics thrown in. The players aren't here for their academic prowess or their saintly character. They're here to play.

How many of the "star players" are there on a athletic Scholarship? So technically they are getting paid to "play" a game. They also all know they are not going to get "paid" to play football in college, and they also all know the rules when they agree to play. They all knew getting a discount or free tattoo was against the rules. I never played college football, and I know you can't trade a signature for a tattoo. They knew the rules and regulations before they decided to play football at a college level, they also knew the benefits if they made it to the pros.

As for the gate costing ~6Mil. Sounds like they got ripped off. I guess I know why they need to charge so much to watch amateurs play football.

[shittygsxr]

That's the spirit!

fuck it lets pay the junior high kids too!

[DAC]

I don't know that I agree w/ these particular allegations about selling their personal items, but these 18-22 year old kids are hardly getting paid "slave wages". Show me any other kids that age that are getting paid $100,000+ to go to school. Whether they take advantage of the schooling or not is beside the point... They have an opportunity that normal average kids do not... Simply because they excel at a child's game

They get paid $100k a year to play? That's news. If that's on top of tuition, room & board, books, etc., I stand corrected.

I had thought that athletic dept. wrote a check to the univ. for tuition & fees and did reimbursement to the athlete for rent, etc.

[DAC]

fuck it lets pay the junior high kids too!

What, the little league guys are left out?

[Cheech]

They get paid $100k a year to play? That's news. If that's on top of tuition, room & board, books, etc., I stand corrected.

I had thought that athletic dept. wrote a check to the univ. for tuition & fees and did reimbursement to the athlete for rent, etc.

News flash: Colleges cost money. For an Ohio resident, you can expect to pay $20,000 per year of full-time college, for a non-resident (as Pryor is) that number turns to $34,000.

So, we have $34,000 time 5 years of elibigility = $170,000, plus stipends that are supplied by the college, and that person gets a free diploma while tens of thousands of other kids take on high 5 to low 6 figures worth of loans just to get the same piece of paper.

Nope, no financial benefit at all.

[Hutch]

News flash: Colleges cost money. For an Ohio resident, you can expect to pay $20,000 per year of full-time college, for a non-resident (as Pryor is) that number turns to $34,000.

So, we have $34,000 time 5 years of elibigility = $170,000, plus stipends that are supplied by the college, and that person gets a free diploma while tens of thousands of other kids take on high 5 to low 6 figures worth of loans just to get the same piece of paper.

Nope, no financial benefit at all.

Just the perks of being a athlete as wrong as it might be the US revolves around sports.

[DAC]

News flash: Colleges cost money. For an Ohio resident, you can expect to pay $20,000 per year of full-time college, for a non-resident (as Pryor is) that number turns to $34,000.

So, we have $34,000 time 5 years of elibigility = $170,000, plus stipends that are supplied by the college, and that person gets a free diploma while tens of thousands of other kids take on high 5 to low 6 figures worth of loans just to get the same piece of paper.

Nope, no financial benefit at all.

Fun discussion.

And, uh, thanks for the "news flash." I'm paying for one, and next year two, kids to go to college. Wouldn't be doing that if I didn't think the "piece of paper" had value.

So, to recap, the collective wisdom is: "Be happy with your $35k a year while we make a dumptruck sized loads of cash per game from wealthy alumni and the Big Ten Network or CBS."

Understood.

Or we could up the "stipend" to $20k per game for starters (25 players including kickers/specialists), $15k per game for players who see field time (another, say, 20) and $5k for 40 other dressing players. Then I think the problems like the one that started this thread go away.

Not every team could afford or would be forced to do that. But that would be the max. Around $1 million a game. That's a respectable sliver of the take (probably less than 10% of the all-in revenue) for the players.

And away we go . . .

[|SnOmAn|]

I think this is stupid! I don't even like OSU and I think the suspension is dumb. Now it will probably push them to go pro if anything. Good job NCAA.... I understand they are on scholarship and aren't allowed to get money, but what do you expect them to do. Play football, do school work, and veg in your room. Don't get caught buying anything, you may have NCAA on your tail...

[Cheech]

Fun discussion.

And, uh, thanks for the "news flash." I'm paying for one, and next year two, kids to go to college. Wouldn't be doing that if I didn't think the "piece of paper" had value.

So, to recap, the collective wisdom is: "Be happy with your $35k a year while we make a dumptruck sized loads of cash per game from wealthy alumni and the Big Ten Network or CBS."

Understood.

Or we could up the "stipend" to $20k per game for starters (25 players including kickers/specialists), $15k per game for players who see field time (another, say, 20) and $5k for 40 other dressing players. Then I think the problems like the one that started this thread go away.

Not every team could afford or would be forced to do that. But that would be the max. Around $1 million a game. That's a respectable sliver of the take (probably less than 10% of the all-in revenue) for the players.

And away we go . . .

So what about the myriad other sports that OSU competes in? Should those students be paid too? They are putting in the same amount of effort, balancing school/sports just like the football players. How about the sports that the football program subsidizes by their revenue stream? Are you in favor of cutting those programs just to enrich a chosen few who are already getting a completely free college education? Who gets paid and who doesn't?

As for the piece of paper, its value is only as good as the person holding it. The education leading up to it, it can be argued, is the part that's valuable.

[Cheech]

I think this is stupid! I don't even like OSU and I think the suspension is dumb. Now it will probably push them to go pro if anything. Good job NCAA.... I understand they are on scholarship and aren't allowed to get money, but what do you expect them to do. Play football, do school work, and veg in your room. Don't get caught buying anything, you may have NCAA on your tail...

If they don't get it overturned (and after the bullshit Cam Newton thing, they've got a pretty good case), Pryor's missing 5 games is going to kill his professional chances, he's going pro.

Book it, done.

[shittygsxr]

Or maybe we charge the players for the chance to spotlight their talent on a national stage. They can pay for the chance to make millions in the nfl

[Fonzie]

I think lost in all this discussion is a point I've not heard anyone make yet....

Terrell can kiss any chance of ever winning the Heisman bye bye now, unless he stays for a 5th season

[Strictly Street]

$ vs players/collegiate rules.

Is this about the $? Or is it about the $?

[Hutch]

$ vs players/collegiate rules.

Is this about the $? Or is it about the $?

Yes

[kawi kid]

Trust me, they knew what they were doing was wrong. Comes down to morals.

[Cheech]

I think lost in all this discussion is a point I've not heard anyone make yet....

Terrell can kiss any chance of ever winning the Heisman bye bye now, unless he stays for a 5th season

Bingo. Not going to happen.

[Cheech]

Trust me, they knew what they were doing was wrong. Comes down to morals.

It comes down to coddling. I've never met the guy, but it seems to me that Pryor has the same issues that LeBron has, everyone's always been so eager to have him as a friend or have him around that they won't tell him no. Once you develop that kind of attitude then it becomes second nature to the person that they can do anything the hell they want and who's going to stop them? He's Terrelle friggin Pryor, the hero QB for the most popular team in Columbus!

Only difference here is that Pryor couldn't enter the NFL as a HS grad.

[Moto-Brian]

Funny that the knee jerk reaction is that Cam got away with something and it is the world coming down on these guys simply because you are a fan of OSU football.

Take the emotion out of it and look w/o bias and you will see it differently.

1) The rule is that the NCAA automatically suspends an athlete that violates rules like this for 4 games. No questions. However, the athletes initially denied the allegations and said nothing happened and thus, the extra game. So, on their shoulders.

2) Rules are rules. They are trying to make this a sob story where the kids were sending money to their families. I understand the economy sucked and I understand that many a full time scholarship athlete to football comes from a less than desirable setting in life. However, is it OK to rob a bank to get your family help? Same here. Rules are rules and I can tell you as someone that was an athlete that these rules are VERY well expressed. All from the time they are courted by the college to the time they leave...

3) The deal was they sold these things to get the money. In turn, they got a discounted service or even free (yet to be determined) tattoos. So, they sold their stuff and got a perk outside the money. The rule essentially is that as a college athlete, you cannot gain anything from your status as an athlete. It's BS and not fair at times, but thems da rules.

Stop comparing it to anyone else. Stop with the shit "If it were another school". It would be exactly the same. Stop comparing to Newton. Jealousy is a funny thing. Cam's a badass football player who is going to be a lot bigger and better than Pryor. Suck it up and leave it alone. There's no conspiracy theory here or anything you are going to unveil that is going to show favoritism towards one or another. If things come up that Cam had some involvement, they will react accordingly. Look at Bush...

The thing is pretty simple. Cam deserves the trophy from what he was as an athlete. If you think people voted for him based on wrong things, that is fine. That's your opinion. But, if you think they voted for an athlete that wasn't deserving from his actions on and off the field, you have a pretty lame case. Maybe we don't know everything, but the NCAA takes this stuff pretty damn seriously.

As for the suspension at OSU, I am on the fence. I think it is really stupid to sell your stuff. Listen, a blank OSU ring vs a ring with Pryor's name on it are worth way different values. These kids knew that. They knew they'd get good money for these items. I also think that Gene was right in saying the money went to the families.

But what kills me is two fold. One, they all went out and got tattoos. If life is hard at home, every penny needs to go there. Not towards a sleeve/s that from the start of his OSU career was nothing to what it is now. That amount of money is significant and if he would have saved that for the family, the $2500 he owes would have easily been covered. Unless they didn't pay for them at all. Which again is a serious issue...

The bottom line is that the old saying "If you aren't willing to do the time, don't do the crime" applies.

Now onto another issue I feel is needed. Paying the athletes. The deal is that a college football player gets a scholarship to go to a college to work towards his profession. Football. If you are an athlete that gets a full time scholarship to a major university, the odds are that you are destined to be on the roster on an NFL team. Pretty simple. Take a kid that gets a large scholarship to the engineering dept at OSU. Same thing. He is going to a college to work towards his profession. An Engineer...

Don't sit and weigh out that they are there first and foremost as a student and that's what the top thing needs to be. They are. They are there to get an education towards their job in the future. These kids work hard, have a TON of rules and are under a LOT more focus from others than say a kid that gets a small scholarship for academics. These football players are in the gyms, training, practicing, etc to the point it is very tough to get a part time job, go to class and maintain the requirements of the team.

My feelings are that the rating of the sport and academic, music, etc level of scholarship should weigh in on a payment structure.

I think a full time athlete should get paid. I think it doesn't matter if you are a first string, full scholarship player or a bench warmer. You are at the field the same amount of time and have the same amount of things to juggle at times. Throwing something out there, I think $5k (using blank numbers) for a football player and $1k for a band member. $3k for Basketball, $2k for other sports, etc...

You get the idea. Structure it so that the amount of inflow is reflected. Football at OSU inflows the most money into the university. If you think otherwise, you're blind or biased towards something and cannot accept the fact that football is the generator of cash that it is. Wake up. 100k of people every weekend. jerseys, posters, trinkets, etc. All proceeds, royalties, etc are going to the school. It helps with research money needed, it helps with paying scholarships, it helps ATTRACT students to a school as well regarded as OSU, etc...

The school makes a shit load on these kids and it is tough to make money to enjoy themselves while being students. If you think they don't need to party, they don't need to eat more than they are allocated under their stipend, if you think they don't need extra pens, etc., you are pretty naive.

Pay these kids a minimal amount and the results would be less of things like this happening.

It's minimal, but I think they need to be paid maybe a % of the average income a student makes while attending college. Not the full %, but at least 1/2...

Rant over.

[Bad324]

If they don't get it overturned (and after the bullshit Cam Newton thing, they've got a pretty good case), Pryor's missing 5 games is going to kill his professional chances, he's going pro.

Book it, done.

If he stays, he won't miss more than 3. Fortunately, I hope he doesn't stay because bring me Braxton Miller

[Fonzie]

It comes down to coddling. I've never met the guy, but it seems to me that Pryor has the same issues that LeBron has,

BINGO! When LeBron did his "Decision" this past summer... I couldn't help but be reminded of TP doing the same thing 3 years ago. You remember... His big press conference on signing day to announce that he hadn't made a decision yet

I always gave him the benefit of the doubt back then, that the networks had purportedly pressured him into at least saying something, since they already had all their satellite trucks enroute to Jeanerette... But as we've gotten to know this kid better over the last couple years, I'm not so sure anymore. I seem to also recall that shortly after that press conference, he was involved in a big fight with his team during a basketball game. That was when my opinion of him started to deteriorate

I think the most telling thing is that even his own OSU fans don't seem to care for him much

On a sidenote... Though I can't believe these kids don't treasure something so unique & priceless... I don't know that I have an issue with them selling their rings, gold pants, trophies, etc. The "ink for ink" is a different story, but I can make an argument either way as for them selling "personal items".

[Fonzie]

If things come up that Cam had some involvement, they will react accordingly. Look at Bush...

The thing is pretty simple. Cam deserves the trophy from what he was as an athlete. If you think people voted for him based on wrong things, that is fine. That's your opinion. But, if you think they voted for an athlete that wasn't deserving from his actions on and off the field, you have a pretty lame case. Maybe we don't know everything, but the NCAA takes this stuff pretty damn seriously.

They said the same thing about Reggie... And we see how that all turned out this past summer, once the rest of the info starting coming public

[SJC1000rr]

I'm with gen3flygirl and brian on this one. Those guys knew that what they were doing was probably wrong. They have been catered too and spoiled the whole time they were hear and now its a sob story because they finally got caught. Pretty sure the rules are you can't sell or get rid of anything the university gives to you or you win until your gone....

And I don't feel too bad for any of them let alone Pryor. Saying he needed money...minus the fact that hes driving around a new Audi now... so I'll leave it at that. Suck it up and move on.